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

Hi Samantha, thanks for joining us today. Alright, so we’d love to hear about how you got your first client or customer. What’s the story?

Picture it, Sicily, ….. I thought breaking the ice with a little sitcom humor would be perfect. Either your mind went right to Sophia sitting at the kitchen table, conversing over cake in Golden Girls or your brows lifted and spoke out loud, “what”. Also, I feel it gages me as person, and probably ages me as well, I’m very unserious at times, and truly just enjoy seeing people joyful.
This takes me to my first client. I can recall just about everything I think from almost any encounter. Some will say it’s a blessing others might call it a curse, as for me; I know no other way. It’s just me.
I was working at a supplement store in our local mall. A woman came in, walked around the store than, walked out. As she left the smell of magnolias filled the store. It was faint but the smell lingered for about 10 minutes. Normally the smell of pretzels is cascading in from the stand in front. So, it was noticeable. It faded away. About an hour later the smell came back stronger than before and after I took notice, in walks the woman again. This time she is accompanied with an older man, two young children, a woman, and another man.
I began to chat with them about what they needed as I got to know them. The woman: her name was Rosanna, the other man was her father, the children were hers, the other woman was her younger sister, and the man was her husband. (I won’t share all their names, even though I recall them). Her dad was recently seen for a checkup and was told he needed to get his blood pressure and sugar in check. As I chatted with the magnolia smell grew stronger and stronger. I began to realize the smell was connected to someone who had just passed. Not necessarily being what they came in for but as they say spirit sleeps for no one. And I am sometimes just a vessel for messages. I gently told them I, can “see, smell, and talk to spirits”. I immediately asked if they had magnolia trees in their front yard. I could see a tree, and there was a stone under it, it looked like it was turtle. The sister begins to tear up. Rosanna says they just planted a tree for their mother, the anniversary of her passing was just last week. and this morning her father took the turtle from the backyard, placed it under the tree. A MAGNOLIA TREE! All of them stood in silence for a moment and a brief sense of relief was felt in the air.
We chatted for a few more minutes, they purchased the supplements they came in for. Then they left. The store ended up closing down and I went on to other things.

Fast forward to 2021, which was 7 years later I was at my very first pop up event, the first person that comes to purchase something happens to be, Rosanna. Not even knowing I was going to be there, or that I had even had a new business. She was there to support her cousin’s business. We chatted a bit, she purchased some soaps, and i haven’t seen her since.
I will forever remember her, her family and her mother who connected us through the sweet flora smell of beautiful magnolias

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

For as long as I can remember, I have been doing what I call my “business”. As a child I would make my own sprays with a mixture of different oils and herbs.

However, in 2021 I officially started Alchemy5 with my best friend. We basically saw a need to bring some positivity back into the world. With her creative brain for graphic design, my kitchen witchery skills and our passion, we embarked on a glorious journey. February 2021, we launched alchemy5soapco on Instagram. Which was a monthly subscription box that embodied the five elements: Air, Fire, Water, Earth, and Aether (Soul/Spirit). The basic premise was you would receive 5 items one that represented each element. The first day of our launch we got 5 orders! which we were over the moon for! Like 5 people wanted our stuff. 5 people believed in us! It was such a euphoric feeling. And being our company was Alchemy5 we took that as sign as great things ahead! The subscription boxes went for 5 months, we had 16 people who had subscriptions. Yet we yearned for something more.
Four months later, on May 1st; we took a risk and did our very first pop up event! Located at a local theater. The outpouring of support we received from not only our friends, but the community was something that to this day makes me grateful to this day!

In December of 2021, my best friend took a few years to travel on the other side of the world! While still being the creative design genius behind the scenes. She ran our website, social media pages and created labels/marketing with all my intention-based concoctions. So, Alchemy5, in person; officially became a one witch ran show!

For a full year, I did popup after popup to promote my name, my brand and myself. Along the way, I learned so much about the dos and don’ts of the small business community. Markets are hard, they are rewarding, and they are very unpredictable. Yet, week after week I kept signing up for them.
I was pretty lucky to have another business owner who was in my corner and saw potential within all I did. who gave me a space, in front of her brick & mortar to just provide my products my services and to just be me. Ashley Tapp, owner of Rise & Redemption, allowed me to pop up basically all summer to get my name out to the community. It’s truly something that I will forever be grateful and appreciative for. She allowed me to spread my wings in a way that pushed me out of my comfort zone.
Throughout the year, I started to incorporate my other gifts into my practice. I began to read tarot. It was something very uncomfortable for be to just open up and say, “hey everyone, I talk to dead people, and I can see them. Wanta book a reading?” I have been a closet reader has they say for decades. those close to me knew, and that’s it. I made a sign and started to offer onsite readings at my events, and the rest as they say is history!

Now, I specialize in shadow work healing. Basically, I see the dark parts of you and bring them to the surface, things we tend to run from, hide from others or self that have created trauma triggers in life. As. well as creating intention-based products that help not only make one’s skin radiance but bringing layers of healing to the surface so you can live your most joyful, abundant and happy life. I’m no doctor, nor do I claim to be but healing on a spiritual level is something that we all tend to need.

Each one of my products is set with a direct intention, and most have that intention written right on the bottle. The organic oils, organic herbs, the sound frequency, the moon charged crystals & water all play their own symbolic dance to make each one of my visions come to life! I create chaos so others can feel the calm!

I am immensely grateful that people use my products that they find healing, excitement, and love within them.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

So, I think that every event and post we make is a lesson we are learning and unlearning.
Like how do you go viral? Why would anyone want to go viral?
For me the idea of 15 people liking my post is at times overwhelming. I mean can you imagine 15 people walking up to you and being, “Oh my gosh I like your shirt.”, Right as you walk into a space. The average person would turn around and beeline it right out of there. Yet, in this day and age social media is where it’s at. Although, at 45 I still miss the days of landlines and LimeWire! Am I right!?
For me, I am still in the learning curve of what to do to grab attention online. In person, I’m outspoken, in five minutes I can have any person telling me their family’s secret recipes. I’m constantly forcing myself to be more present online.
At events, I find myself trying to help any and everyone. Like you need a photographer, I got you. Need help watching your booth, tag me in. Business hype woman, I’m here for you.

So, I guess what I’m trying to say is if you don’t see me posting so much, come check me out at one of my many events and say HI!

Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?

I actually make all my products.
I source all natural, organic, non gmo ingredients to create all my products. I have a long list of distributors’ who I am able to individual items from. I have my own apothecary, which houses each herb, oil, crystal. flower, jar and all things in-between.
I currently have 8 room sprays, 7 body sprays, 6 body butters, 13 body oils, 3 beard oils, 5 sugar scrubs, 5 salt soaks, 9 candles, 3 teas, and a plethora of jewelry I make by myself. It’s a labor of love, intention and passion I put into each one.
I come up with the formula, set the intention, and make each product based on the lunar cycle or zodiac phase.
With help from my guides, my deities and the universe.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.alchemy5.com
• Instagram: alchemy5soapco