Early career and travels
I attended a secretarial and business studies college for a year, which I enjoyed. It gave me a path into employment. I then worked as a secretary at the Distillers Company in London for two years. To supplement my salary, I waitressed in the evenings and on weekends. I loved the social side of this and found myself drawn to catering.
But in 1979, I got itchy feet and felt the urge to travel, so a friend and I quit our jobs and hitchhiked around Europe. We made it to Greece, where I met Mike. After 44 years together, we finally got married last year.
For the next seven years, we traveled and worked across Southeast Asia. I loved the culture, the people, and their approach to health and well-being.
“Everything I did before Oleo helped shape its success. Business studies made admin easier; my time in Asia influenced the essential oils I use."
A new path in health and business
Back in the UK, we bought a freehouse pub in what became my beloved West Dorset. For nine years, we ran a successful business, with me in charge of catering. The hours were long – seven days a week – but it was an invaluable experience.
After selling the pub, I continued cooking while enrolling in a course on anatomy, physiology, and massage. To my surprise, I enjoyed studying. At 40, I decided to go to university. Three years later, I graduated with a first-class honours degree in Health Science.
I started my own massage business, which flourished. Wanting to expand my skills, I pursued aromatherapy, a field I had always been passionate about.
Around this time, my father passed away after a long illness. With the inheritance he left me, I enrolled in an advanced massage and aromatherapy course in London. I adored learning about essential oils and spending time in Provence. It felt like I had found my true calling.
“I began selling the Oleo range at a weekly market stall in my hometown… I’m proud that many of my first customers remain loyal to my brand!”
The birth of Oleo Bodycare
I worked for an aromatherapy skincare company, gaining invaluable knowledge. With my expertise in essential oils and my health science background, I decided to start my own skincare business: Oleo Bodycare.
Sixteen years ago, I began selling the Oleo range at a weekly market stall in my hometown. I still run this stall every Saturday, and I’m proud that many of my first customers remain loyal to my brand.
Everything I did before Oleo helped shape its success. Business studies made admin easier; my time in Asia influenced the essential oils I use. Long hours were nothing new. Even formulating Oleo’s products felt familiar – just like creating recipes in the kitchen!
Without my father’s inheritance, Oleo Bodycare might never have existed. I was, and still am, determined to make it thrive in his memory.
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