Thanks for sharing your story with us Ashley. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
During a successful career in sales, I crashed. My lifestyle had taken a toll on my body: sales quotas, too many nights in hotel rooms while trying to manage my son’s high school schedule and a special needs daughter, keeping food in the house and bills paid, I had nothing left as I met myself coming and going. The prognosis was rest, but how could I give myself permission to rest? I did not know how.
I started evaluating how to create meaning and purpose in my life through the discipline of resting. Learning to be still, sitting quietly, learning to listen, and journaling offered hope and inspiration. I started reconnecting with the person I was designed to be rather than being the person I thought I needed to be. It meant taking risks. It meant being courageous. It meant being vulnerable. Simultaneously, it was both scary and freeing.
It was simply in sharing what I love and value: health, family, faith, creativity, and connection, that I found myself starting a business. Finding balance in my physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health was the launching pad. It was during that dark period of wondering what’s next that I discovered the many health benefits of essential oils and consistent yoga practice. My friends asked questions. I shared my story and found the creativity I’d lost in the hectic world of the past.
It was time to tap into my creativity again! I was searching for jewelry to diffuse oil onto and couldn’t find the style that fit my personality. I began to design a bracelet that was simple, natural, and versatile; one that could be infused with essential oils providing aromatherapy benefits.
Wearing the first bracelet I’d designed I ran into a friend who commented on it. I attempted giving it to her, but she refused to accept it without payment expressing, “you have to do this, you’re onto something!” Jane was my first customer. My heart is full of gratitude for friends and family members who have provided encouragement, support, and even some sweat equity as the company grows.
Our products, created to be infused with essential oils, benefit those who wear them, but the benefits don’t stop there! Through our sales, AuraBeads donates to select organizations serving individuals with intellectual and development disabilities. It’s a win-win!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Life is full of adventure. Having the courage to take risks also means being willing to stumble and even fall. Falling doesn’t mean I’ve failed as long as I’m willing to learn from my mistakes, make adjustments, stay true to my values, and keep walking in integrity. My relentless spirit has been evident since childhood.
At five years of age, living in New Orleans, LA, a couple of kids told me I wasn’t allowed to ride my tricycle on the tennis court. Upset with being told I couldn’t do something, I furiously peddled home to tell my mom. She responded, “you tell them you can play on the court just like they can” then heard noises in the kitchen followed by a door slamming shut. Something wasn’t right. As she looked out the window, I was racing my tricycle back to the tennis courts with a big wooden spoon in my hand! I guess it’s in my blood that when I fall, or when someone tells me something can’t be done, determination sets in.
One of the largest obstacles is getting out of my own way when being courageous in attempting aspects of the business with which I’m unfamiliar, uncomfortable, or feel unprepared to handle. What I find to be the most challenging is marketing, especially when it comes to social media; I’m not one who enjoys posting or self-promoting. I prefer to be behind the scenes.
Thinking I need to have everything figured out before beginning is another struggle. My mind reaches for scenarios for which I don’t feel prepared, thus preventing me from taking the next step. I tend to compare my start with someone else’s finish. When comparison starts to rear its ugly head, I remind myself that everyone’s starting place is unique and others didn’t get where they are overnight.
Please tell us about AuraBeads Therapeutic Infusions.
AuraBeads creates accessories designed to promote health and well-being when infused with the highest grade of essential oils. Many of our customers simply love the look and feel of our products. Recently, a customer expressed, “they just make me happy!” Another shared how she keeps a variety of bracelets in her closet and gets excited about choosing her stack of bracelets for the day. And yet another who commented, “I’m not big on wearing bracelets, but I just like the way they feel and being able to apply my oils to them is a bonus!”
But it doesn’t stop there! While we are grateful our products are well received and our business is growing, our satisfaction comes from our ability, through our sales, to support various organizations committed to serving individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities. As a mother of a daughter who faces these challenges, and is embraced by loving, caring, and accepting individuals, we’re blessed to have the opportunity to give back. Our journey is best described by my daughter’s favorite song from Seussical the Musical, “It’s possible. Anything’s possible!”
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I’m sure there are things I could have done differently, but each step has brought me to where I am today. I’ve learned that I’ll make mistakes, I’ll fall, I’ll get back up, and I’ll keep walking out my vision one step at a time, trusting the process. I’ve learned that living in the past and worrying about the future isn’t nearly as important as staying in the present moment with a grateful heart.
Pricing:
- Prices range from $18 to $50
- AuraBeads generously donate a portion of our sales to organizations serving those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Please contact us about partnering to support an organization meaningful to you.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 214-437-8343
- Email: ashley@aurabeads.me
Image Credit:
Marissa Easterling
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