What lit the fire in me to start my business

By Sarah Sangha

A few years ago, I was deep in the grind of freelance video production, creating content for fashion brands, lifestyle companies, and high-end retailers. I had built a solid reputation for delivering polished, dependable work, but I was constantly hitting a wall. Every time I pitched a more creative concept, something cinematic, elevated, different, I’d get told it was “too much” or “not in scope.”

The truth? I needed those concepts to land because I wanted to reinvest in my craft. I needed better gear, more time, more freedom to evolve. But the people hiring me didn’t want to take the risk.

One day, I was shooting behind the scenes at a luxury department store. I was in their backroom, surrounded by towers of designer handbags, shoes, and gowns. I looked around and thought: There’s no shortage of money here. There’s no shortage of appetite for beauty. So why are we so selective about where we apply it?

That moment lit something in me.

I realized that the world was full of people willing to spend on aesthetics, on storytelling, on feeling—but only in certain categories. Beauty, fashion, home. But not wellness. Especially not aromatherapy, which had been stuck in a dated, overly crunchy box for years.

What if I took the same visual standards I applied to luxury campaigns and applied them to essential oils? What if I treated wellness like art? Like design? Like something people would want to display, not hide in a cupboard?

That was the beginning of Vellum Wellness.

I didn’t launch with a business plan. I launched with a vision: that feeling good could also look good. Those products meant to help us pause and reset could carry the same intentionality, sensuality, and aesthetic value as the rest of our lives.

And that people like me, women who didn’t fit the fancy GOOP mould, who wanted natural products without the gatekeeping, deserved to be seen, too.

Since that backroom moment, I’ve approached Vellum the way I used to approach directing a short film: with a clear mood, a cohesive visual language, and a story worth telling. I’ve learned to lead with conviction, even when the category isn’t ready. I’ve learned that you can create something luxurious and accessible. Something rooted in care and culture.

That day, I walked out knowing I would no longer wait for permission to create beautiful things. I would build the brand I had been searching for—one that made you feel something.

And I still carry that fire every day.

Connect With Sarah

www.vellumwellness.com

@vellumwellness @sarahksangha