Meet Sarah Patrick | Registered Nurse & Holistic Aromatherapy Epsom Salt Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sarah Patrick and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sarah, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
As a nurse working during the pandemic, I was searching for a way to unwind and relax at the end of my day. I needed to find a way to help process my day and slow my racing thoughts. I started taking warm baths at night as it was a great way to have some quiet alone time. I found that a warm bath helped me fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply. I began to experiment with a variety of epsom salts and essential oils and found some great combinations that elevated these baths. After sharing some samples with co-workers, they encouraged me to create my own brand. I found that the entire process of mixing scents, creating a label and internet presence, and searching out venues to sell my essential oil epsom salts was fun and gave me another way to relax and focus on something that was healing.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My purpose in life has always been to help others. I started my career in healthcare in 1998 as a medical social worker. I assisted patients and families in navigating significant events that created obstacles or changed the course of their lives forever. Social workers do not regularly work those who have a straight forward course and return to their lives quickly. I dealt with a lot of trauma and grief and often all I could do was stand with someone as they faced their worst day. Over a decade in that line of work left me feeling emotionally drained. As I still loved helping others and being a caretaker, I returned to school and earned my nursing degree. I found that having a balance of patients who had elective procedures to improve their lives in combination with those who had unexpected trauma allowed me to give fully as there was not a constant influx of powerful emotions. The pandemic was something that I never imagined would happen and it brought me back to a place where I dealt with trauma and grief daily. I needed to find a way to take care of myself so that I would not leave the profession. Creating a healing environment at home was my solution. I could not escape the sadness and stress at work but I could do my best to set it aside when I got home. The hospital is loud and chaotic and can be very overstimulating. Coming home, I often found myself tightly wound and unable to relax. A quiet room with a warm bath surrounded by the scents of lavender, frankincense, and chamomile was the perfect way to transition to home and to sleep.
I wanted to share what I had found with others as I believe that we all could benefit from an inexpensive and easy way to unwind and deal with stress. I had never done anything remotely close to starting my own business so I have been learning as I go. I have learned about an online presence, marketing, and how to create a consistent product. I have had so much fun meeting new people at craft shows and marketing events. I have found the entrepreneur world to be inviting and supportive and I learn something from everyone I meet.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Colorado has so many unique and breathtaking places! If I had a friend from out of town here visiting, we would spend the majority of our time in nature. A few of my favorite places are Nederland for their gorgeous waterfall hikes, Red Feather Lakes area including Dowdy Lake, and the Brainard Lake area (especially Blue Lake and Isabelle Glacier). Tasty Harmony and The Rainbow Restaurant in Fort Collins are my absolute favorite places to eat. Tasty Harmony had vegan food that will knock your socks off and The Rainbow has exceptional food and a patio filled with flowers where you can eat.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I feel so fortunate to have some strong women in my life who have been inspirational and from who I draw strength. One is Siobhan Seymour. She left law enforcement and created an amazing company called the Kalyana Project that promotes healing and empowerment Her energy is calm and supportive and she quietly motivates you to pursue your dreams. I was fortunate enough to attend her retreat in Panama and that gave me the nudge I needed to start actively working on my product. I met Cristina Schultz at that retreat and we had invigorating conversations about being your own boss and pushing aside the fear to chase your dreams. She continues to inspire me as I watch her develop and launch another new business, Crate & Bloom, that has been wildly successful. My husband and daughter have also been very supportive and help me test out new essential oil combinations, promote my sites on their social media pages, and cheer me on.

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