Life & Work with Jessie Richmond of Ohio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessie Richmond.

Hi Jessie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Maggie’s Farm & Aromatics started in my kitchen in 2020, when I began making bath bombs during the pandemic. I had spent years working in social services and juvenile probation, and I didn’t set out with a plan to open a store. I just loved making things that might give someone a little moment of comfort. My family’s Appalachian roots and my Granny Ward’s handwritten remedies had also given me an appreciation for the care people put into what they make.

I started selling on Etsy, and what began as a kitchen project grew far beyond anything I expected. We added candles, bath and body products, and home fragrances, then bought our first building in downtown Chillicothe. After four years, we had outgrown it, so we sold it and moved to a larger space on North Paint Street. We’ve now been in our new location for a year, which still feels a little surreal to say.

Along the way, we opened The FurFolk Bakehouse, where we bake and freeze-dry our own dog and cat treats. I also founded the Institute of Aromatic Arts to teach others about aromatherapy. Its Level 1 and Level 2 programs are approved by the Alliance of International Aromatherapists (AIA). And because apparently I needed one more project, I started *Candles & Crime*, a podcast that brings together my background in criminal justice and my passion for aromatherapy. It’s now on Spotify and YouTube.

Today, Maggie’s is a team effort with my husband Kazy, our staff, and the customers who have supported us through every chapter. I still get excited about making something new, especially when a scent can tell the story of a place or bring back a memory. There has been plenty of learning as we go, but I’m proud that a project I started at home has become part of downtown Chillicothe.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
A smooth road? I wish! Maggie’s grew quickly, but every stage brought a new set of things I had to learn. Making products in my kitchen was one thing. Keeping up with online orders, opening a storefront, hiring a team, and eventually moving an entire business into a larger building were very different things. I’ve had to learn a lot by doing, usually while the shop was still open and customers were still counting on us.

One of the hardest parts has been adjusting when something that worked before suddenly doesn’t. Online sales have changed, and running a physical store comes with expenses and surprises that are easy to underestimate. This summer, our new building flooded, and we had to deal with the cleanup and replace the HVAC system. That was definitely not on my list of plans for the year.

There have been long days, expensive lessons, and moments when I’ve wondered what on earth I’d gotten us into. What keeps me going is my husband, Kazy. He is my endless support and my biggest cheerleader, always pushing me to do more and dream bigger, even when I’m doubting myself.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Maggie’s Farm & Aromatics is a handmade apothecary and candle shop in downtown Chillicothe. We make candles, bath and body products, and home fragrances, and we host events that bring people together. But my favorite part of owning a business goes back to my years in social services: it gives me another way to care for people.

I think I have a servant’s heart. No matter what field you’re in, if you care about people, you look for ways to give back. We work with Project Life at our local Pioneer School, giving students with developmental disabilities opportunities to learn job skills in a real workplace. We also work with another program that helps underserved people gain work experience and job skills while receiving free education and programming.

We’ve used Maggie’s as a platform for fundraisers to help local schools provide free period products to students. We’ve also collaborated with other organizations to collect school supplies, Christmas toys, and diapers for local charities, and to support health care fundraisers. I’m proud of the things we make, but I’m proudest when this business helps us show up for our community.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
The easiest way to support us is to stop by Maggie’s Farm & Aromatics and The FurFolk Bakehouse at 72 N. Paint Street in downtown Chillicothe. Come shop, join us for an event, or bring your dog in for a treat. If you’re farther away, you can shop online at maggiesfarmandaromatics.com. Following us, sharing a post, or telling a friend about us also means more than you might think.

I love collaborating, too. We work with other businesses on events and custom products, and with schools and organizations on community projects and fundraisers. If you have an idea, stop in or send us a message. Some of my favorite things we’ve done started with, “This might sound a little crazy, but…”

Maggie’s Farm & Aromatics website: https://maggiesfarmandaromatics.com/
Maggie’s Farm & Aromatics Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MaggiesFarmAromatics
Maggie’s Farm & Aromatics Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maggiesfarmaromatics/
Maggie’s Farm & Aromatics Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maggiesfarmaromatics/
Maggie’s Farm & Aromatics TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maggiesfarmaromatics
Maggie’s Farm & Aromatics Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/maggiesfarmandaromatics/

The FurFolk Bakehouse Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheFurFolkBakehouse
The FurFolk Bakehouse Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefurfolkbakehouse/
The FurFolk Bakehouse Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefurfolkbakehouse/

Institute of Aromatic Arts: https://theinstituteofaromaticarts.thinkific.com/

Candles & Crime YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CandlesAndCrimeWithJessie

Contact Info:

• Website: https://maggiesfarmandaromatics.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maggiesfarmaromatics/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maggiesfarmaromatics/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CandlesAndCrimeWithJessie