WS Chronicle

For years Tanya Fisher had ambitions of one day being a business owner. In 2011 with about two dozen essential oils and a booth at the Cook’s Flea Market, Fisher took a leap of faith and decided to follow her dreams. “It just grew from there … I started out with about 12 oils in each box and I’m in the ‘dog section’ of the Flea Market … then a spot came open in the front and I took it and it just grew from there,” Fisher said. 

From humble beginnings in the dog section, later this month Fisher’s dream of becoming a business owner will grow to heights she never imagined nine years ago, when she holds the official grand opening for her store front on Reynolda Road. Fisher said it wouldn’t have been possible without the support of her family and all her loyal customers. “The customers helped it grow … I think I might love the customers more than I love the actual business,” Fisher laughed. 

“I’ve just always been a people person and I just love them because they make me want to do this and they make me want to make it better for them.” 

After overcoming several obstacles in the beginning, Fisher, who is better known throughout the city as “The Oil Lady,” said she buckled down and the rest is history. While word of the The Oil Lady and her products continued to spread by word of mouth, Fisher’s daughter, Jessica, was secretly working on a website for what has become the family business. 

“About a month before, she told me she was working on the website. So when the pandemic hit she said, ‘We’re going to launch this thing.’ She launched it that first week and we got hit after hit,” Fisher said. 

Despite her success, Fisher said she was still on the fence about opening her own store. But once again she took a leap of faith and everything seemed to fall into place. Fisher said when she found out she was eligible for early retirement and her daughter got more involved with the business, she knew it was a sign. “I had to listen, so here I am,” she said. Fisher has two more weeks at her job with the District Court Judges Office and that same week she will hold her grand opening. 

“I’ve always been a go-getter when I put my mind to it,” Fisher said. “I kind of slowed down at first, but then I just decided to go with. I don’t believe God put this in front of me to second guess it, because he made too many things happen.”

When asked how it feels to see her mom follow her dreams, Jessica said she is an inspiration. Since graduating from Wake Forest University, Jessica has joined her mother. Jessica specializes in healing and spiritual stones and crystals that will be available for purchase at the store, along with a wide variety of body oils, essential oils, natural soaps and body creams, vitamins, and much more. 

“I tell people all the time that she makes me so proud I’m following in her footsteps,” she said. “Being able to work with her has been awesome and hopefully someday I’ll be able to quit my job and work with her full time.”

The Oil Lady’s grand opening is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 20, at the new location, 3800 Reynolda Road, Ste. 240. For more information and a complete list of products, visit www.thewsoillady.com or search “The WS Oil Lady” on Facebook and Instagram.