Tree of Hope Creations with Owner Meg Stevens
Episode Summary
About Our Guest
Welcome to the Podcast! A little note from our next guest Meg:
“I am Meg from Tree of Hope Creations. I like to say I make special piece with precious inclusions. We are known for the love and compassion we show while creating each and every single piece. I make memorial jewelry and keepsakes out of ashes, hair, burial dirt, clothing and so much more. I also create motherhood keepsakes using Breastmilk, baby’s first haircut, umbilical cord and the list goes on! We have 1.5 Million Followers on Tiktok and almost 120K followers on both IG and Facebook. I love my job and am excited to share that with you!” - Meg, Owner
For more information and other episodes on companies and entrepreneurs who give back, please visit TheGiveBackModel.com.
Show Notes
In today’s very special episode of the Give Back Model podcast, Christine speaks with Meg Stevens, the founder of Tree of Hope Creations, a company dedicated to creating motherhood keepsake and memorial pieces. During their conversation, Meg shares some of her background, how she came to be involved in her current work, and the boundaries she has developed for herself as she creates pieces for her customers using ashes, hair, burial dirt, clothing and more. She also shares her emotional connection to each and every precious shipment she receives, and her experience going viral on TikTok for her compassion and vulnerability. Please note that this episode does contain some sensitive conversation around loss of a child and miscarriages.
Meg explains how her business began as a way to help others through their grief and motherhood journeys, and then goes on to address the importance of building a platform, particularly in the context of running a business. Her experiences with using social media to promote her work are recounted, including dealing with negative comments and criticism and the importance of just diving in and starting to use social media, even if it is intimidating or scary. Meg also describes her experience with breastfeeding, and highlights the incredible support she receives from her husband, including a particularly meaningful plaque he has created for her. Listen in today to learn more about Meg's remarkable story, the beautiful, meaningful pieces she creates for her customers, and the emotional weight that accompanies this important work.
Episode Highlights:
Meg’s work with Tree of Hope Creations and how it began
Meg’s emotional connections to each and every shipment she receives
Her TikTok experience
Meg’s personal and professional history
Her experience with breastfeeding and her husband’s amazing support
The emotional weight of handling such precious cargo
Creating something so personal and meaningful for her customers
Dealing with negativity online
Being vulnerable and showing real feelings and passion in her work
Quotes:
"Hundreds of customers trust Meg and her team to create these gifts from their loved ones’ ashes, hair, burial dirt, clothing, and so much more."
"I feel like I got lucky. I got very lucky in the growth and being able to be part of so many different people's journeys and even helping people through their grief and through motherhood"
"He wanted to make me something that would mean the world, that would say, ‘Thank you for taking care of our kids. Thank you for nursing our kids.’"
"He was amazing and supportive, and I honestly couldn't ask for better."
"I'm so afraid I'm going to screw it up. I'm so afraid that I'm going to mess up and not touch someone's loved one."
"I remember getting the package and just holding my breath because I had someone's daughter in my hands."
"I was making something that she would be able to hold of her actual child."
"I get a whole lot of crap on social media, whether it be people like making fun of us for breast milk because they don't understand, or just that emotional side of it.”
"If you're scared, just do it. It can change your life."
"Those ten people that are liking your post, that's ten people that love you."
"It's worth it, it's worth it. I would do it a million times over."
Links:
The Give Back Model website TheGiveBackModel.com
Follow The Give Back Model on Instagram @thegivebackmodel