Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel Dugan.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Growing up, I was always a sick kid. Headaches, stomachaches, food allergies, seasonal allergies, acne – you name it, I had it. I used to get teased in school, even my friends would say “You’re like the kid on that TV show with glasses who can never hang out because he always has a Doctor appointment.” I didn’t know who they were talking about, but I didn’t like it. I didn’t want to be “that kid.” It was my Mom who noticed first that what she fed me, impacted how I felt that day and the next.
She had me keep a food diary, and we started establishing clear guidelines for how my family should live to feel ideally healthy. We started reducing and eliminating things like dairy and refined wheat and sugar products. Headaches seemed less frequent, stomach seemed healthier, and the acne seemed to clear up a bit. We were getting on to something that wasn’t really talked about, at least properly, in the 80s and 90s. Wellness. Working in Esthetics and as a Makeup Artist taught me quite a few things about people.
The people who took the best care of themselves had the nicest skin. I could always tell who drank too much coffee, had to much sugar or didn’t sleep enough by the condition of their skin. I had established that I wanted optimum health, maybe for a lot of very vain reasons, but ultimately I wanted to look and feel my absolute best – Who doesn’t? In 2010 I completed my education at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, studying in almost 100 different dietary theories, learning holistic therapy modalities, and attending many classes in coaching.
I was still missing something, but what? Eating well, exercising, meditating, making time for my loved ones – What was the missing link? How would I truly Live My Passion? And there it was. Over 10 years into my journey to find my calling and to really find what would motivate and drive me to help improve the lifestyles and wellness of others, and this beautifully packaged box came to my doorstep. As I opened the Young Living Premium Starter Kit, I felt a wave of excitement and tried to negotiate real estate with my husband as to where my new diffuser would live.
Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils? How are they different than the Essential Oils we use at the spa? I started doing research. And research. And MORE research. Young Living owns their own farms. No chemicals used ever. Quality over quantity. Integrity. Charity. Efficacy. They couldn’t be ANY more different. These oils were like little angelic offerings from Mother Earth… Oh, wait! That’s EXACTLY what they are! I soon found myself using these oils to do everything.
Supporting digestion, increasing my energy, having the best nights sleep of my entire life, and eliminating my personal need for allergy medicine are just a few of the many things I was able to accomplish just weeks and months after joining what we call “The Oily Life.” So excited I couldn’t stop talking about them. I started making my own skin care, lotions, eye creams, household cleaners, hair products, before I knew it every product in the house was a beautiful reusable glass bottle formulated by myself, with natural ingredients and the Worlds Purest Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils.
And that is how EssentiallyDan was born. Young Living is the core of my lifestyle, my household, and how I care for my family (canine and human!) No matter what your issue is, we have an Oil for that. I challenge you to contact me, so I can let my passion for these oils teach you how you can take control of your life. This isn’t just a business, It’s my calling.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My journey hasn’t been the smoothest, but it hasn’t been loaded in obstacles either. Teaching people about the importance of utilizing the power of nature to improve their level of wellness can be frustrating, clients often want the “easy way” to a solution, whereas what I offer is a sustainable and natural way to balance your body, mind, and spirit.
As time passes, this lifestyle and these products become easier and easier to share with people. It’s about being persistent and following your passion and reading between the lines. Some of the biggest struggles have always been getting clients to fully utilize the knowledge and the power of essential oils. It’s easy to educate them and make them understand, but I can’t go home with them and force them to apply the knowledge. That’s always been the biggest frustration for me.
Please tell us about EssentiallyDan.
My personal business is called EssentiallyDan, and it’s my platform for my personally taught classes, workshops and seminars as well as the platform I use to share what we offer on social media. We also have a group I run, both in person and on Facebook, called #EssentiallyYOU which is a safe space I’ve created to promote education and the overall discussion of using Essential oils from Young Living in the safest and most effective way.
I personally specialize in using essential oils and aromatherapy in conjunction with Integrative Nutrition to help people manage their lives in a realistic but purposeful way that puts emphasis on increasing one’s level of wellness, purpose, and abundance. I also train our new distributors to give them all the tools to share what we have to offer, and our message of wellness. I’m most proud of the community we’ve created, full of like-minded people all seeking to better themselves.
When I look around and see what kind of team has blossomed, I am so grateful and humbled. What I think sets us apart #EssentiallyYOU as a community is that we are a judgment-free safe space. Come as you are, and you are celebrated and appreciated – but also pushed to be, do and feel better. What sets me apart from others in a similar field or even within Young Living is my passion, my unwillingness to ever give up, and my ability to dream big and never be confined by limiting beliefs.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I had to start over, I would change how I looked at building this business. It can be easy to sell products, but it’s much harder to create community and to invest in people individually – especially when the numbers of people requiring your support is steadily approaching 300. I’ve found by making people the priority, learning to listen before I start giving advice, and truly connecting with people and making them feel heard and understood is one of the most valuable business tools that often gets lost with expansion.
Pricing:
- Young Living Starter Kits – $160 (provides a diffuser, our 11 best selling and most practical oils, education, free access to our online communities, and more)
- Aromatic Consults – $55 for (1) 45 minute Session
Contact Info:
- Website: EssentiallyDan.com
- Phone: 978-395-5667
- Email: daniel.f.dugan@gmail.com
- Instagram: essentially.dan
- Facebook: Facebook.com/EssentiallyDanOils
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
