Shop Small is a monthly series highlighting small business owners from diverse backgrounds. This series aims to go deeper than your typical product roundup, diving into the inspirational stories behind some of our favorite brands. By taking a behind-the-scenes look at how their shops came to be and highlighting the products they (and their shoppers!) love, we hope to put a deserving spotlight on these marginalized business owners.
Even as a kid, Jasmin Foster loved stationery — she even considered herself a collector. But as she began to notice the lack of inclusion of women of color on cards and journals, her enthusiasm for the products began to fade. That's why, in 2020, Foster launched Be Rooted, a lifestyle brand that sells planners, journals, home goods and gifts that weaves "culture into every design and message."
Foster's career working for Target, Amazon, General Mills and UrbanSkin Rx prepared her with the necessary skills to start her company. In the past three years, Be Rooted has grown from just four journals to more than 65 products on its website, including colorful and decorative journals, planners, throw pillows and 500-piece puzzles. It even became the first Black woman-owned stationery brand to hit Target's shelves in 2021. "It definitely wasn't in my initial one- or two-year plan, so to have our products in Target within the first 18 months is beyond my wildest dreams," Foster says. "I'm super excited that Be Rooted was able to play a small role in opening up opportunities for the rest of the aisles."
While Foster has indeed enjoyed success, being a self-made entrepreneur has come with its own set of challenges. Read on for more of Foster's journey and what it took for Be Rooted to break into one of the largest retailers in the U.S.
What inspired you to start Be Rooted?
"I've always been that young girl who was super obsessed with stationery and had way too many journals and notebooks. When you think about some of the iconic brands that have always been in the space, there's never been one with artwork, or even language, directed to women of color. So I had this idea to create a lifestyle brand that was all about uplifting and celebrating women of color through reflective imagery and uplifting messaging. One thing you'll see with all of our products is that we try to interweave both of those messages into everything we create."
Where did the brand name come from?
"To me, Be Rooted shows people that they should be rooted in culture, be within reflection and rooted in who they are."
Why is representation in the stationery industry so important?
"Our journals could have messages like 'Manifest your dreams,' 'Protect your energy' or 'Guard your spirit.' Each message hits you differently, depending on where you're at in life. I think it's really important to have a space to feel comfortable to write, so you feel like you're writing to your sister or best friend."
What are the benefits of journaling and how can someone make it a part of their self-care routine?
"One thing that keeps people from starting is feeling like they need to write in their journal every single day. But for me, it's about being reflective. Starting with a weekly reflection is a great way to get into the habit of journaling. Taking that small, simple approach allows you to make it less angsty.
I use journaling to help clear my headspace. I'm a Virgo, so we're naturally overthinkers. When I finally sit down and write, it ends the chaos in my head. The good thing about journaling is it can be a lot of different things for different people. Some of my customers use journals as a way to track their dreams; some people write their goals."
What skills helped you succeed as an entrepreneur?
"Spending most of my career in retail, I saw behind the scenes — what made brands successful, how to build a really great relationship with buyers and the various teams you work with to bring a product to life. In a retail environment, even though I never worked in the stationery category, I was able to take those insights around inventory planning, forecasting and putting together a really great pitch deck. When I left Target to work for UrbanSkin Rx — which was a very fast-paced, growing skincare brand at that time — I learned the decisions you make at a brand that's growing quickly and the inflection points that can really change its trajectory."
Is there another valuable lesson you learned from your journey so far?
"Entrepreneurship is not linear. You're never going to have a direct path of upward success. Entrepreneurship is more like a roller coaster ride, but at the end of the day, it's enjoyable. When you have those days, where you're hanging upside down the roller coaster, or your gut kind of just falls into the back of your stomach because you just dropped down really fast, there's still some joy in whatever lesson you learned that day."
Mariah Thomas (she/her) is an assistant editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers home and lifestyle content. Mariah has more than four years of editorial experience, having written for TLC, Apartment Therapy, Women's Health and Avocado Magazine. She received her master's degree in journalism at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and published her first book, Heart and Soul: Poems of Thoughts and Emotions, in 2019. She's also the founder of RTF Community, a platform for creatives of color to connect, learn and showcase their work.
