Welcome back creative souls!
We wanted to dive deeper into the stories of the Makers that are moving and shaking our creative industries for the better.
Have you ever wondered what a #MoDAMaker is made of? What fuels the creative genius? Well you're about to find out!
This week we sat down with #MoDAEats exhibitor Danielle Thompson-Britton to pick her brain and learn more about her brand's story.
Say hello to THERAPY!
What motivated you to start Therapy?
The restoration of my own health was really the catalyst. I just wanted to have a lifestyle I enjoyed, one in which I could be productive, energized and really just feel great on the inside and I found I was able to do that when I started Juicing. It was a total life changer for me and I saw how this one step made it possible to improve in all areas of my life and my passion was totally ignited! It then became my not so secret obsession and I just wanted to offer this to everyone I could, so they could experience the benefits!
What were you doing before you started Therapy?
I was enjoying being a graduate of the Caribbean school of Architecture and working in Montego Bay with a Landscape Architecture Firm. I was very much content and charting my next move career wise.
Was this your first entrepreneurial venture?
This is definitely not my first entrepreneurial venture. The first venture would actually be all the way back in high school, when I was selling donuts and candies for my house at St. Andrew's High.
The next venture that I took really seriously was when I turned my hobby of handcrafting jewelry into a business. We would attend different craft fairs and events- that was really fun and relaxing!
Then Therapy was born, and it has been a tremendous blessing to my life.
I've learnt a lot from the different ventures over the years. I looove being an entrepreneur. I love starting new things and expressing creativity in innovative ways. It's the most fulfilling way to live!
What was one thing you wish you knew before you started your business?
I wish I knew the importance of recognizing that the entrepreneurial journey can be very lonely. It's important to build a community and recognize that you can't do everything on your own. You will require help. It does require team work. And it does require a very deep understanding that you go further with a team, than you would on your own. That has been one of the most important lessons that I've learned. If I understood this when I first started Therapy it would have saved me a lot of time!
It's not a secret that the journey of entrepreneurship entails a lot risk taking and the mental battles that come along with it. How do you deal with fear?
Fear... hmmm, that's a big one! How I deal with fear has changed over the years. I no longer see fear as a 'bad thing', even though it is very uncomfortable and can lead to much inner turmoil, I also see it as an undeniable sign that I have some unmet needs. It means it's time to get honest, compassionate and really listen to myself.
Fear leads to growth. I now recognize that I can re-frame it so that it serves as a process to overcome it and grow, or to recognize intuitively that this is not the right move to make at this time. Either way I still learn from the process.
How did persons react to the brand change from Nature My Therapy to Therapy?
We are so happy and so filled with gratitude that the response has been so positive, people are loving the energy of THERAPY® and the visuals of our new branding. They are really enjoy being a part of our journey and seeing the growth of the brand over the last four years.
Are you happy?
Yes I am very happy, very proud of how far we have reached, all the support, all of the growth and all of the lessons, it has all been a blessing and I wouldn't trade it for the world!
Share a failure that you experienced along the journey. What did it teach you?
Picture just starting your business, and you've received your first large order.
Naturally, you're overjoyed and want to make sure nothing goes wrong. But in the process of delivering them, the entire order spills.
Yep, that's what happened to me and I was inconsolable...
At the time of that delivery we were packaging our juices in cups. The lesson I learnt- apart from the fact that we needed to change our packaging to bottles- was the importance of not hiding and being lost in the feeling of disappointment with myself when something went very wrong.
Eventually, I understood the need to learn quickly and to makes the changes necessary right away to prevent repeating the same mistake.
Entrepreneur life means that you, hopefully, learn to fail fast and move forward.
Failures can teach us very important lessons that makes us much better and much stronger if we learn how not to repeat them.
What's the most memorable or most important part of this business journey to You?
Seeing how a passion can be turned into a service to people. Having a gift, and sharing that side of yourself with people and seeing that serve a higher purpose has definitely been the most rewarding side.
I've also learnt that everything at the end of the day is like having a business.
There are rules, structure and a lot of freedom for creativity.
You can always improve, you can always do more. There is always more work to be done.
And by doing the work- by making it into a business- you're able to really help your community. You're really able to go beyond your own growth and assist with the growth of your customers and employees. And that has been really beautiful for me.
What drives you to keep going when it's really tough?
This one is a really easy question for me.
What keeps me going when it gets really tough is the fact that we are helping people.
Because this company exists, peoples lives' have been changed for the better. That is what keeps me going when I'm scared, when it's difficult, when I'm tired or I've had a bad day.
There is a direct relationship between us being around and the improvement of peoples lives and that is the most rewarding part of it all.
You mentioned earlier the importance of building a community, could you share some tips on networking locally?
Tips on networking locally, from an introvert (lol), would be to get out into the wider business community and take part in events like MoDA Market.
It happens every November, so if you start planning now you'll have an entire year to prepare.
You not only meet wonderful potential clients, but you also get a chance to network with fellow entrepreneurs and investors that attend. I've found this to be a really great way to network in Jamaica.
What's your favourite piece of advice that you've ever received?
One of my favourite pieces of advice that I've ever received would definitely be:
"When you as an entrepreneur stop growing, then your business ceases to grow."
You have to keep growing, learning and tending to yourself on a level where you're able to impact your business. Because as you go through your journey, you also create a space for your business to grow. And if you have that balance and movement, you'll constantly be inspired and you'll constantly see your business moving to higher heights.
Who's a fellow local creative with a brand that you admire? and why?
There are so many local creatives and brands that I admire greatly.
I'd definitely love to highlight Joni-Dale Morgan of Morgan's Creek and Dianne Plummer of Your True Shade.
The brands are female-owned, sustainable, with high-quality products and packaging. And I love each brand's message. Both brands are fresh, dynamic and so beautiful!
They're both young and passionate about their crafts. I'm very proud to support them. I'm proud to recommend them. And I admire the individuals because they're both dynamic women who are really changing the game in their respective fields.
What's the impact that you would like your business to have?
I'd like nature My Therapy to make a positive contribution, to not only the Jamaican society, but also to the wider Caribbean and the diaspora.
I want my brand to enable healthy, organic, convenient, delicious and fun diets for our consumers. So that we all can develop a new practice of loving and nourishing our bodies specifically with mother nature.
Through the expansion of Therapy I'd really love to show that it is possible to have a successful business that's based on transparency, health, reeeal food and a respect for mother nature through sustainable practices.
I'd like to inspire other young female entrepreneurs to step out, embrace their passions and turn them into businesses even when they feel like they aren't ready.
You can follow Therapy on Instagram: @naturemytherapy and check out their website for more details on how you can get in on the healthy fun!