Today we’d like to introduce you to Steffan King.
Hi Steffan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Our story began when my youngest was born at 28 weeks and immediately rushed to the NICU. He was only 3 pounds and needed assistance breathing. He stayed in the NICU for three months learning to breathe, swallow, and nurse. When he came home, he came with every machine and monitor possible but at least he was home. Three weeks after leaving the hospital I found a lump in his stomach and we were rushed back to the hospital, my son was diagnosed with cancer. His fight was far from over. He underwent 8 surgeries, a year of chemotherapy and six months of physical therapy so he could learn to walk. It was during this time that his skin became sensitive and he needed softer, more nurturing soap to clean with, so my little family learned to soap, these special bars were Max’s soap. Just before his second birthday, he was declared in remission! He truly is the happiest and most magical child. We had the idea that perhaps others needed skin-sensitive soap and a touch of magic so we literally began to sell soap by the side of the road, and they sold. So with Max on my hip, we made more and began to sell at markets and at Evermore Park in Pleasant Grove, where we were continually asked if we taught how to make our soaps so in 2021, we opened our first Enchanted Cottage Witch Soapery and dedicated it to the magic and wonder that is Max. Over the months the name of the Soaps went from Madam and Max to simply Madam M. We believe that one of the best ways to bring magic into your life is through self-care and that’s what we specialize in! In early Spring of 2022, we opened our second Enchanted Cottage in the Provo Towne Center mall where we teach the magical side of herbs, oils, candles and lotions. We hope everyone who comes to see our cauldron feels a little bit of the magic that is Max.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Running Madam M Apothecary was not easy by any stretch of the imagination. When we decided to start the apothecary, we had a family meeting, my two teenagers and I, and talked about what this meant for the family, Max, and what sacrifices needed to be made. It was then and there that we decided that Madam M. will always be second to our small family. We never know what tomorrow will bring for Max so anything we do, we do as a family and we do it with love and magic. As long as we kept our priorities in line and shared the journey together, we’ve loved every step of building Madam M. And gaining our magical family. Over the last year, our magical family has grown to include mentors, employees, and Sarah and Maddy, to whom our family would be lost without. Another challenge that we’ve been faced with is inflation, the cost of our supplies has gone up substantially. I consulted with our family and as a single mum of four, it was always a struggle to find something for the family to do that was affordable and when we opened the cottage, I wanted to keep magic available to everyone, so we’ve done our best to keep our prices low and our experience high. We adopted the slogan that our cauldron is always open, and we’ve maintained that. Even if you just need a safe space to process, someone to talk to, or explore the magical side of life, our cauldron is always open.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
What sets Madam M. apart from other soap/soapery is that we take the time to build the scent notes, craft the soap, and set intentions with all of our products. We are a small family ran company but once you step inside our Enchanted Cottage you will like you are at home, with my cauldron bubbling, my herbs drying and a cup of warm tea always ready. You aren’t just our customers, you become part of our magical family. We provide over 100 different oils and scents that any witch would be proud of, we delight in finding odd and exciting new oils that break the norm. The scent is a very powerful sense and when you marry it to an intention, it helps you focus, manifest, and ground you. We help our customers shift through our oils and choose the ones best for them and their intention and then help them create their own self-care spell. No two bars of soap are ever the same. When you come to the cottage to create body oils, beard elixirs, or intentional oils, we teach you each step of setting your intention, choosing the oils, and layering your scent notes. We talk in-depth about the magical side of each oil, what they mean and how to use them. Then we let you create a bottle of magic designed for you and by you! Come for the scents and stay for the spells.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://madammapothecary.square.site/?fbclid=IwAR19nKlSU29gQPQoxnFeQi588G1jp2Noeo8JqBspsEFilu1uAe0GgJsARxc
- Facebook: Madam M. Apothecary
Image Credits
Felix Photography
Coexist Photography
