Meet Val Barnett | President of Emmerse LLC & Mental Health Advocate

We had the good fortune of connecting with Val Barnett and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Val, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
Emmerse was born out of the need for a mental health outlet for me. At the time of creating Emmerse, I was in a high-level leadership position, unhappy and unfulfilled. The work environment was toxic, and I really needed to focus on my mental health. At the age of 15 years old, I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, and working in a toxic work environment was only exacerbating my anxiety disorder.

I have always used scented candles to help myself relax and cope with my anxiety disorder. In 2020, my husband suggested that I start making my own candles, based on the number of candles I would purchase daily. I took his suggestion and decided to create a wide variety of scents that I loved and scents that would help me relax when I experienced different moods.

After making candles for myself, I shared them with friends, and they encouraged me to sell them to others. From there, Emmerse LLC was born. Emmerse started with candles, but quickly developed signature, seasonal and lux soy candles, natural bar soaps, mango body butters and other personal care items.

The purpose of Emmerse is to create natural, scented and artisan curated products that make relaxation easy and time efficient, while creating products that are respectful of the environment.

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?
Entrepreneurship is an entirely different beast than corporate America. To develop Emmerse, I have learned to take risks; both big and small. Growing Emmerse has been a challenge with respect to understanding how to insert new products into the market and understanding the best platforms to sell products. The most effective business strategy I have learned is to examine each opportunity and take a chance on the most fitting option.

From launching my own branded website to being admitted into the Amazon Black Business Accelerator Program, I have come to understand the value of taking risks and constantly measuring risks to ensure they are successful in the long run.

In addition, Emmerse is a company that creates products that are eco-friendly, and we are committed to truly understanding our impact on the environment. As we continue to grow and develop as a company, it is vitally important for Emmerse to remain eco-friendly and grow in our knowledge of different ways we can more positively impact the environment.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Being that I am originally from Chicago, I love that so many Chicago based restaurants have expanded to the Atlanta area. My closest friends are also from Chicago, so moving here ensured we will always have a taste of home, in our new home. I love visiting Harold’s Chicken and getting my food drenched in mild sauce! The mild sauce is more important than the actual chicken for me!

Also, I am always discovering new places in Douglasville where my husband and I reside. When my husband and I recently had visitors, we took them to Gritz in Douglasville. It is such a cute and fun place to have brunch. They have great drinks, entertainment on Sundays and the food is so good! I would recommend that everyone tries their brunch.

In addition, my friends and I love to shop so going to Perimeter Mall and Lennox Mall is always a fun thing to do. Atlanta has some of the best shopping with such a variety of shops, it’s always a ton of fun.

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 give a special shoutout to my husband, Brandon James Barnett, Esq. Through my transition from corporate America into full-time entrepreneurship, he has been the most supportive person in my life. He has not only supported my right to choose happiness, but he has also supported my ability to shape a productive, safe and mental-health friendly work environment.

There are no words to describe the amount of gratitude and appreciation I have for him, so I will just say I love him from the depth of my soul. He is and will always be hero.

Website: https://www.getemmersed.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getemmersed

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/getemmersed

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getemmersed

Other: https://www.amazon.com/emmerse

Image Credits
Lena Allure