Exploring Life & Business with Chelsee Joel of Conscious Seed— Voyage Ohio Interview
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
It all started a decade ago when I began taking conscious steps for my health and mental wellbeing. I was 19 and had been dealing with debilitating anxiety and depression, and I needed to make some BIG changes. I was seeking answers that would help improve my life. I knew what I didn’t want to feel anymore. That knowledge catalyzed me to start studying herbalism and transforming my lifestyle via diet and integrating more holistic practices into my life. My parents and grandparents were creative entrepreneurs growing up. Still, I think a big kickstart was my mom listening to Deepak Chopra on tape (he is an Ayurvedic Dr and has been a big inspiration in my life). I believe wholeheartedly that these key aspects deeply impacted me and where I am today.
Growing up, I had a deep connection to nature and the elements. Nature is where I found peace and would often retreat to a spot on the five acres where I grew up in South-West Florida. I remember my dad telling me stories of my great-grandparents having a small farm and my grandmother being a master gardener. We would visit my grandmother, who lives in Boardman, during the summers, and we’d always be in her garden, my favorite place. She showed me how to weed, cut flowers and prune plants so they would have a second bloom.
When I was 21, I opened up my first storefront on Sanibel Island in Florida. I was the first organic cold-pressed juice bar and vegan cafe in our area. Having a shop is where I found my love for community and the beginning inspiration for Conscious Seed. I learned so much about the hard work and dedication to operating a small business during this time. I put my heart and soul into creating healthy and healing libations for people seeking an alternative to the standard American diet. I talked to thousands of people throughout the 3.5 years we were open. I listened to my customer’s stories through their ups and downs, created cleanses for them, and catered to their specific dietary needs. During this time, I devoted myself entirely to the wellness world. I was studying 24/7 and started making some of my first elixirs.
Owning and operating a business at such a young age became highly isolating. Working in the food industry took a lot out of me and affected my relationships. Most days, I was at the shop for 12 hours, and on the weekends, it was more like 17. It started taking a toll on my emotional and physical health. I didn’t realize it then, but I was quickly hitting my crash and burnout, and I wasn’t even 26.
Once I made the hardest decision of my life, to close shop, I entered into another form of depression I now call my time of deep rest. I decided to move to Loveland and start growing medicinals and tending the earth around me during this time. After about a year of slow living, I started making blends again with the plants I had grown and giving them away to friends and family. The following year I started going to a few markets and selling my wares but wasn’t sure still what Conscious Seed was, but I was determined to keep going.
When the pandemic arrived in 2020, I finally realized what my brand had grown to become. In identifying and helping myself deal with real burnout, isolation, and at times just being at the whim of my own squiggly brain. Conscious Seed defined itself as a source of remedies that would heal the nervous system and support the body in adapting to everyday stressors- a multifaceted solution to these struggles we all face so often.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I believe almost all of the struggles I’ve faced have formed a part of my business. Growing a business from a vision and passion is parallel to growing a garden. Keeping up with physically growing and tending the medicinals that I work into the blends is a challenge. I think any gardener can understand it’s a never-ending work. Since the start of Conscious Seed, I’ve been a one-woman show, but what I think is the most tedious yet calming talk is keeping up with the mission of the products being as homegrown as possible. A lot of time and study goes into each of the remedies I craft. I honestly didn’t know what I was getting myself into when I started gardening medicinals five years ago. There’s been a tremendous growth curve and many hard lessons learned. Over the years, I realized that I wouldn’t be where I am today without these trials.
