We were lucky to catch up with Anna recently and have shared our conversation below.

Anna , appreciate you joining us today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

Honestly, anything I aspire to do takes consistency, time, patience, and simply believing in myself. I am beyond happy as a business owner, but often people do not realize that sometimes you have to sacrifice your time for your business to grow, and it’s not always an overnight success. I am learning to embrace the challenges and milestones of being a business owner. It’s rewarding and draining, but it’s molding me to become more polished as a business owner.

I never thought about what it would be like to have a regular job. Nothing that I do is considered ” regular,” and I have nothing against those who have jobs because I, too, once was an employee. I haven’t been employed for 6+ years! Some people are not built for entrepreneurship because they do not want to put in the work to get to the next level. In my opinion, jobs are restricting, and sometimes you can lose yourself being an employee because the workload consumes you and you have responsibilities, so you get complacent.

On the other hand, I know some people do not want to become business owners and enjoy working for others. There’s nothing wrong with having a job, but it’s not for me. I am beyond grateful to have the drive to become a business owner and continuously work to reach another plateau. As long as I am open to remaining a student and learning what it takes to run my business effectively, I believe I will continue to succeed.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?

Hello, I’m Anna, founder of Therapeutic Awakening, social media personality, and licensed massage therapist. Before I launched Therapeutic Awakening, I was a massage therapist. Since then, my mother passed away two years ago, and she inspired me to create a business built on self-care. Ultimately, my goal is to bring more awareness to the importance of self-care by focusing on vegan and organic body care products that relieve stress and can be added to your self-care regimen.

My brand differs from the others because I have experience in the self-care industry. As a massage therapist, I’m familiar with the signs and symptoms of stress, which can be expressed differently, depending on that particular person. Stress looks different for everyone. My brand reflects me, and I live a healthy lifestyle, which is why I choose to take a healthier approach when I provide stress-relieving products to my customers.

I am most proud of the constant love and support from many unexpected sources. Although many of my customers are my social media fans, admirers, and supporters, my business is often mentioned in rooms I haven’t been in.

Because of them, I quickly, easily, and successfully sold out my Beard Elixirs, one of the newest products from my Men’s Care line. Another thing I’m most proud of is my resilience. I’ve been through so much, and I’m still standing strong. Many people doubted my success and closed the door on me, but I learned to create my door and walk through it.

A few things I want potential clients, followers, and fans to know about me is that I’m beyond grateful for their support. My brand speaks for itself, and I value integrity, transparency, and you all. Without your support combined with my hard work, I nor my business would not continuously thrive.

Regarding my work, I want you all to understand that each product is made with you in mind. Each ingredient is intentionally chosen for your benefit, whether you suffer from stress, anxiety, dry skin, etc. Stress comes and goes, but your health and happiness are my top priority. If you are curious about Therapeutic Awakening, please visit my website www.shoptherapeutics.com for more details.

How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.

My products are available on my website, Etsy, Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, and Potomac Mills Mall, located in Woodbridge, Virginia.

First, I prioritize providing more convenient ways to offer my products. Therefore social media is one of the best online sources to provide a shopping experience without leaving the platform. To continue reaching a wider audience, I must also consider my customers’ shopping habits. Even if you aren’t tech-savvy, you can still access my products. I have them showcased in Black American Market Shoppe’s storefront in Potomac Mills Mall. I intentionally chose this particular store because it focuses on providing a variety of Black Owned products for those who value Black businesses.

Secondly, I value the strength of having a community and developing great business relationships. Black American Market and I have had a previous business relationship ( offering my products in subscription boxes) that extended to this one, so I’m happy that this opportunity aligned for us.

The cons of these shopping opportunities are that social media constantly changes, and I must continue to try different tactics to continually show up on the social media algorithm, which is very unpredictable. I must say it affects the customers and my business as well. In my opinion, sometimes more popular brands or content is pushed more than authentic ones, so it appears I’m fighting for attention to reach more potential customers.

As far as the store location, there aren’t many cons besides the fact that some people may not be in the Virginia area. to purchase my products.

Simply put, the pro is convenience whether you’re shopping online on social media or at Black American Market Shopee

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

I have a few easy ways to keep in touch with my customers. Whenever potential customers or customers take an interest in my brand, I encourage them to subscribe to my newsletter by entering their email addresses upon visiting my website. This allows me to give them more insight into my business and products.

Then, I also have SMS marketing which is communicating with my Vip customers through text messages which are quick and convenient. My customers are like an extension of me; they’re like my family. I love to spoil them with secret sales and exclusive deals.

In addition, I encourage them to stay connected through social media because it’s another easy outlet that visibly allows them to watch me in real-time and directly interact with me.

I love to interact with them by asking them how I can better serve them through my products to continue creating that
” Therapeutic ” experience they need.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.shoptherapeutics.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapeuticawakening/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TherapeuticAwakening
• Other: Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/TherapeuticAwakening/

Image Credits
Evolving Images Inc. by Tavia Garland
Oyexious Designs