Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Maneke Martin-Snowden. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Maneke, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

Burnout is a real issue among women, and the title of Supermom can be overwhelming. At Nourish + Soul, our motivation comes from our dedication to supporting women. Our business isn’t just about creating high-quality natural products but also about helping women recognize that they deserve the same care and attention they give others. Our mission at Nourish + Soul is to inspire and empower women to embrace self-love and self-compassion through intentional self-care practices grounded in understanding, trust, and thoughtfulness. Women do great things in this world. With a life of self-care, they can do that without sacrificing their physical or emotional wellbeing.

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.

I totally stumbled into business, and my initial idea grew into a true passion and mission. The concept for Nourish + Soul was birthed after I attended a horticultural symposium at a local high school. I was there to support a dear friend’s daughter. During the event, I had the opportunity to listen to several presentations. In one of those presentations, two teenage girls presented on the process of making natural goat’s milk soap. It was so educational and the topic fascinated me. That presentation sparked the interest and idea that would later ignite the Nourish + Soul brand. Entirely inspired by that presentation, I immersed myself in all things natural soap. I soon discovered a whole world with good quality body care products that went beyond what I could find in my local Target or Grocery store.

Nourish + Soul is an artisan marketplace that supports women in business. We only source our products from women-owned or co-owned brands. The brands that are a part of Nourish + Soul are called the Nourish + Soul Collective. Each brand is evaluated against a 10-point checklist that covers things like brand values, product ingredient integrity, and brand aesthetics. We want to offer women the best of the small batch artisan space.

Why you’ll love adding Nourish + Soul to your self-care routine:​​​​​​​​​
– Our products are made with clean, natural ingredients you know and can trust. All products are transparently labeled, so you know exactly what you’re putting on your body or using in your home.
– All products are scented with 100% natural essential oils/blends OR phthalate-free fragrance oils/blends free of synthetic ingredients and derived solely from natural/botanical sources.
– Products are made in small batches to ensure the highest quality and are not mass-produced using cheap fillers.
– All products are packaged AND shipped in environmentally friendly containers.
– Our products are not tested on animals and are considered vegan/vegan-friendly.
– Plus, a portion of our profits supports organizations and causes that work to uplift women and girls.

Read more about our guiding principles: https://www.shopnourishandsoul.com/guiding-principles

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

Nourish + Soul is 100% self-funded. I built the brand to this point using my 9-to-5 paycheck, savings, and credit cards. While the amount of money I had to start was not that much, I didn’t let it stop me. I used what I had and did what I could at the time. The process was a lot slower than I wanted, which is where the credit cards came into play. I worked with what I had until I could do more. Early on, money was also used to educate myself. My business is in an industry in which I had no experience, so it was vital for me to understand what would be required and how I would use this knowledge to build the Nourish + Soul brand differently. This industry and the process of handcrafting products is complex. I’m glad I made those investments early on because they helped me create an impactful brand I love and am proud of.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

When I started reaching out to brands to join the Nourish + Soul Collective, I faced a lot of rejection. There was tons of no’s and even non-responses to my inquiries. Being an unknown brand made it challenging to get the initial six brands on board. Despite feeling discouraged at times, I persevered because I believed in the mission and trusted that the right brands would join us. The first vendor who agreed to be part of our collective did so based solely on the vision I presented, even before knowing about the other brands or seeing our products or website. This early support kept me going. Entrepreneurship requires resilience, self-belief, and the support of others to keep moving forward, and that’s what I held onto during this journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shopnourishandsoul.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopnourishandsoul/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShopNourishandSoul/
• Twitter: https://x.com/nourishsoulllc
• Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ShopNourishandSoul/
  Google: https://maps.app.goo.gl/h3NhDggzmqi4HxsT6

Image Credits

Product Photos by Jessie Nichole Photography, Personal Photo by Sara Brennan @Whitebox Photo / Make up: Blushed By Natashia at Face Cafe Glam Bar