We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Anna Morley. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Anna below.

Alright, Anna thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I used to struggle with skin irritations and dryness. I knew that eliminating ingredients like parabens and sulfates was important but it was also expensive and the research was time-consuming. When I had my son, I became more invested in making sure that what I put in and on his body, was made of “clean” ingredients. Unfortunately, finding products made with simple, natural ingredients was difficult. Even at a high price-point, products weren’t as “clean” as I wanted. I began making products myself. I first made a cleaner for his high chair, followed by laundry detergent. Then I made diaper cream, lotion, lip balm…I just kept adding products. Every ingredient in my products had to follow two rules: 1) they had to be natural, and 2) they had to benefit the health of your skin.
I now make every skincare product in my home and love being able to share the products with others!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Anna. I am a full-time high school math teacher, full-time business owner, and full-time mom of four in a blended family. My all-natural skincare and cleaning products are something that I initially made for my two children, back when I was a single mom. I wanted natural products for my children that I could afford. The more products I made, the more I wanted to make. I played with recipes until they were “just right.” Any time I ran into a skin issue with my kids, I would spend hours researching and creating. Then I started make skincare for myself as well. My skin feels better now at 36 than it did when I started over 10 years ago.

When I met my husband, I was selling casually to family and friends, at craft fairs, and giving products as gifts. My husband encouraged me to start an LLC, create a website, and become a legitimate business. I named my business STELLA Handmade and Natural after our blended family. It stands for: Scott, Thomas, Evan, Lilly, Lucy, and Anna (STELLA).

Life has gotten so busy, and most people don’t have the time to research every ingredient that is in their products. Now I get to supply 100% natural products, not only to my family and friends, but to anyone that wants to eliminate harmful, irritating chemicals, and artificial ingredients from their home, at an affordable price. I hope that STELLA products give families a piece of mind, knowing that they are putting safe and healthy, all-natural ingredients on their skin.

We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.

I do manufacture all of my products myself. In the beginning, I would buy small amounts of the raw ingredients and make small batches of things that I would store in empty containers or mason jars. My packaging and manufacturing process has morphed and grown a lot over the years as I became more willing to invest in my business.

I used to make all of my products in small mixing bowls in my kitchen. Now I have a dedicated room that my husband built me with shelving to house and organize ingredients, professional mixers, lotion dispensers, huge pots and mixing bowls, and more.

I found a natural ingredient supplier (in the US) that I can buy in bulk from and a local packaging supplier as well. I no long buy mason jars from Walmart and cut out cute paper by hand to dress-up the lid. Now I buy hundreds or thousands of jars and bottles at once and have labels printed for me.

I still make everything by hand and it is time consuming. However, I am making things in larger batches, more efficiently, and my brand has become more professional and polished as I have become willing to invest in the business.

I have learned that in the beginning, while you are perfecting your products, it’s good to make things in small batches, possibly on your own, that might not look as polished. Let it be part of the creative process. Be okay with lots of failures and modifications. However, when you think you have perfected something or created something genuinely good, start investing in it.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I have had to pivot a lot in life, business, and careers. Most of my twists started from unexpected interests that morphed into bigger things.

Having kids got me interested in natural products. Making natural products got me interested in making more natural products.

In college, I went to school for psychology, reconciliation studies, and family studies. After I graduated, I went back to school for marriage and family therapy. However, I was also tutoring students in math as a side job. I fell in love with it and completely changed career paths. Around the same time, I became a single mom and being a math teacher would fit into my new life better. I continued to tutor while going back to school to become a teacher, and making natural skincare products on the side.

Meeting my husband and blending our two families also pivoted things. I finished my master’s degree, became a teacher, but also started my business all within a year of each other. Things are crazy and I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t wondered if it’s all too much. There’s been times where the business wasn’t seeing growth and I wondered if I should let it go. Currently I’m pulled between my business and my teaching career. I don’t know what direction I’ll go next but I know that I love growing my business and I love being a teacher so, for now, I’ll continue to do both.

Contact Info:

• Website: stellahandmadeandnatural.com
• Instagram: stellahandmadeandnatural
• Facebook: stellahandmadeandnatural

Image Credits
Emily Witt Anna Morley