Mother Hustler: Interview with Leanne, owner of [Terra]cotta Paste

This week I had the pleasure of interviewing Leanne Raymond, the owner and creator of [Terra]cotta Paste! You can check her work out at: terracottapaste.com 

Not only is she a wonderful and thoughtful eco-mama to an adorable baby girl, Leanne is also a master crafter of personal care products! I'm a huge fan of her "Quickie Cleansing Lotion," (I call it magic potion) and "Coconut Aloe Face Cream," to name a few.  I'm a sucker for artisans who seamlessly combine ethical business practices, sustainability, and quality, and Leanne's line of products fits the bill! They're also gorgeously packaged. The only thing I hate shopping for more than shoes is face stuff. My skin is super sensitive, blemish prone, yet also dry.... annnnd oily?   It's like I still have the blemishes of a teenager, but the aging skin of an adult living in the harsh Colorado sun. Am I weird? Probably.  All I know is that her stuff has worked really well for me, and I've literally never said that about anything that went on my face before. I was so glad she agreed to let me interview her and gush here on the blog!  Anywho, on to the interview...

What do you make?

I make natural and organic personal care products. Everything from salves and scrubs to toothpaste and mouthwash.

How did your journey as a maker begin?  How did you pick your craft?

I had had moderate acne for years and, after trying everything at the drugstore (and even the health food store) to no avail, I started experimenting with natural solutions an my own concoctions  It didn’t take long before I discovered some formulas that truly made a difference in my skin. I never felt like I was cut out for a 9-5 job, so I decided to market my products with hopes that others could experience the same success and enjoyment with using pure, naturally healing products as I had.

How do you balance your kids with working at home?  What does a day look like for you?

Most of the time I just avoid work or do the bare minimum, haha. A happy home is more important to me than making money, but when work must be done I do a lot of baby wearing! Our daughter is 8 months old and still consumes a lot of my time, energy and attention, so I mostly focus on keeping the house in order and prepping food for the day, but it can be refreshing to whip up a batch of product from time to time and I’m enjoying having her with me while I work. Most often, I let her play with the packing materials while I ship orders. She loves anything that crinkles! Winters are also a bit slower for business work since I am not doing farmers markets. I do look forward to being able to teach our daughter how to make lotions and potions when she is older. It will be nice to be able to have a coworker and I think she will enjoy learning new skills and will have a lot of fun with it!

What are your goals and dreams for your business?

One of my main goals would be for it to become a more sustainable source of income. I am still working at getting accepted into health food stores so that my products can become more widely available. I currently sell online and at farmers markets which doesn’t quite cover the bills and farmers markets are a lot of work! 

What is the hardest part of running your business?

One of the biggest physical struggles for me is having room to both store supplies and work in our humble home. I love being able to work from home and set my own hours, but running a business takes up a lot of space, so it can be difficult to juggle and organize business items and personal items in shared spaces. Another big thing I struggle with as an introvert is getting my name out there and following through with growth opportunities. My personality definitely holds me back from making a splash in larger markets.

Product Photos by: Corey Anne Photography