Life and Work with Marci Scharko

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marci Scharko.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Our story began a little over ten years ago when I was a young mom of two girls. I was working in the public school system in an Elementary School in South Fulton. Our daughters started having skin issues with sensitivities to ingredients and dry, itchy eczema patches all over. Doctors prescribed medications, and they worked ok but had lots of unwanted side effects. I knew there had to be a better option. At that time, natural products weren’t as readily available as they are now. So, I began researching about ingredients, skin types, herbs, and essential oils. I checked out every available book from the library, read every online medical journal articles I could find and set out with $50 and bought a few oils, lye and a stick blender from the thrift store. I made my first batch of soap with the help of another local soap maker and it worked! The girl’s skin began improving. We began making more varieties, putting the money back into the business and selling our soaps alongside our families organic farm at the Fairburn Farmers Market.

Business picked up as we began meeting more people who were looking for the same thing we were, a truly natural product that works. Customers began asking if we could make other skin nourishing body products and we accepted the challenge. After being told by many loyal customers that they wished they could have the scents of our soaps fill their homes, we began making soy candles. We create our own candle scent blends taking inspiration from nature and specialize in uniquely fresh scents.

I continued to work full time for the school system for the next seven years while taking my products to Atlanta area farmers markets on weeknights after work and weekends too. I took the leap in 2013 and left my job at the school and went full time. Our business has been growing and flourishing with the great loyal following with online customers all over the US and regular weekly customers at our Atlanta farmers market locations.

Has it been a smooth road?
It has not always been a smooth road. I’ve found that the best things in my life have been the hardest to acquire. We’ve had recipes fail, had to scrap it all and start over. My advice to young women starting out is to adjust your expectations. Expect to fail, expect to find out that you are stronger than you thought you are, expect to learn from your mistakes and be flexible. Making a business work is knowing how to find solutions when times get tough, when money gets tight, and when motivation is hard to come by. Every failure is an opportunity. An opportunity to learn about your products or service, to learn about your customer and to learn about yourself. One of our hardest struggles came when we bought our first home. It was built in 1900 and needed a lot of work. It was a beautiful old project and best of all, there was a big beautiful barn out back that would be a perfect home for my studio.

After about a year of living elsewhere and working on our 1900’s house, we were no longer able to stay in the home we were in. Our family of four now had no place to call home. We lived with friends for about two months while I used their kitchen to make products. After that, we received the best gift, as a trailer was donated for us to live in free of cost. We moved everything in and again, I made products in the tiny kitchen there. It wasn’t easy, but it was mine. The business was mine and I was determined to make it work. Some days, I had to wipe away the tears and stand by my booth with only a handful of soap to sell. We finished the work on our old home and renovated the barn. We moved in and business has been thriving. We now make all of our products in the barn behind our home.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Turnrow Bath Body & Home – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Turnrow Bath Body & Home specializes in truly natural products made by hand and blended from scratch using our own recipes. We never use synthetic ingredients, artificial fragrances or dyes. All of our products are made carefully with intention. We use only natural plant botanicals, clays, spices and herbs to color our products. Our candles have some of the freshest, natural scents around. We proudly designed all of our packagings to be biodegradable, compostable, recyclable or may be repurposed. Our candle lids can be heat sealed, so you may use the candle jars for pickling, jams or jellies after the candle is burned. All of our products are available in travel-friendly sizes, so we are popular with campers, backpackers, hikers, travelers, and wanderers.

Do you think there are structural or other barriers impeding the emergence of more female leaders?
Women have gathered, created, inspired and shared wisdom for centuries. One of our biggest barriers in current day is exposure.

Pricing:

• Soaps- $6
• Body oils- $10-$20
• Cocoa & Hemp Body Butter- $15
• Lip balm- $3
• Deodorant & Insect Repellent- $9
• Facial Masks- $10
• Facial Mask sets & Body Oil sets- $20
• Soy Candles-$15

Contact Info:

• Address: 778 Senoia Rd., Tyrone, GA 30290
• Website: www.myturnrow.com
• Phone: 678-641-0959
• Email: turnrowllc@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myturnrow
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/turnrow

Image Credit:

Madhavi Scharko, Noah Schmitz

Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.