Today we’d like to introduce you to Shanise Spruill.
Hi Shanise, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
I’m Shanise, an Army Veteran, turned Small Business Owner, and now Senior Creatress. As an intuitive creative, with 20 years of customer service and veteran experience, I began building a Limited Liability Company in 2017 formerly known as Armill Xpress, a brand that offered handcrafted crystal and gold jewelry.
In 2019, I was medically diagnosed with several health conditions including PTSD (deriving from experiences and other traumas sustained during combat). It was a pretty revealing period and it prevented me from fully practicing in a creative state. It was during this period I placed Armill Xpress in a year-long hiatus to focus on my spiritual journey and mental healing.
Therapy, along with meditation and other self-healing techniques eventually introduced me to mindful practices and as time went on I found solace in everything earth-related and began studying the healing modality of Reiki. As of 2020, I am certified as a Holistic Practitioner in Crystal Reiki, and a current student at the University of Arizona studying Complementary & Alternative Health.
Sharing my story became the catalyst for a business vision: to help others by bridging expression of self + holistic healing – a journey I pursued and used during my therapeutic treatments. It was also during this break I sought out to re-align the brand toward holism and energy wellness.
In 2020 Armill Xpress officially re-aligned its self as Johari & Lou Artisan Soul Stones – Johari (Swahili for Gem “something of value”) & Lou (a Family Name with ancestor representation and lineage) together the name symbolizes a brand that offers gems of precious and semi-precious stones, crystals, mindful attunement products, artisan-inspired collectibles and holistic services.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Battling depression, while on active duty, as a mother with a small business was no easy task. As expected, obstacles and challenges presented themselves along the way of my entrepreneurial journey. One challenge I experienced while in therapy was being forced to place my business in hiatus to focus on healing. This caused an abrupt disconnect with my customers, and supporters. I just wasn’t in a place to create, share content, or help anyone.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As the Sr. Creatress for JOHARI & LOU Artisan Soul Stones, I create Artisan jewelry pieces, Energy kits, as well as bath and body products made of authentic crystals and gemstones. I’m also certified as a crystal Reiki practitioner in holistic health specializing in energy wellness for the total mind body and spirit.
I would say I am most known for crystals and energy healing education, I’m a very quiet, candid and honest individual but with most interactions, you can catch me talking about crystals and energy. I’ve come to implement both daily and it’s truly a part of my life.
I’m most proud of being able to share circumstances from my military career and in my life without shame, use it as a catalyst to reshape a brand that now helps others.
The attributes that sets myself and business apart from others would be bridging both education of Complementary and Alternative Health with relatable and real-life experiences. I, unfortunately, know the battle of depression all too well, but I also know how to heal myself and can teach others how to do the same.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Right now, wellness and spiritual health is very trendy. About 88% of Americans are practicing self-care. With that being said I don’t see the trend fading anytime soon. In fact, it is my belief that in the next 5 to 10 years Wellness will become a priority in the workplace and with an education curriculum. We are often taught how to educate ourselves to become the better candidate, how to get the job we want, how to maintain that job however in order to be as successful and to maintain success we also must learn how to better take care of ourselves.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@johariandlou.com
- Website: www.johariandlou.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/johariandlou
- Facebook: Facebook.com/johariandlou
- Twitter: Twitter.com/johariandlou
Image Credits
Olesha Haskett
