Meet Ivy Welburn & Jazmin Erving | Crystalogists

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ivy Welburn & Jazmin Erving and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ivy & Jazmin, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
Something that we say almost daily In our business is that “This rock chose you.” We believe this is also true when it came to how we stumbled upon becoming crystal miners. Our previous lives as event planners brought enough excitement and thrill, but lacked in satisfaction and left us both wanting more out of life.

Our business idea came to us after a chance encounter with a man who was stranded in the woods of Mount Shasta. He had an unfortunate accident with a deer and was in desperate need of help. So, we helped. It was just that simple. As a thank you, the stranger, now known as Deer Mark, invited us to his “Happy Place.” This just happened to be at his crystal mine on the very top of a mountain on the California/Nevada border. Once we experienced the magic of pulling gems out of the earth, we knew we could never look back. From that moment on, we were to be known as Crystal Miners. How we were going to make a living was questionable at best, but we knew this was our life from now on.

The joy of mining comes in waves of excitement. First, the ride into the mine is always a tenuous, early morning adventure. Then, the gear suit up and safety meetings remind us that we are a very lucky few who get to do this. Followed by putting your chopsticks, and then hands in the earth only to pull out a gem the size of a grapefruit. Finally, we have a gem party! After a long day of mining, we love nothing more than to sit around with squirt guns and toothbrushes revealing the sparkle of each find from our day of treasure hunting.

This was the part that we realized we could share. We can’t take everyone up to the mountain, but we can take a piece of the mountain to everyone. BECAUSE I ROCK was born. We bring crystals, still encased in their mud to the public with D.I.Y. kits and wash party events that supply everything needed to scrub your gem clean.

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.
Did I mention we are Crystal Miners? We also accept the titles of gem hunters and “Crystalogists.” This isn’t what either one of us could imagine as being a life – much less, a livelihood. After going mining once, we knew it was the only thing we wanted to do. Finding a way to eat, while mining gave us the ideas that sparked BECAUSE I ROCK and our mining tour company, Peak Experience.

We had to overcome challenges entering a new industry that we were not expecting. We were chastised for having the audacity to mention that we were black women, the first to own a domestic crystal mine. How dare us be proud. We were called “carpet baggers” and “scalawags” (we had to look it up – and it gave us the best laugh), because we were trying to “gentrify” the mineral industry. Apparently this gentleman thought that we were standing in the way from him finding his own precious treasure. We laughed these comments off, but it still pays rent in the back of our heads. So, we persist. We continue to grow and remind each other of our mission to become the miners that will make our industry proud, our partners justified in their belief in us and our families secured for generations.

BECAUSE I ROCK was born on a good deed. Looking into every space we are in you will always find a framed sign that reads: A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. -Amelia Earhart
This reminds us to appreciate our treasured lives and pay it forward whenever possible. We are beyond grateful for the gifts that this experience has given us. Much like the crystals that we mine, our hearts are happy and our souls are at peace. Identifying that and giving thanks for that feeling is half the battle. Keeping that energy every single day is a challenge. A challenge that we are determined to overcome. After all, we know we are some blessed human beings. This gem hunter life continues to feed our souls everyday.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Our favorite thing about living in the Golden State is the access to all things nature. When guests come to visit we try to always fit in a beach trip. Our favorite spot is a hidden entrance to “Billionaire’s Beach.” We set up our blankets right in front of a $50 million mansion, wash crystals with beach water and manifest security in our lives. Then, we may go hiking in Malibu. We are always in search of a waterfall as our prize after a long hike, Escondido Falls, especially after a rainy season, never fails. We take our dirty crystals and wash them with the fresh waterfall water.

Our personal feel good spots are always on the agenda. Tansy in Burbank is a literal fairyland. Our hearts bursts with joy every time we are lucky enough to be in this space. Not only do we wash crystals here once a month, we are two of their biggest fans. Find us decorating our own terrarium at the picnic table.

Finally, we must visit my favorite block in Studio City. Anchored with Casa Vega on one end and Menchie’s on the other, you can’t miss everything that’s in between. We are featured once a month at Liberate Yourself for a crystal washing party. We have our margarita nights at Casa Vega, drop the kids off at WeVillage, buy flowers from Mulberry Row and eat tasty treats at Nata’s. A night made in Studio City heaven.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
When we entered the world of mining, I think it is clear to say that we were the unicorns in the industry. The record stopped whenever we entered the room. This industry was not used to seeing two young (lol-under 50), African American women come in and immediately take a seat at the owner’s table. The blessings that got us here was the part of humanity less shared.

Deer Mark invited us into his private club. We agree that it is the BEST life nobody knows exists. He was the catalyst, but his business partner, Paul is the reason. When we were welcomed into this mining family, we were told that Paul would be our best chance to succeed. So very true, as Paul (our own Papa Smurf), would mentor BECAUSE I ROCK into becoming a viable business that would allow us to continue doing what we love – mining.

Paul and his wife Lisa have become our family. They believed in us before anyone and knew we could change this industry. Now, we set out everyday with the thought – “What would Paul do?” He would answer “What would Lisa do?” Paul leads with integrity and never fears failure – only fears regret. We were all brought together for a reason. We ALL know that to be true. Making the most of this blessing is our mission.

Website: BECAUSEIROCK.COM

Instagram: @because_i_rock

Facebook: Facebook.com/BecauseIRock

Youtube: @because_i_rock

Other: Linktr.ee/@BECAUSEIROCK Tik Tok: @because_i_rock