Having been born to teen parents, I have always aspired to own my own business ever since watching mother making hair products. Having five girls with long thick hair it was probably much cheaper to make them herself. She was always a source of true inspiration. After the divorce of our parents, my mother remarried a pastor and we moved to the suburbs. I was around six years old during this time. Mother would bake, sew, cook, make hair products throughout my childhood that extended through my adulthood. Our mixing potions began as far back as my great-great-grandmother who was a full blooded Blackfoot Indian woman as told by my grandmother and mother and that she was the "midwife" in Mississippi. She would mix healing herbs and spices for all types of aches, pains and illnesses and was credited by many "near and far" for her healing potions.
Through my teen years I began tending and styling my own hair and creating hair oils and gels to help control my wild and uncontrollable coarse hair. Back in the day my sisters and I would style and what is now the flat iron, we would "press" our hair with a pressing comb. I also started making and designing my own line of clothing by the age of 12 years of age. The funny thing is one of my younger sister would steal my clothes after i would go to school. We laugh about this now.Later on after graduating high school, I went on to get my nursing diploma, working at one of the major hospitals in St. Louis Missouri I continued to tap into several business endeavors by making nursing uniforms for myself and nurses at the hospital. I've designed lingerie and sold many pieces,I also started a pan pizza business out of my home, sold Mary Kay cosmetics, sold in another multilevel business called Melaleuca. These businesses were lucrative but it was not my passion. 1997,I began to design pastors and ministers robe and had a love for this. In addition to this I added my signature clothing line of women's apparel,prom dresses. bridal party wear,bridal gowns and sports wear.1998 I entered a business management course at the Local Meramec Community College for six months earning a certificate in entrepreneurship. I spent four more years in business.
My family and I decided to move to Atlanta, Georgia to charter a larger territory, I closed business in St.Louis, left the hospital i work for and continued my education in business at the Chamber of Commerce(O.P.E.N. Campus) located in Conyers,Georgia to develop and continued a business venture.Opening our first brick and mortar store in 2004 I began to develop my clothing line extensively. This is when YoGaChi Signature clothing line was finished after two years of development.
Two-thousand six we closed our doors due to unsuccessful sales and poor location. Not giving up on my dream and passion of designing and creativity I continued to embark upon the possibility to re-open my business. Finding out that my mother had a rare form of cancer (sarcoma), it was very hard for her to use over-the-counter products because of the highly scented perfumes I began to revisit the idea of making body products for my family after investigating the chemical in hair and body products,After listening to a speaker that commentated the Sunday mourning service in 2006 about toxin build-up in foods and body products,we became aware of alternative living by using natural and organic products.
I dedicate this business in the memory of my mother who is no longer with us. Living naturally has become a way of life for me and my family. Our mission is to promote health and enhance lives. In this endeavor our goal is to provide products that meet standard and contribute to the Eco-friendly world.
~Rhonda Harlan
770.255.8701
