A coffee with Calli Yates
We are so excited to have you here! Let’s start stirring! Who is Calli?
I’m Calli, the founder behind Barnes Hill, a wife, a creative, a small-business owner, and a coffee lover. At my core, I’m someone who really values the simple things: creating with my hands, being at home, spending time with the people I love, and finding beauty in the everyday. My faith is also a huge part of who I am and why I do what I do. Barnes Hill really feels like an extension of all of those things.
Barnes Hill started in your kitchen in 2023. What made you take that first step?
It honestly started very simply. I wanted to create products that felt better, products made with ingredients I could understand and feel good about using in my own home. I started making bar soap in my kitchen, and what began as a little creative outlet quickly became something I couldn’t stop dreaming about.
I think I always knew there was something more there, but I didn’t have a five-year plan or a perfect business strategy. I just took the next step in front of me. That little kitchen project eventually led me to formulation school, and Barnes Hill has continued to grow from there.
As a founder, formulator, wife and coffee lover, what does a typical day look like?
No two days really look the same, which is one of my favorite and hardest parts of owning a small business! A typical day usually involves a lot of making, whether I’m formulating, filling lotions, pouring products, packaging orders, or working on something new.
There’s also the business side: emails, wholesale orders, content, inventory, and all the behind-the-scenes things people don’t always see. And then I’m coming home and being a wife and trying to make space for normal life in between all of it. Most days start with coffee, and somehow that little cup makes everything feel a little more manageable.
Where do you find beauty in the everyday?
I think there’s so much beauty in ordinary life when we slow down enough to notice it. That’s really at the heart of Barnes Hill, reminding people that everyday moments can be meaningful and that the products we use every day can be beautiful and intentional.
What’s one little ritual you never skip?
Coffee. Definitely coffee.
But beyond that, I try not to skip a little quiet time in the morning. Even if it’s just a few minutes to slow down, drink my coffee, pray, and get my mind in the right place before the day starts. I’m learning that those quiet moments are often more important than trying to rush into everything that needs to get done.
Barnes Hill has already come a long way. What are you dreaming up for its next chapter?
There are so many things I’m dreaming about! I want Barnes Hill to continue growing without losing the heart of what made it special in the first place.
I’d love to continue expanding our product line, growing our wholesale presence, creating more beautiful pieces for the home and body, and reaching more people who connect with the idea of living simply and intentionally.
But more than anything, I want Barnes Hill to become a brand that people feel connected to, not just because they love a product, but because they believe in what it represents. I want everything we create to point back to our values: faith, simplicity, intentional living, and honoring the beauty of God’s creation.
Before we let your coffee get cold, tell us: how do you take your coffee?
I’m a caramel latte kind of girl, and hot coffee will always be my favorite! There’s just something about a warm, creamy caramel latte that will always make my morning!
