ST. LOUIS — Two sisters with a mission to empower people through inspirational messaging has not only flourished in St. Louis, but also nationwide.

Launched in 2016 by Susan Logsdon and Amanda Helman, Golden Gems offers handmade apparel, keychains, mugs, stationary, banners, accessories, candles, fragrances, jewelry, and more, that have inspirational messaging, such as “Baddest Babe in the USA,” “Be The Girl Who Decided to Effing Go For It,” “Take Up Space,” among other sayings.

“We believe there’s a badass inside of everyone,” Logsdon said. “We want to inspire you to live unapologetically, to take up space, (and) live life on your own terms.”

There are now three Golden Gems locations, including 3108 Locus Street, The City Foundry STL, and recently West County Mall, in addition to products in more than 500 retail stores nationwide, such as Urban Outfitters, Paper Source and more.

“It’s all messages of positivity and being a baddie,” Helman said.

Originally from Florida, Logsdon and Helman’s love of crafts began at young ages and “were always making something together.”

“We were really taught to think for ourselves and have our own ideas and opinions,” Logsdon said.

After attending college in Illinois, they moved to St. Louis.

“(We) just fell in love with the city and the community here,” Helman said. “It’s definitely different from where we grew up in Florida. It was kind of out in the middle of the country and it’s fun to be in a city atmosphere.”

The sisters had discussions about making and selling crafts together, but could not figure out “the perfect path,” Logsdon said. While having separate Etsy stores, they realized there was overlap in what they were doing and decided to team up.

Logsdon and Helman began hand making their products in Helman’s small one-bedroom apartment in south St. Louis City. After going to craft fairs and selling items online, they outgrew the apartment. They finally opened their first storefront at the corner of Cherokee and Compton.

“We would work 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at our full-time jobs, we’d go to the shop, we would make stuff until midnight and then we would be open on Saturdays,” Helman said.

After two years of running a business and working full-time, the sisters made the decision in 2019 to focus solely on Golden Gems. Although they transitioned to working full-time on their business right before the COVID-19 pandemic, Logsdon said that period allowed them to create a business plan, build their website and hone in on their mission.

“When we started, I think we were making things that resonate with us and I think that we realized pretty quickly that those were the things that were really resonating with other people too,” Logsdon said. “And that’s how our whole mission was formed.”

In 2020, the sisters hired their first employee and after outgrowing their original store, they moved into what is now Golden Gems headquarters on Locust Street in October 2021. During that time, the business was growing exponentially as the sisters were doing wholesale craft shows, expanding into retail stores nationwide and storefronts across St. Louis.

While they were nervous at first about how their products would be perceived, Logsdon says they have received overwhelmingly positive comments from customers.

When customers came into the West County Mall location for the first time, Helman said the customers had felt no judgment and that they could be themselves.

“That just means the world to me,” Helman said, with Logsdon adding, “The goal is coming across.”

The growth of Golden Gems has been a surreal experience that they did not expect, Logsdon said. They now have 40 employees who help make items in house, and the company partners with local print shops for banners and apparel.

“It’s just really exciting to be able to invest back into St. Louis because the city really is thriving and it’s exciting to see where it’s going,” Helman said. “I feel like St. Louis is one of those places that is really underrated, so it’s exciting to be part of the growth of the city.”

Golden Gems has also partnered with local businesses to host events such as “Toxxed & Tatted” where people can explore getting tattoos and Botox without intimidation, Logsdon said.

They also host fundraisers for nonprofits, including Missouri Abortion Fund and Rung For Women. Other events include Drag Brunch and a Golden Gems anniversary party that featured food trucks and other vendors.

“We want to create events that are going to bring awareness to something or showcase other people or just a way to get people involved more in the community,” Helman said.

While the sisters have other siblings, Logsdon and Helman are the best fit as business partners.

“I don’t think I would want to be in business with anyone else,” Logsdon said. “I think the best part is that we’re able just to be really honest with each other about things. We don’t hold back,” she said.

Golden Gems’ next “Toxxed & Tatted” event is set for September and the company’s anniversary party will be held in October.

For more information about Golden Gems, click here.