Yemmie: Founder and creator of La’Lah
What do you do?
I own a fine-fragrance brand that sits at the intersection of beauty and wellness. Stress has become a part of our normalcy, and our candles and fragrances are intentionally curated to bring ease to your everyday routine. One sniff at a time, our scents are crafted with clean and sustainable ingredients that are kind to your senses and kind to our planet.
Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration for scents and products from moments of self-care and try to bottle up that feeling into a fragrance that people will enjoy - and will hopefully inspire others to practice self-care.
Favorite scent?
I'm a sucker for fresh & floral scents.
Has owning your own business lived up to the expectation that you had for it?
In some ways yes, but I didn't realize how much work would go into making each dollar. I love having my time belong to me, the ability to get creative and but it's definitely been harder than I expected. I recently started consulting part-time to take some of the pressure off of me and the business. I think it's important to enjoy having your own business, so I'm working really hard on finding what I love about the experience and finding ways to outsource the tasks that aren't quite as enjoyable.
Favorite project you’ve worked on?
A collaboration on a scent for a flower shop. My second love, after candles, is definitely flowers, so being about to work with a flower shop on a collaboration was really exciting. We picked a wonderful scent that was full of tuberose and other slightly sweet flowers.
What’s on your summer playlist?
Drake's new album in definitely on repeat. I don't have a favorite song, but I love to press play and get into my chill & focused mode.
How do you break out of a creative funk?
I love to meet up with friends for drinks or something fun. It helps me remember that life is meant to be enjoyed and that I'm not meant to work 100 hrs a day. Getting that mental and emotional break from work always puts me in a great mood! I wake up the next day full of energy and life, which is a great kickstart for a creative day.
Favorite form of self-care? (besides lighting candles)
Meditation, for sure! I do it daily, and it helps manage all the anxieties that come from being a solopreneur. It also helps me check in with myself and be honest about what I need at the moment and how I'm feeling.
What’s some creative advice you live by?
Take a break and breath. It's easy, at least for me, to get into "producer" mode and feel I need to keep producing - especially in the burnout-style culture that we have. When it comes to creativity, sometimes more isn't really more. I find that even with my friends who also have businesses, our greatest topic of discussion is about giving ourselves grace. Grace to realize we did our best; grace to know we're working on getting better; grace to take a break when we need it.
Who would your dream creative collaboration include?
Telfar! I love the brand's use of color and how they've got an amazing community of fans. They've really done a great job of galvanizing their community into brand ambassadors and feeling like they're part of the company.
An artist or creative that is really inspiring you right now?
What is something you are excited about in 2022?
Dream retailer?
Anthropologie and Nordstrom. If I got into those stores, I'd probably cry a little, haha.
Where can people find your products?
Online at Moodsbyyemmie.com and in person at a few Brooklyn shops - Les Blooms, GranRu, Greedi Vegan and a few others.
Looking for help with anything or intros to anyone? Put out an ask!
I'm always happy to connect with other entrepreneurs for coffee and to learn from each other! I'm also looking for micro-influencers that love creating content and love candles, so if anyone's interested, definitely let me know :)
