Most of her contemporaries may be content with scrolling the internet, but 13-year-old Natalia O’Brien is hard at work concocting new recipes and designing new jewelry to stock her craft fair stand.
The Springs School student said last week that she is not only finding financial success in her venture, Tiny Tonics, which specializes in natural soaps and tonics, she is getting to spend more time with her family, who are also part of the craft fair circuit.
While she’s doing it the old-fashioned way — manning a kiosk at craft fairs throughout town and delivering locally — Natalia is bringing a modern flair to her crafting. She’s launching a YouTube channel showcasing her products, how to use them, and the ingredients that go into them. There is also a Shopify storefront where customers can buy her products online.
Natalia’s mother, Nicole O’Brien, has a crafty side as well. Her company, Tallie’s Tonics, is in a similar business. Ms. O’Brien sells soaps, tonics, and scents.
The pair spend time together coming up with soap recipes (this month the specialty of the house is vanilla hazelnut and rose essence), and then making them in their Springs home.
Ms. O’Brien, a kindergarten teacher at the Ross School, says that teaching her daughter to work hard and be responsible with money was part of the impetus behind creating the brand. Natalia said she appreciates that aspect, but also treasures the time she gets to spend with family.
“I just wanted to follow in her footsteps,” the eighth-grader said of her mother.
Sometimes, the duo is joined by Natalia’s grandmother, who makes decorative wreaths to sell at local fairs — making three generations of a local family working together. Tallie’s Tonics has been in business for four years and has recently branched out into pet care supplies with a lavender bedding spray. Natalia says the spray does double duty: The fresh scent is also calming for dogs. The family dog, Charlie, a Boston terrier, has long adorned the label of every item they sell.
The spray is their first product specifically for pets, though Natalia remarked that the calendula oil they make for people doubles as a soothing balm for pet paws. “It’s natural, and has so many uses,” she said.
All the ingredients in Natalia’s products are simple and natural, incorporating glycerin, organic shea butter, and scents and add-ins like dried rose petals. The simplicity keeps customers coming back, Natalia says. “They like that they’re all natural.”
Soaps, oils, and tonics may be the specialty of Tiny Tonics, but Natalia says she has a particular affinity for making jewelry. She uses a variety of mediums, from rubber bands to sterling silver. Earrings in particular are her favorite creations; she “loves seeing them come together.”
This eighth grader is more than just her business, though. She’s a member of the inaugural group of last year’s junior national honors society, a lover of science, and an accomplished athlete who competes in track, softball, and basketball — and has recently started teaching herself archery in the backyard.