Guest Speaker: Natural Cures and Creations

This morning our class had the pleasure of visiting with local business owner Ariel Stewart. Ariel shared the inspiring story of how her business began—taking over a friend’s herb and oil customers—and how it has continually evolved over the years. As her customer base has shifted and new interests have sparked her creativity, she’s expanded her offerings to include custom shirt designs, laser-crafted products, wood-cut earrings, and logo leather patch hats.

Ariel emphasized the value of consumable products, noting that when customers love what you make, they return. Much of her success has come through the power of word-of-mouth marketing and a commitment to keeping customers happy.

She walked us through her journey—from starting in a converted storage container at her home, to selling at markets, and now consigning her products in several stores, including Milkmaid, where today’s visit took place. Ariel also shared her ongoing challenge of balancing time between business ownership and homeschooling her children. As her kids have grown, she’s found joy in including them in the business, allowing them to contribute through their own interests and talents.

We appreciate Ariel’s honesty, insight, and encouragement for our students as they prepare for their own entrepreneurial journeys!

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