Nearly 20 years ago, Susie and Peter Bagwell were captivated by therapeutic-grade essential oils. The fascination began when their youngest daughter, Jacqueline, was a baby suffering from an ear soreness that didn’t respond to medication. “A friend told us to try essential oils and I thought she was crazy for recommending snake oil to use on our precious child. Because we were desperate, we tried the oil and the condition improved permanently. That made us believers. Susie began researching and diving deeper into what essential oils could be used for, eventually converting our medicine cabinet into a place for more useful natural remedies,” says Peter Bagwell.

Not long after embracing more natural healing methods, Susie Bagwell began teaching what she learned from personal use, research and from her experience training as a massage therapist. “I gained a good reputation in the area where we lived, north of Detroit. I took the next giant leap and opened a day spa. When I was invited to teach classes on alternative health modalities at a local hospital, I realized that I needed some credentials, which was why I enrolled in massage school. I never expected to fall in love with that, too. In the spa, we used therapeutic-grade essential oils in every treatment that we offered. While we initially signed on as distributors with a different essential oil company, when doTERRA came on the scene in 2008, we switched largely because we saw better results.

“After the first two years, our oil business was doing even better than our spa, even in a bad Detroit economy. We sold the spa when it became too challenging and stressful to juggle the oil business, spa and family life. In the same year, we moved to Fort Myers,” explains Susie Bagwell, who notes that prior to the move, she had been invited to teach aroma touch technique in New Orleans and to Fort Myers to teach massage therapists. “Since then, I’ve taught all over the U.S., as well as in the Caribbean islands,” she notes

“I wasn’t as involved in our first adventure into our essential oil business as much as Susie. After our move to Florida in 2010, I continued working in my career field an engineer the first five years, but then had the opportunity to make a change, so Susie and I began working together to build our doTERRA business full-time,” advises Peter Bagwell.

His CrossFit training was an exercise routine of choice, as well as a hobby. His involvement in I Love Oils presented an opportunity to coach others regarding the training that combines a wide variety of functional movements. “I’ve taken my portion of I Love Oils in a fitness direction and taught individuals how to use the oils and supplements for more effective workout results, quicker recovery and staying healthier.

“I’ve taken more of a wellness direction, to help individuals relax, reduce stress, and learn solutions to different health concerns. Peter and I continue to develop and enhance our areas of expertise in the business. Much of this is the result of our continued research as well as doTERRA’s launching of new products every year. It keeps us on our toes. It also keeps us learning and educating ourselves about different things such as doTERRA’s pet advisory board, which was the result of the many questions our health advocates got regarding how to use the oils with their pets,” advises Susie Bagwell.

The Bagwells have been doTERRA health advocates for 10 years now, expanding their business to include a training center on Alico Road. “There is a lot of freedom in our network marketing business model, which affords the opportunity to volunteer for such things as hurricane relief work. In retrospect, we agree that it took a lot of work to get where we are. We’re grateful for every moment,” say Susie and Peter Bagwell.

I Love Oils is located at 17030 Alico Commerce Ct., Ste. 303, in Fort Myers. For more information, call 586-604-3500, email [email protected] or visit ILoveOils.com.