More than a store: natural products retailers offer more than just vitamins. (savvyshopper).

What separates smaller natural products stores from larger retail chains? Quite a lot, actually. But one of the biggest differences is the attitude behind the counter--a simple realization by the owners that selling supplements and turning profits are just a part of their overall mission.

Case in point: Kay Adams, owner of K's Divine Health in Pasadena, Texas. Twenty-four years ago, Adams' husband suggested she cut back on sugar and junk food. Newly pregnant, she decided to heed his advice and take responsibility for her health--and that of her developing child. Working at a small health food store in Deer Park, Texas, Adams became ravenous for information, and she began educating herself about all aspects of health and nutrition. But Adams didn't stop there. Diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 1994--and unhappy with the solutions offered by traditional medicine--she turned her self-education into a formal one, becoming both a board-certified naturopathic doctor and a doctor of divinity in holistic nutrition. And her education continues, as she expects to become a certified nutritionist in December 2003.

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In 1998, Adams opened K's Divine Health. Like many whose private successes lead them into the natural products business, she sees her store as more than a way to make a living. "It's not God's will for us to die early," Adams says. "God, as the greatest physician, has created the plants and herbs we need to heal many of the diseases we suffer today--as an alternative to, or in conjunction with, traditional medical practices."

Getting this message out is an integral part of Adams' mission. "My goal is to teach people how to be their own doctors," she says. Although she isn't a professional public speaker, giving seminars has proven to be a vital part of Adams' community outreach.

First invited to speak at a real estate seminar five years ago, she was astonished to find an audience of 150 people. Since then, her public outreach has expanded to include speaking engagements for a wide variety of organizations.

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