This month, we’re celebrating 10 years of Angelic Roots! To mark this milestone, we sat down with our founders, Laurie and Djuro, to reflect on the past decade—how it all began, how it’s grown, and what it’s meant to build something from the heart. What started in their home has evolved into the space it is today, shaped by trust, resilience, and following a path that felt right, even when it wasn’t always easy. Along the way, there have been so many lessons, challenges, unexpected moments, and an overwhelming sense of gratitude woven into every step.
The answer to this question is a little different for each of us—but together, it’s what led us here.
For Laurie, it began during a time of feeling completely overwhelmed. She was working in a demanding leadership role in healthcare while raising two young children, and it felt like life had become unbalanced and exhausting—far from what she had envisioned for herself.
Everything began to shift when a friend invited her to a spiritual gathering. What seemed like a simple invitation became a turning point—an introduction to a world she had never explored before. She started learning about intuition, angels, Reiki, and more, and quickly felt drawn to it all. That curiosity turned into a deep passion, leading her to seek out classes, books, and experiences, eventually beginning her own meditation practice and Reiki training. What she discovered was something she didn’t even realize had been missing.
With time, she began to feel calmer, more confident, and more aligned. It became clear that healthcare was no longer her soul’s calling—but she still needed to support her family. So she transitioned into healthcare IT, knowing it would be a temporary step that allowed her the space to begin building something new. During that time, she continued her training and began exploring crystals, essential oils, and sound healing—slowly laying the foundation for what would become our business.
For Djuro, the journey began by witnessing this transformation. Seeing the profound impact this work had on Laurie made it clear that something meaningful was unfolding. At the same time, we both understood what it felt like to work jobs that provided stability but came at a personal cost. That’s when we started telling ourselves: there has to be a better way. Eventually, we made the decision to step away from the corporate world and take a leap of faith by investing in ourselves. It wasn’t easy, but it felt right.
In November of 2018, Laurie officially left her healthcare career. Shortly after, we had a booth at the Christkindl Market at Fiserv Forum. It was long, cold, and exhausting—but it truly jumpstarted our business and helped lead us to our current location.
What made it all even more meaningful was that we had found something we were both genuinely passionate about—something we could build together, grow together, and share with our community. That leap of faith set us on an entirely new path. Being able to work side by side has been a dream come true—and without a doubt, one of the greatest blessings in our story.
The very first version of our business began in the lower level of our home, where we created a treatment room and a mock classroom space. Laurie started by offering Reiki sessions to friends and family as a way to practice and refine her skills. Over time, those sessions grew into referrals from friends of friends, and word began to spread. Before long, Laurie was seeing clients several days a week while still working her full-time job.
Around that time, sound healing was still relatively uncommon. We attended a Body Mind Spirit Expo, where we discovered a seminar about gongs. We were immediately drawn to it. Inspired, we purchased our first singing bowls and eventually added a gong. Laurie began incorporating sound healing into her Reiki sessions, which added a new depth to the experience.
As interest grew, Laurie and Djuro started offering sound baths in our home. These quickly gained popularity, and we expanded by setting up a small retail space as well. Djuro began creating crystal trees, and Laurie started making crystal bracelets.
Our first vendor event was the Dare to Be Aware Fair at Alverno College. At that event, we brought a few crystal display pieces for our table—but to our surprise, everyone wanted to buy them. That moment sparked a new direction for us, and we soon began offering crystals as part of our business. By 2019, the growth had led us to purchase our large building in the Market Place Shopping Village, marking the next chapter of our story.
Not exactly as it is today, but there was definitely a vision rooted in connection that has remained consistent—connecting with the community and offering a welcoming space for all.
The moment we truly realized, “We’re really doing this,” came when we had the opportunity to purchase the large crystal collection from the family of Chuck Webb.
At the time, we were vending at the Strawberry Festival in Cedarburg when Chuck’s daughter happened to walk by. We struck up a conversation with her and her husband, and during that exchange, they asked if we would be interested in purchasing his collection. Honestly, we had no idea just how extensive it was.
When we went to see the collection in person, we were completely overwhelmed—but in the best way. It was clear to us that this was exactly what we needed to truly launch the retail side of Angelic Roots. That moment felt like a turning point. It gave us both the inventory and the confidence to take the next big step forward. We are incredibly grateful for that connection and feel it was truly a blessing from Chuck.
Our biggest “oh no, what did we just do?” moment was the day we closed on our main brick-and-mortar location. Right after closing, we walked into the building only to find that the previous owners hadn’t fully moved out. At the same time, our moving trucks had arrived, and we suddenly had nowhere to go. We ended up leaving everything in the trucks and staying in a hotel for the first couple of nights. And that was just the start.
Within the first week, we discovered a major water leak in the downstairs ceiling and had to call a plumber. When they came out, they told us the entire building needed all new plumbing—completely unexpected. It was overwhelming, but we knew it was something we had to take on, so we did.
In the middle of our renovation, COVID hit, which made everything even more difficult. Delays piled up, and what we thought would be a manageable timeline ended up taking nearly three times as long. Looking back, it was one of the most stressful times we’ve experienced—but also one of the most rewarding. It pushed us, tested us, and ultimately confirmed just how committed we were to building something meaningful.
What surprised us most about running this business has definitely been the true cost of doing business and the time commitment it requires. From payroll to software, marketing, utilities, insurance, and of course inventory—it all adds up quickly. There are so many moving pieces behind the scenes that people don’t always see. But just as impactful is the amount of time it takes. Building and sustaining a business isn’t just a job—it’s a constant commitment of energy, focus, and heart.
One of our biggest lessons over the past 10 years has been learning to trust ourselves and lead with heart.
For Laurie, it’s been about truly trusting her intuition—believing that when you operate from a place of authenticity and integrity, you are being guided exactly where you’re meant to go.
For Djuro, it’s been about understanding your strengths while continuing to grow from your weaknesses, doing everything from the heart, and remembering that even the smallest act of kindness can leave a lasting impression.
One thing that always reminds us, "we’ve got this," is the incredible community that has grown around our business. This includes not only our clients and customers but the amazing team that we have in our Angelic Roots family.
We truly can’t even put into words how supported we feel in what we do. That connection, that trust, and that shared energy means everything to us—and it’s what keeps us going every single day.
Interestingly, we don’t have an extensive personal crystal collection, but we do still have our very first crystal purchase. It’s a large, beautiful piece of raw rose quartz—and yes, it still has a special place in our living room.
Hands down, it would definitely be Clear Quartz or a variation of it. Clear Quartz is known as the master healer. It amplifies energy, intention, and growth—just like the journey of building a business over the past 10 years. It represents clarity, resilience, and the ability to adapt and evolve through every phase.
One funny and cherished memory from the early days was doing live sales in our building with barely any lighting and no heat. We always laugh thinking back to those "fireside" live sales, where Lauren would be moderating while Djuro and Laurie were in the background doing whatever it took to keep things running.
It wasn’t perfect, but it was real—and those moments still make us smile today.
Our most cherished parenting tip is to allow your children to be fully themselves—to grow, explore, and learn with your support and guidance. We truly believe they are here to teach us just as much, if not more, than we are here to teach them.
Give them a voice. Let them be heard. Support them as they navigate life, even when that means allowing them to make mistakes. And through it all, make sure they always know they are loved unconditionally.
What started as an idea has grown into a community built on trust, intention, and shared experiences. Every class, every session, every conversation, every connection—both in-store and online—and every person who has walked through our doors has helped shape Angelic Roots into what it is today.
To everyone who has supported us and been part of this space—thank you. As we look ahead, we do so with the same intention we started with: to continue creating a space that feels welcoming, meaningful, and rooted in connection for years to come. So much has changed over the past decade, but the heart behind it hasn’t—thank you for being part of it!
Angelic Roots
April 02, 2026
@DIane Lau Thank you so much for this – it truly means so much to us! We put our whole hearts into Angelic Roots, and we’re so glad you can feel the love, intention, and energy we put into everything we do. We truly appreciate your support and encouragement, and the love and energy you bring to our community.💙