Solana Simply
Linnea Steffy -
“My name is Linnea Steffy, I grew up on a farm in East Tennessee and graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2015. I live in Knoxville with my incredible husband and our two Siberian Huskies!
In 2018, my mom was diagnosed with stage 4 mantle cell lymphoma, which is a very rare form of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. As I watched my mom's journey through chemotherapy, radiation, and a stem cell transplant, I started learning about what causes cancer and the carcinogens we are exposed to in our everyday life. I am now a passionate advocate for clean living and consumer awareness about environmental toxins.
I didn't set out to start a business; I actually started by making candles because I couldn't find an affordable candle on the market with ingredients I could get behind. My husband and friends convinced me to sell what I was making, so I started an Instagram in December 2020 during the pandemic, and it grew into Solana!
Sustainability and ingredient transparency are extremely important to me. I source all of our ingredients from small businesses (primarily woman-owned) that are based in the US, and choose the highest quality ingredients available that are sustainably and ethically sourced. We avoid plastic in all of our processes including making, packaging, and shipping, we use recycled and recyclable shipping materials, and we refill our products for our local Knoxville customers to reduce waste.
I am inspired every day by the incredible people who believe in my products and support my brand, by the female entrepreneurs and makers in my community who lift me up, and by my mom, who is currently in remission! I believe that consumers have the power to create change by supporting conscious, small brands like Solana and local makers in their community.”
