Shopify traveled to Tulsa to tell the stories of retailers reinventing Black Wall Street for the e-commerce era. Read the rest of the series here.
They call her the Queen of Herbs.
When you enter Sultana Naylor's pharmacy in downtown Tulsa, you're greeted by hundreds of large glass mason jars neatly arranged on ceiling-high shelves. Cat's claw, blue lotus, fireweed, and Irish moss – these are all esoteric herbs with ancient uses coveted by Sultana customers.
Sultana is a certified herbalist who believes in using the earth's gifts to help heal the body and mind through natural remedies. And she, a grandmother of three and mother of seven, has done it from both the physical space and her social media, and in a few months she's collected on TikTok Sharing herbal tips and tricks to her 30,000+ followers.
Herbalism became a successful second act for Sultana, who had already built a six-figure career in small business consulting when she decided to follow in the footsteps of her ancestors, who were healers themselves. She currently owns two successful Shopify stores, Vital Melamins and Apotatote, which offer supplements and nutrients aimed at helping people achieve their best health. I am. Blackwall Learn from Sultana about running her successful Wellness business in Tulsa, the birthplace of her Streets, and what it means to do it.
Sultana's pharmacy is packed with hundreds of jars of dried herbs.
About restarting in Tulsa
“I started my first business, Sultana Steam. [a vaginal hydrotherapy center] in Houston, Texas. Pre-pandemic, I lived there and Sultana His Steam locations spanned five states. We had it shut down, but when the quarantine started, it closed.
When the pandemic hit, my daughter, who lives in Tulsa as an essential worker, called me and said, “I’m an essential worker. What should I do with the baby? ' And that's my first grandchild. I immediately looked for Airbnb. I thought I'd go to Tulsa and stay there for a few months. And two years later I'm still here.
Tulsa has grown tremendously. To celebrate his 100th anniversary on Black Wall Street, there were so many transplants here, it was really beautiful. I'm enjoying it, but it's completely different. I've lived in upstate New York, Atlanta, Houston, and I come from a big place, so even though it's very small, I definitely feel like there's growth happening. ”
About the power of becoming your own brand ambassador
“The first thing I did was research. I had an advantage because I had a business background. I knew how it worked, but I had to fine-tune it. What will my niche be? Once I have the groundwork done and I have all my ducks on paper, I start by: When I have one client, I knock on the door. and wasn't afraid to have a conversation.
That personal touch is still what sets my business apart. Even with so much emphasis on social media, we still need to find ways to reach out and talk to people. I highly recommend it to anyone who is starting to become their own brand ambassador. ”
Sultana's customers seek her out for the natural herbal remedies she offers.
Regarding withdrawal from American companies
“My degree is in business administration and international business and I did very well in corporate.I wanted to help the community and I was serving people who weren't being helped, so I made six figures. I fell from my position. I can afford it.
I love business. I love entrepreneurship. I love systems, processes, and helping people grow. Knowing I couldn't help my own people, I asked myself, “What am I going to do?” Am I going to keep making millions for others? Paychecks have a purpose. You can protect your family, but what is your real purpose? Who am I helping? Whose life will this change? It had just finished. I knew I could do it myself. And I did. ”
About respecting lineage and following in the footsteps of our ancestors
“My desire to study herbalism comes precisely from the female line in my family. Before herbalism was something you could earn a degree in, it was part of my ancestry. My great-grandmother, Julia – Turnbull was born. She was a Native American during slavery. That was already instilled in me.
I was always teased growing up. Out of all my siblings, I was the granola fan. I've always been holistic, vegan, all these things. I've always had an affinity for herbs and just being healthy.
Then my mother died at the age of 59 from bacterial meningitis. She was the vice president of Toyota Motor Corporation and she retired at the age of 50, but she lived a wonderful life. We had no idea she had her illness, but within 24 hours she passed away.
When my mother passed away early, I kept noticing all these patterns [of chronic health problems] In my community, I realized that I could no longer keep this knowledge to myself. I wanted to create a platform where people could heal and normalize being healthy.
So to speak, I went on my own “Eat, Pray, Love” journey. I studied a lot on my own and obtained several qualifications. I still didn't believe that the education out there was really educating anyone about herbal medicine, so I started my own certification program. ”
With her explosive presence on TikTok, Sultana is raising awareness about holistic health
About the importance of Black and Indigenous health
“Dear members of our community, we have been lied to and abused too many times. We have faced a lack of adequate care and a lack of access to care. did not have adequate representation of caregivers.
All of these considerations led to my decision to go back to what we did naturally in the first place: our indigenous roots and actually living on the land. Let's really normalize and heal our health. I passionately believe that as we heal our bodies from the inside out, our communities will also heal. ”
About payments to other budding entrepreneurs
“I believe it's really important to build a legacy. I want to do it in my community first and really build wealth and solidify our values. People. That's only possible by empowering entrepreneurs. When I empower and train entrepreneurs, it's about building a legacy, not just in my family, but in my community. That's my first passion. But I'll open it up to everyone.
I started by helping Black barbers and stylists incorporate, create business plans, and really break out of the cash-and-carry mindset. I wanted to teach them everything I learned in corporate America: protect your money, protect your assets, and build wealth. The only way to do this is to get legitimately sound information on paper.
I just help them get incorporated. Then I went and did what was considered a “sales” workshop, but was actually asking barbers to think about how the Black hair experience is deeply ingrained in our community. Ta. I was teaching them to think more like businessmen. It spread rapidly by word of mouth. ”
Sultana's ancestors were healers, and her connection to them drives her work.
About the past, present, and future of Black Wall Street
“Especially if you're mentally attuned, you can literally feel your ancestors, so there's always an echo. Now, does it look different? Yes, it's quite different. It's not that extensive, and I wants Black Wall Street to truly encompass North Tulsa, a predominantly African-American neighborhood, and not just the Greenwood area.
There is no doubt that the city had high hopes as it celebrated its 100th anniversary. Even though I was excited, I felt like my hidden wounds were exposed. People were eager to share, but it was also painful. This wasn't just a race riot. This was a genocide, a farce, and wiped out generations of people. It was very powerful and empowering for the community to have this story come to light. There is still a lot of treatment and education to be done.
I represent the future of Black Wall Street. I am what they died for. What Black Wall Street represents is a return to our values, standards of excellence, and authority. The demographic that will make that happen is Tulsa's late 20s to early 30s group. They are educated, calm and persistent. I think Black Wall Street is in their faces. I think history runs in their blood, and I think it's up to them to truly continue to bring awareness. Black Wall Street is not just a story; it exists, thrives, and is visible to the public. ”
