Undercover Founders: The Moment VEÇAI Became Real

A blog post by Amanda

There are milestones you plan for; the launch, the first sale, the first wholesale order. And then there are the ones that find you, completely unannounced, on a Friday evening in a little farm store at the Wildflowers Market.

Last week gave us two of those moments. 

The Founder Edition of Undercover Boss

If you've ever watched Undercover Boss, you know the magic of witnessing what people really say about your business when they think no one is listening. We didn't set out to have that experience but in the span of a single four-hour market evening, it happened to both of us. Twice.

Neither person knew it was our store. Neither person knew we were there.

"I Know the Girl That Makes That"

The first moment happened when three women walked into the Farm Store, full of energy, light, and that particular kind of encouragement women give each other when they're out exploring together. One of them picked up VEÇAI and started smelling it, the way you do when something genuinely stops you.

Her friend quietly yelled over, "I know the girl that makes that."

The words were barely out of her mouth before I popped up from behind the counter.

"Here I am."

The look on her face. The burst of laughter. The hug that followed; that warm, genuine, excited embrace you share with someone when surprise turns into joy. It's a moment I will carry with me for a long time. To be recognized, to know that someone out there in the world has been talking about VEÇAI, sharing it, putting our name in conversation felt like a milestone no sales report could ever capture.

"I Have to Send This to Jaclyn"

Less than an hour later, it happened again.

A woman had found VEÇAI in the store and pulled out her phone to take a picture of it. She was going to text Jaclyn "hey, I saw your product in store!"  the kind of sweet, excited message a friend sends when they stumble across something they're proud of you for.

Before she could hit send, Jaclyn came around the corner.

More laughter. Another hug. Another moment of pure, unplanned joy.

What These Moments Actually Taught Us

What struck us most standing there, witnesses to our own brand living in the world without us was the community.

People are out there cheering for us. Telling their friends. Pointing to our product on a shelf and saying I know her. Stopping mid-errand to send a message just to say look at this. They're not just customers. They are genuinely proud to share VEÇAI, and proud to be connected to it.

That means everything to us.

Jaclyn and I have always believed that we are our brand. Not in an ego way, in a real way. VEÇAI isn't just a hair fragrance or a beauty product. It's the energy we bring to every event, every conversation, every hug at a market booth. It's the reason we show up, the reason we create, the reason we care so much about the people who find us.

If we can be the reason someone makes a memory, feels a little more confident, or is inspired to try something new, that is why VEÇAI exists.

We're Building Something Bigger Than a Brand

We also believe deeply in giving back. To our local community and to communities far beyond Elgin County. In donating to causes that matter. In helping others build alongside us; because VEÇAI growing means the people around us grow too.

When was the last time you walked into a big-box beauty store and said, "I know those girls"?

Not often.

But that's exactly what we're going to change. We will be in those stores. And when we get there, we won't lose what makes us us, the conversations, the real connections, the community we've been quietly building one conversation and one hug at a time.

VEÇAI is the brand. But Jaclyn and I are the heart.

And we cannot wait for you to see what comes next. 🤍