Life & Work with Kelly Shamblin of Franklin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Shamblin.

Kelly, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
We started in 2016 with a skin issue and a prayer! My husband was battling with a very bad case of Ezcema and Dermatitis when I met him. He had an affinity for Lavender however the unnatural products he was using to treat his condition was not helping. In the meantime I had been praying and asking God how I could use my hands to create something that would benefit him and others too. Our business was inspired by God and everything we do and continue to do has come about as a result of prayer. As a result of all this my husband’s Ezcema and Dermatitis has not returned and our business has blossomed into a Middle TN local favorite. We didn’t realize how much Lavender has benefitted so many individuals prior to starting our venture and we love to share the seemingly endless benefits and uses for Lavender. You can find us at multiple local farmers markets and street festivals throughout the year and we have an online store as well.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Anyone who owns a small business knows the hard work involved. The late nights and weekends selling at the Markets can sometimes take a toll but that same business owner will tell you it’s very rewarding. We make all our products by hand in small batches and infuse real plant oil into all our Natural products. We have under 2 acres on our property and have at least 120 lavender plants on site. The biggest challenge we face is growing and maintaining the Lavender here in TN because the environment here is wet and humid and Lavender is a Mediterranean plant that likes a desert like environment so losing some of the plants each year can be challenging. Covid brought a whole new challenge when businesses and Markets were locked down. That affected and shut down numerous small business and Artisans however by the Grace of God we have continued with our business and have become more of a household name in and around Middle TN.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
When I am not making product or selling at a Market I’m a Professional Freelance Bookkeeper. I brought my training in the area of Accounting and Small Business into my business which was extremely helpful when we launched in 2016. The Lavender business is unique in that we are not your typical soap maker or even just a skin care business but are sort of an anomaly. Because there are so many uses for Lavender that we like to explore, we can offer not only skin care products but Culinary Lavender products like Dried Lavender for cooking/baking and during Farmers Market season you’ll find us serving up fresh squeezed Lavender Lemonade which has gained quite a following since we started offering it back in 2018. I also like to hand make Lavender themed gifts like Lavender Car Fresheners, lavender themed apparel and merchandise. New ideas flow out of prayer so we’re constantly offering something new each year.

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
When a customer comes up to you and says “your lotion or your soap or your linen spray has helped me sleep and helped my skin condition” and thanks you by saying “thank you for providing your service to mankind”. That’s the best thank you one could receive and you know you’ve done something successful when a complete stranger says something like that to you. It makes the long nights, hot days at a Market worth while.

Pricing:

• Lotions $6 and up
• Liquid Soaps and Bar Soaps $8 and up
• Essential Oils (real plant oil) $15 & up
• Dried Lavender for Cooking $9 up to $16
• Lavender Gift sets starting at $13

Contact Info:

• Website: Lavendergirltn.com
• Instagram: lavendergirltn
• Facebook: lavendergirltn