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

Hi Ellen, thanks for joining us today. We believe kindness is contagious and so we’d love for you to share with us and our audience about the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?

Ottilia is a home goods and apothecary shop. I have a love for clean beauty and all things that make you feel good. I wanted to share these products with my community. Education was a big part of the job as many had not heard of the products at Ottilia. I love sampling products with clients – talking about texture, smell and possible applications.

After a major life change, I had to shift my business from brick and mortar to online only. The support of my clients during this transition was enormous. Community is absolutely amazing. To feel so supported during a transition by people who know and love your business is wonderful. The biggest win for me in starting a business, was working with so many beautiful people and participating in a heartfelt community.

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.

At Ottilia, we are passionate about every ingredient that graces our bodies and every element that touches our skin. With a deep-rooted love for holistic care, we are dedicated to curating products that reflect our values.

As you explore offerings from Ottilia, you’ll discover that commitment to presence and consideration shines through in every choice we make. The power of rituals – those cherished moments, support and nourish us.

Our carefully crafted products are more than just items; they are tools to help you embrace and enhance your rituals, ensuring that you can truly care for yourself, both inside and out.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I learned that it’s okay to pivot. I want to credit the talented Amy Keller (@missamykeller) and Tracy Anderson (@tracyandersonmethod) for helping me work through this.

Just because I said I was going to do something does not mean I need to go down with the ship. It’s okay to make mistakes in public. It’s okay to walk away. It’s okay to try something out, love it and then let it go so you can move onto the next idea/job/mission.

Do you sell on your site, or do you use a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc?

I sell via Shopify and would absolutely recommend this platform! It is easy to use and their staff is very helpful! In addition, they offer loans in a manageable way. They truly champion small businesses.

I worked with Shopify and the talented Ready Pretty Team (@readypretty) to develop my website and am so happy with the process and the results!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shopottilia.com/
• Instagram: @shopottilia.com

Image Credits
Photo by Olivia Kohler (@oliviakohlerphoto)