Allison D. Mahon, RN established her Alloma Care Spa Products and Wellness Inc. seven months ago but the vision for her company has been in the works for at least 10 years.
Like many entrepreneurs, Allison started producing her unique, herbal organic body care products and essential oils in the home she shares with her husband, Minister Rufus Mahon and her two boys.
Her God-inspired business not only beautifies the skin but heals the whole person by merging beauty, skin and health care to create a lifestyle that fosters wellnes, longevity and peace.
Wellness consultations take place in the privacy of her home where she orchestrates spa activities for women who want to share a spa day with special friends or even a couple who wants to celebrate the milestones in their lives.
The 37-year-old has always had her goal set on opening a day spa and augmenting that with specially created spa products to represent “wholeness of self.” “I wanted people to be able to maintain the lifestyle of the spa setting even if they could not afford to do it, often. But, God had another plan. He allowed me to develop the spa product line first,” said the formerly trained massage therapist.
So far, she has created collections based on biblical names, including; Queen Esther “Purification” Collection; King David “Courage” Collection men’s line; and, King Solomon “Love” Collection which is a unisex.
Her staff of four includes her husband (both graphic designer and printer), a creative analyst, a marketing director and herself. She holds meetings and appointments in her living room, creates the rich body butter, candles and oils in her kitchen and turns her entire apartment into a spa for the spa parties.
Without the finances to really do everything she envisions creates limitations, but the company is debt-free and she intends to keep it that way. The sales from each product is put back into the business and despite limited funding, she is running out of storage space! This summer she got her first lesson in preserving her products. Without a climate controlled space to store the soy candles she walked into her extremely hot storage space to discover that the candles had melted and become discolored.
But with all the drawbacks there is an element of fun, which is captured when she throws a spa party and the participants ooh and aah about the feel and textures of the products on their skin. Testimonials are the encouragement that drives her passion. The hot oil treatments, the body butter, the scrubs, the candles are some of the products that immediately show improvement in skin and hair. The melted wax from the candles can be rubbed into the skin creating a nice glow and soft texture.
“After working with terminally-ill patients for 14 years as a private duty nurse and caring for patients with Lou Gerigh’s Disease and providing Respiratory Vent Care it is a pleasure to create products that breathes new life into their users,” said Mahon.
Lessons learned the hard way still stays with her but she has put her faith in her God and pushed past some of the disappointments from past ventures that failed. “I am learning to pick myself up and keep on pressing,” said the former co-owner of ELAA Juice Bar of Forte Green, Brooklyn.
What’s next for Alloma Care? “To increase my clientele and develop a training program for women and men who are interested in creating financial security for themselves and their families by selling Alloma Care Products. Her line has already expanded to include hair care and body spritzer products.
Her advice to those looking for a brighter future – “make sure you are getting into a business for the right reason, be passionate about what you are doing and never give up! Everyday, do something toward bringing your dreams into a physical manifestation. No, only means ‘no,’ if you stop trying. When working from home, set work hours to keep you on track and give you structure. The same way you would complete tasks at the end of the workday if you worked for a company. And finally, be prepared to have long work days and nights, sometimes!”
Working in the community is very important to Allison and her husband. She distributes her products at women’s conferences especially those centered around empowering women affected by domestic abuse and gets a lot of valuable feedback as she tests her products amongst the women in her circle of influence.
Educational pursuits never end for the licensed massage therapist (LMT) and holistic health practitioner (HHP) who obtained her license from the San Diego School of Healing, a BSN from Hunter College (1996) and spent many years learning the art of soap and candlemaking.
Amazingly, her youngest son Malik (12) is her best sales representative. He encourages the parents of his friends, teachers and even strangers to buy Alloma Care Products. Her older son, Guillermo (18) is determined to finish his college education with an Accounting degree so that he can one day help build the business’ finances.
The former single mother who comes from a large family in San Fernando, Trinidad (her maternal grandmother had 21 children), loves sushi and sashimi and remembers the days she struggled to take care of her boys and dreamed of owning her own business. When her husband entered her life she was going through some chaotic moments. She publicly thanks him for bringing the peace of God with him and for his love and patience.
www.allomacare.com 347-370-9636
