Today we’d like to introduce you to Patrick Stoffel. Them and their team share their story with us below:
How it started: It all started when creator Patrick Stoffel crafted his first bar of soap in 2012. He had learned how to make soap back in the day (and how to brew a proper cup of tea) from his grandmother who was an experienced herbalist. With 10+ years of a career in visual merchandising and retail management, it kick-started a journey to become a business owner.
How it’s going: At the current moment, Fox Naturals is almost at celebrating year 4 of our brick-and-mortar location in Grand Rapids, Michigan (and a thriving online business to boot). Both Patrick and his partner of 13 years Lucas run the day-to-day operations of Fox Naturals, tag-teaming the responsibilities to create a smooth operation. A true family business, they have also enlisted the help of their niece Kaily to run the show every now and then.
How they got there: In the conception and development of Fox Naturals, they learned a lot of lessons along the way. Crafting a loaf of soap slowly led to making a face wash, then a body lotion, and so on until the line of products exceeded over 100+ different varieties. While still working full-time jobs, Patrick and Lucas diligently put effort into Fox, developing and testing out new blends, trial, and error, etc. The business started to blossom after experiencing a pop-up shop for the first time in 2016 at a special market called Indie Flea (Home – Indie Flea GR) , where being immersed in the community, being able to chat one-on-one with clients, and being a part of a thriving district in Grand Rapids quickly became something they were drawn to.
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?
It’s a wave, with ups and downs that you just have to learn to ride with instead of against. Without any levels of management “above” you to dole out tasks, performance reviews, etc, it became a trail of self-motivation to push forward and grow with the business. Some struggles that we’ve faced are the ones that don’t show on the outside, i.e., battling those “inner voices” who might at times put you down. Focusing on mental health has been pivotal to the success of the business, as well as a strong partnership between the two of us. We’ve learned to complement each other and work as a team, letting each other’s strengths shine through. It’s almost like a left brain / right brain situation! Where Patrick specializes in creating high-end skincare formulations and working with an organic skincare lab to create said items, Lucas can take care of creative endeavors like product labels and managing client relationships.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Fox Naturals?
Fox Naturals puts emphasis on accessibility, sustainability, and quality into our unique skin, hair & body care items. All the good stuff straight up without the fluff! We like to be able to provide items you would normally see in high-end spas/salons at a cost point that isn’t going to break your budget. Our core items like our facial cleansers, serums, toners & moisturizers highlight plant-based botanical ingredients that are known to target a large array of conditions, from inflammation and redness to hyperpigmentation and eczema. Our background and knowledge in medicinal herbs lets the ingredients we formulate with speak for themselves.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Our best advice when it comes to networking and creating mentor/mentee relationships is not to judge where you are in your journey compared to other people. Everyone has to start somewhere, and we all have something big or small that we can learn from each other. There is more that brings us together as human beings than separates us, so knowing that everyone has faced some struggle in their past which shapes their future can be a comforting catalyst in creating a network of like-minded individuals.
Contact Info:
- Email: Patrick@fox-naturals.com
- Website: www.fox-naturals.com
- Instagram: Fox_naturals
