Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Harris.
Hi Angela, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My journey really began with a love for people, a fascination with the human body, and a belief that nature has so much to offer us if we’re willing to slow down, study, and understand it.
I’ve been a licensed massage therapist for over 21 years, and throughout those years, I became increasingly interested in the relationship between what we put on our bodies, how we care for ourselves, and how we feel. I’ve always been someone who asks why. I love research, I love science, and I love challenging the idea that there is only one way to do something.
That curiosity eventually grew into Alchemist Haven & Rejuvenation, a place where my love for botanical ingredients, formulation, fragrance, and nurturing others could come together.
What began as a passion for creating has grown into a brick-and-mortar shop, a perfumery, and an ever-evolving collection of handcrafted skincare, body care, home fragrances, and products designed with intention. Every formulation represents countless hours of research, experimentation, failures, improvements, and sometimes a little magic.
But building a business has taught me just as much about myself as it has about entrepreneurship.
I’m actually not a natural risk-taker. I like evidence, I like knowing what I’m getting into, and quite frankly, I’m scared of plenty of things! But I’ve learned that faith doesn’t always mean seeing the entire path. Sometimes it means taking that first step and trusting that the next one will appear.
Being a woman in business, a mother, a creator, and an entrepreneur has required me to grow in ways I never imagined. There have been long days, difficult decisions, and plenty of moments when giving up would have been easier. But I genuinely love what I do.
Today, Alchemist Haven is so much more than a storefront. It’s a reflection of my family, my creativity, my values, and my desire to offer something meaningful to the people who walk through our doors.
And the most exciting part? I don’t believe I’m anywhere near finished.
I’m still learning, still formulating, still dreaming, and still building something I hope will continue to grow far beyond me.
I think that’s the beauty of entrepreneurship. You don’t have to follow a path someone else created. Sometimes you’re meant to create your own.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Smooth? Oh goodness, absolutely not! 🤣
I think one of the biggest misconceptions about entrepreneurship is that if you’re doing something you love, it somehow feels less like work. The truth is, sometimes it feels like you’re doing the work of ten people while simultaneously trying to figure out how to pay all ten!
I’m not naturally a risk-taker. I love research, I love evidence, and I like to have a plan. Unfortunately, entrepreneurship doesn’t always give you the luxury of knowing what’s coming next.
There have been financial challenges, incredibly long hours, staffing struggles, growing pains, and more lessons learned the hard way than I could possibly count. I’ve had to learn everything from formulation and production to marketing, inventory, customer service, and the financial responsibilities of keeping a business alive.
One of the hardest parts has been finding balance. I’m a mother, and my business requires an enormous amount of my time and energy. There are days when I feel like I have a hundred things that need my attention and only enough hours to accomplish twenty.
And then there’s the emotional side of it. When you build something from your heart, it’s personal. The successes feel incredible, but the disappointments can hit pretty hard, too.
I’ve learned that growth isn’t always comfortable, and success isn’t always measured by what ends up in your bank account. Sometimes success is simply making it through a difficult season without compromising your values or giving up on what you believe you’re meant to do.
I often think about that scene in Indiana Jones where he has to take a step onto a bridge he can’t see. That’s entrepreneurship to me. You take the step, trusting that the path will appear.
And somehow, with a whole lot of faith, determination, hard work, and probably more stubbornness than I’d like to admit, it does.
I wouldn’t call it a smooth road, but I would absolutely call it a worthwhile one. And I’m incredibly proud of what we’re building.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
At Alchemist Haven & Rejuvenation, (Rejuvenation is how this all began) we specialize in handcrafted skincare, botanical body care, artisan perfumery, and home fragrances. This came about due to noticing similar skin issues in so many humans because of my massage career.!
But I think what makes us different is that we’re not simply a retail shop selling pretty things that smell good. We’re creators, researchers, formulators, and a little bit of everything in between!
I’ve been a licensed massage therapist for over 21 years, so my background has given me a deep appreciation for the human body and the importance of nurturing it. That experience eventually evolved into my passion for cosmetic formulation, where I get to combine science, nature, creativity, and a healthy dose of curiosity.
One of my favorite things about what I do is developing a product with a specific purpose in mind. I love studying individual ingredients, understanding how they interact, and figuring out how to create something that’s both beautiful and functional. Sometimes that means developing a luxurious facial serum, reformulating a deodorant until it performs exactly the way I envision, or creating a fragrance that captures a memory or tells a story.
Our perfumery is especially close to my heart. I believe fragrance is deeply personal. A scent can transport you to another time, remind you of someone you love, or evoke a feeling you haven’t experienced in years. I love creating fragrances that have personality, depth, and meaning rather than simply following whatever happens to be popular.
We’re probably best known for our unique fragrances, our botanical skincare, (Aphrodite’s Glow) and the fact that there’s almost always something new happening in the shop! I have an incredibly curious mind, and I don’t think I’ll ever be content to stop learning or creating.
What sets us apart is our willingness to keep improving. Just because we’ve made something successfully doesn’t mean we can’t make it better. We listen to our customers, pay attention to their experiences, and continually refine our formulations. I’m not interested in doing something simply because that’s how everyone else does it. I want to understand the why behind it.
I’m also incredibly intentional about the atmosphere we’ve created. I want people to walk into Alchemist Haven and feel like they’ve discovered someplace special. A place that’s welcoming, a little unexpected, full of beautiful things, and filled with personality. So much of our shop reflects my family, my memories, and the people and experiences that have shaped my life.
What am I most proud of? Honestly, it’s not one particular product or accomplishment.
It’s that we’ve built something real. Something that began as an idea and has grown into a business that people genuinely connect with. When customers tell me that they’ve driven hours to visit us, that they’ve fallen in love with something we’ve created, or that our shop feels like an extension of who I am, that means more to me than I can adequately explain.
I’m also proud of the people who help bring Alchemist Haven to life. As we’ve grown, I’ve had the opportunity to share my vision with a team of creative, talented individuals who contribute their own gifts to what we’re building.
At the end of the day, I don’t want Alchemist Haven to be just another place to shop. I want it to be an experience. I want our products to have purpose, our fragrances to tell stories, and our customers to feel like they’re part of something special.
And I want to keep proving that you can build something extraordinary without having to look, think, or create exactly like everyone else.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
how much time do we have? 🤣
First, understand that loving what you do and running a successful business are two very different things. You can be incredibly talented at your craft, but you also have to learn how to manage money, understand your numbers, market yourself, lead people, and make decisions that aren’t always comfortable.
One of the biggest things I wish I’d understood earlier is that being busy and being profitable are not the same thing. You can work yourself absolutely silly and still not be building a sustainable business. Learn your numbers, know what things actually cost, and don’t confuse revenue with what you’re taking home.
Secondly, don’t wait until everything is perfect. If you’re waiting until you’re completely prepared, completely confident, and completely fearless, you’ll probably never begin. I’m not a natural risk-taker. I research everything, question everything, and sometimes have to talk myself right back into reality! But I’ve learned that courage isn’t the absence of fear. It’s deciding that what you’re building matters more than the fear itself.
Protect your vision, but remain teachable. Listen to your customers. Learn from your mistakes. Be willing to change your methods without abandoning your purpose. Some of our greatest improvements have come from things that didn’t work the first time.
And please, learn to establish boundaries. Your business can consume every waking moment if you allow it. There will always be another order, another idea, another problem to solve. Your time, your family, and your peace matter, too.
I would also encourage people not to spend too much time comparing their journey to someone else’s. Not every business is meant to look the same, grow at the same pace, or follow the same formula. What works beautifully for one person may not work at all for another.
Most importantly, have faith, but understand that faith and hard work go hand in hand. Believing in your dream doesn’t mean sitting around waiting for it to happen. It means showing up, doing the work, making the difficult decisions, and taking the next step even when you can’t see the entire path. Chop the wood/carry the water💖
If there’s one thing I wish I’d known when I started, it’s that you don’t have to have everything figured out to begin, but you do have to be willing to learn everything along the way.
And perhaps most importantly, don’t build a business that requires you to lose yourself in order to keep it alive.
Build something you’re proud of, something that reflects your values, and something that allows you to create a life you actually enjoy living.
I feel, ultimately, success should be about more than simply making a living. It should be about creating a life worth living. Making a difference in the lives of others⭐️
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Alchemisthaven.com
- Instagram: Alchemist Haven
- Facebook: Alchemist Haven
