We were lucky to catch up with Nico Murillo recently and have shared our conversation below.

Nico, appreciate you joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

Success is subjective and varies based on personal values and priorities. For some, it’s about financial wealth and material possessions, while for others, it’s about having a large, close-knit family or living a carefree and spontaneous lifestyle. I believe that true success is defined by the personal bubble you create for yourself, filled with the best aspects of your life—whether that’s a fulfilling career, genuine relationships with people who care about you, the pursuit of dreams and aspirations, or simply being happy and content.

If financial success is part of that equation, it often requires a combination of smart decision-making, calculated risk-taking, and sometimes, a bit of luck. Many people miss out on opportunities because they don’t believe in themselves enough to take that leap. Success, in the end, is about embracing who you are, aligning your actions with what you value, and being open to growth, whether it’s personal, professional, or financial.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a Research Chef with a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for creating innovative products. After years of developing products for other companies, my wife Sherry, a dedicated hospice nurse, and I decided to embrace a new way of life. In September 2020, we left the city and purchased a small farm outside of Dallas to build our dream together.

Today, we live and work on our 5-acre homestead, Sheco Farm, in Oak Ridge, Texas. We raise egg-laying hens, keep bees, and cultivate a variety of crops, including hemp for skincare, seasonal flowers, and produce. We operate a seasonal farm stand where we sell food products made under Cottage Law, as well as other items grown or crafted on our farm.

Community building is a shared passion of ours. In an increasingly fast-paced world, we’ve seen too many people feeling isolated and disconnected from their neighbors. We believe in the power of face-to-face interactions and the importance of serving others with open hearts. That’s why our work on the homestead extends beyond farming—it’s about creating a space where people can connect without judgment, learn, grow, and support one another.

For us, Sheco Farm isn’t just a business; it’s a platform for fostering a sense of community. We believe in lifting others up and creating a welcoming environment where everyone feels valued. Building meaningful connections takes effort, vulnerability, and a willingness to examine our own shortcomings to help others reach their full potential.

We take great pride in the positive impact we’ve made within our community. Being present, offering words of encouragement, and freely sharing our time and skills are ways we strive to make a difference in people’s lives. Our farm stand isn’t just a place to buy products—it’s an opportunity to share something authentic, a piece of ourselves.

At our stand, you’ll find baked goods, jellies and jams, canned foods, eggs, seasonal garden produce, and flowers. We also offer hemp products that are grown and produced on our farm. While we may sell similar items as other businesses, what truly sets us apart is the genuine personal connection we create with our customers. That sense of connection is something that can’t be bought—and it’s more valuable than anything we could ever sell.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Coming from a challenging start in life, and being a high school dropout, I have faced adversity and challenges from a young age. I did not follow the traditional path to college, instead working full time, putting myself through culinary school, and working 2 jobs for the majority of my chef career. Working in a male-dominated industry, you have to have a little tough skin to hang, and I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished in the last 2 decades working in professional kitchens.

For years, I pushed myself to catch up with peers who had more opportunities than I did. But once I took a moment to pause, I realized I wasn’t behind at all—in fact, I was ahead in many ways. I had been so hard on myself, pushing to achieve success. Drive can’t be bought or taught in a school, it’s something that is given, and not all people have it. That drive to keep pushing never really stops, though. Once you experience that kind of growth, resting isn’t an option. Life becomes a constant whirlwind of work and personal development, shaping you and forcing you to ask, “What’s next?”

There’s still so much I want to accomplish, and time feels limited. Life is short, and I’ve learned to adapt quickly to change, embracing new challenges without being too hard on myself when things don’t go as planned. Finding inspiration and continuing to grow is a big part of my journey, and I’m driven by the desire to keep moving forward, no matter what life throws my way.

Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?

Our goals include regenerative farming and offering honest, clean products to our community. We are a vertically integrated hemp skincare company, focused on producing high-CBD hemp and transforming it into skincare and wellness products.

My interest in the emerging hemp industry began in 2016, during a time of growing nationwide attention. I started by formulating the line in our Dallas home before moving to our homestead in Oak Ridge. I initially developed the line without CBD, I understood how it would work in a formulation, which allowed me to begin the research and build my online brand. Growing the brand into a vertical company was the next step, and now we are celebrating 3 years of cultivating hemp on our farm.

One of my core goals has always been to avoid using a co-packer. From the outset, I wanted to create something unique, something truly different and reflective of my core values. The skincare segment is highly competitive, with companies investing heavily in marketing just to move the needle. For me, the key to standing out is anchored in creating connections and a community, this not only brings customers but it creates a family.

Launching a skincare company was the first step, and now, I’m looking ahead to creating a wellness brand, tapping into my former career as an R&D Chef will allow me to create products that align with a clean lifestyle. Self-funding the business is a slow process, and now I’m building something that reflects my values and creativity.

While I wait for the next phase, I’ll keep innovating and dreaming up new products, staying focused on my goals and trusting that everything will come together in time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shecofarm.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shecofarm/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shecofarm
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicomurillo/
• Other: https://bocannaskin.com/

Image Credits

Sherry Maddox