Today we’d like to introduce you to Ericka Golden Jennings and Samantha Golden. Them and their team share their story with us below:
It all started when co-founder Ericka Jennings got married and wanted to have a child. After trying with no luck, she went to see a specialist and found out she had endometriosis and adenomyosis. Her being a self-proclaimed nerd started researching and googling everything she could find about this. Her findings were alarming to her. She realized that a lot of the beauty and wellness products that she was using were endocrine disruptors and that they caused hormone issues. With knowing that she started making her own beauty products and changing her lifestyle to match.
During this process, she started to share with her younger sister co-founder Samantha Golden the products she was making. Samantha and Ericka then started researching and learning more about what they were putting in and definitely on their body. Ericka became an herbalist and Samantha went to school to study environment and food science and product development. Upon graduating with her Masters, the sisters reformulated their products and set out on a mission to not only change their lives but women and families lives around them.
Golden Essence is named after their last name (Golden) and Essence the daughter Ericka will one day be born. Golden Essence Co is an eco-luxury beauty/ wellness company that creates products with no toxic chemicals.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Ericka: No, it has not. We started this business out of our own pockets. Having to learn to formulate was definitely something we put a lot of time and money into. There have been countless formulas that haven’t made it.
Samantha: Also, for Ericka sharing her story was not easy. She never planned on it but it was what God told her to do so here we all building. We sometimes have gotten frustrated and felt like we weren’t growing at the rate we wanted to and have had creative blocks. However, whenever someone sends us a message or they try our products on and they smile or say it feels amazing, we know we are on the right track with so much more to offer.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Samantha: I work part-time at a law firm as the office assistant and receptionist. I am also the co-founder of Golden Essence Co., a natural skin/body care company.
Ericka: In my 7-3, I am an educator. I teach at an elementary school in Henry County. I think I am known for educating people which I am continuing to do through Golden Essence, sharing my story and sounding the alarm on things dealing with infertility and womb wellness. My close friends also know that I am very creative and have thousands of ideas.
What do you specialize in?
Samantha: I head the product development portion of our business as well as content for our social media pages.
What are you known for?
Samantha: I’m known as the “product developer” of our business. I’m also known for my quietness. Sounds shocking but it’s true. Normally, I don’t talk much unless I am around people. I am also known for being the “spoiled” baby. I’m the youngest of my siblings and I love it here.
Ericka: I am known for being creative and being a visionary where our business is concerned. Outside of that, I am known to be creative, dependable and outspoken. My sibling says I’m the responsible one.
What are you most proud of?
Samantha: I am most proud of myself. Throughout this journey of starting this business, I’m slowly becoming more outspoken and finding my voice. I am also proud of what we have built-in a little over a year. I’m also proud of the growth I’ve seen in my sister as she embraces her journey and inspires other women.
Ericka: I am most proud of myself and being able to grow this business with my sister. When I was at a low place dealing with my fertility struggle secretly God literally gave me this business. Looking back where we started to where we are now and what’s to come, it literally has been beauty for ashes. I am also proud of the growth I have seen in my sister. Watching her grow as a person through our business is a beautiful thing. I’m definitely proud of the community that we are building together and that people trust us.
What sets you apart from others?
Ericka: One of the things that set us apart was this wasn’t something I initially wanted to do. I never wanted to share my story or thought I would be in the beauty industry. I had an online accessory company for years because I love fashion
Ericka and Samantha: What sets us apart from others is our story as well as the fact that we don’t use any synthetic fragrances in our products. We make everything ourselves. Our products are literally made with love and you in mind. The essential oils that we use also have aromatherapy properties which is great for mental health and overall wellness. Another thing that sets us apart is that we are an eco-luxury company and we have fused technology in with our products. Quite a few of our products come with a playlist to help promote the mood of the scent as well as we only use glass jars, recyclable paper, and packing peanuts that dissolve in water.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Samantha: Having good health, good relationships, and alone time makes me happy. Health is important to me because it affects my moods, how I perform, and how I feel. My family has become big on health in the last few years and we make it a point to make sure we’re feeding our bodies the nutrients it needs to help us survive. I have amazing relationships with the people that are closest to me. I have an amazing family, business partner, friends, and significant others. We pour love into each other, support each other, and hold each other accountable (even when it’s hard). Lastly, having alone time is very important to me because as much as I love being with my loved ones, I require some alone time just to be with myself. It gives me a chance to reconnect with myself and recharge.
Ericka: There are quite a few things that make me happy. My family & friends, building a business with my sister, having a husband I get to build a life with and the work that I have done holistically on my body through becoming an herbalist and learning more as well as therapy on a regular makes me extremely happy. I have always had a sense of self but therapy has helped me deepened that and really become the person I visualize myself being. It has really shown me how powerful I am and I love that for me. I love people and socializing but like my sister, I love my alone time. I love the conversations I have with myself and how I think and process things. Being able to just date myself and having a husband that supports that makes me happy. Lastly, being able to take infertility which I thought would break me and create a whole business providing products and education to people like me or so people are aware and they make truly informed decisions bring me so much happiness.
Contact Info:
- Email: shopgoldenessence@gmail.com
- Website: www.goldenessenceco.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/goldenessenceco
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/goldenessenceco
Image Credits:
Creative Direction/Branding; Chloe @thechloebrand Photographer: @lloyd_mack
