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

Hi Melissa, what is the most important factor behind your success?
Any entrepreneur will tell you that you can’t launch a business without moxie. Fear will be your demise. This is especially true when entering the highly competitive organic beauty space. My marketing background helped me navigate the crowded waters and gave me the edge I needed to excel.

Earth Girl’s success is grounded in the development of a strong brand and my refusal to deviate from my business model. I knew this journey would be difficult; but one thing I did not anticipate were the naysayers. I’ve been advised to change the look of my brand, change its name, use different (and cheaper) packaging, increase product pricing to chase down the luxury market, stray from my organic/vegan business model…thankfully, I took none of these “suggestions.” I knew these changes would alter my vision for Earth Girl. I’ve learned to follow my instincts and tune out the noise. The result has been the creation of a successful organic beauty brand that continues to grow!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Earth Girl Products creates organic beauty and spa products. All of our products are handcrafted in small batches and have a strong focus on being eco-friendly. Our labels are made from recycled paper, and all of our packaging is meant to be reused or recycled. Not only do we make amazing, green products…. but we are also doing our part to make a difference in the environment. It is much easier to find organic products these days, but it is not easy to find organic, vegan products in eco-friendly packaging at affordable prices. We are also huge animal advocates and often do fundraisers to raise money for local animal shelters. We most recently donated a portion of the Organic Rose products to local animal shelters in honor of Betty White.

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.
While we are based in Orlando we do our best to steer clear of the “mouse trap” down in Lake Buena Vista. Orlando is full of interesting places to visit, shop and eat! A few of our favorites include eating and shopping at East End Market in the Audubon Park district, strolling down Park Avenue in Winter Park and taking a ride on the Winter Park Boat Tour or kayaking through the Chain of Lakes.

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?
My family deserves the ultimate Shoutout for the success of Earth Girl! They’ve allowed me to work countless weekends, have product and branding materials take over our house (initially), allow me to use them as product testers and in general support all of the efforts that have gone into Earth Girl.

Website: earthgirlproducts.com

Instagram: @earthgirlproducts

Linkedin: Melissa Wenhold

Facebook: @earthgirlspa

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.