Profile of a Business Owner: Alicia VanWallaghen

Alicia VanWallaghen took her love for art and a leap of faith to open Leaping Llamas Artisan Shop three years ago. Through her shop, she curates an art gallery in which she promotes quality products—many of which are made in Kansas. She also provides educational opportunities for artists and those who want to learn about art. Alicia currently serves as a board member to the Friends of the Mulvane and helps organize the Mulvane Art Fair. She is a service chair for Topeka South Rotary, heading up the volunteer programs, and she helps coordinate the auction and prizes for the Evening as a Child fundraiser benefiting the Easter Seals Capper Foundation.

TK: If you were stranded on an island, what 3 items would you be sure to have with you? 

An endless supplies of books,  bottomless umbrella drinks and a hammock, as this sounds like perfection!  At least for a couple days =D

TK: When you’re considering partnering with another person or business, what factors are deal-breakers for you?

One of the main areas I look at is the "Kindness Factor." Does this person have respect for others and the community. If the answer is no, then it is an automatic deal breaker. Those two traits, respect and kindness, build a solid foundation in any relationship you want to cultivate. Business relationships are no exception.

TK: What inspired you to start your business?  

Before I opened Leaping Llamas, I was working a job I liked for a company that treated me very well.  During that time I completed a leadership course that took a deep dive into every aspect of yourself through classes and tests. You then sit down and discuss your results with the programs leader (who happened to be a psychologist).  In that discussion I was told:  You will do well and be successful in this environment, but it will always feel like "work" and not your natural state.  That is the moment I truly believe the seed for Leaping Llamas was planted. I realized that even though this path I was on was good, it was not right for me and Leaping Llamas opened the following summer. Even though I put in significantly more hours, I feel I have a much better work/life balance and on my true path.

TK: What is the best book you read this year? 

Born A Crime by Trevor Noah.  I loved this book on so many levels.  The main reason being his way of discussing the value in making people feel heard. The below passage from the book sums it up perfectly: 

“Nelson Mandela once said, 'If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.'

He was so right. When you make the effort to speak someone else's language, even if it's just basic phrases here and there, you are saying to them, 'I understand that you have a culture and identity that exists beyond me. I see you as a human being” ― Trevor Noah, Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood 

Side note - if you decide to read this book, I recommend listening to the audio version.  Trevor Noah is fluent in 7 languages and speaks in them while narrating. It is a nice bonus!