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

Patrice, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

The biggest risk I’ve taken was moving from TN to Texas. Previously I was a mental health educator and I wasn’t fulfilled with my job. After having a conversation with my dad he told me to flip a coin, and that is exactly what I did. If it landed on heads I was going to stay and stick it out, if it landed on tails I was going to move on. I picked a random quarter from my purse and it landed on tails and the state on the back was TX so I decided right then and there on July 21, 2020 that I was moving to TX, specifically Houston. I didn’t have any friends or family there, but I just knew that is where I needed to be.

The following week I began packing my apartment and looking for jobs. From July to November I applied to 53 jobs in Houston and I only heard back from one. I did a virtual interview with them, but never heard from them again. I was beginning to lose hope, but I kept searching I just knew a break through was coming. I applied to one more job and I heard from them the next day! They wanted me to come in for an interview. The following day my mom and I drove 9 hours down to Houston, TX and I was offered the job on the spot!

I finally moved to Houston on December 22, 2020. I worked that job for 5 months and in April of 2021 I was able to quit my 9-5 and go full time with my business.

Patrice, 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 Patrice Buckley and I am the CEO and Founder of Roots which is a modern apothecary that focuses on holistic + intentional living. About four years ago I decided to take back control of my life. For so many years I let anxiety run me, but I had enough. This decision to choose myself began my wellness and self-discovery journey. I transitioned to a vegan lifestyle, started making my own products, and incorporated yoga, aromatherapy, and herbal remedies into my life. I gained a better understanding of mental health, holistic wellness, and spirituality and life started to become enjoyable again.

I started my business June 1, 2020 because I was ready to tell my story. Roots is more than just products, it’s a lifestyle. Everything that I create I’ve used along my journey. My dream is to help people experience a state of true health and happiness through intentional + holistic living. I create an array of products that enhance the mind, body, and spirit. The products include: aromatherapy candles, bar soaps, body butters, body oils, herbal tea, and gemstone jewelry.

I graduated with my B.S. in Health Science and I’m currently pursuing my M.A in Philosophy with a concentration in Holistic Medicine and Healing Nutrition.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

I used the $1,200 stimulus check to initially fund my business. With this money I purchased my LLC, domain name, logo, website, and inventory. That initial investment helped me scale my business to 5 figures within a year.

How did you build your audience on social media?

When I first started building my following I was mostly concerned with the number of followers I had so I would follow any and everybody so they would follow me back, but I no longer do that. Now, I follow other businesses that are similar to mine and people that have the same interests as me. For me, it’s more about the quality of my followers than the quantity. I also do a lot of pop up shops in Houston and I gain followers that way too.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.rootsholisticapothecary.com
• Instagram: @RootsApothecary.HTX

Image Credits
@mariterecr