Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jossie Hicks. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jossie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

A year ago, I changed my life for a horse. Or a horse is changing my life. .

Her name is Aliki.

I met her in the most unexpected way — set up at a barrel race with JW Naturals products, just doing my thing. A woman stopped to thank me for donating Mountain Joy as a crying hole prize, and we got to talking about her return to racing in her 50s. Meanwhile, on my phone, Aliki’s photo had been open for a month… like a window I couldn’t close.

Two weeks later, we brought her home.
She wasn’t what I thought I’d go back to. I figured I’d end up with a reining prospect. Instead, I got a running-bred, APHA filly who is sensitive, vocal, quirky, and sometimes drives me a little crazy. But when we work together, all she wants to do is try… and it comes so naturally to her. I’m less interested in forcing a direction and more excited to see who she wants to become.

And because of her, everything is changing. This horse has changed me.

After years away from the industry, I’m finding confidence again — not by talking about it, but by seeing it reflected in her stability, her condition, and her trust in me. I’ve learned the value of a supportive team. I’ve learned to stop absorbing negativity. I’ve remembered how to be a problem solver.

And maybe the most important part…
In 2011 I was diagnosed with C-PTSD, social anxiety, and panic disorder. I fought hard to find coping tools. I lost my service dog in 2015 in a tragedy that changed me forever. For a long time, parts of me stayed quiet after that.

Aliki is bringing my brave back.

The brave to stand up for her because she can’t. The brave to trust myself again in a world I once knew so well. The brave to step back into the unknown — including learning the racing side again, this time as an owner.

She’s two now. Growing up. Learning responsibility. Finding her confidence.
And as she grows stronger, I do too.

I don’t know exactly what she’ll become yet. But I know this: she’s leaning toward speed, toward purpose, toward something big. And I’m willing to learn all over again to help her get there.

This isn’t just about a horse. It’s about reinventing yourself. It’s about doing the hard thing even when people don’t understand. It’s about choosing growth over comfort. It’s about building a life — one brave decision at a time.

Sometimes the thing that changes your life walks in on four legs… and asks you to become the person you were always meant to be.

Jossie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

JW Naturals was born out of tragedy, but also out of love and legacy.

In 2017, my mother passed away unexpectedly. We had been making plans for years that once she retired the following year, she would move to Montana and we would start a business together. It was something we were both incredibly excited about.

When I went to Florida to clean out her home, I was surrounded by the pieces of the life we had planned. Supplies and handmade items were everywhere. She had already begun preparing for the business we dreamed of building together.

The problem was, much of what we had planned involved sewing—and I didn’t know how to sew. For a moment it felt like the dream had died with her.

But as I continued sorting through her things, I found another collection of supplies: jars, oils, herbs, and handwritten recipes for homeopathic skincare. One recipe in particular caught my attention. It was a balm passed down to our family, used on animals called Mountain Joy.

When I made it for the first time, I was instantly transported back to my childhood. Growing up, Mountain Joy was what we used for everything—cuts, scrapes, itchy skin, sore spots. If something hurt, that was the balm we reached for.

In that moment I realized this was the path forward.

Mountain Joy became the foundation of JW Naturals and a way for my mother and I to still build something together, just in a different way than we had originally planned.

Today, every jar carries that legacy forward. What began as a family remedy has grown into a business dedicated to helping animals heal naturally—and a reminder that sometimes the most meaningful things grow from the places we never expected.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

One of the first marketing strategies I chose turned out to be one of the most controversial—and honestly, a bit of a gamble.

I decided to donate products for giveaways at events.

At the time, I believed the best way for Mountain Joy to grow was organically. I wanted people to try it, experience it, and share it naturally with others. What I didn’t expect was how difficult it could be just to give something away.

Not every organization welcomed product donations, and there were quite a few phone calls that were never returned.

Eventually, I connected with several barrel racing buckle series that were willing to offer my products as prizes. In exchange, the arenas would announce my business during the events. It sounded like a great opportunity for exposure.

But I quickly learned another lesson—about half the winners never actually picked up their prizes.

By the end of my first year, I had donated nearly $6,000 worth of Mountain Joy and aromatherapy products.

Despite the challenges, something important started happening. As I continued attending markets, momentum slowly began to build.

Investing in a custom tent for my booth turned out to be one of the best decisions I made. People began stopping by saying they had heard my name announced at an event, or that a friend had won a jar of Mountain Joy and told them how much they loved it.

That’s when I realized the strategy had been working all along—just more slowly and organically than I expected.

Can you talk to us about how you funded your business?

From the beginning, I knew I didn’t want to start my business from a place of debt or desperation. People can sense desperation, and I wanted to build JW Naturals with patience and intention rather than pressure.

One of the biggest blessings was that I already had many of the supplies and a large inventory of ingredients from my mother’s home. I was able to begin experimenting and producing Mountain Joy without needing to purchase everything from scratch.

I’m also naturally very frugal, which helped. I took my time and built up savings before investing in the business. When I did spend money, I focused on the areas that mattered most—things like professional branding, quality labels, and presentation.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @Jwnaturalstx
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jwnaturals?mibextid=ZbWKwL
• Youtube: @JWNaturals
• Other: Poshmark – @jwnaturalstx

Image Credits

Jossie Hicks