Work Smarter, Sell Faster: The Neuroscience of Aroma-Fueled Teams with Jessica Wiehle

Freddy D: 00:01:59

Hey, superfan superstar Freddie D. Here in this episode in 112, we're joined by Jessica Wheeler, clinical aromatherapist, scent scientist, and a visionary founder of Aroma well.

Jessica traded complex litigation for essential oils and now blends ancient wisdom with cutting edge neuroscience and a pinch of magic to help businesses elevate wellness, productivity and brand connection through the power of scent.

Freddy D: 00:02:27

With more than a decade of pioneering.

Freddy D: 00:02:29

Aromatherapy programs in senior living and hospice settings, she's proven how well crafted aroma can transform the lives of residents, staff and families alike. Beyond the lab, Jessica champions clean air, healthy living and tirelessly educates on the hidden dangers of artificial fragrance.

Get ready to explore how scent can change the way we live and work naturally.

Freddy D: 00:02:54

Welcome, Jessica, to the Business Superfan podcast.

So we talked a little bit before we got on the show, just about some AI stuff and things like that, but let's talk a little bit more about what Aroma well and what's the backstory of how you got involved with the organization.

Jessica Wiehle: 00:03:11

I suppose Aroma well is the opposite of AI because our company is working with the natural world, whereas AI is working with everything tech. We are a very unique, outstanding and innovative aromatherapy company, and what we do is help change lives and businesses through the power of scent.

I got into this through life experience. I was 19 and my mother had passed away from cancer.

I had gone through the whole hospice experience with her, and it was around the same time that I encountered my first essential oil. A friend had given me some essential oil which we use in aromatherapy to help calm my nerves and deal with grief.

And I noticed this profound impact it had on me just through the sense of smell. So that's what we do. We smell the oil. It makes us feel better. Oils are derived from plants.

The idea to start a business with it didn't come until years later. I have a law background. I was a paralegal for many years.

And on my way to law school, working with businesses and analyzing businesses in my role as a paralegal, became fascinated with the idea of getting into business myself.

And between the personal life experience and work experience, Aroma well was kind of born out of this desire to help others and get out of my cubicle.

Freddy D: 00:04:36

Wow, what a story. I mean, I've experienced a little bit of aromatherapy.

Years ago, somebody had given me some different little bottles of stuff and you're supposed to put like underneath your nose or tap it a couple places. It's been over a decade since I did any of that stuff, but I know that it made some differences Instead.

Jessica Wiehle: 00:04:56

Of going to law school, I took a hard right and got certified in clinical aromatherapy, which is a thing. Aromatherapy is so scientific and powerful that in other parts of the world, doctors practice it and you can actually get a prescription for it.

I got certified back in: 2013

When we smell a bottle of oil, the molecules are interacting with our olfactory nerve that sits right here and connects to parts of the brain involved with mood, memory, motivation, and hormone secretions. So we can smell this and it will release different chemicals in the brain that are involved with happiness and joy or help us sleep better.

It's neuroscience. Sure.

Freddy D: 00:05:44

I mean, when you go to the massage place to get a massage, they have a scent in there to calm you down. They got music to calm you down. So. Absolutely. I didn't realize there's such a depth to that space.

Talk a lot about in the conversations we've had at some networking events. This can be transformative for the culture.

Jessica Wiehle: 00:06:05

And everyone else actually are starting to leverage it. And, and let me explain.

The primary lane of my business is working with senior living communities because aromatherapy has such a profound impact on our older population, especially people experiencing the symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer's and their caregivers. I actually specialize in building programs for memory care facilities, hospices. We have products for hospitals.

rally, my first client was in: 2013

We built a program for them, and we were able to get people off of very powerful medications that had a lot of side effects within just a couple of weeks by strategically implementing aromatherapy into their care plan. This was in a memory care facility, and that blossomed into a lot of business that I do today. So I build programs.

We have very innovative products and systems that we use and train medical and healthcare professionals in how to perform it. On the other side, scent is being leveraged by businesses. Scent marketing is a billion dollar growing industry.

Really the problem, Freddie, is that they're using synthetic fragrance, which is actually very harmful. It's very unhealthy. It's not regulated.

There are thousands of chemicals that can be used in the United States that aren't even allowed in other countries because they're that toxic. The benefits that true aromatherapy, like we do, provides employees with focus and motivation, workplace wellness, all that stress relief.

Think of a guest walking into a hotel and being greeted with something that not only smells good, Good, but actually makes them feel good. Some essential oils purify the air, kill germs.

So there's this whole world of aromatherapy in business that's not being leveraged because companies don't realize there's an alternative to these synthetics. But we are starting to grow that part of our business. And branding, creating olfactory logos.

When we talk about creating superfans, a sports team would have a logo. Their team, we create an aroma.

Freddy D: 00:08:33

Right. Wow. Fascinating.

Because we used to use the plugins and my now wife did some research and said these are not good for us and so we've stopped using them completely. She wants to be around at least another day. But you bring up a interesting point because I've really never realized it.

We've talked briefly at these events, but I've never really got into the depth of what it is you do and the impact it has. Not only the healthcare industry that you deal with, but in other aspects as well.

Let's go into a little bit, Jessica, about how you work with and develop a plan for senior care.

Jessica Wiehle: 00:09:22

First of all, we have a plug and play program already developed because we've had so much experience already working all over the US different companies. So it's really nice and easy to install. But what we look at is what are they contending with?

So we'll fill out a questionnaire and we'll learn more about like are you dealing with behavioral issues, meaning people that have dementia have what we call behaviors. Is it staff burnout? Are we just looking at helping with the staff burnout? And is there an odor issue? Because that's very common.

And so what's nice about aromatherapy is we have commercial grade machines that can put it into the environment in a very ambient way. So it's not overpowering. That addresses odor issues, behavior and staph burnout in like one shot.

But then also there's some companies desire to have some training so we can customize the training programs for their staff. So that's where we would see more hands on. Like how does a staff member work directly with a resident? Or implement it into activities?

Or we have a sleep program. They get training on how to safely and effectively implement aromatherapy into their setting.

Freddy D: 00:10:39

Do you have a story that you can share where you've worked with somebody?

Jessica Wiehle: 00:10:43

We have. The nice thing about my job is that I get this feedback all the time. I hear all these magnificent stories. So one unique one that was unexpected.

We were testing some of our new formulas on a stroke patient.

I developed a formula for People like you and me that are out networking and selling and speaking to help them articulate their words better and speak better, because we can do that. It's all neuroscience and working with different parts of the brain.

You smell this little stick, and it helps light up the brain and give you more confidence, better articulation. Okay. So I had somebody testing it on a stroke patient, and she had it in her pocket. I actually didn't really plan out any of this.

She did it on her own. And he had trouble mumbling his words from the stroke. So she gave him the stick, and he started to smell it.

And she said there was a substantial difference in how he could articulate his words. That same guy, his wife called me. We have a blend that helps stimulate the appetite. And he was facing hospice because he wasn't gaining weight.

At a certain point, the medical staff will make a determination about whether somebody's ready for hospice. And his wife wholeheartedly believed in what I did.

She called me and said, Jessica, he's gained 30 pounds from smelling your oils and stimulating his appetite and helping them eat better. So that same gentleman, we got to speak better and eat more. And he's still alive today.

I won't make any medical claims here, but I think we had something to do with it.

Freddy D: 00:12:22

Oh, you could easily say the wife is a super fan of you, and that's really how you transform people into super fans, going above and beyond and coming up. So you came up with the clever way and did the research and put something together that didn't exist, that became transformative.

And so that says a lot about you and the knowledge you bring to the table. But more importantly, it also highlights the effect that what you put together has done for other people.

Jessica Wiehle: 00:12:54

It's very rewarding.

Freddy D: 00:12:55

So you've transformed a lot of lives.

Jessica Wiehle: 00:12:58

I have a passion for the elderly. I lost my mother. I've been blessed with grandmothers and step grandmothers that I've cared for. And so I know these places are very lonely.

And not everybody has family that comes together visit.

It can be a very isolating stage of life, and we should not spend our whole life to get to end of life or the last years of life or our golden years under on so many medications. Polypharmacy is a huge issue in this country.

And so aromatherapy is one of the leading ways that we can transition somebody off of medications and find more comfort and happiness.

Freddy D: 00:13:37

Well said. Let's go to. How can aromatherapy operate in irregular business? But what I mean by that is not a medical Focused business.

But something, let's just say a law firm. You got law backgrounds, so law firms. Yeah, let's talk about law firms.

Jessica Wiehle: 00:13:54

It's funny to bring that up because it's another passion of mine because yes, I worked in one for so long. If a law firm came to me, first of all, any company that comes to me, we are deep diving. We're not just saying how do you want it to smell?

We're looking at their brand, their mission, their vision, the culture of the company. We're looking at what they want their clients to feel and remember. Because scent is the strongest link to memory.

When you smell something, it can instantly jar a memory. So you want them to have a good association with your brand. And that's truly the power of scent. We'll walk them through that.

They get to have a sensory experience with us. There's pre work like a deep dive paperwork, questionnaire.

Then we have an in person sensory experience which is so fun because we watch people light up, memories are recalled, stories are told just from smelling these different plants. Some things are very rare and exotic. I have a perfuming background, so I bring all these elements in.

People will smell things they've never smelled before and be like, wow, this is making me feel so amazing. I didn't even know this existed.

And so that's what we start to layer into a formula using neuroscience, historical, ancient uses, and then of course the perfuming to make sure it's put together in the right concentration. It's truly an art form. And so like one good example of how we would do it for a law firm.

A law firm probably wants to smell clean, inviting, not too overpowering and reduce stress. Right.

We also probably want to help that law firm convert because I know when I worked in a law firm we did a lot of free consultations and that can be really exhausting. So by converting, I mean we can actually lace interweave certain aromas into the formula that work on the motivation centers of the brain.

So think spending, gambling. Actually there are studies out there that show that people spend more time and money in places that have certain aromas piped into the environment.

And there's also studies out there that show this example I love is they're playing a game. It's called the trust game. People are given different roles. One's the trustee and wants the, the person investing their money.

They have two separate rooms. One has aromatherapy, one does not.

Those in the aromatherapy room spent way more of their money, play money obviously than those in the Unscented room. So we see that it facilitates negotiation, enhances trust, all those things.

Freddy D: 00:16:36

When you stop and think about it, when you walk into a restaurant, there's a certain smell in there from the food. And it's either going to be pleasant, it's going to be inviting, or it's going to go, man, I'm not sure about this place.

Same thing when you go into a hotel room. You go into a hotel room and there's some of them that you walk in and man, it smells nice. It's fresh, it looks clean, it feels clean.

And there's others that you go, oh, God, this is the room, you know, and you want to exit stage left, but you paid for it already, so you're screwed and you got to deal with it. And then you go, man.

Jessica Wiehle: 00:17:11

Well, that's also why we have portables that you could. A diffuser is a little machine that puts the aroma into the air. They're great.

Freddy D: 00:17:19

Oh, really? That's interesting because now that we're deep diving into this, you're right. It's all around us and we don't realize it.

You know, it's the same thing. Like, I buy my wife every so many weeks new bouquet of flowers and the first thing she does is doing it for 12 years. So this is consistent.

First thing she does is smell them. Now, it's something we started doing when we first started dating and we've been doing it for 12 years later.

Still do it because it always surprises me.

Jessica Wiehle: 00:17:51

Yeah, but to your point, yes, Aromatherapy is around us all the time.

When I teach and train healthcare workers that haven't been educated through schooling on anything holistic to get them to understand very quickly, I say, well, when you walk into a kitchen and smell cookies baking, what happens? Well, someone will raise their hand and say, oh, my tummy starts to growl, my mouth starts to water. We smell something.

Our brain deciphers the information and releases certain actions in the body.

Freddy D: 00:18:25

That's absolutely true because even when you're cooking dinner at home, for example, there's certain things that you're cooking and there's certain stuff that smells great. There's some stuff that doesn't smell so great, but it's actually still good for you.

But when she makes cookies or things like that, once in a while, we can't wait to jump into them. Let's go further into how you work with companies and organizations.

We talked about the medical aspect, that you have a plan for them and then it gets tweaked. What about individuals? Do you Work with individual people.

Jessica Wiehle: 00:18:59

First of all, we have different programs and packages for small businesses, solo entrepreneurs, all the way up to big organizations so that everybody has access. I have a whole retail line on our website and we also do custom formulation for individuals.

And I'm building a team and training others on how to do that as well at some point. So I have some support there, but it's not a huge part of our business. But we'll get requests for.

Somebody wants a signature perfume or a guy's out on the scene and he wants to create a signature scent to help him in the dating life, which is a big thing. I get referrals from matchmakers out here in Scottsdale. They're trying to help their clients.

So one of the things we really focus on in our retail line is workplace wellness. We have products for individual entrepreneurs, business people, or anybody wanting to kind of hack their brain can harness the power of what we do.

We have blends for focus, for creativity. So working on the creative parts of the brain for speech, like I talked about, it's all easy to understand.

On our website, the blends are called Speak well, work well, create well, think well, and so on. So we make it fun and easy that way.

Freddy D: 00:20:28

That makes me think of something you just brought up, the workplace.

Let's talk about how this can impact a workplace deeper than what we've talked a little bit about performance, about engaging with prospective customers, existing customers, suppliers. Because energy is transparent and it can carry, whether it's an email, the way you word it can come across, the way your tonality comes across.

That's one of the things I talk about. And transforming a company to where they have a super fan mindset.

Their goal is to get everybody empowered and that energy carry on through all their stakeholders. Let's talk about that, because I think that that's an overlooked area on productivity, environment, all that stuff, and we hit on it.

Jessica Wiehle: 00:21:25

If you think about it, we all have to breathe, right? We get to choose what we watch, what we listen to, what we put in our mouths, what we eat and so on.

But if you're in a community environment, a public space, or a workplace, we all have to breathe. So first and foremost, that's why if you're using any scent at all, it be natural, because the other stuff can have the opposite effect.

It can create headaches, allergies, negative mood, negative thinking, and people might not even realize that's what's causing it. We know that artificial fragrance is a neurotoxin, so it's contributing to negative behaviors in the senior living environment.

So of course it's going to do that anywhere else as well. The thing is, we provide a solution to so many things very effortlessly because nobody has to do anything but breathe.

For example, one company I've worked with would utilize aromatherapy during their meetings. So they'd have meetings every week and everybody'd get an opportunity. In fact, they have these sticks and they put their logo on them, right?

So they have it branded to their company and the staff can open up and start smelling it and calm their nerves and be able to collaborate better in meetings.

They have a sensory room where people can go to de stress during the day so it's dim, they've got nice music and things like that going snack, softer lighting and colors on the walls, all these different sensory elements. They have the aromatherapy as well. Deep diving into what we can really, truly do. It's profound. I mean, aromatherapy, it's really therapeutic.

That's why that word is smashed together with aroma. It is a therapy, but it's a non invasive, ambient, soft, gentle way of shifting behavior substantially.

The sky is the limit when it comes to what we can do.

But what we have done is create zones and different offices where if this room has this blend because that's where we do our collaboration, that room has this blend because that's where people are creating. And staff might have sticks for different purposes and individual diffusers in their offices, if that's allowed.

The nice thing about aromatherapy is there's a lot less reaction. You know, I'm not saying people don't ever get bothered by the smell, but there's a lot less when it's natural.

It's like substantially less as far as like the ability to create super fans. Right. From what I understand about your brand and what you do, you help people understand the value of creating something so impactful.

People can't not talk about it and share it. I think that's what's so cool about aromatherapy. It's naturally creating super fans just by its very existence because people smell it.

I walk into your office and I smell it and it makes me feel good too. And then it just starts selling itself just through the sense of smell.

Freddy D: 00:24:28

And I think that company that you talked about, where they have the branded stuff, what's their environment in a company?

Jessica Wiehle: 00:24:35

Yes, absolutely. People are happy about working anywhere that has aromatherapy. And I notice staff get excited about it. The people that receive these as gifts.

So as marketing material. If I come into your law firm and I interview you about My divorce.

I've got this divorce coming up and I need a lawyer and you give me one of these sticks. Well, this stick made me feel better. It took a little bit of that stress and grief away.

And every time I open it to smell it, I see you, I see your brand, I begin to make association with you.

Freddy D: 00:25:14

Yep, that's exactly where I wanted you to go. And the other aspect is the productivity.

That company, I mean, it's got to be going like this because everybody, you know, one of the analogies I use is think of a racing rowboat.

You know, you've got eight people in there and they all have one or okay, so you got to get all eight people going in one direction in synchronization, time wise, everything else, because otherwise that boat's not even going to circle. It's going to go like this and go no place.

And what you're doing with the aromatherapy is kind of getting everybody into that rowboat and feeling good about where they were going to go. And everybody's rowing in synchronization.

Jessica Wiehle: 00:25:56

That's right. I always say if I can, in a memory care facility where we've got people that have a very advanced neurological decline, then we can help anybody.

And we do.

So when I have a session with a team and I walk in meeting, a sales meeting, you can kind of see the different personalities and the different energies and whatnot. But as soon as I bring out the samples and people start seeing, smelling, everybody's happy, everybody's laughing, they're collaborating.

You can literally watch the shift happen in a matter of minutes.

Freddy D: 00:26:28

And this would be a great tool for service based businesses to give a little gift to a prospective customer. Because just like you said in the divorce scenario, the soon to be ex wife pulls it out. She's smelling it, but it gives her a feel good.

You've got the branding there. So yeah, that's the law firm.

If she shopped to a couple other law firms, odds are they, and probably real high odds, they don't have that same approach. It's a complete differentiator from a business perspective. You got someone that comes in to do remodeling of your house and leaves that as a gift.

It's a great way to really differentiate yourself, create super fans out of those customers. Which is the best word of mouth marketing you can have.

Jessica Wiehle: 00:27:20

That's right.

We have all different types of clients that order the sticks from us or other products that we brand because it can apply to any company, like you said, the restoration company or a realtor Truly anybody?

Freddy D: 00:27:37

There's a good one right there. Realtors, I mean, they're doing an open house. So if they're hosting an open house, what a great way to have a welcoming sense.

People come in and they just right off the bat start feeling good about this house.

Jessica Wiehle: 00:27:50

Saying that feels good. It doesn't just smell good, it feels good. True aromatherapy does make you feel better.

And I actually get realtors that can rent or buy our equipment to put into homes that have smell issues too. You can always tell when somebody's trying to cover up a smell with some air freshener.

But when you true aromatherapy, it actually helps neutralize the odor. So it's nice.

Freddy D: 00:28:14

People will forget what you said, people forget what you did, but nobody will forget how you made them feel.

Jessica Wiehle: 00:28:21

Yes. And so you're also don't forget a stinky place. You'll remember what something smells like on both sides of something. Doesn't smell good.

Freddy D: 00:28:30

Correct. It's been interesting because I've learned a lot from our talk and I'm sure our listeners will learn a lot. There's really no downside. As I can tell.

You're creating a better and environment if you have an office with people creating a better work environment. If you're dealing with like a service based business, which is real estate, home improvement, etc.

You also have the ability to create a better environment in individuals homes and with the law firm. Every time I've happened to deal with lawyers, it's not a fun experience because you're going in there because there's a problem.

You don't go in there just because it's a good time. You're in there for an issue and it's not usually a fun issue.

So what you're really doing is you're transforming the environments for a multitude of different people in a very holistic way. Has no downside.

Jessica Wiehle: 00:29:26

Yes. You get it.

Freddy D: 00:29:27

I get it. Now I have a much better understanding. I looked at it as just it's aroma, it's different than scent and it's natural.

But I really didn't realize and I really want to emphasize that it's a complete game changer for the recipient and for the business. What I mean by the recipient is the person with the heart attack, the person with dementia in the home, that's the recipient.

But then the other part is the business that's utilizing it for the clients and their personnel.

Jessica Wiehle: 00:29:59

Yeah, everybody wins with aromatherapy. I have a fun. I'm very grateful that this is my path.

Freddy D: 00:30:08

Yeah, it's a great.

I can see why now I have a different understanding because really, for lack of a better way of wording it, you make people feel good and that's a fun job. There's no downside to that. Very cool. So Jessica, as we get close to the end, where can people find you?

Jessica Wiehle: 00:30:27

We have a website. I'm also on LinkedIn and that's a great place to follow and learn more about what we do and the different arenas that we're working in.

And expanding in Aroma well is on Instagram, Facebook X, soon to be TikTok. You can find us on all platforms. We wanted to extend your listeners and viewership a 15% off discount on our website. All new clients.

We love to give them a little motivation to try some things. Sure.

Freddy D: 00:30:59

We'll make sure that that's in the show notes so we have all the contact information.

Jessica Wiehle: 00:31:03

Any business that want to do a 15 minute consult and learn more, we're happy to do that.

Freddy D: 00:31:08

Jessica, it's been a pleasure having you on the Business Superfan podcast. Great conversation. Learned a lot.

Jessica Wiehle: 00:31:13

Awesome. Thank you so much. I appreciate everything that you're doing as well.

Freddy D: 00:31:18

Thank you.

Freddy D: 00:31:20

Hey, Superfan superstar Freddie D Here again. Before we wrap, here's your three PlayBook power move to attract ideal, turn them into advocates and accelerate your business success.

So here's the top insight from today's episode. Clinica Aromatherapist Jessica Wheeler proves a signature natural scent acts like your brain's invisible logo.

Spark it in a prospect's brains and they'll remember, trust and rave about you long after they leave. So here's a business growth action step. Audit every scent in your workplace today.

Ditch every synthetic air freshener, replace it with one pure essential oil diffuser or book a certified aromatherapist to crack craft a custom blend that builds instant trust.

If today's conversation sparked an idea for you or you know of a fellow business leader who could benefit, share it with them, support the show with the donation and grab the full breakdowns in the show notes. Let's accelerate together and start creating business super fans who champion your brand.