Meet Wendy Brown | Founder of Holy City Naturals

We had the good fortune of connecting with Wendy Brown and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Wendy, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Actually, I accidentally became a business and business owner. My search for all-natural skincare products began when I developed eczema on my hands. After seeing many dermatologists and using numerous medicated products, I realized it was just that – the products I was using were irritants and not the clean ingredients I needed. So, I started making my own cleaner products.

Initially, my intention was not to sell the products, but to share the products I was making with my family and friends. It was they who encouraged me to try to sell them. I started at Sea Island Farmer’s Market on Johns Island and my products were a hit. I then decided to just try to sell to local retailers and so many were interested. Within my first year of selling to retailers I was selling at just over 20 locations in and around Charleston by the end of 2022. I am now in just under 70 locations in and around Charleston, surrounding areas and a couple other states.

Our best seller is our Bug Off Y’all bug spray specifically formulated to help repel the no see-ums and also repels mosquitoes and other flying insects. Our other best sellers are our magnesium butter, goat milk soaps, tallow soaps, shower steamers and lip balm.

What should our readers know about your business?
At Holy City Naturals we specialize in creating and curating a delightful range of better alternative skincare and wellness products. Our collection features a lovingly handcrafted selection of soaps, bug sprays, essential oil rollers, and other natural remedies, all carefully formulated to bring more natural alternatives to your daily self-care routine.
In the beginning it wasn’t really hard at all because I didn’t have intentions of starting a business. I just made products that were able to help solve a problem and wanted to share my excitement and enthusiasm about how well they worked and how natural they are. So, it was easy spreading the word and selling them. Once I realized I actually started a company and owned a business, then it got hard in some ways. I felt I needed better branding and presentation. I needed really good marketing and had to learn about social media. I had to learn all the components of running a business such as keeping and balancing books, finding companies for wholesale and bulk supplies, learning a ton of different apps that would help manage my company and so much more.

Now, after 2 years in business, I am slowly working on rebranding my company and products. I am working towards hiring professionals who can help me grow and to take some of the tasks off my plate so that I can do what I do best which is create the recipes, make the products and share everything I can about the importance of cleaner, more natural products.

I would also like to add that starting this business in Charleston is what made it possible. The people here, including the retailers, market shoppers, coordinators for markets and events, residents of my neighborhood and friends I have made here, are the ones who made my growth possible. Charleston is so supportive of local businesses and they go above and beyond here to support one another. It’s like my fifth baby and I wouldn’t have wanted it to be born anywhere but Charleston.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If I had my best friend visiting I would plan to go to some of my favorite restaurants like Wild Olive on Johns Island, Felix in Downtown Charleston, Southbound downtown or Obstinate Daughter on Sullivan’s Island. I would walk her through Charleston Place because just walking through is an experience. I would walk down King Street and shop the boutiques. I would stop in Rebecca Illustrated shop in The Mills House and stroll through the French Quarter and admire the stunning homes, cobblestone streets and lush foliage. We would go out on the boat through the Charleston Harbor to Shem Creek and have drinks at Tavern and Table. We would see the Ravenel Bridge and all the sailboats in the Harbor. I am certain that we would see some dolphins as well. We would visit Folly beach and walk the pier, soak in the sun then walk a little further to see the Morris Light House. We would go to Magnolia Plantation and see all the gorgeous flowers, walking bridges and Spanish moss draped trees. We would also visit the Angel Oak tree on Johns Island and tour the USS Yorktown at Patriot Point. A couple other cool things I would love for her to see is The Pink Figgy, a rare Nissan Figaro pink convertible used in the city for photography and props and to meet Charleston Max an iconic golden pup of the city.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
As a nurse for 28 years it seems to kind of go against the grain to consider non traditional methods for healing the body, but that is how Holy City Naturals was founded. I think it is important to consider alternative options for healing the body. The alternate options for me are more holistic, clean and found in nature, therefore my shoutout is to all those who are bold enough to consider holistic options for making our bodies the best they can be and for healing.

Website: https://holycitynaturals.net/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holycitynaturals/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/holycitynaturals/

Image Credits
I have the rights to the photography I have provided