Today we’d like to introduce you to Tavin Whisler.
Hi Tavin , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
When I finished my time in the military, I decided to come home to Spartanburg. I had six month old twins, no idea what I was doing next, and a nervous system that just needed to be home. Over time my healing lead me to start looking for a place where I could belong and connect with others. I could not find the kind of place my heart was longing for. So, I decided to create it.
The Quirky Lotus started from a place of radical self acceptance. Two friends wanted deeply to have a place where they and others could come together and just be themselves. In the process of dreaming that dream, we opened The Quirky Lotus Shoppe in 2019. The community showed up almost immediately and amazing things started happening.
When 2020 came the pandemic and life changes forced me to sit with myself and choose if it was a dream I wanted to continue. I decided to keep trusting in what my heart and intuition was telling me and within the year I had moved to a larger location that allowed the community space to grow even more. Within 2 years, the wellness center expansion happened, forming The Quirky Lotus Shoppe and Wellness Center.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Absolutely not!
I knew from the beginning what I wanted to create did not fit into a traditional path or box. I have often been labeled as being before my time and finding ways to forge that path forward has always been a bit of a challenge. The journey started with almost a year of potential landlords saying no, hard lessons in the world of business, lots of learning and personal growth, and the messy journey of human connection.
The struggle of funding is something we deal with a lot. Finding ways to keep the community space free and accessible to anyone wanting to use the many layers of that space is a constant conversation.
I have found that the bumps in the road really help you appreciate the smooth parts. I find a lot of hope in the connections made through the struggles.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
The Quirky Lotus is a multilayered space. We sell candles, crystals, herbs, and products based in holistic care. We have local artisans in house with many creations to share and for sell. We have a meditation and journeying space. We have many facilitators that offer different modalities of self exploration and growth. We have a community that comes together for things like art club, wellness and mediation clubs, and outreach. We have a community supported food pantry and monthly gatherings focused on connection. One of my favorite things we do is an immersive healing festival called Quirky Experience.
I am most proud that we are co-creating a safe space for people to come together, ask questions, bring their truth and passions to the table. Many dreamers struggle with the “do” part and I feel like having this space gives us all a bit more strength to bring our passions to the world around us.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
To always lean into trusting my intuition. When you are trying out different ways of doing things, especially when it deals with business and money, it can be so easy to loose yourself in the journey of being “successful”. Redefining what success meant to me was extremely helpful to keep my focus on the journey. For me, leaning into the vision I see in my heart and trusting I can handle what comes my way, while allowing others to join in has made all the difference.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thequirkylotus.com/
