Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Frauke Galia, Owner of F.A.L.K. Aromatherapy, located in Burlingame, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I'm a multi-passionate entrepreneur, for sure. I'm a small coach, educator, lecturer, podcaster, and founder of F.A.L.K. Aromatherapy, an online resource for harnessing your sense of smell for well-being and joy.
I offer online courses, workshops, and programs for everyone along the smell spectrum: those who can smell and those who can't. My work is divided into 3 areas of aromatic well-being: olfactory awareness, olfactory health, and aromatherapy.
My motto is "Smell To Be Well."
Tell us about yourself
After working in and around the fragrance industry for over 20 years, I decided to go back to school, get certified as an aromatherapist, and start my own company because I saw how powerful our sense of smell was in making people feel good.
I noticed in the wellness industry that everyone focused so much on the essential oils and not enough on the person. I couldn't understand why nobody saw the incredible potential of our sense of smell to give us health, happiness, and connection. Then one day, I came across a YouTube video about anosmia.
I couldn't believe there were people out there who couldn't smell! Why didn't I know that? Why was it such a secret? Because I was in the fragrance industry for so long, I think I just assumed everyone could smell, but it turns out there are millions of people who have smell dysfunctions and are navigating the world in a very different way from us smellers.
When COVID hit, and millions of people lost their sense of smell, I knew I had to do something to help. So I became a Global Ambassador for the U.K. non-profit Fifth Sense, a charity focused on supporting those living with smell and taste disorders.
I began offering those with diminished, distorted, or lost sense of smell an online training program to help them make smell training a habit so they have the best chance of staying the course and seeing positive results. I now also offer one-on-one smell coaching for more personalized support.
I started my podcast "An Aromatic Life" last year because it's my greatest desire for everyone on the smell spectrum to connect more with their sense of smell. It's such an under-appreciated sense, and I aim to raise its profile in a culture dominated by sight and sound.
I'm often called "the smell lady" because I talk about smelling at every opportunity. I encourage people to smell everything! I believe smell is a privilege and society undervalues this beautiful and critical sense. My philosophy encourages a conscious connection with smelling for both health and well-being.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I'm most proud of the awareness I've brought to the importance and value of our sense of smell. And, with that, bringing together the smelling and non-smelling communities. Those living with smell disorders often tell me they wish they had paid more attention to their sense of smell when they had it.
They encourage me to continue spreading the word about its importance. Because the truth is told, we can only begin to understand what someone living with a smell disorder is going through when we know the contribution smell makes in our daily lives in the first place.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
People underestimate how many hats you have to wear as a solopreneur. I'm in daily sales, marketing, I.T., finance, and product development. That can get tiring and frustrating after a while. But the thing that's gotten me through and keeps me going is that I'm so passionate about what I do and the mission I have.
Every day I wake up and look forward to seeing how I can help someone. It doesn't get better than that, even on the most challenging days.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Be consistent with everything you do. Consistency will help you persevere when it gets hard, and everyone else is ready to give up.
- Focus on what's going to drive growth. I'll admit that this one is hard for me because I'm passionate about so many things. I didn't always get this right at first. It took a lot of trial and error to know what works and doesn't work and how I can marry that with what I like doing. There's something magical about offering a product/service that you are genuinely passionate about and can serve people for good.
- Stay true to who you are. It will be tempting to give in to what everyone else is doing, but stay in your lane, put your blinders on and just do what feels right. We live in a culture of comparing and doubting. If you genuinely believe in what you're doing, the rest will take care of itself.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.falkaromatherapy.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/falkaromatherapy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/falkaromatherapy/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frauke-galia-b08093167/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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