Today we’d like to introduce you to Jesse Herrera.
Hi Jesse, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
iPainfree is first and foremost a family-owned and operated company started by my stepfather, Delmo Casarez. Being a disabled veteran, he, like most veterans, experienced pain daily, specifically chronic sciatica pain. Del was and is a salesman and would go across the state selling various products that were based on holistic pain relief, motivated partly by his own situation. About 13 years ago, he came across a holistic formula, applied topically, that gave significant pain relief, which he in turn wanted to sell as he did many other products. The original seller, however, would not give him a reasonable wholesale price, making it difficult to sell on his own. Not to be deterred, he had the idea to come up with his own version of this formula to sell for himself. He sought the help of a chemist, and through much trial and error, they were able to come up with a formula consisting of Eucalyptus oil, Aloe Vera, Jojoba oil, and Grapeseed oil. This formula proved to be as effective, if not more, than the product Del came across originally. Del now solely owns this formula and has since bottled and sold this formula online and in person through various markets across the country.
I became involved with iPainfree about 3.5 years ago. I had worked as a cook or chef for more than 20 years. I loved being a chef and still work as a personal chef to this day. However, as much as I love being in that industry, my body eventually wore out, and I couldn’t work the daily grind that being a chef requires. I had seen what iPainfree does for people; I personally had used iPainfree to cure my plantar fasciitis, and it became it natural transition for me to get involved. I now own my own part of the business, simply meaning I do not work for Del. I run my own website, I work markets on my own, and I purchase the oil from Del and bottle it myself to sell on my own. This company will forever be a family legacy, and I will continue to grow this business as far as I can.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Certainly not smooth. I started selling iPainfree post covid and given the economic situation most people are going through, most people do not want to spend what little they have on a holistic health formula. I have personally invested a significant amount of time and money going from show to show, city to city, trying to sell this product, and it has cost me dearly in some situations. It would be easy to give up on the business until times “got better” and just focus on my personal chef clients, but I do believe in this product. I have personally seen the effects it has on people. For context, when I set up a booth at a market or festival, we offer free samples of our product. Our tagline is pain relief in 10 seconds, and for most people, when applied, it does work that fast and will continue to work throughout the day. So even though I do not turn a profit at every event,t I have seen people literally come to tears when they try iPainfree. They are going through so much suffering and are desperate for something to work. I am grateful and fortunate that this product works and will continue to make this business work despite the current financial times.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am not a salesman by trade. I have been cooking since my parents taught me at 5 years old. I’ve always enjoyed being in the kitchen, learning new techniques or cuisines, and it led me to working in a kitchen since the age of 16. I went to culinary school at age 26 and picked up an associate’s degree in culinary arts, pastry arts, and hospitality management. I moved to Austin from Corpus Christi in 2016 and started working for the Peach Tortilla in the catering department. In Corpus, I had worked for various restaurants, including a sushi bar, scratch bakery, and even taught at the school from which I graduated. On the side, I have always done small caterings or wedding cakes and things of the sort; I just enjoy bringing food and joy to people in all walks of life. By the end of 2019, I had sufficiently burned out, my body was in constant aches and pain, and I was suffering greatly with plantar fasciitis. I left the Peach Tortilla and had plans to travel to Japan to reset myself and figure out what I wanted to do with my life at that point. I took 2 months to try and repair my body, and the plan was to work part-time until my trip to Japan that summer. Well, it was March of 2020 when I started working again, and then the pandemic hit, and I was furloughed. My Japan trip was canceled, and the world, including my own, stopped for the next year. In the months to come, I was able to heal properly and decided it was time to get into the family business. Even though I am not a salesman, selling iPainfree has been a pretty seamless transition. Bringing joy and relief to random strangers who are suffering can be likened to cooking for the masses. Being able to give people a good meal after they’ve had a hard day or for their special occasion brings a certain satisfaction to my life,e and I now find a similar satisfaction with this business that I run.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I have met some lifelong friends while being in Austin. I had always been attracted to Austin from a young age, growing up in Corpus Christi. I wanted to further my cooking prowess and just wanted to have more opportunities in my life that were not afforded to me living in Corpus. Being that I was originally attracted to Austin for the food scene, I have been disappointed in what is available. I’m not talking about the high-end Michelin star restaurants or the top-tier barbecue places, but just the casual spots that one would visit on a day-to-day basis. I feel like the variety and quality of food are lacking compared to the bigger cities like Dallas or Houston. I’m especially disappointed in the Mexican or Tex-Mex scene here, just not what I was hoping for. That being said, I could never live in those cities. I love the size of Austin, the natural beauty, and, of course, my very dear friends whom I met many years ago. I may end up leaving because of the cost to live here, but I would stay for many years to come if I could help it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://painreliefoil.net
