Michael Rogers, communications officer for the Small Business Association of Michigan, interviews Kasia Rothe, owner of Rustic MAKA natural deodorants. From their website: “Growing up in Warsaw, Poland, alongside my sisters Monica and Alex, was filled with family gatherings, home cooked meals and camping trips. Summers were spent in the country, cooler months on making fruit preserves and lots of care-free play.

We were raised simply and being connected to each other and nature was part of our everyday life. Our mom, Anna, a nurse at a local hospital, had a passion for holistic approach to medicine. When one of us was sick or hurt, often she was able to come up with a natural remedy to make us feel better. We were continuously taught that earth has an abundant amount of what our bodies need, either through food or body care. Since coming to the United States, my knowledge and life lessons passed on by mom became my basic tool kit for how I raise my family. When Michigan became my new home, it also became a perfect backdrop to continue my pursuit of natural remedies and a simple life that my mom had instilled in me. When conventional products on today’s market fail to perform or contain questionable components, I take it upon myself to find a solution that's made with carefully selected, organic or wild crafted ingredients. Out of this necessity I created Pachy deodorant, which quickly became a product that provided my family and myself with an answer to an unpleasant problem. I often joke that it is like my third child, made with passion, desire and lots of love. Without any plans for a business, I realized I have something, created with high quality ingredients, that simply delivers results and I need to share it with others.”