Small Business Spotlight | Natural Body Care by Ros

Tell us about you and your company.

Hiya, I’m Brenda Ros Mangeot and I live in Cambridge, England with my husband. I’m the founder of Natural Body Care By Ros, an online business where I sell products, such as body butters, body oils and hand & foot scrubs. I’m a one-woman band and I make all the products I sell from my little kitchen which I enjoy doing. At the moment, my day job is working for a Homeless Charity, which I’ve been doing for 15 years. As much as I enjoy being part of a charity that gives support to others, I realised I didn’t want to be working for someone else for the rest of my working years. I wanted to fulfill my dream of being my own boss.

What inspired you to start your company?

Thanks to my Mum, my passion for taking care of my body started from a young age growing up in Trinidad. We had various fruit trees in our back yard, such as plums, mangoes, guavas and bananas, plus different types of herbs. As time passed, I became more and more passionate about how I looked after myself:  The food I ate, the books I read, ensuring I engaged in regular exercise, etc.  I’ve always exercised and tried to eat healthy but was increasingly conscious of what I was putting on my skin. Even basic research showed that the face and body creams I was using contained certain chemicals and toxins that were potentially harmful. So after wide-ranging research and taking several courses, I started making and using my own products.

I first had the idea to start my own business when Covid started in 2020. I started selling to friends and family, then friends of friends as recommendations spread, and have had an amazingly positive response. And after much work putting things in place, Natural Body Care by Ros was created!

What was the biggest challenge you faced as a small business owner so far?

Boy…did I have lots of challenges to face.  I didn’t know anything about starting an online business, so finding the right help and support was crucial for me….. from creating my branding, finding the person to build my website, pricing products, packaging, writing the descriptions for each product, sourcing suppliers, containers, packaging, learning about social media (which I still am lol) and much more - all while working my day job.  Every step of the way I had my ups and downs and made lots of mistakes which I try to learn from. Even to this day I still do get things wrong, thankfully not as much as in the beginning.

One of my major challenges was doubting myself. All the ‘what if no one likes my products’ to ‘what if I fail?’  All of these self-doubts emerged in my mind, despite people constantly telling me how much they loved my stuff.  I guess I’m still a work in progress!

What do you love about being a small business owner?

The opportunity to make products that nourish rather than damage the body. The fact that I have the freedom to do something I love and see people enjoy using my products is the greatest feeling ever.

What else would you like our subscribers to know about you and your business?

I am committed to working hard and to continue developing pure and natural products to boost skin health. I’ve had a few people ask me for hand butters, so I’ll have them for sale on my website in April. I’m also looking to add facial oil as well later in the year. I’d like to do some fairs this summer, if possible as it would be great to meet people face to face and chat more about what I do. Building that connection is so important. The aim is to grow my business to the point where it will be my one and only job.

What is your definition of self-care?

Doing things to nourish your mind, body and spirit. Whether it’s going for a long walk, dancing, doing affirmations, meditation, getting enough sleep, finding something that makes you laugh. It’s taking time out to look after you.

What do you do for self-care?

I exercise at least 4 times a week.  On weekends I try to do Qi Gong. I switch off my phone at a certain time before bed and I love to relax and listen to some smooth jazz. Spending time with family and also friends who I know genuinely cares for me is essential. I love to go walking with my husband especially when we go to Wales.  We tend to do long treks and being out in nature is the best thing ever.

How can people can to know more about what you’re doing and where can they find you?

Check out my website – www.naturalbodycarebyros.co.uk .  Also, follow me on Instagram @naturalbodycarebyros or on Facebook.