It was 2008 when we bought the original company from Nan, an herbalist and icon in California. My sister, Jen, was growing and wildcrafting calendula, chamomile, and a whole host of other herbs. While she was studying to become a certified herbalist and permaculturist, she would dry these herbs on an old screen door then use the warmth of the sun to infuse them in oils over the course of a full moon cycle. These infusions were used to create healing salves which were sold at local farmers’ markets.
At the time, Jen was also working as a midwife. She would often work throughout the day making salves in her kitchen, followed by night sessions assisting with childbirths. In 2009, Jen and Chris, who would later become her husband, moved to Idaho where they continued to make salves while working other jobs. Our mom, Kathy, and I would travel from Texas, where we lived and worked, to Boise, in order to help Jen with production, and we would also stay to sell salves at the various markets and festivals.
And so it went on like this for a while, our family buzzing around the homestead, working around the clock, plant oils covering almost every surface and the scent of flowers wafting through every room. As sales grew, we gathered a small, but determined group of people to help us. We rented a small warehouse and moved some of the production out of Jen's kitchen. At this point, we were still mostly making salves for farmers’ markets, festivals, family, and friends.
The response to our products was incredible -- our salves were a hit! -- and we realized that we needed a website to help customers find our goods in between various markets and festivals. Luckily, our Mom, a self-taught graphic designer and website developer, came to the rescue.
Then, in February 2012, while on vacation with the entire family in Hawaii, we gathered together for an “official” meeting that would change the course of our business. We had just received a request to put our products on the shelves at NGVC, which was our FIRST order from a natural food chain store. They were asking for price sheets and UPCs, which of course we promised, but did not have at the time. It was in this moment that we decided to shift our company from kitchen production and farmers’ markets to something bigger.
Our business continued to grow and in 2015, not only were our products in the gift bags at the Oscars, but we also participated in our first Outdoor Retailer show, where we received a big break working with Duluth Trading Company. At that point, we knew it was time to go all in. We made the collective decision to leave behind our former jobs and move our families to Colorado to be together in one place.
And that’s where we are now, in a little town called Lyons in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. We outgrew our first workspace pretty quickly, and we now have two office spaces, a warehouse, and a farm, where we live and develop our salves and other body care products. We’ve found our way into a pretty amazing group of retail stores, including Walmart, CVS, Target, Safeway, Tractor Supply Co., Meijer, and HEB, among many others.
We now have around thirty employees, a group that includes family, friends from college, Lyons natives, and people we’ll be friends with for the rest of our lives. We’ve come a long way since those early days, and it seems like every time we think we’re going to hit a ceiling, we find more room to grow.
We can’t deny, nor would we want to, that a big part of our story is all of you. Whether it was the early adopters of the products in Idaho or the amazing families approaching us at farmers’ markets looking for help, we wouldn’t be here without you. We appreciate every bit of customer feedback and support, and we work every day to produce a line of products that will make us proud and make your life better.
We’re writing our next chapter right now. Please stay tuned as we learn and grow and continue to spread goodness.
- Jodi Scott, Co-Founder & CEO