Azure Campbell is the owner of Essential Beginnings, a business that she set up nine years with the initial goal of selling essential oils. From her early beginnings selling to friends and family, she has expanded to include a line of merchandise that she sells through her website and Facebook page. She now offers a range of personal care products, cleaning products, supplements, and natural health products free of harmful chemicals, toxins, synthetic dyes, artificial flavors, and artificial preservatives.
I spoke with Azure about her interest in the wellness field, her passion for educating parents about healthy living at home, and why her business has shown considerable growth since 2020.
Tell me about your business and what you sell.
I operate Essential Beginnings, which was set up nine years ago when the natural wellness industry was still very much just surfacing in a public way. As a new mother, I needed natural wellness products aligned with my beliefs. So I searched everywhere for products and services aligned with the holistic vision that I had for my family. I received training as a birth doula, and pairing that with my experience as a totally natural, water birthing mother. I needed to either make or find cleaning and personal care products that met my every growing standards, and essential oils proved to be the path for me to follow.
Why did you decide to sell essential oils?
I had a need and could not find the solution. Two things were happening and at the time, and my gut told me to support myself naturally. To address the ever-present postpartum depression I experienced, I sought answers to help provide me with emotional and hormonal support in the most natural way possible. My search for wellness led me to select only the best for my family, despite my lack of knowledge or funds.
I knew my daughter’s skin condition would benefit from the use of therapeutic-grade oils, not synthetic oils commonly found in gift shops. So I spent nine months educating myself and using my family as guinea pigs before I decided to begin sharing what I had learned.
What were you doing before starting your company? How did it influence what you do now?
I personally had been working for myself in the cosmetic industry for a large Direct Sales/MLM company for almost a decade. While I loved independence, I wasn’t very successful. I loved my customers and the business model, but my heart wasn’t truly in it; I didn’t feel passionate about makeup.
After my first child’s birth in 2007, I realized I couldn’t leave him and go back to work. I became acutely aware of everything in our home and sought out ways to create the best possible environment for him. As I began to use more oils and products in my home, I felt an emotional connection. I realized I could provide income for my family while doing something I loved and believed in. My past failures became invaluable in my career.
Who were your first clients?
Initially, I began sharing with new parents and parents-to-be, mainly to address issues that I had experienced. I found many tired and depressed moms who were continually making poor decisions regarding their family’s well-being. As my friends began to see life had changed for us dramatically, they wanted to know more. I never really had to work to sell as the products genuinely do all the work. I became passionate about becoming a champion for your family’s indoor spaces.
I was urging anyone who would listen to ditch toxic, harsh chemical cleaners for 100% natural, plant-based alternatives. We were experiencing a major shift as people became aware of the huge monopolies’ blatant greenwashing campaigns. I was on a mission to help the “decision-maker of the home, usually, the mother, to make better decisions.
What did you do at the beginning?
I began my business by hosting classes. I knew that what modern mothers were missing were communities, even better tribes. So I built one and began sharing my passion of teaching with others. In my first year I had 45 customers who were transitioning into a better way of living along with me. Together we passionately shared and cared for others. This provided me with an income that more than covered what I was purchasing each month.
Within three years, I earned a six-figure passive income, working 15 hours a week from home. At this time, my husband Chris was able to quit working and stay home with our then 3 children. I feel incredibly blessed that I get to call what I do work as I thrive on motivating women to step out of their comfort zone to achieve their goals and still be able to play a vital role in their families.
What were some of the challenges you faced when you started?
When I began my business I was broke and broken. I had been a Director for law firms across North America. I was burnt out before I hit the age of thirty. I began having children at thirty-two and paid the price as I wasn’t prepared with body, mind and soul. I had experienced a severe case of tech burn-out.
So I got rid of my smartphone and decided to focus solely on rebuilding my life, finances, and family free of distractions. I was able to advance my business without a cell phone. I knew from my experience that tech resistance was holding much back but wanted to give options to those that preferred to be present in the moment. It sort of became my thing. Giving people attention; direct, uninterrupted attention. It seemed to really strike the hearts of the women I knew.
How has your business operated during the current COVID pandemic?
Covid’s arrival in March had me focused on getting hand sanitizer into every home, so we helped others to educate on product safety during the chaos of lockdowns. In the following twelve months my business grew three times as much as it had the previous five years. In times of struggle, I find myself quiet about the level of success we’ve experienced. The importance of supporting your health has become a focus for many, and I’m just so thankful our company was years ahead when it came to formulating products that we need.
Website: www.essentialbeginnings.ca
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/EssentialBeginnings/
Author: Ian MacKenzie, Toronto, Canada. If you have stories to share kindly email: – mackenzie.ian@gmail.com
