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

Alright, Topia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

As an handmade artisan, mother and small business owner, I hope to show others that embracing your creativity can open doors that you may have never imagined. I have been making skin safe, natural skincare products for years, but never officially made it a business until my daughter was born.

My daughter was my inspiration. My business Abiyah Naturals officially began 11 years ago when I became a mother. My goal at that time was to leave my 9 to 5 job and have a career that allowed me to be more available to my daughter. Additionally, I wanted to show her that despite all obstacles, with faith and persistence, it is possible to make a difference and fulfill a dream. I wanted to leave her with a sense of hope and vision.

Juggling motherhood as a single parent and business owner, was a challenge but I was determined to reach my goal.

I am beyond grateful to see the success and growth of Abiyah Naturals to date. I’m even more grateful that over the years many women who related to my story and experience, also took a leap of faith to invest in their vision and purpose. This is the legacy I hope to leave.

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

My name is Topia Tessema and Abiyah Naturals Handmade Body Care is my business. Abiyah Naturals alone is a manufacturer of a variety of eco-friendly, handmade and sustainable body care and wellness products. The list of products include, but are not limited to: plant-based bar soap,
plant-based liquid soap and shampoo, body moisturizers (lotions, creams, butters, oils and salves),
massage oils, bath salts, body scrubs, and herbal tea blends. In addition to the handmade products
provided, Abiyah Naturals is a supplier of aromatherapy and self-care items such as candles, incense,
gemstones and essential oils. I have been making natural body care products for over 20 years after studying the benefits of handmade products for complete body wellness. I am grateful to be of service to my community.

We service the community by providing handmade affordable, individualized, quality body
care items, and by providing a venue for other local artisans to sell their work. This partnership with our
community provides a critical opportunity for creators to receive compensation for and recognition of
their hard work and vision. What also makes Abiyah Naturals valuable & unique is that it is a marketplace
for handmade goods. People not only come and shop for their essential skin care products, but they also
find a variety of items by other creators in that same space.

Abiyah Naturals bar soap and also be found online and in several local Whole Foods Market locations. This placement at Whole Foods Market reveals the positive impact that the products have made in the community and abroad.

I am beyond grateful and so happy to hear how happy my customers are with the products. The feedback is further confirmation for me that hard work and persistence is always the key to reaching your goal!

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Abiyah Naturals was initially started with no additional funding aside from working part time in a traditional job. I found creative ways to grow my business with the capital I had available. It wasn’t until later years did, I learn about grant opportunities that would assist with the growth of my business. It took as great deal of time, but these opportunities eventually led to me obtain my first small brick and mortar location.

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

There were many times on this journey I felt overwhelmed. Many times, there were no resources available to complete my vision fully. There was no one else present to help me with order fulfillment or product creation. Long hours and no sense of how to balance work and life as a single mother & entrepreneur. Though all these struggles faced me and at times seemed tragically overwhelming, I never lost sight of the reason why I started…I started so that I could show my daughter the power for faith, hope and persistence. The power of not giving up. This is what kept me and enabled me to trust the process.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.abiyahnaturals.com
• Instagram: @Abiyah_Naturals
• Facebook: Abiyah Naturals
• Twitter: @AbiyahNaturals
• Youtube: @topiatessema2917