My Healthcare Experience Inspired Me To Create A $300K/Year Herbal Supplement
Hello! Who are you and what business did you start?
Hi there! My name is Maddie Miles and I am the founder of Peace. Love. Hormones. I formulate herbal nutraceuticals to support women’s (and all of those with ovaries and a uterus) menstrual health and to empower them with the innate wisdom to live in harmony with their cycles and prevent period pain and PMS.
Peace. Love. Hormones. are creating a women’s reproductive health movement and it's growing more powerful by the day! Our current offerings are herbal nutraceuticals, a menstrual health app, a podcast, and eBooks.
We went from an initial order of 100 units to 10,000 in just 9 months.
What's your backstory and how did you come up with the idea?
I am a woman who has been shuffled through the conventional medical system for various diagnoses, from anorexia nerviosa to Lyme disease, to insomnia, ever since I was little. Amidst it all, I was prescribed many pharmaceuticals, including the hormonal birth control pill.
I didn’t feel like myself for most of my teenage/young adult life, and I was ready to make a change not only in my life, but within the medical/health and wellness space, and for the millions of women who struggle like I did. I’ve studied nutrition, dietetics, integrative medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, herbal medicine, women’s reproductive health, and so much more! The biggest and most valuable way I learned, and still am, is through healing my own body, on a daily basis, given the toxic world we live in.
From the experience and POWER I had gained from healing my own body, and the knowledge I had acquired in my under/post-graduate studies, I was ready to open up my private wellness practice for women. Of the many healing modalities I taught the woman in my practice, an important one was herbalism. I quickly saw the desire many had for my herbal remedies, specifically the one for ovulation support and overall menstrual health, and I knew what I needed to do. Cue the idea to formulate and bottle my Soothe herbal formula.
Take us through the process of designing, prototyping, and manufacturing your first product.
When I was stopping hormonal birth control, I knew that I needed to support my body from within to make sure that I did not experience what is commonly referred to as “post-pill syndrome” which includes a host of unfavorable symptoms upon stopping hormonal contraceptives.
So, I turned to what I knew best, and what had helped me, and so many others, heal from many health ailments: herbs. I researched, experimented, and eventually formulated my herbal nutraceutical which I have been selling to the public since July 2021.
This was not an overnight process by any means. It took me a year and a half to perfect my formula, partner with a lab, create the labels, and start selling. I am only 8 months into my business and I have already upgraded the formula too! Through Soothe and my educational platforms, I have helped millions of women and I am not stopping!
I am 100% self-funded, so everything I have done for my business has been with the utmost attention and intention. I needed to invest in myself and the company by hiring a team around me who had complementary skills. I have my herbal team/lab, warehouse for distribution, design team, email/text team, and legal team.
Describe the process of launching the business.
Everything has happened so seamlessly and just as it should. Pun intended, my business truly FLOWED together so beautifully! After developing the final formula of Soothe, working with my designer and friend to create the logos/labels, and creating my website, I just launched it one day and promoted it on my Instagram, which was the only social media channel I had at the time. I didn’t even have an email or text list.
I quickly sold out and realized how valuable my work is and the products I have created, so I quickly hired a 3PL and have scaled accordingly. MY sales have been 100% organic from social media (predominantly Instagram) and via word of mouth. I also host in-person wellness events in Austin, Tx, which has grown a loyal community as well!
Find what you are utterly passionate about and create a product/service around that
Costs have included web development, herbs, packaging/bottling, lab fees, warehouse fees, customer service/expanding my team, creation of my app, podcast equipment, a lot to say the least! However, I didn’t do this all overnight. I’ve been helping others to hear through my educational platforms and my private practice for three years now.
I started my podcast a year and a half ago where I chat about all things women’s and menstrual health. I just launched my app in January 2022. Everything has been happening and it’s on divine timing.
Since launch, what has worked to attract and retain customers?
Amazingly enough, I haven’t spent a dime on ads. I have been a health and wellness blogger for the last 3 years. In doing so, I have built an incredible community around me who trust and love me, just as much as I love them! I have sold out of products from an inability to keep up with the rising demand times! It has been so exciting, beautiful, yet tough at times.
That’s the beautiful roller coaster of being an entrepreneur, and I truly believe I was put on this earth to do what I am doing right now. People want a connection to their things. Especially when it comes to their health and well-being, they want and SHOULD know what they are putting in their bodies and how it can help them live a more fulfilled life.
I don’t run any paid ads and I feel very fortunate to have experienced such success without needing to do so. The brand, and the product, speak for themselves! I don’t run sales or push this on anyone. I know and believe in the power of what we are doing and that it will attract the right people when they are ready to embark on such a powerful healing journey!
How are you doing today and what does the future look like?
I am doing amazing today! I found a new lab-based in California that I vibe incredibly well with. I can maximize the quality of my product while saving a couple of dollars per unit which is AMAZING!
You see, my product is not some cheap product I sourced overseas for a dollar. These are the highest quality organic herbs they have been cultivated and grown in a small batch, made to order, with the utmost love, care, attention, etc. so, the future looks like this: more herbal formulas to come to the peace. Love. hormones. Line, an expansion of our already incredible community, and more women healthy and THRIVING! Our goals are simple: to keep growing the business and help millions of women and menstruators across the globe to find true health and happiness. Also to go worldwide! We currently only ship within the US and Canada.
Through starting the business, have you learned anything particularly helpful or advantageous?
I have learned that authenticity and kindness always win. Also, when you are doing something that you love, it almost always works out.
What platform/tools do you use for your business?
I use Shopify, Instagram, and Apple/Spotify for the peace. love. hormones. , TikTok.
What have been the most influential books, podcasts, or other resources?
I love anything having to do with women's health and wellness. That’s where I thrive. This includes webinars, classes, programs, research articles, clinical, and podcasts. I love Dr. Lara Briden and Dr. Aviva Romm and their work and podcasts.
Advice for other entrepreneurs who want to get started or are just starting out?
My advice for any entrepreneur is to find what you are utterly passionate about and create a product/service around that. Then, you will never feel like you are working. Don’t force anything. Just let it flow. The biggest mistake I see is rushing the process and/or not being authentic. Find what you are passionate about and use that as a base to build upon.
Where can we go to learn more?
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
