Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Fraley.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Starting my small business was definitely not intentional. It is something that developed organically. We had taken my son to countless doctor appointments trying to figure out what was causing his aggression and major behavior changes. After paying very close attention to every small detail in his life to help narrow things down, I realized that his behaviors were related to artificial dyes and some other ingredients that he was ingesting. I removed those from his diet but still noticed some issues every once in a while. After more research, I realized the dyes in his personal care and hygiene products were causing the same problems. Long story short, I began reading every label to every single thing we used. Holy cow- let me tell you, there are so many unnecessary chemicals and additives in our beauty and self-care products! I began making a lot of these items for myself and my little family and began getting requests from other family members and friends. It just kind of took off and continued to evolve. While a lot of our products are marketed towards women/men, they are also safe to use on kiddos. A few of my favorites to use on my kids are the dry shampoo, herbal bug repellent, lice prevention spray, charcoal teeth whitener to shine up those pearly whites, the anti-static spray, and orange creamsicle deodorant. I’m working on some exciting products and our kids’ line will be expanding in the near future!
I am currently a one-woman show, with a little help on the side from my family when needed! I formulate the recipes, test and perfect my creations, make products by hand, package and seal products, package and ship orders, track and order inventory, book/attend vendor events, manage social media accounts… you name it! It keeps me busy and I love it all!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not always been a smooth road, but I always know that I can reevaluate and come up with a new plan when needed. At one point, I had expanded from carrying products that were primarily marketed towards women to having a full line of products that needed to be marketed to everyone, including children. I knew that I needed a name for my business that was more inclusive to everyone for any product I would choose to develop. At that point, I decided to rename my business and do a total rebranding. That was a very stressful time for me, but it all worked out and has definitely helped us continue to grow and move forward.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Root + Clay?
Root + Clay’s main objective is to provide natural beauty and self-care products made with high-quality organic ingredients at an affordable price. Every ingredient serves a purpose and you can be confident that our products are safe for your entire family. We carefully source our ingredients from reputable brands with values similar to our own. We love to use other Ohio-based businesses for our supplies any time we are able to!
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I currently live in a rural area between Columbus and Cincinnati. When I travel to the city with my husband, we are in search of hidden gems. There are so many locally-owned restaurants and shops that big chains simply cannot compete with in our eyes. We love to support small businesses.
Pricing:
- All individual products are currently priced at $15 or less.
- Free shipping with online orders of $50 or more
Contact Info:
- Email: info@rootandclay.com
- Website: rootandclay.com
- Instagram: @loverootandclay
- Facebook: @rootandclay
Image Credits
Emily Smith
