The inception of Rise Body Care was inspired by a desire to create a special, uplifting feeling through craft body products — and owner and founder Melissa Szabo hopes her customers feel this way while using her goodies.
This all-natural wellness-focused enterprise was born during COVID-19 when Szabo had more free time and a stark realization of how precious every moment in life can be.
Fueled by a creative fire and a desire to make something good for the body and the soul, she dipped her toe in the craft of making bath bombs, which eventually snowballed into a self-taught, experimental soap-making trade. She has since fine-tuned her recipes as she’s gone along — learning on the job — and her small business has rapidly grown.
Photos by Melissa Szabo
On a whim early in these exciting endeavors, Szabo took a giant leap and applied for a space at the Vail Farmers Market & Art Show. She was taken by surprise, thrill and a bit of intimidation when she was promptly accepted.
Szabo realized she’d quickly have to produce enough quality wellness products to sell to visitors at the market, but she knew she could “rise” to the challenge.
“It’s not like you can just make some thing one time and it’s awesome,” she says. “You have to work through it and perfect your recipe. I stuck to it.”
Owner, Maker + Boundery Breaker
Szabo runs this entire business herself, which includes crafting the products, photographing her work, running her social media channels and marketing herself at the Vail Farmers Market (and beyond). There are no “days off.”
Growing and overseeing Rise has been an incredibly accelerated learning experience, and Szabo acknowledges she’s made plenty of mistakes along the way — but she wants all new business owners to know the hurdles have only made her a better craftswoman and stronger businesswoman, who’s more comfortable with taking risks and experimenting.
This is how she’s risen to be as successful as she is today.
Currently, her most popular product is a soap colored with charcoal called “Dad Bod,” which started as a seasonal creation centered around Father’s Day gifting (the weekend that the Vail Farmers Market traditionally kicks off). Today, Dad Bod is available year-round and can be an excellent gift for any man who loves a nice wellness routine as much as he appreciates a chuckle.
“People love it,” she says. “They pick it up because they think the name is hilarious. Then, they smell it and say, ‘Oh, this is amazing.”
Always Something New
Those who become fans of Rise will never have to buy the same thing twice.
Szabo also works on making seasonal products so loyal customers can try something new each time they visit. And all of her products are completely natural; made with infused oils, butter, herbs and goodies she forages herself, while out hiking in Vail.
“[It’s] soap that is good for your body, good for your skin, and something that you can feel happy using on yourself and your kids and your family,” she says.
She has found herself with many repeat customers who visit her at the market and online.
One woman from Arizona wanted to buy her products from beyond the boundaries of the Vail Farmers Market so much, that she actually helped Szabo set up Rise’s online Shopify website so she could get these one-of-a-kind soaps shipped to her home in Scottsdale.
Szabo recommends that loyal fans and new buyers check out her Instagram @rise.body.care, where she’s most active. They can also visit risebodycare.com, on Etsy and at the Vail Farmers Market in the summertime.
“I think it’s [been a] pretty natural evolution. I’m generating new products … I feel like I’m growing in that way. Anything that I’m loving, I’m just making my own. I’m trying to make a new natural recipe for products that I [personally] love to use,” she shares.
Szabo emphasizes her goal as a small business is to always create quality goods. She’s driven to make better products that are for people, better their homes, their health and family — while being environmentally friendly.
“I think artisans are conscious about [compassion], and that’s super important,” she says. “I know these products can speak for themselves. I just have to keep letting people discover it, love it and come back.”