We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Connie Boggess a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Connie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

Good Horse Scents, LLC started because my family and myself needed better options for soap. In 2008, I was diagnosed with food intolerances, but also intolerances to many ingredients in commercially made products, but I also needed a creative outlet, so my journey in soap making began. After making and creating for over 8 years for my family and friends- my Dad said “you make soap to deal with what you deal with every day!” “It makes good horse sense to make good horse scents.” So here we are… in 2022, after being a part of a local seasonal farmers, market, we were in several indoor markets, but we also were traveling about 600 miles per week, stocking, restocking and also working a full time job. The opportunity to buy an existing coffee shop came available. This allowed us to not only enjoy coffee, but also develop a year round market for our products, but also the other farmers and artisans in our area. It has been amazing to watch others grow as well.

Connie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Good Horse Scents, LLC was founded in 2016. Making soap was a creative outlet, using farm raised herbs, botanicals and animal fats found locally. “It makes good horse sense, to make Good Horse Scents.” As a farmer, an herbalist, an occupational therapist, skin health is important. That is the brand.
In 2022, the opportunity to buy an existing coffee shop became available. So Putnam Provisions Company was started. Providing locally sourced coffee, blending our own teas and herbal products, and adding the provisions and wears of other local artisans was our goal. We have done that and more.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

My family is priority. Since founding Good Horse Scents, LLC. our family has jumped in and help me grow the brand. As a daughter and occupational therapist, I decreased production, when my Dad had a botched surgery that resulted in 72 days in the hospital in 2018. This was at the beginning of one of our biggest festivals, and friends jumped in to ensure success. He not only survived- but thrived, I get my strength and resilience honestly.
Being an entrepreneur, you develop skills necessary to growth. You learn from mistakes, you have the ability to prioritize your own goals, roll with the economy, and stand tall when needed facing adversity. That is resilience. It does not make it easy, but it does show strength.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I am a life long learner, creator and teacher. I have shared the obstacles that have lead me in this path. I rise to the challenges.
As a recreational therapist, I moved back to West Virginia after obtaining my Masters Degree, to teach at my undergraduate institution. I have rolled with the challenges of teaching and practicing my skills, when the profession was not so understood, I have pursued an additional degree when needed to further provide therapy services and provide for a growing family.
We pivot. We pivot when healthcare changed from individual patient focus to insurance driven services. We pivot when we look at the resilience and sustainability of our own family is needed. The support of my husband, children and my parents have taught me to pivot. The world changes and we need to make sure that we all are happy and healthy in all areas. Working for others, is very difficult and stressful, when their focus is on productivity not people. So we pivot.
I was also blessed to provide equine therapy services for 28 years. Using horses to change the outside of a human physically and allow in inside to grow and develop, was amazing. There truly is evil in the world, which forced a pivot. It made good horse sense to pivot. We still own horses, they are peaceful creatures that live on our farm. Resilience, as we rose above the flames like a phoenix, At the same time, my Mother, descended in to the depths of dementia, facilitated by following the recommendations of a medical system that had no clue the depths of damage that was to come from corporations urging people to take a vaccine that had not been studied.
I have (we, a family) together have pivoted on all levels and will continue to grow in all aspects life, business and career. That is what my parents taught me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.goodhorsescents.com
• Instagram: Http://instagram.com/Good_horse_scents_wv
• Facebook: Http://facebook.com/goodhorsescents

Image Credits

Connie Boggess