We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Marlene Lopez a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Marlene, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
My journey into holistic living began as a personal quest but has since transformed into a mission to help others reconnect with nature, sustainability, and the power of traditional healing.
For over a decade, I have sought a simpler, more intentional way of life—one rooted in self-sufficiency, community, and holistic well-being. This passion grew from necessity when, in 2017, my newborn son was diagnosed with severe chronic asthma. After exhausting conventional treatments and endless hospital visits, I turned to herbal remedies and natural healing. Through careful study and a commitment to my ancestral medicines, I witnessed my son’s health transform—freeing him from the constraints of chronic illness.
Today, my mission is clear: to share the knowledge and healing power of nature with others. Through handcrafted herbal remedies, sustainable living practices, and a deep respect for traditional wisdom, I aim to empower people to take control of their own well-being.
This journey is about more than just herbalism; it’s about reclaiming a way of life that honors balance, connection, and the wisdom of the earth.
Marlene, 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?
Hello! My name is Marlene—I’m a mother, wife, urban homesteader, herbalist, yogi, and a lover of the mountains and vintage treasures. My journey into holistic living and herbalism wasn’t just a career choice; it was a deeply personal path to healing, sustainability, and reconnecting with the wisdom of nature.
When I first decided to go holistic over a decade ago, it was because I was deep in a rut—relying on handfuls of medications to manage migraines, depression, anxiety, gastritis, and other health issues. I found myself sinking into suicidal thoughts, sometimes even acting upon them. In the midst of this darkness, I discovered yoga, which led me to breathwork, and from there, I uncovered an entire world of holistic living. Through this journey, I slowly began to heal—not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well.
My passion for crafting herbal remedies began out of necessity. In 2017, after my newborn son was diagnosed with severe chronic asthma, I spent years navigating conventional treatments with no success. Determined to find a better way, I immersed myself in natural healing and holistic wellness. Through herbal remedies, whole foods, and intentional lifestyle changes, I watched my son’s health transform—freeing him from chronic asthma. That experience ignited my mission to share the healing power of nature with others.
Through my work, I create handcrafted herbal remedies, natural wellness products, and sustainable goods designed to support holistic well-being. Every product is thoughtfully made using high-quality, ethically sourced ingredients—whether it’s herbal teas, tinctures, salves, or other plant or animal-based remedies. My focus is on providing natural solutions for everyday wellness, empowering people to take control of their health in a way that aligns with nature.
Beyond products, I also share knowledge and resources on sustainable living, homegrown herbalism, and self-sufficiency. My goal is to help others reconnect with the earth, embrace a simpler way of life, and feel empowered in their health choices.
What makes my work unique is the deep personal connection I have to everything I create. This isn’t just a business—it’s my way of life. I believe in the power of community, ethical sourcing, and the energy that goes into every handcrafted remedy. When you support my work, you’re not just purchasing a product; you’re supporting a movement that values sustainability, small-batch craftsmanship, and holistic wellness.
I am most proud of the fact that my journey—rooted in personal healing—has allowed me to help others on their own paths to wellness. Seeing people find relief, balance, and connection through my work is the most fulfilling part of what I do.
I want people to know that healing is possible. That a simpler, more intentional way of life is within reach. That nature provides powerful tools for well-being, and by embracing them, we can nurture both ourselves and the planet.
Whether you’re just beginning your holistic journey or you’ve been walking this path for years, I’m honored to share my passion with you. Thank you for being here—I look forward to growing together!
What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?
What began as a simple side hustle has now become my full-time passion and purpose. Originally, my small business started with just kombucha—a craft I stumbled into while working night shifts to keep our son out of daycare. Not only was he struggling with severe asthma, but he had also suffered neglect at daycare, leading to a skull fracture. To juggle everything, my husband and I worked opposite shifts, leaving me running on just four hours of sleep while caring for our blended family.
Amidst the exhaustion, a spark of passion ignited. A friend gifted me a SCOBY, and I began brewing kombucha at home. What started as a personal hobby quickly turned into something bigger when I began bringing my home-brewed kombucha to share with my coworkers. Before I knew it, they were purchasing bottles from me, even returning them for refills so I could keep up with demand.
From there, my creativity expanded. I started baking clean treats and selling them to coworkers, then moved on to making tinctures, followed by old folk elixirs. My first pop-up event was a turning point—it was there that I found myself truly visualizing this as more than just a side hustle. I could see it becoming my career.
However, life had other plans. In 2021, after years of pushing my body to its limits in a high-stress pharmaceutical job, everything came to a halt. My health collapsed, and I was deemed permanently disabled. It was a devastating moment, but also a pivotal one. Instead of seeing it as an end, I chose to see it as a beginning—the moment I fully embraced my calling.
Over the last four years, this journey has led me to some of the most incredible people, and I’ve been deeply moved by how my products have helped others. What started with a single bottle of kombucha has grown into a full-fledged business rooted in herbal wellness, sustainability, and intentional living.
This is more than a business to me—it’s a way of life, a mission, and a community. Every product I create carries the story of resilience, healing, and the power of returning to nature. I’m beyond grateful for the support that has allowed me to turn this passion into something bigger than myself.
Can you talk to us about how you funded your business?
Starting my business wasn’t something I planned—it was something that organically grew from passion, necessity, and sheer determination. When I first began brewing kombucha as a small side hustle, I had no savings set aside for a business, no investors, and no roadmap for how to fund it. What I did have was a deep belief in what I was creating and the willingness to make it work with whatever I had.
In the beginning, my coworkers unknowingly helped fund my business. They would buy my kombucha and return their bottles so I could keep brewing without constantly investing in new supplies. Every dollar I made went right back into purchasing ingredients and equipment, whether it was glass bottles, organic teas, or better fermentation vessels.
As my offerings expanded—from kombucha to clean treats, then to tinctures and herbal remedies—I continued to reinvest every penny. There were no loans or outside funding, just a slow and steady cycle of putting profits right back into my passion. My pop-up events played a huge role in this, as each one allowed me to reach more people, sell more products, and gradually scale my operations.
The biggest shift came in 2021 when my body shut down from years of working a high-demand pharmaceutical job. Suddenly, my side hustle became my only option. I was deemed permanently disabled, which forced me to reimagine what financial stability looked like. Instead of seeing it as a setback, I saw it as an opportunity to fully commit to my business.
Since then, I have continued to grow my business through careful budgeting, community support, and a deep commitment to sustainable, small-batch craftsmanship. It hasn’t always been easy, but every step of this journey has been built on resilience, passion, and an unwavering belief in the power of holistic healing.
Today, I am grateful not only for how far I’ve come but for the incredible people who continue to support this dream—because every purchase, every returned bottle, and every word of encouragement has played a role in funding this vision and making it a reality.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://motherselixirs.com
- Instagram: motherselixirs
