Exploring Life & Business with Sarita Parikh of Glow + Gather

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarita Parikh. 

Hi Sarita, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I co-founded Glow + Gather almost five years ago. It was created from a gradual awareness of the need for a change in my life: the need to find and live my authentic purpose. Though I had much to be grateful for, life had become complex and unfulfilling. I was struggling with managing the challenges and chaos of day-to-day life and epilepsy. I became more aware of the importance of slowing down, creating self-care rituals, creating everyday joy and peace, and living in the flow of life- living a life unrehearsed. Connecting with nature, embracing simplicity, taking time to indulge, detoxifying my environment, and taking time to spend in the moments that last forever with family and friends became my priorities. 

My co-founder and niece (then aged 9), Kerala, was also experiencing sensitive skin and eczema and was unable to use anything on the market. She approached me to assist her with creating a body butter. I am also a pediatric physical therapist with a private practice for the past 16 years, and utilizing my science background, I assisted Kerala in researching and formulating what is now our signature body butter. Not only did our body butter work with Kerala’s skin, it worked with many of my sensitive patients. My co-founders, brother and sister duo, Jax (now 12) and Kerala (now 15), eventually two years later convinced me to start our revolutionary self-care + wellness lifestyle brand. Jax’s love for cooking, and our Indian heritage, later inspired our spice line. Combining our Indian heritage, my background in healthcare, as individuals with healthcare needs, and our youth-led team inspired us to create our unique brand focused on the diversity of life and committed to inspiring others to blaze their own path, while also embracing their community to create impact. All this while developing, manufacturing, and retailing natural, self-care products, home goods, and spice blends that are good for your body, for your soul, and for the environment. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As we launched Glow + Gather, and as we continue to grow, we are learning to balance managing epilepsy, migraines, and running a growing company. Every day is different, and every day faces its own unpredictability. We are building and running Glow + Gather by our own terms and set of rules because of epilepsy, because we are 2/3 youth-run, and because we are bootstrapping and self-funding our company. It does impact the decisions we make and how fast or slow we grow. We are being very purposeful in laying a strong foundation as we grow in order to help us maintain our balance in the chaos of building and running a business. Flexibility and adaptability are guiding principles, as well as surrender and grace. Unfortunately, medication does not fully control my seizures. Lifestyle also has to be a primary method of seizure management, which impacts our everyday and what is possible. With that comes acceptance. There are days when our to-do list doesn’t get done, and that has to be ok. Especially knowing and accepting if we don’t slow down or deal with one down day, we could lose a week to health issues. 

COVID, of course, has brought its own set of struggles in manufacturing and retail from supply chain, to decreased retail outlets and decreased sales, we have been forced to think outside the box and create new avenues of revenue and innovative product ideas. We have also been fortunate to create many new partnerships along the way. 

I am grateful for the flexibility owning my own businesses gives me to manage my lifestyle, and the knowledge that we are able to blaze a new trail, have a different way of doing things and still be successful. It may be challenging, but there is also joy and authenticity in staying true to ourselves. I love inspiring others to the knowledge that the traditional path doesn’t need to be followed, that following your authenticity will bring joy and fulfillment. 

As you know, we’re big fans of Glow + Gather. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Glow + Gather is a Colorado lifestyle and wellness brand that creates small-batch, natural self-care products, home goods, and spice blends influenced by our Indian heritage. Our co-founders, Kerala (age 15), Jaxon (age 12), and myself take pride in ensuring all products are phthalate, formaldehyde, sulfate, paraben, synthetic fragrance, dye, and cruelty-free. We believe in the power + properties of nature, while backed + rooted in science. 

Glow + Gather is inspired by Kerala’s need for skincare for her sensitive skin, Jax’s love of cooking, and my journey with epilepsy, which taught us we should all take time to slow down, enjoy life, embrace nature, and connect with one another. These roots of Glow + Gather, along with our lived experiences as Indian Americans striving to celebrate and share our culture, drive our mission and focus us on what’s important: self-care and community connection. 

At Glow + Gather we have a three-part mission: Create + share simple, high quality, effective products that contain pure, natural ingredients and embrace our inner glow. Gather and build community to enhance lives through creating connections and opportunities to help each other thrive. Give back to our local + global community by building community relationships and non-profit partnerships, while maintaining a focus on sustainability + social justice. We are a 1% for the Planet company, plant trees through One Tree Planted and support survivors of domestic violence through donations to SafeHouse Denver’s shelter with every order placed. Our co-founders sit on non-profit boards supporting sustainability and the environment, as well as work towards social, environmental, and economic justice through volunteer initiatives. 

Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Taking risks is an invaluable part of life. It’s how you grow, how you learn, how you thrive. Starting both my companies were major risks; risks I leaped into with both feet and no real planning or safety net. I just had faith it would work out, and I knew I was following my authenticity. Of course, there have been challenges, and there are still significant challenges, but it is worth it. In both scenarios, I have met people, created friendships and partnerships, created impact, grown, found parts of myself and shed others, discovered new adventures, joys, and passions that I wouldn’t have otherwise. Through it all, even the days of fear, tears, and frustration, I have remained true to myself, and that has made all the difference. It gives me a sense of peace and fulfillment I wouldn’t have had I not taken the risks. To me, those risks will always be worth it, no matter the long-term outcome. 

Contact Info:

• Email: sarita@glowandgather.com
• Website: https://www.glowandgather.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glowandgather/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glowandgather

Image Credits
Susie Inverso
Crimson Cat Studios
Two Were Tamed