We recently had the chance to connect with Lou Jenks and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Lou, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
I’m most proud of building Botanica. People see the soaps, the body butters, the perfumes — but what they don’t see is the energy, the persistence, and the love poured into every step of the process. As a one-woman business, there are no shortcuts: I’m researching, formulating, sourcing, creating, designing, packing, and still finding ways to share my story with the world. It’s easy for people to smile and tell me how beautiful a bar of soap is when they receive free samples, but what’s invisible to most is the dedication it takes to bring an idea from my imagination to someone’s hands. Botanica isn’t just a collection of products — it’s years of resilience, creativity, and belief in something that hasn’t yet reached the success I envision, but is steadily growing because I refuse to give up on it.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Lou Jenks, founder of Botanica, a small-batch, handcrafted skincare and wellness brand in St. Petersburg, Florida. I started Botanica in 2017 to create products that are not only good for the skin but also little escapes for the senses—beautiful, fragrant, and made with pure, natural, and organic ingredients.
What makes Botanica unique is that each product tells its own story, especially our soaps. Serendipity was inspired by a chance encounter that blossomed into a love story, and Infinity celebrates eternal love. I love sharing these stories, along with the magic of the essential oils we use, because self-care shouldn’t just be a routine—it should feel a little magical, a little personal, and maybe even transport you for a moment.
Every bar is crafted with care for the planet, and a portion of sales goes to causes close to my heart—because, to me, beauty is most meaningful when it makes a difference.
I’m excited to share the stories behind our essential oils and help people discover a little magic in their everyday self-care.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, I sometimes believed I had limits I didn’t actually have—that there were paths I couldn’t take or things I couldn’t achieve. Over time, I’ve learned to challenge those assumptions and embrace a broader view of what I’m capable of. That process has been shaped both by personal experience and by questioning inherited societal ideas, helping me grow into the person I am today.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Building Botanica was never without its challenges. There were moments when giving up seemed easier, especially after the sudden loss of my partner. We had envisioned this new chapter together, both personally and professionally in St. Petersburg. His absence left a void, but it also strengthened my resolve.
In building the business, there were times I reminded myself that success was possible—I just needed to find what the French call “déclic”, that inner spark or moment of insight that would make everything click and open the floodgates of possibility.
In those early days of grief, I focused on moving through each moment, allowing life and sorrow to coexist. I continued my routines, found solace in nature, and leaned on friends and family. Over time, I realized that suffering teaches lessons success never could: the depth of love, the importance of compassion, and the strength found in vulnerability.
Rather than hiding my pain, I embraced it, letting it fuel my purpose. It reminded me daily of why Botanica exists—not just as a business, but as a tribute to resilience, love, and the beauty of life’s complexities.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends would say that what really matters to me is love, integrity, and resilience. Love, not just in the romantic sense, but in the way I try to lead with kindness, empathy, and generosity in everything I do. Integrity, because for me, it’s not only about achieving goals, but how I achieve them. And resilience, because life has tested me, and each challenge has left me stronger, more grateful, and more determined to live fully.
They’d also say that authenticity matters deeply to me. I don’t believe in living behind a mask. What you see is who I am. I value honesty, both with myself and with others, and I believe that trust is built when people can count on you to be real.
At my core, I’m guided by simple but unshakable truths—love, integrity, resilience, and authenticity. Those values are my compass in friendships, in business, and in how I try to show up in the world.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
As an adult, I’ve never lived by what I was told to do—I’ve always followed my own path, whether it led to success or challenges. Was I born to do Botanica? I don’t know, but I know I love it. It has become part of me. Every role I’ve taken has fueled my growth, and I’ll keep following where passion leads.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.botanicabylou
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/botanicabylou/
- Facebook: botanica.by.lou
- Other: info@botanicabylou.com
Image Credits
Alli Warne & Marilou Troadec
