By Heather Clower
The Parsons Advocate
There are very few, if any, people that the Covid-19 pandemic did not affect in some way. For Kendra Reynolds of the St. George community, this meant quitting her job and becoming an entrepreneur. “I always wanted to be a small business owner, so I thought why not now and went for it,” said Reynolds.
In August of 2020, ABC Botanicals became a reality. She shared the fun fact that the name came from her daughter’s initials (A.B.C.). Reynolds creates a variety of health, beauty, and wellness products including sugar scrubs made with organic sugar and coconut oil, wax sachets made with organic soy, organic beeswax and essential oils, all-natural lip balms, and organic salves, lotion bars, and bath teas. A natural fire starter is also one of her products and shower steamers will be coming soon. “I chose to get into this business because I have always loved all things natural, aromatherapy, and self-care products,” she stated. “I figured why not combine all of these things into products I love? I consider myself to be a creative individual and being in this business, I can let my creativity soar! When I make each product, I can’t help but have a smile on my face, it genuinely makes me happy and I love what I do.”
The desire to embark in this business goes even deeper for Reynolds as her products assist her in a personal way as well. “My mission in this business is bigger than what it seems,” she explained. “I have always had struggles with my anxiety and aromatherapy always seems to help. While making my products, I always feel so relaxed and stress free. With this platform what I’m building, I’m hoping to help other individuals realize the importance of self-care. My products aren’t just for beauty, they are also for relaxation, aromatherapy, and for an individual to have a little bit of ‘me time’.”
“When I make a new product, I test it out on myself to make sure it’s something I would buy if I were the customer,” explained Reynolds. “I take pride in my work and want to make sure everyone receives a good quality product made with quality ingredients they can enjoy.”
Reynolds has big plans for ABC Botanicals in 2021 which include adding new products to her inventory. “I have a lot of ideas that I can’t wait to bring to life and share with the community,” she said.
Even though a website has not yet launched for this new business, products can be found at Thomasyard in Thomas or on social media. Information can be found on Facebook and Instagram by searching for ABC Botanicals, or by emailing Reynolds at abcbotanicalswv@gmail.com. “Any order, big or small, doesn’t go unnoticed, I appreciate them all,” confirmed Reynolds. “I’ve been so grateful and overjoyed from the amount of support I’ve gotten on this journey so far.”