LIONESS WEEKENDER COVER STORY
Feelgood Health, a growing online health store on a mission to promote natural and organic products
Michele Carelse is the founder and ceo of Feelgood Health, an online health store in South Africa. She originally qualified as a Clinical Psychologist in 1992 and ran a private practice for many years. Here, she saw the need for natural alternatives to prescription drugs. Initially a small range, Feelgood Health, which was started in 1998, grew exponentially to an online health store with thousands of natural and organic holistic health, beauty and lifestyle products, all 100% natural, environmentally friendly and cruelty free! Today, the business employs 14 people. Michele has three adult children, three grandchildren and lives in Cape Town with her partner.
Lioness Weekender spoke to founder Michele Carelse about her entrepreneurial journey, her passion for natural and organic holistic health, and her ambitions for the future.
What does your company do?
Feelgood Health is an online health store that makes it easy to shop for health and wellness products and have them conveniently delivered to your door. We stock thousands of natural and organic holistic health and lifestyle products, including natural remedies, health foods, essential oils, gifts, supplements, beauty and pamper products and much more! At Feelgood Health, you can shop online for all your natural and holistic health needs and find products for adults, children, babies and even the family pet! www.feelgoodhealth.co.za. We also have a wholesale division, Natural Wholesalers, which was founded in 2000. By distributing our products to health shops, pharmacies, vet shops, gift shops and chain stores, we make natural and organic products even more accessible to our customers! www.naturalwholesalers.com
What inspired you to start your company?
I have always been drawn to natural products and am very committed to making a difference in the way we shop and consume products, as this is the only way to protect our own health and that of the environment. As a consumer, I read all the labels and research products as much as possible and I know it is not easy to find plant based, cruelty free and healthy products, whether these are natural remedies, health foods or beauty products. I wanted to make it easier for people to make the right choices for themselves and for the planet!
Why should anyone use your service or product?
Every single product sold by Feelgood Health is 100% natural - no exceptions! More than 90% are plant based. We also believe in making ethical and healthy shopping easy, so we do all the research for you and then make it easy to place online orders that can be conveniently delivered to your door! We also believe in providing support and help where needed and have a dedicated helpline with trained staff that can recommend products for all your needs. You can access our support team via the website, via WhatsApp, phone, or email. We believe in building relationships, not just selling products!
Tell us a little about your team
We have a dedicated, hardworking, and all-women team! Our warehouse and dispatch team make sure that your products are shipped to reach you as quickly as possible, while our wholesale sales team operates all over South Africa to distribute our range of products to retail outlets. We also believe in giving you’re the knowledge and power to make your own health decisions and therefore have a strong and skilled team running our support, social media, blogs, and newsletters to make sure we keep in touch with our customers and are there for them when they need us!
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
I do not really come from an entrepreneurial background but have always been a creative and ambitious person with more ideas and dreams than I knew what to do with! As an entrepreneur, I have the opportunity not only to give my creativity space, but also to provide jobs and growth opportunities for my employees and to contribute to growing our economy, something which is much needed in South Africa. In a world where men often dominate the business space, I find that running my own company and being able to provide a space for others to grow is very satisfying. While I did not set out to grow a big company, I find that the more effort and creativity I put into it, the more Feelgood Health and Natural Wholesalers grow and that is very rewarding!
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
We are on a steep growth curve and were very fortunate to receive venture capital funding in 2021 from Enygma Ventures, who have also been fantastic in providing support and in partnering with Feelgood Health to reach greater and greater heights. Apart from continuing to grow our footprint in South Africa, we would also like to expand into Africa and the USA in the near future.
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
I love the feeling that I am making a difference in changing the way people shop. The best feeling is hearing from customers whose lives have been positively impacted by using our products. We love it when customers buy a product from us for one member of their family or for themselves and then come back again and again for more products for their babies, children, other family members and even their pets! We often feel like part of their family and that is great! I also love seeing my staff members grow and gain confidence in themselves!
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
Even if you start small, make a start! You are more capable and powerful than you realise and it is only by putting yourself out there that you will come to really understand this. It takes tremendous courage, persistence, strength, and resilience to succeed as an entrepreneur, but women have all those qualities and then some! Believe in yourself, make, and learn from mistakes and always keep your eyes on your dreams.
To find out more, email michele.carelse@feelgoodhealth.co.za or visit the Feelgood Health website and social media platforms:
