Personal Passion to Wellness Vessel:

My Journey From Small Business to Educator and Distributor


Buzz / Guest Writer Series

Editors Note: This story was written in collaboration with Madison Leigh, founder of 42020 Visionaries. Madison is one of our Ohanga Creatives who specializes in aromatherapy and cannabinoid self-care products. To read more about Madison, check out her Ohanga profile here.


Hi, I’m Madison D’Arezzo: founder and head aromatherapist/formulator at 42020 Visionaries

My journey with essential oils started in 2017 when I started taking courses at the New York Institute of Aromatic Studies to become a certified aromatherapist. I learned about a wide array of essential oils, their unique chemical compounds, and the endless ways they could be formulated for wellness and cosmetic purposes. I fell in love with formulating, experimenting, and learning about the multitude of botanical ingredients and their abundant benefits. 

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As I learned more about botanical body care, CBD, essential oils, and other natural ingredients, I began blending butters, waxes, extracts, and other plant-based skincare and body products that I loved and knew would make a difference in people’s lives. Each essential oil contains a multitude of individual elements that act together to have a specific effect. In these early stages, I learned about the different plant families and how each essential oil has unique affinities with individual parts of the body and bodily functions. For example, lavender is well known for its calming, sedative properties and peppermint has an affinity with the digestive system, reducing nausea, bloating, and indigestion. 

Over time as I continued to learn and work hands-on with the ingredients, 42020 Visionaries came together. I started selling my products, hosting classes, and developing products for other companies while continuing to expand my knowledge through taking online courses on aromatherapy and essential oil composition. 

For the first few years, I ran the company by participating in local shows and small markets. I took advantage of these early experiences meeting and talking to other artists and creators to learn about running my own business and gain confidence in my brand. Some of the customers I met during this early phase of the company are still loyal clients to this day, and I value their faith and commitment to my brand and mission. 

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Until 2020, I was running my business completely out of my home, selling my products at local fairs and through my online website. Now, I rent a beautiful space in Shady Lea Mills; here I can fulfill orders, meet clients for custom product and brand consultations, and host classes for D.I.Y. aromatherapy and botanical formulation. 

In the past year, the 42020 Visionaries brand has expanded beyond just me to include other businesses and entrepreneurs that share my mission. I host speakers and local vendors at wellness events to promote the benefits of botanicals and holistic body care. My ultimate goal is to build up a community of people who can benefit from various wellness services and natural products that work together synergistically and effectively. I hope everyone has a chance to learn more about these practices to relieve discomfort and improve their daily lives. 

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Choosing the right essential oil or essential oil blend is extremely important in facilitating both physical and emotional healing, which is why a lot of my time is spent working on custom blends. I want to ensure that my clients are receiving exactly the right kind of product to facilitate healing based on how their minds and bodies uniquely react to different scents and chemical compounds within essential oils. 

Over the years, my goals have expanded to include working with other holistic practitioners. I am currently shifting inward from attending as many retail events, and aiming to work with massage therapists, yoga studios, chiropractors, and physical therapists for custom formulation projects. Aromatics have a place in so many different areas of life, from meditation, to pain relief, insect repellants, and a multitude of targeted physical applications. Aromatherapy massage is an extremely effective way to administer essential oils for localized treatment, as essential oils are able to penetrate the skin and enter the bloodstream. It is no secret that the best treatment plan usually includes several different practices, and I believe that the mingling of aromatics and alternative practices such as massage, yoga, nutrition, and exercise is a match made in heaven.   

42020 Visionaries is growing bigger every day, but as I continue to spread and grow my business I maintain the same goals and philosophy of providing a safe space for people to feel comfortable talking about what they need and what they are looking for in their products and daily lives, and learn about the benefits of CBD and natural botanical products. 


42020 Visionaries maintains a crisp and clear, 20/20 vision for the future of cannabinoids and botanical ingredients to maintain health and wellness. With imagination, determination, and purpose, I plan to develop a future in which natural and safe ingredients can be combined together in a synergistic and effective way to help individuals listen to their minds and bodies and achieve change.

Browse the online collection, reach out about a custom blend, or register for an event. 

For news about 42020 Visionaries and more information on essential oils, read my blog.

Find 42020 Visionaries at these locations and 215 Shady Lea Rd, North Kingstown RI 02852 Unit #200 (open Tuesday/Friday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) 

Contact me at 42020visionaries@gmail.com, or by phone at (401)-315-4802. 


Authors: Madison Leigh and Francesca Giangiulio

We envision a world in which creatives can grow and share their passions unburdened from the complexity of business management; a world where a community can easily access art for sale as well as celebrate and engage with their local artists. 

Find more information about Madison and our other Ohanga creatives here.

For more Rhode Island art news, read Etch as an online magazine.

Find us at our Newport art store, Ohanga Newport.

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