La Vie Est Belle In Minnesota Is So Much More Than A Charming Boutique
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Megan Shute
Author
There is little more powerful than a mother’s love. As a mother, there isn’t a thing I wouldn’t do for my daughter, and I’m positive Kristin Rohman Rehkamp, owner of La Vie Est Belle, would agree. Located in Lake Elmo, Minnesota, her gift boutique is the embodiment of love in its most unconditional sense.
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“After our daughter experienced a mental health crisis in 2020, we found ourselves wanting to help other families on the same journey and raise awareness for children,” says owner Kristin Rohman Rehkamp.
“Writing became my therapeutic outlet and led to a blog on our store’s website. A uniquely raw and poignant look into a mother’s journey with youth mental health, it provides a voice that is not heard elsewhere.” The collection of essays was curated into a book published in the fall of 2022, “Finding Us: A Mother’s Memoir of Braving Mental Illness with Her Young Daughter.”
“Writing became my therapeutic outlet and led to a blog on our store’s website. A uniquely raw and poignant look into a mother’s journey with youth mental health, it provides a voice that is not heard elsewhere.” The collection of essays was curated into a book published in the fall of 2022, “Finding Us: A Mother’s Memoir of Braving Mental Illness with Her Young Daughter.”
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“At the time we wanted to start our business, our daughter was struggling with her mental health. She had multiple hospital stays. We helped one local youth mental health hospital raise dollars, design and prototype a beautiful 16″ Giving Bear by DEMDACO to be given to all youth admitted,” recollects Rohman Rehkamp. “A beautiful bear with a note from one child to another – a child that had previously stayed at the hospital letting another child know they are not alone, to be brave, and know they are loved.”
Rohman Rehkamp asked her partners at DEMDACO if they would take a risk with a mom who wanted to start an online boutique, and they said yes. She bought her first 30 products – would sell a product, purchase another – until the boutique blossomed into the beautiful business it is today; “Our greatest asset (our capital) has always been and will continue to be our relationships. Small businesses are never successful without the support of the community and other small businesses/relationships. We are always stronger together.”
Rohman Rehkamp asked her partners at DEMDACO if they would take a risk with a mom who wanted to start an online boutique, and they said yes. She bought her first 30 products – would sell a product, purchase another – until the boutique blossomed into the beautiful business it is today; “Our greatest asset (our capital) has always been and will continue to be our relationships. Small businesses are never successful without the support of the community and other small businesses/relationships. We are always stronger together.”
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“We pride ourselves on providing personalized gifting solutions for all occasions. Every package is beautifully gift-wrapped and includes a hand-written card. We also offer complimentary doorstep delivery in the St. Croix Valley area of Minnesota and affordable shipping throughout the continental United States,” says Rohman Rehkamp.
“Our little boutique would not be possible without all the support, kindness, and love of our family, friends, partners, customers, community, and other small businesses we admire and learn from,” muses Rohman Rehkamp.
“Small businesses are truly the heart of every community. Every small business owner should be applauded for their strength, courage, and determination. Owning a business is not for the faint of heart… but certainly for those with the biggest of hearts.”
“Small businesses are truly the heart of every community. Every small business owner should be applauded for their strength, courage, and determination. Owning a business is not for the faint of heart… but certainly for those with the biggest of hearts.”
We couldn’t have said it better ourselves, Kristin. For more information or to do a little online shopping, visit the La Vie Est Belle website or follow them on Facebook or Instagram. Thank you to Kristin Rohman Rehkamp for sharing her incredible story with us. Here’s to the continued success of your magnificent small business!
To discover more incredible small businesses across the United States, check out our Small Business Spotlight series.
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Featured Addresses
La Vie Est Belle, 3417 Lake Elmo Ave N, Lake Elmo, MN 55042, USA