Welcome to the MKE Black Business Spotlight! This week we feature Shantell Riley who is the owner of Blue Lotus Life, which promotes wellness. Read on to learn more about Shantell and their business.
Tell us about yourself, where you’re from and what you enjoy.
Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin! I’m a mother of 3 sons (one deceased), grandmother to one, registered nurse, wholistic (holistic, I believe in word play) practitioner, herbal apprentice, reiki practitioner, yoga instructor, and end-of-life doula (to name a few lol). I love nature, spending time by the water, watching my grandson grow, spending time with my family, biking, running, yoga, learning about myself, and supporting individuals in wholistically (holistically) restoring balance and harmony to the mind, body, and spirit.
Why did you start your business? What makes you passionate about it?
I started Blue Lotus Life 2 years after I lost my oldest son, Jevontese Sr, in 2016 and looking for wholistic ways to manage my grief, depression, and anxiety. After the death of my mother in 2009 I was diagnosed with depression. I noticed the only suggestions provided were medications. I didn’t want medication so I started running. During my run journey, I was introduced to yoga due to a run injury. I attended a reiki share a few years later and experienced the benefit of the eastern modality. My herbal apprenticeship introduced me to the benefits of the use of herbs to support the management of health conditions. There was a common theme that I observed that there were not a lot of people who looked like me serving or attending in these spaces. This started my journey of connecting to more “wholistic tools” that BIPOC are not offered or have access to manage mental health issues, imbalances of life, or enhancing their wellbeing.
I am passionate about what I do because individuals, especially BIPOC that are experiencing imbalances in life should has access to wholistic tools to support restoring the balance or enhancing their wellbeing.
What do you want people to know about your business?
That I have integrated my medical background and wholistic trainings to create comprehensive services and wholistic products. Also I love what I do!!
Please explain why your business is important to the community.
Blue Lotus Life is important to the community because BIPOC need to have access to wholistic services and products created by individuals who not only look like them, but connect with the experiences that contribute to the imbalances and support their wellbeing.
Anything else we should know?
I actually have a separate business called Dignity With Departure! I support individuals and support persons preparing, during, and after death! I host Death Café MKE where we talk about all things death related including life!
*Some content is edited for clarity.
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