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Gold Coast made
Katie's Essentials was created after a chance reading about the chemicals in our skin care. Knowing there must be a better alternative, Katie set about making her own using all natural ingredients. Her skin loved it and her friends wanted to know her secret! This vibrant and entrepreneurial free spirit seized the opportunity. Her range has since grown to include scrubs, oils, body butters and lip balms, all handmade and made with love.
Tell us a little bit about yourself, who is behind Katie’s Essentials? What inspired you to start Katie’s Essentials?
My name is Katelyn Eales (Katie), I spent my childhood and most of my school years in Port Douglas/Cairns, finishing the last two years of schooling in Tannum Sands. I moved to the Gold Coast straight after graduating high school to study business and real estate at Griffith university. After 6 months of study I was offered a full time real estate sales agent position. I worked with prestige agents before becoming a solo agent at 19, I sold property for some time until I came to the realisation that I wasn’t really feeling satisfied with the work I was doing. A girlfriend introduced me to yoga as a little stress relief and that’s when my life really changed. I immersed myself in the study of yoga, meditation, mindfulness and alternative living. Through this I read an article about the amount of chemicals we put on our skin each day thinking we are doing the right thing. This is what triggered me to start researching natural, organic and animal friendly products. I started making products for friends and adjusting my reciepe’s based on the feedback I got from the users until it got to a point where I concluded that I needed to get my products out to a broader consumer base so as to enable me to fully refine the products, properly guage their effectiveness and share my vision. Hence KATIE’S ESSENTIALS was created.
What is your creative process when creating your products?
When creating new products, I generally start with determining what consumers are
using, ie trending product types. I am also influenced by what friends are searching
for or what I am needing myself.
How do you come to decide on a flavor or fragrance for your products?
It is really important for me to stick to natural flavors, calming and indulging fragrances.
What music do you like listen to when you’re working?
All sorts of music! Soul while I am researching (by my gorgeous friend/song writer
Sarah Frank) and then a little more upbeat while I am actually making the products!
There is always lots of dancing and singing!
A typical day for you involves?
A morning bike ride to the beach for a swim while the sun is rising – this is essential! Then off to Kingscliff where I work within the Ray White group Monday to Friday. I am also a qualified Yoga and Pilates instructor and teach privately, before or after work, these sessions range from one on one, ‘corperate mindfulness’ to group sessions each week. I like to complete a personal practice daily, either yoga or Pilates or both depending on what my body needs. A little fun in the kitchen with my friends (I love to cooking and teach cooking lessons), product work (either making, packaging or researching), a nice bath, meditation and bed!
What is the best part about working on Katie’s Essentials?
I am a creative person and it gives me the opportunity to open my mind to new and exciting things – as a Yoga/Pilates teacher, as a vegan cook, as a researcher and as a architect of a brand.
….and the hardest?
Balancing time between work and play – I am lucky that my job doesn’t feel like work but I
know some days I need to take off my ‘business hat’ and enjoy life as a 22-year-old!
You are a regular at markets across the coast, what do you love about selling at markets?
I have been a part of the Gold Coast Design Collective markets since 2015 – they are a
beautiful team to be a part of and it is nice to get out there and talk about my products and
meet the community and other designers!
What are your dreams for Katie’s Essentials? Where would you like to see Katie’s Essentials
in 12 months/ 5 years?
I want to see the world become greener, humbler and a lot more inspiring – I hope that
through my business with organic/vegan skincare, teaching yoga/Pilates and cooking I can
empower others and share my passion to change the way people live their everyday life.
I hope I can inspire others to build business’ and networks utilising natural products so that we
can as a collective really make a difference to the overall health of the planet.
I am actually off to Europe in May with a one-way ticket to explore the world, my fabulous parents are caretaking the business for me whilst I’m away. My 5-10 year plan is to own a wellness retreat in both Australia and somewhere overseas where I can conduct all aspects of my business under the one roof.
What advice do you have for others who are dreaming about starting their own small business?
Just do it! I had no idea what I was doing at the start but it unfolded very organically, for which I feel
extremely blessed. At the end of the day if you have a passion, a vision, whatever that may be you
need to chase it, don’t hold back for anyone or anything. There may never come “the perfect time”
to start so just put your head down and do it!
Social Media is so important these days, how can people connect with you?
My website is: www.katiesessentials.com or follow me on instagram @katies.essentials + keep your
eye out of exciting new things and lots of fun giveaways!
About you
Every small business owner is driven by their ‘WHY’, will you share your ‘why’ with us?
I believe people get caught up in the ‘fluff’ of life, Yoga really grounds me and keeps my life very humble, my products are simple but they are effective. Every aspect of my business revolves around key elements to keep life simple, organic (as in letting things unfold naturally) and vibrant. I believe less is more and I apply that theology to every facet of my business and my life.
What is your work/life background?
I spent the years from toddler to adulthood surrounded by canefields and tropical rainforest,
beautiful beaches and clean water, my parents are avid campers, every hoiliday was spent in
a tent somewhere remote. I guess I get my affinity for nature from these early experiences.
Since moving to the Gold Coast I have been involved in the business, real estate and
hospitality industries. My passions are yoga, pilates and vegan cooking.
Why is it important to you that your products are vegan and all natural?
Because it isn’t necessary to harm another creature in the process of looking after ourselves,
that is not just my view on veganism that is my view on everything – harming another being
either physically, verbally or mentally – it is unnecessary. When you take a step back and
really appreciate life right down to the tiny bee that works hard to make honey or how long it
takes for a plant to germanate from a seed to a gorgeous sunflower you start to appreciate
more and more of life’s miracles and that’s what begins to make you a truly happy and grateful person from the inside of your heart out.
You are a passionate yogi; can you tell us the importance of having yoga in your life? And where did this passion come from?
It keeps me grounded, it is my time on my mat with myself – to learn about myself, to nourish my soul. Whatever is going on in life yoga will always teach me how to deal with it. I began practicing yoga 3 years ago and I fell in love. Not just with the practice but myself, and I think that is the most important thing – we are so hard on ourselves. If you wake up every morning and do that best you can, you are a superstar – it doesn’t matter what car you have, what job you work – it matters that you love, you smile and you appreciate life.
Yoga really taught me this, as a 21 year old female living on the Gold Coast you can imagine the critisism one can give themselves in regards to their apperance and ‘status’ but yoga really brought me back to relatity, it is far more important for people to meet you and see your soul rather than your apperance. I think the point I really noticed I had grasped this and let go of my ego was when strangers/friends/family would tell me they could see the light in my soul shinning through my smiling eyes; I really believe it is because I look at everything as it is the first time and the last time, I appreciate the rain, the slow traffic, the coffees I spill, right down the the mistakes I make. We are human and if we were perfect life would be mundane.
You live a plant based lifestyle, can you tell us what a typical day of food might be for you?
I love cooking and I am too creative to have routine so there is no typical day – lots of curries, stir-fries, baked dishes, salads and of course lots and lots of raw vegan treats!
Not everyone wants to fully commit to veganism but what are some small steps
people can do to incorporate this way of living into their everyday lives?
It is totally a personal choice, the most important thing is to listen to your body, don’t
be strict and don’t put yourself in a category! It can become a very mentally straining
practice and I have witnessed many friends who have gotten caught up in it and
become very unhealthy.
Growing up my parents went fishing on the reef a lot and I was happy to eat fish
because of the way they were caught, when I moved to the gold coast I just stopped.
Then when I began studying I didn’t really want to eat it anymore. It wasn’t a big
change for me as I have never eaten dairy and wasn’t a big meat eater growing up.
Who do you look up to? Who inspires you?
My beautiful parents – they are my rock, my inspiration and everything more. From
as long as I can remember they have always supported my crazy dreams and
coached me to apply myself fully to every endeavour whilst at the same time
periodically remind me to stop and reflect on my accomplishments.
When you’re not working on Katie’s Essentials, where would we find you?
The beach or exploring the national parks – I absolutely love getting lost in nature!
Where is your favorite place to visit on the Gold Coast?
At the moment the beaches down south – Cabarita in particularly, it is just magic! Or Springbrook/Lamington national park!
Favorite place to eat on the Gold Coast?
Way too many places! I’m a crazy foodie! Mandalas, Greenhouse factory, Bonita Bonita, Etzu and Can Tho are a few of my favorites at the moment!
Favorite coffee/juice shop on the Gold Coast?
Alltime Coffee – they do the best vegan doughnuts, amazing coffee and the owners are a gorgeous couple who really are the reason I come back, always smiling and giving the best service on the coast!
What are your favorite Gold Coast made businesses?
All of them, anyone that has the courage and ambition to chase a dream!
Favorite quote you live by?
Since I can remember my dad has always tolds us “It’s too easy to just do the right thing”. And it really is – there is no need for ‘fluff’, lies whatever else. Act from your heart and you will be truly happy!
