Meet Chelsea Villela of Økologi Botanik in Tucson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chelsea Villela.

Chelsea, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Sometimes a passion is born from a simple need. In the summer of 2013, I found myself in a shocking new set of circumstances. I was newly single, with my five year old son with me and I needed to figure out what I was going to do with the rest of my life. I wanted to find something I could do to support us but have time to spend with my son. Around that same time, I was researching natural deodorants. August in the desert, and playing outside entertaining a five year old creates a lot of funk. I had educated myself about ingredients and how what we put on our skin ends up directly in all our major organs. It was concerning to me that I was putting metals like aluminum, associated with Alzheimer’s disease, and other toxic ingredients like parabens, polypropylene glycol and chemical fragrances that are known hormone disrupters, directly on the delicate skin where my lymph nodes are. I learned that research shows a connection to these ingredients and breast cancer. After trying many different “natural” deodorants that seemed to only make me stinker and wetter, I decided to research natural ingredients and come up with my own formula. After a lot of trial and error, I found a formula that was clean, non-toxic, and holy cow did it work! I tested it on myself and sent samples to friends all over the country. The feedback was incredible. In the name of science, I even went without showering for three days, without reapplying and I was still completely smell free!

My passion was sparked. I decided that I would enroll in college, 20 years after graduating from high school and get a science degree to improve my formulas. I knew that I could go to school when my son was in school, and be home when he was home. I decided that learning about chemistry and botany would give me a real education in what I was doing. I had been learning Danish in my spare time for fun and I knew that I wanted the aesthetic and mission of my company to mirror Scandinavian culture that is simple, clean and transparent. I settled on the name Økologi Botanik. Økologi in Danish means Ecology and Botanik means, well, Botanic. I opened a store on Etsy and my own website. As I continued in my educational pursuits I came up with an entire skincare line. I added to my store cleansers, serums, scrubs and lotions. I kept my original mission of making clean, natural skincare that was effective in the forefront of my formulas.

I graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology with a minor in Bio-Chemistry. Økologi Botanik was something that I could use to help support my education and although it was a slow process getting through school, I knew it would be there for me to pick up and run with when I graduated.

Has it been a smooth road?
The road has not been smooth. Deciding to get one of the hardest degrees imaginable while raising my son and supporting us at the same time was nearly biting off more than I could chew. At least monthly I questioned my decision to start this journey. Thankfully, I have a huge support system of friends and advisors that kept me going the entire six years. Some challenges with the business were that I was paying for everything out of pocket so there wasn’t much for advertising and I counted on social media and word of mouth. Another challenge was that sometimes school was the only thing I could really focus on. When finishing my degree over the summer I ended up taking accelerated physics and calculus courses that overlapped and it nearly did me in. I was so close to the finish line though I just put my nose to the grindstone and got it done. I filled orders on the weekend and evenings but I didn’t have time to promote it at all.

The other challenge was raising my son and meeting his emotional needs. Kids need so much love, attention and support and I kept him very close to me through the process. I never wanted him to feel he was put second or even third in my life.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Økologi Botanik is a natural skincare and personal care company. I specialize in using the best ingredients that are very simple and derived from nature. We are known for having a powerhouse deodorant. Manly men that work in the summer sun swear by how well it works. We are known for very simple, very effective formulas. Every ingredient has a purpose to give people beautiful, soft, hydrated skin. I am so proud of the fact that the formulas reflect the brand’s original mission which is to have simple, effective formulas that are non-toxic, cruelty free and work better than anything you’ve ever tried. I am proud to say these formulas are mine, I don’t outsource development and slap on my label. Everything I make is made by hand with huge doses of love and care.

I think Økologi Botanik is a reflection of who I am as a person. I think love is key in everything I do and integrity and honesty are my number two and three qualities that make me unique and my products outstanding. I really try to connect with my customers and educate them on ingredients and why simple green beauty is so important. I don’t think “green beauty” is a gimmick, he has to be a sustainable way of living and I’m happy to contribute to educating people on that.

I like to use local ingredients when I can. There is so much medicinal value in plants. For example, I use yucca root which is a powerful antioxidant and skin strengthener and healer. I also use jojoba which is found in the desert. It is light, nourishing oil with vitamins and minerals that heal damaged and aging skin.

Over the course of building my company, I learned in a concept called “Hybrid Entrepreneurship”. Some people that start a company just go all in, burn their bridges and their plan B to make their business successful. With all of my responsibilities, I knew that wasn’t an option for me. Being a hybrid entrepreneur allows me to build my business while working elsewhere. I ended up working in a lab on the university campus studying the genes in plants. I am fascinated by genetics! I love doing intricate lab experiments and discovering things we never knew before. Thankfully we can have many interests and talents in life and sometimes they overlap. I have had the privilege of being a guest speaker at Eller Business College at the University of Arizona for the McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship telling my story and hoping to inspire new entrepreneurs.

The things I have learned from being a Molecular and Cellular Biologist have increased the quality of my products immensely.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Although my business is mainly online and my customers are all over the country, I love being headquartered in Tucson. Tucson has a little bit slower pace and lower cost of living than a lot of places in the country. Having the University of Arizona here with its focus on research gives us the advantage of having a culture of investing in the future. There is a lot of talent in Southern Arizona and it is attracting a lot of new businesses focused on research development and technology. Southern Arizona also has amazing food!

Contact Info:

• Address: 3125 E. Kleindale Rd.
  Tucson, AZ 85716
• Website: www.okologibotanik.com
• Phone: 520-306-1999
• Email: chelseavillela@gmail.com
• Instagram: @okologibotanik
• Facebook: okologibotanik

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