Herbal Business Grew Naturally
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A request from an employer to plant an herb garden to dress up the corporate facility opened a door for Jane Hawley Stevens. Once she started learning about herbs, she didn’t stop. Today, Four Elements Organic Herbals, the company she started out of her home more than 30 years ago, sells a broad array of herbal products nationwide. It’s a business based on her belief in the benefits of herbs.
“I started learning about herbs and using them for health purposes and crafts,” says Stevens. “When my son was born, he developed earaches, and antibiotics didn’t help. I read about mullein being used for earaches and lung conditions. I tried it and couldn’t believe how effective it was. When it worked, it opened a world of wonder for me.”
At that same time, herbalism was making a comeback. However, there were still only a few books on the subject. She studied them and saw opportunities.
“I always wanted to have a home-based business, and herbs picked me,” she says. “I started growing herbs and selling the plants at local farmers markets. I realized there was a need for herbal creams and salves. While I could only sell plants a few months a year, I could sell products year-round.”
Stevens’ first product was a rose comfrey cream. It’s still a popular product for her 30 years later. She began selling it at herbal events and craft markets. As she added products, she realized those early markets were a great way to test demand and get the packaging right.
She was living in the Dallas area, and a new store opened, the second in what would become the Whole Foods chain. Stevens talked to the manager about her products.
“They explained what I needed on my packaging to be in stores,” she recalls. “They became my first wholesale customer.”
That was around 1989. In 1991 she got her first distributor. Sales began to grow. Today, she and her husband have a farm in Wisconsin where she raises many of the herbs that find their way into Four Elements products.
“My product list expanded as I learned about things I could grow and problems people were suffering with,” says Stevens. “A good way to find a livelihood is to look at what people need and help them.”
Unlike her startup days when she made the rose comfrey cream in her kitchen, she has a staff to formulate products.
One distributor has grown into three. Her products can now be found in a wide range of stores from Pennsylvania to California, as well as online. She recently had a product take off on Amazon Marketplace, reaching seven digits in sales.
“I found a woman in New York through LinkedIn (a business and employment-focused social media platform),” says Stevens. “She’s a winner. Sales took off. My Wild Yam Cream has been recognized as the number one unsponsored best seller on Amazon Marketplace. I’ve worked for 36 years, and now in my 37th, I’m an overnight success.”
Stevens points to marketing as the biggest challenge she faced. “Find a distributor with the same vision and mission as you,” she says. “If you share a common mission, they’ll know how to market your products.”
The FDA was her second biggest challenge. While the health benefits of herbal products are recognized around the world, the FDA tightly regulates health claims in the U.S. “You have to be very careful what you say,” says Stevens.
She advises anyone going into business for themselves to seek out advice. “Network with other people and get referrals, whether selecting an accountant or finding vendors,” she says. “The best advice I received was don’t try to do it all and get rid of things you don’t like to do.”
In addition to running her company, Stevens can be found speaking at herbal and natural food events. She also authored “The Celestial Garden: Growing Herbs, Vegetables and Flowers in Sync with the Moon and Zodiac.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Four Elements, 111 E. Walnut St., North Freedom, Wis. 53951 (ph 608-522-4492; info@fourelementsherbals.com; www.fourelementsherbals.com).
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Herbal Business Grew Naturally CROPS New Techniques A request from an employer to plant an herb garden to dress up the corporate facility opened a door for Jane Hawley Stevens Once she started learning about herbs she didn’t stop Today Four Elements Organic Herbals the company she started out of her home more than 30 years ago sells a broad array of herbal products nationwide It’s a business based on her belief in the benefits of herbs “I started learning about herbs and using them for health purposes and crafts ” says Stevens “When my son was born he developed earaches and antibiotics didn’t help I read about mullein being used for earaches and lung conditions I tried it and couldn’t believe how effective it was When it worked it opened a world of wonder for me ” At that same time herbalism was making a comeback However there were still only a few books on the subject She studied them and saw opportunities “I always wanted to have a home-based business and herbs picked me ” she says “I started growing herbs and selling the plants at local farmers markets I realized there was a need for herbal creams and salves While I could only sell plants a few months a year I could sell products year-round ” Stevens’ first product was a rose comfrey cream It’s still a popular product for her 30 years later She began selling it at herbal events and craft markets As she added products she realized those early markets were a great way to test demand and get the packaging right She was living in the Dallas area and a new store opened the second in what would become the Whole Foods chain Stevens talked to the manager about her products “They explained what I needed on my packaging to be in stores ” she recalls “They became my first wholesale customer ” That was around 1989 In 1991 she got her first distributor Sales began to grow Today she and her husband have a farm in Wisconsin where she raises many of the herbs that find their way into Four Elements products “My product list expanded as I learned about things I could grow and problems people were suffering with ” says Stevens “A good way to find a livelihood is to look at what people need and help them ” Unlike her startup days when she made the rose comfrey cream in her kitchen she has a staff to formulate products One distributor has grown into three Her products can now be found in a wide range of stores from Pennsylvania to California as well as online She recently had a product take off on Amazon Marketplace reaching seven digits in sales “I found a woman in New York through LinkedIn a business and employment-focused social media platform ” says Stevens “She’s a winner Sales took off My Wild Yam Cream has been recognized as the number one unsponsored best seller on Amazon Marketplace I’ve worked for 36 years and now in my 37th I’m an overnight success ” Stevens points to marketing as the biggest challenge she faced “Find a distributor with the same vision and mission as you ” she says “If you share a common mission they’ll know how to market your products ” The FDA was her second biggest challenge While the health benefits of herbal products are recognized around the world the FDA tightly regulates health claims in the U S “You have to be very careful what you say ” says Stevens She advises anyone going into business for themselves to seek out advice “Network with other people and get referrals whether selecting an accountant or finding vendors ” she says “The best advice I received was don’t try to do it all and get rid of things you don’t like to do ” In addition to running her company Stevens can be found speaking at herbal and natural food events She also authored “The Celestial Garden: Growing Herbs Vegetables and Flowers in Sync with the Moon and Zodiac ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Four Elements 111 E Walnut St North Freedom Wis 53951 ph 608-522-4492; info@fourelementsherbals com; www fourelementsherbals com
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