Meet Toni Rene Leslie | Artist & CEO

We had the good fortune of connecting with Toni Rene Leslie and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Toni Rene, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I truly believe that life is all about taking risks. My whole life is just a long string of risk taking. I was a first generation college student, not only was deciding to go college in the first place a huge risk, but so was going to an art school and studying in a field that everyone told me “wouldn’t make any money”. But I never really felt like life was about making money and capitalism. I always wanted to follow my heart and do what I loved, making art. Not only has my degree helped me as a budding Fine Artist, but I was also able to avoid outsourcing for a lot of the start up needs for my business.

I didn’t know anyone who owned their own business. In the middle of the pandemic, I had an idea to make stickers and novelty earrings and figured “Why not start a business?”. I dove head first into “YouTube University” to make sure I understood the how to legally start a business, and options for funding. With so much student loan debt, I didn’t want to go that route. So I went with something I thought I could pay back faster, a credit card. The idea of failing was scary, but I ignored those thoughts and kept strong.

I saw an amazing opportunity @chinatownshifa made on TikTok to vend at the Chinatown summer fair in Chicago. I had just launched my social media for my business the week before, my online shop was still underworks, and I had no plans on ever doing pop-up shops. But in true millenial fashion I thought, “Hey, it’s risky…but I’m here for a good time, not a long time!” HaHa. It may not seem like much, but a $450 table fee for a 2-day festival was a lot when my business didn’t have any revenue yet. Not only did they accept me into the festival based on two photos I sent them, but that weekend I made $5,600! Before my business was even “officially” launched, I was able to pay off that credit card in full. That’s when I knew taking risks had put me in the right place.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts. I mainly focus heavily on nude figures and florals with my medium of choice being wood, canvas, acrylics, and watercolors. In 2021, I started a novelty jewelry and stationery company, Divine Feminine Finds, where I handmake everything. I wanted to teach myself digital painting, so I could create fun art that was much less serious than my other work, and more accessible. In college, I took an intensive jewelry making course. It was 8 hours a day for 3 days, but I learned true craftsmenship and even handblew glass beads. I wanted to show people my fun, ligh-hearted side, so even though my background is traditional, I wanted to make things that looked like food. I’m excited about branching out in the future to glass soda cans, sticky notes, and art prints.

I am most proud of my ability to turn my passion for art into a successful business. Starting a business is never easy, and it took a lot of hard work and dedication to get to where I am today. I’ve faced so many challenges along the way, including finding the right suppliers, learning about the business side of things, and figuring out how to market my products effectively, while somehow becoming a content creator? One of the biggest lessons I have learned is the importance of perseverance. I’ve done all this while, having a full time job as an infant teacher, doing private lessons for painting and drawing, and babysitting on the side. I work at least between 60-70+ hours a week. I know that if I work hard now, oneday, I’ll only run my business and create art.

What I want the world to know about my brand and story is that I am passionate about creating unique and nostalgic products that bring joy to people’s lives. Whether it’s an earring shaped like dragon fruit or a sticker that looks like Italian beef, I put a lot of thought and care into each piece. I want my customers to know that they are not just buying a product, but they are buying a piece of my art, my passion, my dreams, and my heart.

I’ve always loved novelty, cute things that look like food and I wanted to share that with others. I feel like there aren’t many companies, for black and other POC, who love weird alternative types of things to see themselves represented in. I’m heavily inspired by Asian culture, mainly Chinese, Korean, and Japanese. I’ve even been learning Mandarin in my spare time. I actively support other marginalized communities. Last year, I got to vend at the Hip Hop and K-pop festival in Chicago, which was dedicated to bringing together Black and Asain communities. One of my favorite things is seeing Black girls’ faces light up when they see things that they love, created by someone who looks like them. In my predominantly Black high school, you were seen as “weird” for liking anime, kawaii, or anything like that. It’s so beautiful as a Black business owner to feel like I’m creating a magical space for appreciation of other cultures. My proudest accomplishment was making history during Black History Month! I was invited to vend at Navy Pier’s first Black Makers Marketplace, and met some very amazing inspiring artistan business owners.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to dedicate this shoutout to my husband Eric, and my parents. They are my team behind the scenes. Thank you to my husband Eric for being there to bounce all my crazy ideas off of, and supporting my dream every step of the way. Thank you to my parents for driving me to most pop ups, helping me set up, and working evens for free haha.

Website: divinefemininefinds.com

Instagram: @DivineFemFinds

Other: TikTok: @DivineFemFinds