We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kendra Payne. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kendra below.

Hi Kendra, thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

The Herbal Scoop is here to get people to advocate and take control of their own wellness. In my own journey, I have felt small and disempowered when it came to my own health. I was afraid to ask my doctors the questions that needed to be asked. I always let “them” be the experts of my body instead of standing up for what I know.

I want everyone who experiences The Herbal Scoop to feel curious and empowered to make their own wellness decisions. There are so many wonderful herbs in the world to help someone feel their best, and I want people to feel excited to discover and build their herbal routines with me. At The Herbal Scoop, you will find jars of single-use herbs decorated with labels that explain their benefits. I do this so people can begin to educate themselves and understand what herbs work best for them. I am there as a guide but I want them to understand that it’s ultimately their body and their choice.

I am a teacher at heart and will always lead with education so that each and every customer and client can leave The Herbal Scoop knowing how to navigate and accomplish their own wellness goals.

There is no way that I can’t do this work. I show up each day ready to jump into action to support my community in the best way I know how.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

During my childhood, I experienced a lot of sicknesses and spent many days at the doctor’s office trying to figure out what was wrong with me. I was constantly getting sick and we could never get the answers to get to the root of the cause.

As I grew up, I began to gain an interest in nutrition and more natural ways of healing my body since modern medicine wasn’t helping me. I was still dealing with issues with my lungs and it began to take a toll on my body, mind, and spirit. It was that frustration and fatigue that sparked my interest in the relationship between immunity and nutrition. I was fascinated with the new knowledge that I had the potential to feel good again if I could change my diet and introduce healthier foods and herbs. I grabbed every book I could get my hands on and really began to pay attention to the signals my body was giving me. In 2012, I traveled to India to obtain my yoga certification which led me into the practice of Ayurveda.

As I expanded on my Ayurvedic knowledge, I was again called to the practice of herbs, which eventually led me to get a formal herbal education in 2016 from the Herbal Academy, and in 2020 The Herbal Scoop was born! I always knew that I would walk a non-traditional path and I am proud to own and operate a socially conscious, value-driven herbal business here on Lenape Lands.

The Herbal Scoop and its accompanying farm were created as a portal to reclaim and record ancestral practices in working with herbal medicine both in the kitchen and through other healing modalities.

I sell hand-blended herbal teas, tinctures, and other self-care items. To this day, I have been able to grow and harvest enough herbs to support the medicine-making needs (tinctures, oils, salves, etc) for my shop. Part of those harvested herbs have gone into the retail space and part of that has been gifted to BIPOC folks in want/need. I have been able to offer free herbal medicine during some of the most stressful and enraging times of 2020 and beyond. In addition, I offer scholarships for BIPOC folks to attend my workshops, free of charge, through efforts of mutual aid and community action.

There is no way that I can’t do this work. It feels so intrinsically wrapped up in my soul and I finally feel like the multitude of paths I have walked in this lifetime are leading to this moment. I show up every day with joy. I show up each day inspired. I show up each day ready to jump into action so that I can support my community in the best way I know how.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

My social media page is built on authenticity. I am a teacher at heart and want to share accessible information for folks. Being an herbalist, farmer, and business owner come with its own challenges and I want people to understand that. Sharing what’s real has always worked for me. So many trends and algorithm changes can feel maddening to chase. If you lead with authenticity you will always build a community that is there for you, and not for a viral moment that you made. Don’t chase the trends. Just be you.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn the idea that the only way to be successful is to work a 9-5 corporate job. My parents both held down the same job for over 30 years. When I would bring up to them that I wanted to be an artist, or I wanted to travel the country in a camper van, or that I was going to quit my job, I was always met with fear. I would hear things like: what about your benefits, what are you going to do with your life, you can’t make money doing that. Fear-based thinking made me stop listening to myself and try to work a corporate job.

Truthfully, I have never kept a 9-5 for more than 2 years. I just fail in that environment. I prayed to be different and I never was. It wasn’t until I was in my 30s that I decided to live life on my own terms. I knew I was meant to walk a non-traditional path, and that is what I am doing today. It’s not always easy, but it feels right for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.theherbalscoop.com
• Instagram: @the.herbal.scoop