Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachael Noga
Hi Rachael, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’m not sure I can tell you how I got to where I am today in this business without first telling you about my parents’ story. My parents began this business about 40 years ago. My dad was going to college for computer technology when he decided one day that he didn’t want to spend his life behind a computer at a desk. They are some of the most active people I know! He and my mom began a business painting and wallpapering traveling all over Minnesota. While that was fun, the traveling did get old. They opened a prefinishing shop and began doing woodwork for houses in their shop. This was somewhat of a new concept, so they had no idea how it would go.
It took off and after a few years, they decided they didn’t want to work with lacquer or oil-based products. My dad set off on a mission to invent a high quality water-based stain and topcoat system. He had zero experience in the world of chemistry but had a whole lot of determination.
In the midst of starting a new business, they had a tragic experience with the birth of my little sister. Due to complications during birth, she was born dead but revived. She was without oxygen for too long though and suffered massive brain trauma. Her short life of 2.5 years was filled with emergencies and stays in the hospital. Seizures and feeding tubes. She couldn’t walk, talk or really do much of anything.
Through this process, though, my parents found a relationship with God that truly saved their lives, their marriage and our family. Though Amy (my little sister) only lived a few years on this earth, she made a lasting impact on all of our lives. They renamed their business AMS Coating Systems, Inc. AMS are the initials of my little sister’s name-Amy Marie Schaffer.
My dad ended up miraculously (a story for another time) creating a formula for a water based product that set them on a new course. They spent most of their years selling it commercially and continuing to use it for our prefinishing business. They were getting to retirement age, and my husband and I decided to take over the family business.
While they were at the “right age” to retire, they weren’t ready to just do nothing. Remember I said they are the most active people I know??
So in 2018 I resigned from my current job and joined the family business. My mom and I wanted to add a new business venture to what we already had going on. We already had two businesses…why not add a third! My dad (who we refer to as the mad scientist) had invented a way to make new wood look like barnwood. It has the most beautiful greys, tans and browns. We call this line of wood Rustic Redefined. It gives such warmth and character to a space. We loved it so much we started making home decor and furniture out of it. We filled up our front store space and opened an occasional shop called Wild Olive Tree in the fall of 2018.
We wanted to create a space where people could come and leave behind the chaos of this world and feel peace. A place where they could be inspired and filled with ideas for what could be possible. It is so much more than selling home decor for us.
One of the most unexpected joys of our small business has been making heartfelt connections with our customers. We look forward to their visits, whether they buy something or not. We get to catch up on their lives and hear about their families and life’s adventures.
We love to make meaningful pieces that people can keep or give as gifts. We get the honor of hearing people’s stories whether that be life’s heartaches or celebrations. We often hear that something about the art piece they picked out spoke to them and brought a sweet memory or joy to them.
Through all of this, I went through my own twelve year journey of infertility. Through an absolute miracle, we have a beautiful, busy three year old boy that gets to come to work everyday with me and play in “Mommy’s store”. He gets to see his grandpa and grandma each day. If you were to come here, you might find him on the lawn mower with his grandma or helping his grandpa with a project around the shop. Or trying to sneak back to say hi to daddy just one more time.
Our business continues to sell water based products commercially; prefinish tongue and groove with our Rustic Redefined process, and build and create home decor to sell at our occasional shop which opens up about 8 times a year.
It really is a beautiful life, and we owe so much of that to my parents for creating this space and legacy that we get to walk into. They faced so many obstacles and hardships, and it made their faith stronger and more secure. They are passing down not just a business, but so many gifts to us – integrity, faith, a hard work ethic, endurance, and most of all the importance of putting family first. I often say that I will never regret these years of getting to work side by side with my parents. It is the greatest gift.
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?
It has definitely been a mixture! Being anywhere near the lumber/wood industry during and after Covid was a struggle. Product was hard to come by and the prices were astronomical. While we moved product, it was stressful to find materials.
Small business in general comes with it’s challenges. You wear many hats during a day. There is flexibility that I enjoy, and it can also be stressful when the business stress rests on your shoulders. It has been a huge learning curve to let go and trust that in the end, everything will be okay.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have always loved home design. I have spent an embarrassing amount of time watching HGTV and any home renovation show that I could find! I love transforming a space through color, textures and meaningful pieces. One of my favorite things is when customers come in with a picture of a wall in their house that they have no idea what to do with. We work together to pick out pieces in the store that they like, and then I help them piece their wall together. We often hear “My whole house is decorated in your store!” It’s fun to help people create a space that they love and that brings them joy and peace.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I rarely get to decorate my own space anymore. I spend so much time designing and decorating the store for each open house that I have little energy to go home and do it anymore! I love to change everything up in the store from sale to sale which is a LOT of work. Around Christmas time we set Christmas trees up all over and decorate each one. The store is always being transformed for different seasons.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wildolivetreeshop.com
- Instagram: @wildolivetreeshop
- Facebook: @wildolivetreeshop
