Humble Beginnings
Over two decades ago, Emily Wright came into the essential oil business without really knowing what essential oils were.
“I was actually a little embarrassed that I ended up working for a network marketing company, and on top of that, a company that sold ‘voodoo’ oils,” she explains.
Over time, she had powerful experiences with the oils that changed her mind about their efficacy completely. Emily felt empowered as a mother to take care of her children in a natural manner, and she became passionate about empowering other moms.
As her career progressed, this passion grew stronger, and Emily worked her way from an executive assistant to a top executive.
In 2008, Emily decided there was a better way to source pure essential oils and educate the world on their many uses. Her desire to find the world’s most pure essential oils led her and the other founders to establish dōTERRA, which is now the leading and largest essential oil company in the world.
Empowering Women
From the beginning of dōTERRA, Emily knew she wanted to provide more opportunities for women personally and professionally.
Through its pure essential oils, dōTERRA empowers individuals and families across the globe to take initiative in their health and wellness. In addition, dōTERRA’s unique business model provides individuals the chance to work from home to support their families. Since mothers are typically the primary caregivers in the home, it’s no surprise that 90 percent of dōTERRA’s Wellness Advocates are women.
“I know what it feels like to be in their shoes,” Emily says about women trying to provide for their families. “I know what it feels like to have $26 in my checking account, wondering how in the world I’m going to put food on the table for my children. I know what it feels like to go hungry.”
Emily never expected to be where she is now, and she’s loving her life and opportunities.
“Life has a way of molding you and providing experiences that prepare you for the person you are to become. Being part of dōTERRA has helped me grow beyond what I thought was possible, and I love nothing more than to help others grow and find their purpose.”
Making a Global Impact
Emily’s passion for empowering others, especially women, reaches beyond dōTERRA’s customers. Together with the other dōTERRA founders, she helped to develop an initiative called Co-Impact Sourcing®. This program ensures that all the growers and distillers who produce dōTERRA essential oils are paid fairly, treated with respect and benefit from the company’s success. dōTERRA sources essential oils from over 40 countries with many of them being developing countries in need of economical support.
Through her work with dōTERRA, Emily has had the opportunity to meet other women across the globe who are working to support their families. Emily shares the story of Melle from Kenya.
“Melle lives in Lunga Lunga, near the Tanzania border in Kenya. It is one of the poorest regions in the country, with an average family income of less than $1 a day. Melle has eight children, and it was not uncommon for them to go days without eating because there wasn’t enough food to go around.
“When we realized this region was ideal for growing tea tree plants, we knew we could bring industry and opportunity to people in desperate need. Our sourcing team gave Melle young tea tree starts, helped her plant them, and taught her how to cultivate and care for them. Six months later, we returned to teach her how to harvest tea tree. She was paid immediately for the crop she had cared for. It was more money than she dreamed of making in her lifetime, and she will have a harvest every six months.
“But we didn’t stop there. We worked with her to set up a savings account and taught her how to budget her money. In three years Melle will have enough money to become a land owner through the program we have established for our small-scale farmer partners in the Lunga Lunga region.”
This story is not unique. Through the Co-Impact Sourcing Initiative, dōTERRA has been able to change countless lives.
“We are doing this for Melle and thousands of others. What a gift it is to empower such beautiful people and give them a chance to rise up,” Emily says.
What the Future Holds
Emily looks brightly into the dōTERRA future.
“My dreams for dōTERRA have grown over the years. We never imagined the personal development that would occur in so many lives as a result of people sharing the benefits of essential oils with others,” she says.
As Emily watches dōTERRA grow and evolve, her vision grows with it.
“We never stop dreaming. In addition to the 120,000+ jobs that have been created and supported in developing areas worldwide, we have big plans to continue working with people all over the world to create more sustainable jobs and offer many families a better way of life,” she says. “The potential that exists is truly limitless.”