Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Escobar.
Hi Rachel, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born and raised in the Philippines, in a middle-class family of 7. I don’t know how my parents did it, but they managed to hire music and painting teachers for their 5 children and were able to send us to prestigious schools. I’m really grateful for all the opportunities they have opened for us to help us discover more about ourselves. I’m forever thankful for their unimaginable sacrifices.
As a kid, I’ve always had a knack for chemistry. I also made art all the time, particularly dabbing in sketches, paintings, jewelry designs, and clothing. Back then I didn’t know it was my passion and didn’t really think much of it until 1997, when my painting won a Newspaper prize award for the first Asian Art Festival held in Fukuoka, Japan. This was my very first international trip and my first official exposure to different kinds of art, meeting other artists of different age groups, art/cultural activities, and recognition. This was the first time I felt that I might be an artist. Life happened and I grew up, but art was always in everything I did, just like how we breathe in air – it was just something I did.
When I was pregnant in 2016, I was on bed rest due to minor complications and was also told not to move too much, so I decided to start a hobby that allowed me to sit in one spot. I made macrame decors, and jewelry and started making soaps throughout my pregnancy. It felt like it was some sort of meditation for me.
In 2017, my husband’s company which he’s been with for 15 years decided to move us to Nashville and we’ve called it home ever since. Fast forward to the present, our son is just about ready to enter Kindergarten. We love Tennessee, especially our community, and this is where we imagine building our dreams.
Since the move, I was a stay-at-home momma and started developing my own soap carving technique in between naps and breastfeeding. It was inspired by my deep connection with the Japanese culture of detail and delicacy. I called them the “Fleur Glass Soaps” and they looked like Japanese wagashi desserts. I remember the night I finally completed the design; I was so excited that I couldn’t sleep that night as my mind was jogging around. After compiling a few of them, I decided to sell them on Etsy and sold a bunch of them. I started becoming more serious about expanding my production in 2019 after I learned more about the world of natural skincare and after I enrolled to aromatherapy certification lessons. The delicate aesthetic of the Fleur Glass soaps really was the start of it all and it inspired me to create my first line of body oils. Product development has been going on up to this day.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Failure is a part of life, and I have experienced it countless times. It’s sad to think of the wasted time and money that were the product of failures, but I consider it as the price that we have to pay in order to learn and grow. Finances have always been one of the many struggles. I don’t have a business capital nor a background in business and marketing, I grew my business and worked with whatever little money I had and it has been very challenging and limiting.
There was also a time I experienced reaching out to an online retail company where I wanted to sell my products but was ignored. Sometime later, that same company contacted me and they now carry my products. They don’t seem to remember that I requested an audience with them before but we’ve come full circle now. With every rejection, there is bound to be some learning somewhere, whether you should take a different approach, or diversify/differentiate your product offerings.
Another notable struggle would be the opening of my tiny store. It may look like I bit off more than I can chew but I badly needed a bigger space to make products and store inventory and materials/ingredients. I thought it would be nice if half of the space can function as a store to help with the lease as well. I must say the first few months have been one of the biggest challenges in my life, literally blood sweat, tears, and commitment but I do not regret it one bit.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I have a bachelor’s degree in Nursing. I tried so hard to love it and failed but I always considered it as a backup plan in case I didn’t succeed in pursuing what I truly love doing. My passion for art and discovery really paved the way for where I am now. I’m a certified essential oil specialist and currently working on my Aromatherapist certification. I have moved on from a stay-at-home mom to a full-time entrepreneur. I run my own small business both front and back end. I formulate, design, create and sell my own brand of skincare and wellness products at my store and at farmer’s markets around Nashville.
My business is still in the infancy stage and slowly growing. My brand is known for delicate and exquisitely handmade skin/bath & body products. Astrid & Aurora is a tiny world where art meets function. It is an expression of my art with the intention of helping people achieve positivity and self-worth through stimulating the senses, art, aromas, and nature’s healing gifts.
Creating one-of-a-kind signature scent is extremely challenging, especially in an oversaturated market and I am most proud of that as well as some “mini” product innovations. We make it our business to be environmentally conscious so that our customers can feel good about what they buy, and what you put on their skin.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
No one is ever fully ready to start something. But that personal barrier can be overcome by doing your research, whether it’s just reading a small subset of information, or attending certification programs. We also need to accept that failure really is an integral part of growth. It’s easy to imagine your dreams and picture them in your head, but you have to start from somewhere, sometimes even with nothing, but I love the saying that goes “How do you eat a whole elephant? One bite at a time”
Starting your business is like loving a person, you are willing to sacrifice, to give without expecting any in return, to commit, to nurture, and have a lot of courage to protect it and be happy doing it over and over again.
I wish I knew more about marketing and accounting when I was starting. These are essential parts of running a business and I had to learn all about them while working on basically everything else. I’m still learning, and still an amateur, but all the knowledge and experiences I have accumulated over the years have been my true mentors.
Contact Info:
- Email: shop@astridandaurora.com
- Website: astridandaurora.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/astridandaurora
- Facebook: Facebook.com/astridandaurora
