Sunshine filters in from a large window, illuminating the room with a soft, gentle light. The shelves lining the walls are filled with bottles and potted plants. A vintage tapestry hangs behind a large desk. I feel as though I’ve stepped back in time and through the door of a welcoming apothecary. Jennilee watches me from over the top of her computer screen and greets me warmly as I enter.
Jennilee Cardinal-Schultz owns and operates Green Tree Beauty in the heart of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (Canada), a business specializing in natural, sustainable, and cruelty-free skincare and cosmetics.
In 2016, Jennilee found that she could no longer tolerate the irritation from wearing mascara, so she began testing alternative, natural products. Through her research, she learned how harmful the synthetic compounds are in mainstream makeup. A makeup artist by trade, Jennilee couldn’t endorse products she wouldn’t use and switched the makeup in her kit over to natural products. She specialized in using natural products from then on, and Green Tree Beauty was born.
Jennilee’s business is thriving today. She has just hired and trained two additional makeup artists to help with special occasions, such as weddings and photoshoots. She also carries over 30 brands of mostly Canadian-made beauty and cosmetics products. My personal favourites include Corpa Flora from Quebec, Routine Natural Beauty from Alberta and Ash & Thorn Herbals from British Columbia.
Routine in particular has developed a strong following among Jennilee’s customers. This company specializes in natural and effective bath and body products with amazing scents (with scent-free, baking soda free, and vegan options too). Their holistic approach to product development extends to their packaging as well, where the company selects earth-friendly options—always.
To support her business, Jennilee invests in technologies that complement each other:
Combined point-of-sale (POS), inventory, online store (Shopify)
Email marketing platform (Omnisend)
Customer wishlist tool (Wishlist)
Marketing design tool (Canva)
Content scheduling (Meta Business Suite)
Many of these tools integrate well (specifically Shopify, Omnisend, and Wishlist) which makes setup easy and customer-friendly.
Jennilee finds that her current social media content scheduler has integrations that don’t function well, which means she has to manually post content some of the time. Her productivity suffers as a consequence because she finds it much easier to batch and schedule posts for future release.
We have a long and deep conversation about the role that AI plays in business, in society. Whether it will be known in future history as a boon or a bust, AI tools are firmly embedded in many people’s workflows today. In her business, Jennilee writes original marketing copy and occasionally uses AI assistants (such as ChatGPT) to help organize her thoughts.
When asked about the advice she would give other creatives just starting on their business journeys, the answer comes immediately:
“Know your tools really well!”
Being in business doesn’t require that a business owner have advanced degrees in programming, design, or marketing, but a basic understanding of these skills will serve immeasurably. It may be that it makes sense to contract some of these jobs out to others with more experience. However, going through the initial learning curve of learning how to use the tools is a boost to leadership confidence and means owners are able to successfully execute all areas of the business in a pinch.
Jennilee is inspired by the many women entrepreneurs in her community. Blair Voth Miller is a partner in some of Saskatoon’s best known restaurants; Nikki Hunter is an entrepreneur at The Green Vanity in Kelowna, British Columbia (Canada); Melissa Squire is a self-taught, sustainable fashion designer in Saskatoon.
To start a business, as these women have, is to make a change in the world—building something new where there didn’t used to be anything. The business may or may not be unique, or even successful, but it does have the power to change the life trajectories of its owners, of its customers, of others it impacts.
Making change in the world doesn’t have to happen in large leaps. It usually happens gradually as small and incremental tweaks. Small changes over time amount to a big change; individual changes over a population add up. Jennilee offers shyly that she shares these beliefs, that hope for the future begins with one small decision to do things differently.
Jennilee’s favourite local haunt is a new place in Saskatoon: The Edit Boutique. Started in 2024, this business is dedicated to the principles of circular fashion and provides a highly curated vintage shopping experience.
Thank you so much, Jennilee, for chatting with me and teaching me a bit about your business! To follow along with Green Tree Beauty’s journey, catch Jennilee on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
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