This month, I am celebrating 11 years since becoming Sierra Juana ~ a maker of hemp-infused body care products. It feels amazing to be here, starting my 12th year with so much experience now under my proverbial belt. I thought I’d take this time to introduce myself officially, illuminate a bit of the past and share a few details of what I am working on NOW.
Studying herbs, preventative wellness, and natural healing have been a lifelong interest and passion of mine. I was always that child making curative potions with sticks and berries in my backyard. The first time I made lip balm, I was 11 years old… ah how far I’ve come.
Flashing back to the 1st of February, 2011, my friend John and I had started a company called Sugar Leaf Health & Beauty in Arizona, and this date was to be our debut on the medical marijuana scene. It was a remarkable event, all of the local cannabis creatives coming together for a cardholders-only farmer’s market. Talk about fun! We had the first versions of what would later be the Ninja Rub poured into little tubs with labels I printed locally at Kinkos. For sale, we had caramels, lip balms, and cramp salve as well.
A lot has happened since this first event. The best part has been talking with people; hearing testimonials, listening to what they need, and gathering feedback. I later went on to dedicate nearly 3 years helping open a very successful dispensary in Scottsdale, learning the subtleties of patient-relations and running a highly-regulated business. My favorite moments in this job were advising elderly patients.
“now Mrs. Jones, after dinner tonight, eat only the head of the gummy bear, and save the rest for tomorrow.”
When I became pregnant with my first child, I knew there was no way I could leave her when she arrived, so I threw myself into developing a hemp company I could run from home. 2016 was the year Sierra Juana Whole Body Care was officially birthed, along with my baby girl. It was slow going to say the least and I could not have done it without my incredible husband’s support.
Now I am a solo-hempreneur, operating full-time in the glorious Pacific Northwest. I still love participating in local Farmer’s Markets and am proud that my federal compliance enables me to sell my products online.
My specialty is making products with little to no THC – the latter being of utmost importance in Idaho and among my clients that are first-responders, government employees, commercial vehicle drivers and those that do not respond well to any amount of THC. My gift is infusing well-researched supportive herbs into my products by using traditional methods of healing to help bolster effects.
Another pillar in my business is sponsoring athletes. As a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner myself for over 13 years, I love working with like-minded individuals who can use hemp to support their training and recovery. It was this passion that named my flagship product, The Ninja Rub, in hopes that it would make anyone feel swift like a Ninja.
And so here I am, embodying Sierra Juana daily, seeking regularity in online presence, connecting with local growers, herbalists, + athletes, and as always, listening.
Thank you for reading my story.
Until next time ~ peace, love, and ninja swiftness,
Sierra Juana