Assembling the Brand: An Interview with Laura McCann, Founder of Auratherapy

Welcome to our latest founder series interview with Laura McCann, founder of Auratherapy—a brand that blends wellness and fragrance. Specializing in essential oil-based products that align with the body’s energy centers, Auratherapy offers a holistic approach to emotional healing and self-care through chakra oils, aura sprays, and scent discovery kits.

Founded by Laura, the brand combines aromatherapy with data-driven aura and chakra readings for personalized wellness experiences. With a factory in Asheville, stores in Asheville and Miami, and a growing presence in wellness spaces, Auratherapy is redefining the fragrance industry by offering natural alternatives to traditional perfumes.

We sat down with Laura to learn about her journey, the inspiration behind her products, and how Auratherapy shapes emotional wellness's future.

What inspired you to start Auratherapy?

My desire to offer personal coaching in areas I had explored, like personal transformation and healing, was the driving force behind my next chapter. After spending years building private brands in fashion for major retailers like Limited Brands, I realized I wanted to create something of my own. I saw the wellness category emerging, and I had a strong belief that beauty and wellness were on the verge of merging—something we've seen happen. I also noticed that the branded aromatherapy space was largely underserved, which presented an exciting opportunity to bring something new and meaningful to the market.

Can you share a pivotal moment or decision that significantly contributed to your brand's growth recently?

Our brand started to take off a few years after we opened our first retail store in Downtown Asheville. Introducing aura and chakra readings alongside our product line helped us stand out and catapulted us into a unique space where we’re able to combine both products and services in a way that sets us apart.

Who is your target demographic, and how do you engage with them through marketing and product development?

Our primary focus is direct-to-consumer, with our stores being at the heart of our business. We market to those interested in personal development, energy healing, and the 'woo-woo' curious—those looking for data to back up their exploration of healing practices like breathwork and aromatherapy.

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What was a challenge you didn't expect, and how did you overcome it?

The biggest challenge has always been access to capital. Beyond that, we’re operating in a category that’s still not fully mainstream at retail. Major beauty retailers like Ulta Beauty and Sephora don’t have dedicated aromatherapy sections, even though I believe they should. While the spa channel understands our work better, it’s still missing a consumer base that’s truly engaged with the scent. Essentially, we find ourselves doing a lot of 'missionary work' to educate people about what we do and why it matters.

What sets your products apart from competitors in terms of quality, pricing, or consumer appeal?

We manufacture in-house, directly sourcing from our factory, and design our packaging. My background as a designer and trend researcher gives us a competitive edge, along with my 30 years of experience in global sourcing. The result is not only beautiful products and packaging but also 80-90% gross margins. By cutting out all the middlemen, we maintain full control. Plus, we have the flexibility to scale on demand with a made-in-the-USA product.

What are some strategies that have helped Auratherapy gain more brand recognition and awareness?We went all in on an organic social media strategy and have grown to 100K on Instagram! We create really fun content, such as a series called People We Adore. It's a blog and Instagram interview where we introduce like-minded people to our audience. It has helped us grow an authentic community.

Where do you see your CPG business in the next 5 years? What are your short-term and long-term goals for brand growth and market expansion?We’re fully committed and have invested heavily in the brand. Recently, we rebranded from Adoratherapy to Auratherapy and created a new company to house the refreshed brand, because it has so many new revenue channels. We also bought out our past investors to move quickly and experiment until we find the right mix.

In the short term, we'd like to open more stores and expand our Auratherapy certification program, training the next generation of aura readers to work at additional locations.

We also are moving into a building, a church we are renovating we are calling Aura Sanctuary in Asheville. It will house our factory and offices, while also serving as a community and event space. As we expand across these new channels, we’re embracing the belief that wellness brands should be all-encompassing.

We’re also excited to announce the upcoming release of our book, Auratherapy: A Guide to Adoring Yourself, Your Chakras, and Your Aura.

As a founder, what advice would you give to other entrepreneurs looking to establish their own successful consumer goods brands in the coming years?My advice is to go for it if you want to spend a lot of time and money and have the skill set. Otherwise, you are better off doing anything but. Building a CPG brand is a massive investment of body, mind, and soul!

Interested to learn more about Auratherapy? Discover the story behind the brand.

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