From nursing to fragrances
Farragut woman launches new business
Brooks, a registered nurse for 13 years, founded Raintree & Company, a fragrance-infused products company.
“So, anywhere that you would like something to smell good, anything that you’re doing that you want something to smell good, that’s basically what we do,” she said. “We make sure that the products we make have wonderful fragrances you can take anywhere you go.
Anyone can go online to raintreeandcompany.com to check out the products.
“I have a lot of things, right now, geared toward cleaning, like I’ve got my carpet deodorizer, glass and surface cleaner, detergents, hand soap, things like that,” Brooks said. “And every fragrance that I make, I make sure all my products are available in every single fragrance.
“Have you ever had a favorite scent that you liked, a candle you liked or a wax melt you like?” she asked. “When you have cleaned your house, what’s the one thing that we do? We melt a wax melt.”
So, “why can’t our cleaners smell like our favorite fragrances?” Brooks asked.
That observation dawned on her one day while cleaning her house.
“I also didn’t like all the harsh detergents we had in our lesser-expensive cleaning products,” Brooks added. “I couldn’t afford $15 for a glass cleaner, some of these luxury high-end Koala Eco and Puracy, are charging for. Why does it have to be so expensive? Why can’t we have plant-based, clean cleaning products and waxes that don’t have the petroleum and phthalates?
“Why can’t normal, everyday people be able to afford these?” she asked.
“So, about a year and a half ago, I looked into it and I started [making the products] at home,” Brooks said.
In her spare time, she researched the potential for the business.
“I discovered a whole world for plant-based living and a way to clean my house without damaging my environment and bringing those chemicals into my home — and keeping it affordable,” she said.
And, “everything is registered right here in Farragut … so all my sales tax and everything goes to right here in Farragut,” Brooks said. “And, I did that on purpose.
“I’m learning,” she said. “I’m going to the Intro to Farragut class, and they were talking about the sales tax and how that supports my town.”
Finding the ingredients for the products was not easy.
For example, for Brooks’ corn ethanol, 190 proof, she had to go to a U.S. laboratory and then vet it to make sure it was good quality.
“I had to find U.S.-based companies that are open about the ingredients and have shared that with me so I can be secure in what I’m putting in there,” said Brooks, who makes the products herself.
She launched the company in a soft launch on Monday Sept. 14.
“Now, I’m ready for the next step, and that is just my local community,” Brooks said. “I’m not trying to go too big, too fast, just little steps.”
