~ Sobia Moman
Heather Hood went back to her roots when she purchased the Mountain Goodness Natural Foods store three years ago.
Natural medicine and organic foods were an integral part of her upbringing and continue to be today.
“I grew up in a house where I knew where my food came from,” she said.
Mountain Goodness Natural Foods is a health food and products store that is supplied by local farms and businesses.
Hood has a degree in horticulture and learned that she wanted to own her own business. When she worked for Mountain Goodness and later found out that the owner was selling it, Hood knew it was the perfect place for her to begin her venture into running a store.
She wanted to own a business that had already been established in order to have a better work and life balance, as she is a wife and mother.
After seven years and battling several hardships, things finally began to come together for Hood.
“When the timing is right, it sort of falls into place. It feels seamless,” she said.
Being a leader is something that comes naturally for her, Hood said.
She used to run vineyards which allowed her to experience the responsibility that comes with being in charge.
Hood is also a member of the board for the Indigenous Friendship Society and supports Indigenous-owned businesses by providing an outlet in her store.
“I like to find people that are starting out and give them a place to sell their products. I feature a lot of products that you can’t find anywhere else.”
Running the store has allowed Hood to work alongside a strong and inspirational group of women and build a loyal customer base. She attributes much of her success to the team she works with every day and her husband.
She hopes that Mountain Goodness Natural Foods continues to grow and reach more people in Revelstoke and provide more goods from local suppliers.
Hood’s ultimate goal is to mentor women and aid them in being successful business owners. In order to get to that place, she wants to dedicate the time to learning all there is to know about being an employer.
“Being a champion for someone and making someone feel seen and heard and supported, I think those are things that I’m good at,” she said.
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