A little over four years ago I was desperately searching for a product to use to treat a horrible rash my newborn had from head to toe. I went to Waddle N Swaddle in Poughkeepsie and the owner, Jenn Sullivan had just the product, "Magic Salve" from Three Sisters Herbals. Now fast forward four plus years and I have a wide variety of products from Three Sisters Herbals LLC and I was so excited to feature Kimberlee Mule, the master mind behind this amazing product.
I was surprised to learn that Kimberlee has been in business for 8 years! How did I ever survive before? I feel so bad for my older kids.
What was the moment in your life that inspired you to start your business?
Years ago, someone gave me a gift of "how to make your own herbal salve kit" When I opened it on Christmas morning, I literally felt like the box was illuminated. It changed my life. It was empowering to make healing salves for my family. I'd always been a gardener, so I knew the power of growing your own food, and this seemed like a natural extension. Being a curious and creative person, I started playing with my own recipes and ingredients. I'd pass my creations on to family and friends, along with a million questions. Did it do this? Did it help with that? How was the smell? How did it make you feel? From this one little kit, I had found my calling. It didn't turn into a business for quite a while. I had two babies and was busy. I was forging my way through motherhood as naturally as I could. I looked at every aspect of their little lives and tried to make it more natural and organic. Herbal medicine was a huge part of this, I was learning how to really take control of my families health. I was making choices that were educated, not only on the current medicine as we know it, but of the herbal traditions that have been used for eons. I soon began to realize that there was a need in the marketplace for high quality organic herbal products, at a price families (especially those where one parent is home taking care of the kids) could afford. One day, someone said to me "You really could make a business out of this, you are THAT good at it" Ding, went the light bulb over my head. And all of a sudden my calling became my profession. How motivated was I? I was in my second trimester with the third child and didn't even bat a tired eye at starting a business.
Is there a woman in business that inspires you?
There never has been one business women who I follow, and have read all her books or whatever. There are local women in business that I admire greatly. They way they conduct themselves, their business practices and ethics, their sense of style and design. Some of these women I am blessed to call my friends too. It makes life full and rich to have such women in our local community to draw inspiration from. The deep source of my inspiration comes from my memories of my Mom. She passed away years ago, and is one of the Sisters in Three Sisters Herbals. She was not a business women, but the grace, courage, dignity and kindness that she led her short life with have stayed in me. She always wanted to help other people, no matter how little we had. She always had kind words. A smile. These are all the foundations of the "feel" or emotional tone of TSH. The heart of the business is my personal desire to help people by giving them affordable products that are good for their bodies. I try to conduct myself in a way that would make my Mom proud.
Where do you see your business in the next year? In the next five years? The next ten years?
In 2016 I'll be concentrating on my partnerships with other local businesses. TSH partners with other indie businesses in both Ulster and Dutchess County. We're planning some fun and educational events that I'm really looking forward to. There are always new products in development, this year and every year. 2016 will see our first ever limited release product for Valentine's Day...a moisture filled lotion stick, specially scented for the occasion. In the Spring this same lotion stick will make another appearance with the organic essential oils from our famous Bug Away, keeping skin soft and keeping away pesky bugs.
What are the biggest issues for running this business?
That is easy....the balance of my roles as mother and business owner. The struggles, the push and pull... it is tiring, distracting and rewarding. As my business grows, so do my kids. Their needs change constantly, our relationships are moving all the time. And the same is true for TSH. The key to all of this for me is being able to live in a constant state motion and change, maintaining boundaries, and staying focused. It is an odd state of hyper focusing on the task at hand, while being able to think at least three steps ahead, but not getting overwhelmed by it all. Like you're juggling all these pretty colored balls in the air and you never know when one is going to turn into a rock and land on your head. I'm learning to keep my calendar organized, keep detailed tasks lists and put a huge smile on my face, even when I have to fake it (soon enough it feels good and real). As my kids get older, and I am awarded a little more freedom in my time, it feels good to have my baby of TSH to fill the gaps. It makes me miss them a tiny bit less.
Three Sisters Herbals LLC 53 Forest Drive Hyde Park, NY 12538 845-475-5631 info@threesistersherbals.com www.threesistersherbals.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/threesistersherbals/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3sistersherbals/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/3SistersHerbals
Disclaimer- I did not receive any compensation for this article.
