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

Paola, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?

This story isn’t precisely about something someone did for me in particular but had a significant impact on me.
A few years ago, I was invited to participate in a bazaar selling my tea called Crafted. The main goal of the bazaar was to support non-profit organizations, which I loved.
When I arrived, I met my booth neighbor, Susan, who hand-made beautiful purses from repurposed fabric; it seemed like a great entrepreneurial idea, especially because Susan was good at it, and her purses were beautiful and unique.
I later learned that Susan was retired and that she did this as a hobby, which seemed cool. However, the part that had a profound impact on me was that she donated 100% of the profits from her bags to organizations that helped minorities, homeless people, and women entrepreneurs. When I asked her why she did this, she said that she enjoyed it and now had the time to give back after retiring.
While most people play golf and travel in retirement, Susan chose to give her time and energy in a completely selfless manner. Making those bags can’t be easy, and I know from experience that attending these markets and bazaars is exhausting.
People like Susan are rare, I think and I was inspired by her generosity and kindness. So, in a way, this was the kindest thing anyone has ever done for me.

Paola, 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?

My name is Paola Balsa, and I am originally from Mexico City. I have lived in the United States for over two decades. Above all, I am the mother of two beautiful kiddos. I take pride in being their mother and being able to care for them.
My particular life circumstances as an immigrant and single mother, and my passion and interests have taken me on an incredible journey pursuing different endeavors and careers.
I am a Master Herbalist, Reiki Master, Certified Court Interpreter, Writer, and Voice Actor, among other things, and I provide products and services in these industries with passion and pride.
As an entrepreneur, I founded Azomalli LLC, a purveyor of the finest herbal tea and botanical products; this passion stems from a background in natural and holistic healing in my upbringing and the fascinating and magical world of natural remedies. Herbal tea and botanicals have a special place in my heart; my grandmother and mom have a big influence in the way that I care for myself and others. I am also very proud of my culture, background and traditions, and it brings me joy to be able to share it with the world.
As a professional linguist, I serve the Department of Justice, courts and judicial system in California, Colorado and Washington, and immigration courts nationwide in an independent contractor capacity. This was an incidental career choice that nowadays brings me fulfillment and relevancy; language as a living organism and evolving system is fascinating, and I am honored to have the ability to be the means of expression, communication, storage, and transfer of knowledge in these vital areas.
As a fully bilingual and multicultural Mexican-American woman, I am also a voice actor and writer specializing in commercials, narration, e-learning, corporate, legal, promo, and announcing.
I take great satisfaction in the fact that my clients know that when they work with me, they get a product and service of the highest quality. But it is not reduced to just a simple product or service; it is my passion, creativity, sweat, dedication, time away from my kids, and true love for the trade that is poured into everything I do. My attitude towards my crazy busy work life is not one of “I have to work”… it’s one of “I get to work”. And that makes a big difference.

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

I started manufacturing my products in my kitchen. With my knowledge of Ayurveda and Chinese medicine and background in natural well-being from my mother and grandmother, I started developing my own herbal tea blends and formulas for botanical products and tested them out on my children, who are my toughest critics and biggest cheerleaders, friends, and family.
As the company grew, I started using commercial kitchen space for manufacturing and I am currently in the process of taking it one step further with co-packing companies that will help me scale up, specialize, and perfect my formulas. Stay tuned!

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I am a single mother of two, and caring for my children has always been my highest priority. Running several businesses has been challenging since I always look for ways to make ends meet without neglecting time with them. I have worked hard, gotten creative, and been lucky to land different job opportunities that allow me to make a living while still dedicating myself to them.
Also, being an immigrant woman has presented itself with challenges on its own; I have suffered from discrimination and barriers that have sometimes made it hard to get ahead in an industry.
Against these odds, I have never stopped trying to strive for excellence and success every day. It’s a game of endurance, and I am not planning on stopping anytime soon; on the contrary. Every obstacle has made me stronger, and I want to do and achieve so much more. For me, this is only the beginning.

Contact Info:

• Website: pbvoice.com, Azomalli.net
• Instagram: @azomalli_
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/paolabalsa