Founder Interview: Leslie Rice of Botanic Aromatics

The seeds of Botanic Aromatics, wellness products handcrafted with care by Leslie Rice was actually planted decades ago.

Q: What first drew you to working with botanicals?
I’ve been interested in botanicals since my twenties. I was always looking for natural solutions. Western medicine is great for acute symptoms, but it doesn’t always take a whole-person, holistic approach.

Q: Was there a moment that deepened that path for you?
Yes—my son’s health challenges. At the time, there wasn’t much understanding around ADHD or sensory issues. Kids didn’t feel grounded, and a lot of the response was medication. I remember thinking, what are we doing to these kids—and how can we make things better?

That’s what led me to explore Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, and plant-based approaches.

Q: What did those systems teach you?
They focus on creating balance and supporting the body as a whole, rather than just reacting to symptoms. Things like reducing stress, improving sleep, and working with plant-based support systems can have a real impact. That shifted how I think about wellness entirely.

Q: How did Botanic Aromatics begin?
It actually started through pottery. After retiring from my work in finance, including my time as an operations manager at Bank of America, I began working with clay. The physical strain on my hands led me to create my first product—Joyful Joints.

When I made that, I realized there was an opportunity. I started the business in fits and starts and learned a lot about myself along the way.

Q: What guides your formulation process today?
Care and intention. I make sure the essential oils are sustainably sourced and that the constituents are present in therapeutic amounts—not just included for scent. Finding vendors who meet my standards, have third-party testing, and adhere to sustainable practices like following CITES was important to me, even though it wasn’t always easy.

Q: How has the brand evolved over time?
Most recently, I went through a full rebrand. I wanted the products to reflect the care, craft, and consideration that goes into each one. That meant redesigning labels, updating the website, and refining the business with my customers in mind.

Q: What kinds of products do you offer now?
I currently have over 20 products. Joyful Joints is still my flagship. I also created Dreamweaver massage oil for sleep—you apply it to the bottoms of your feet.

There are inhalation blends for respiratory, seasonal, and emotional support, including focus blends and options specifically designed for children. I also have a menopause support line—Radiant Cooling, Radiant Sleep, and Radiant Clarity.

Q: What do you hope people experience through your products?
Support—physically and emotionally. But also something beyond that. When people feel better, they connect more. They show up differently in their relationships and their communities.

To me, wellness isn’t just personal—it’s collective.

Q: You’re also involved in building community. How does that connect to your work?
I’m one of the founding members of the Greensboro Holistic Collective, which is about connecting practitioners and creating synergy in the community.

I’ve also been involved in building the website and newsletter, and I volunteer with organizations like the Art Alliance and the Greensboro Farmers’ Curb Market. That work feels like a natural extension of what I do.

Q: What drives you now?
This feels like a calling. My creativity really opened up through doing supportive work for others.

I believe change happens from the roots up. When you approach things with care and love, that’s how you show up in the world. You don’t have to have everything figured out—you just have to start where you are.

Two years ago Leslie became one-quarter of the Greensboro Holistic Collective’s founding members, based at the Pear Tree Collective in Greensboro, with a goal of connecting practitioners to create synergy in the community.  Leslie is also the creative and technical force behind the 11-month-old website and newsletter. Her passion to create and link communities extends to volunteering with the nonprofits Art Alliance and Curb Market. Now she sees her work and collaboration with grass-roots communities as a calling.