We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Juanita Ikuta, PhD a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Juanita , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
From the corporate world to the journey of wellness, the path I took to get to where I am today is one full of unexpected twists and turns, but in the end, it’s clear that I’ve ended up exactly where I need to be.
Although you might not expect it from someone who’s now immersed in the world of wellness, I came from a corporate background. I spent years of my career working internationally in the world of virtual learning in the for-profit sector.
It just so happened that as I began to notice the online learning space become less pioneering, my husband Geoff was in the process of building a successful business. It seemed like the perfect time for me to take the plunge and jump into a joint venture—and that’s exactly what I did.
The move from partners in marriage to partners in business was somewhat daunting for me. But it turned out to be precisely the right decision. Happily, our diverse range of skill sets complement each other well.
Juanita , 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?
WHO IS RIVER MOON?
River Moon ties sacred feminine energy that aligns mind, body, and soul together with carefully curated, organically sourced cold-pressed broad spectrum hemp products to heighten the mental, physical, and spiritual experience. Find balance in your daily routine for your mind with our infused coffee, your body with our balm, and your soul with our tincture.
WHY THE NAME RIVER MOON?
Geoffrey and I, as the founders of River Moon, landed on the name of our business in an endearing way. Residing in Marine on the Saint Croix near the Saint Croix River, we can experience the river and the moon from our home.
WHO IS THE LADY IN THE LOGO?
You may be looking at the River Moon logo and wondering what it means. Sipping her cup of coffee inside the moon is Magu, the Goddess of Hemp. She’s the perfect embodiment of strength and feminine energy. She is visually appealing, sensual, and evocative. The wave in her hair symbolizes the rippling of water and the power of wind, as echoed in the River Moon name.
WHY BROAD SPECTRUM HEMP?
River Moon Wellness is at the forefront of broad spectrum hemp promotion to de-stigmatize cannabis. Our goal is to reach people who want relief from physical pain, anxiety, and stress naturally and transparently. One of River Moon’s fundamental goals in crafting Organically Sourced, Cold-pressed Broad Spectrum Hemp products is to be “a creator that is broad in imagination, dreams and limitless possibilities for a discerning customer base.”
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
When I speak of life as an entrepreneur, the first word I use to describe it is challenging!The next is invigorating.
It’s an exciting career where my role includes everything from sitting in the office strategic planning and budgeting to rolling up my sleeves organizing new product lines in River Moon’s production facility. The diversity of the role is something I was not expecting and had to work through managing many responsibilities over time! However, now I value and enjoy it. Most importantly, I also appreciate that I have more control over my own time.
But by far, my favorite part of my job is that it enables me to provide people with wellness products at accessible price points. And my husband and I both agree, wellness products may be small things, but they are a big part of someone’s day.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
The story of Magu, the goddess, has inspired me to live my best entrepreneurial life in mind, body and spirit.
The history of Magu goes back to ancient China, where people practiced the Taoist religion. They believed in multiple gods and goddesses, and one of those was the goddess Magu. Magu was a beautiful woman who healed the bodies and spirits of humans.
Magu was said to have started her life as a human seamstress who struggled to feed her family. One day, a client of hers paid for a sewing job with a peach. Being the kind and gentle spirit that she was, Magu chose to give the peach to an elderly woman instead of bringing it home for herself. When Magu returned home and told her father what she had done, he was furious. He locked her in the home as punishment and refused to let her out. When Magu was finally allowed to leave home, she went to find the old woman. What she found instead was the peach pit that the woman left behind. Magu picked up the peach pit and planted the seed. It grew into a large and healthy tree that bore magical healing fruit. Magu then used the fruit to heal sick people in her village.
One lesson I learned from Magu is about the mind. She teaches us not to despair but to have hope and positivity wherever we go. Just like Magu, when others get angry, I try and remain positive and determined in what I do. Also, Magu taught me about health and wellness. For example, she used natural remedies to heal her villagers when they were sick. I’ve grown to believe that natural remedies help the body without introducing unknown chemicals or agents. They are a great way to treat your body holistically. Finally, Magu taught me about the spirit. She showed me to have a kind and gentle spirit in everything that I do. Just like she treated the older woman with kindness, I nurture souls through acts of kindness and generosity.
Magu, the hemp goddess, may be part of a myth, but she’s also a character that has inspired me to live a life full of health and healing. By putting these valuable lessons into action in my life, I have experienced whole-body wellness.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://rivermoonwellness.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rivermoonwellness
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rivermoonwellness/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/rivermooncoffee