I’ve been sharing about my transition this summer from owning a storefront in Brooklyn to moving into my parents’ Colorado home following my mother’s cancer diagnosis. If you missed that, you can read about it here.
The last time BGLH Marketplace was a home based business was 7 years ago.
I had a newborn and two toddlers at home, and I was still married. I was a “natural hair blogger” (remember those, lol!) and doing BGLH Marketplace as a side hustle.
Maaan, have times changed, lol.
On the one hand I had forgotten about the amazing flexibility of running a business out of the home.
On my lunch break I can go upstairs and start dinner for my kids. I can do inventory and answer work calls in my house coat. And if I’m behind on orders, I can hop down to the basement and put in a few hours of work. Plus, no lease or rent payments!
But it’s been hard in other ways. I wake up at 5:30 a.m. and almost immediately have to help my mom get bathed and dressed. Then I go right into waking my kids up and getting them ready for school.
About an hour after that my first employee, Jean, arrives. And an hour after that, my second employee, Destiny, arrives. I’ve always been a ‘slow chill morning’ kinda girl. I wake up, drink coffee, journal and reflect. That is definitely all gone, lol. Jumping straight into domestic labor, as soon as I open my eyes, has been incredibly difficult.
One cool thing, though, has been witnessing the power of the butters on my mom’s sensitive skin. She is currently doing cancer treatments and they tend to severely dry out skin.
And I’m talking SEVERELY. When my Mom first started the treatments, her legs and feet looked like they were covered in white confetti. That is how aggressively the top layers of her skin were peeling off.
At the time she was lotioning with Vaseline Intensive Care Cocoa Radiant, which was doing absolutely nothing.
We switched to my Mint Chocolate Body Butter and within two days the flaking had stopped altogether. A day or so later her legs and feet were smooth and glowing. Now, rubbing Mint Chocolate Body Butter on her legs is a favorite part of my mom’s morning routine. 😊
Many of you have asked how I’m holding up. And I would say, all in all, pretty good. As someone who’s worked in wellness for 10+ years, I take sleep and stress reduction pretty seriously. So although my days start early, they end early too. I’m typically finished BGLH work around 3 pm and free to nap and unwind for the remainder of the day. My kids are getting older and (thankfully!) more independent. And my dad handles afternoon and evening care for my mom (I do the mornings) so that’s my ‘time off’ lol.
And although I miss surfing my beloved New York beaches, I’ve really fallen in love with hiking. Colorado is a mountain state and the views are astounding. Here are some pictures I’ve taken on recent hikes!
Make no mistake, this is an incredibly challenging season. But at the end of the day I’m healthy, I’m with my family, and I’m doing work that I love. So I definitely cannot complain. 😊
Thank you so much for reading my story over the past month! And thank you for being patient as I’ve undergone this massive life transition!
I’m so excited to be settled in and running BGLH Marketplace again. And I’m ready for all the new adventure Colorado will bring.
Upwards and onwards!
Leila
🌿
A few things;
1. The brand is back 100% up and running, so if you need to place an order shop now.
2. Vanilla Body Oil is *finally* here!
3. Our final two oil releases — Lavender and Lemon & Lavender — are coming this month. So stay tuned.
🌿
Want to stay stocked up on our products? Try our Subscription Box!
The Subscription Box
1. Is 40% off retail price.
2. Allows for the purchase of individual 0.9 oz and 2.5 oz butters.
3. Is completely customizable. You choose what’s in it, or let us choose!
Here’s why you should consider a subscription. Sign up below or direct from any product page.
