Meet Mar Na Carter | Founder and Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mar Na Carter and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mar Na, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Balance is truly key when it comes to your mental, physical and emotional health. I am the kind of person that keeps going no matter how tired I am. But lately, I had to realize how unhealthy it was to keep pushing without acknowledging how it can effect your home life. There are times when I will remove myself from social media to spend time with God and myself. I also etch out some time to be with my son. The last thing I want to do is grind so hard that I miss all the important moments with my family. We are in a society that we believe we sleep when we are dead. Please acknowledge that you will get to the mountaintop in due time but if you don’t balance out your work life, you might end up at the mountain top by yourself.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The company’s name was supposed to be Mar Na’s Collection. But believe it or not, someone else has a company by that name. So, I decided to call it Mar Na’s Body Shop because our motivation is to help assist people to heal their bodies holistically. We specialize in body butters and body scrubs but we wanted to expand our brand to provide an alternative for self-care and wellness.

The inspiration for Mar Na’s Body Shop started in 2010. A family member of mine was having skin issues and was unable to use store-brought products. I decided to do some research and found out that I could create something that would not harm their skin. I made my first product, Peppermint Body Butter. The family member used my body butter and her skin started to clear up. I knew I was on to something.

A few years went by and people kept asking me to make more Peppermint Body Butter. One day my sister was using a body butter that was very expensive and was small in portion. I told her I could make one that was less expensive and bigger in size. I decided to start my business on my birthday, Jan 1st, 2018. I have been making body butters for my sister, my family and other people ever since that day.

We have been through a journey but it was worth every moment. I had to realize that you can’t do this all by yourself. You need people you can trust and bounce ideas off of when you are trying to figure things out. I also learned to be careful with sharing my dreams to everyone. Not everyone see your vision and will not encourage you to continue on with the business. You have to trust God and the gift he gave you, to fulfill what he has called you to do.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am from Philadelphia. So, I would suggest the Philadelphia Art Musuem, South Street and of course, you have a to stop by one of our famous stores to get a great cheesesteak. But one of my favorite places to check out is Green Eggs for some great breakfast food and Scent and Sip. I am really a fan of Scent and Sip and also, Wax and Wine. If you are interested in making your own candles, body sprays and lotions, Scent and Sip is a great place to go to.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to shoutout Drip Scent (skincare business) for looking out for me and their continuous support. I would also like to shoutout The Beaute Drop and Briana Patterson (owner of The Beaute Drop) for showing my brand love and supporting Mar Na’s Body Shop. Our store was featured on BeauteTv, thanks to Briana Patterson.

Website: https://www.marnabodyshop.com/

Instagram: @marnabodyshop