Today we’d like to introduce you to Jill Murray.
Hi Jill, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I have always been drawn to retail, fashion and consumer goods. I moved from small town Gilbert, AZ to NYC to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology and study the business side of the industry. I started my career in retail with mega brands such as Barneys NY, Esprit and The Children’s Place within merchandising, planning/ allocation, product development and operations roles.
After seven years in the city, I was ready for more sunshine and a slower pace of life and moved to Austin in 2011 (without a job!) Shortly after the move, I started on the ground floor of Kendra Scott as their then newly appointed COO’s first external hire and as employee #15. Over my six and a half years there, I built and led nine separate departments from the ground up, was responsible for all aspects of product success for the brand and made some lifelong friends. I left in 2018 as Vice President of Merchandising when the brand was valued at a billion dollars.
Throughout my career, I have discovered that I am truly most passionate about people, products and processes. After my time at Kendra Scott, I began working 1:1 with entrepreneurs, small business owners and inspired creatives to help to bring their product vision to life and/or scale their business to the next level. From there, my consulting business, Jill Kerr Consulting LLC, was organically born and I continue to work with clients by word of mouth. I absolutely love supporting others in their dreams and ideas.
My husband and co-founder, Steve Murray, and I have talked about our desire to create a meaningful product line since we’ve met and knew it was just a matter of time until we launched our own. Steve shares the same passion for wellness-based products, has spent his career excelling in multiple facets of the retail industry and has an amazing talent for design, branding, and product development. His effervescent entrepreneurial spirit and thirst for learning is contagious, and it was natural that we partnered up in business in addition to life.
Early 2020 the idea hit and came about in two ways. One- the pandemic changed the way we approached ‘self-care’ and instead of outings, connections and experiences, we were really forced to appreciate the ‘everyday feel good moments.’ For me, it was alone time in my evening bath and for Steve it was unwinding with his nighttime tea. We know first hand the power of a moment and the shift it can create in our lives to allow even the smallest everyday moments to become routine. One that makes us feel good and gives us the opportunity to pause, breathe and recharge.
Two- they say when you can’t find it, create it and we did just that! We wanted high-quality, natural ingredients + beautiful, plastic-free packaging AND to create value that inspires everyday use. We saw a space in the market between approachable mass retail brands and boutique wellness brands and knew that we could fill it. Bath Tea was the product that started it all, and from there the brand was established to create beautiful, high quality, effective, plant-based products that make people feel good and do no harm to animals and the environment.
After both being in the industry for so many years, we have seen the ins and outs of business and we wanted to do it differently. We are driven to share our passion for clean, plant-based products, beautiful design, everyday nourishing self-moments, and our love of animals, nature, and the planet in a way that inspires others to do the same. House of Medicinals was launched in December 2020 as a purpose-driven wellness brand delivering plant-based, eco-conscious products that inspire everyday feel good moments.
We are here to build a passionate community invested in self-growth, awareness, self-care, and kindness. We are here to take small steps to build a happier and healthier planet and humanity. Though it may start in the bath or at home now, our sights are set on making an impact large and small in everything we do. We are here to grow and to share. To feel good and to help you do the same.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Entrepreneurship is challenging! We have had to learn so many aspects of running a business that we haven’t had experience in before (hello digital marketing and social media!) Most of it by trial and error, which can be exhausting and expensive at times. We have bootstrapped the brand ourselves and finding balance between generating personal income (outside of the brand) and generating revenue for the brand has been an adjustment. In many ways, it feels as though we have returned to the beginning of our careers- it’s just the two of us behind the scenes (and our fabulous accountant at Hall Accounting Company!) and so we have our hands in absolutely everything. We hand make and fulfill each of our products ourselves, which has been incredible and truly sets us apart from other bath & body brands. Though that tactical aspect can make it tough to dedicate the time, we would like to more long-term, strategic aspects of building the brand. Our home is now our office, fulfillment and manufacturing center. We are still adjusting to working around countless boxes, rushing to UPS before the shipping cutoff and enjoying the journey of it all.
As you know, we’re big fans of House of Medicinals. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We are a purpose-driven wellness brand delivering plant-based, eco-conscious bath & body products that inspire everyday feel good moments. Launched in December 2020 by the Austin husband and wife team, the brand was established to create beautiful, high-quality, effective, plant-based products that make people feel good and do no harm to animals and the environment. We are driven to share our passion for clean, plant-based products, beautiful design, everyday nourishing self-moments, and our love of animals, nature, and the planet in a way that inspires others to do the same.
Featured products: Bath Tea, Bath & Body Oil, Pure Essential Oil Candle & Feel Good Matches. Products and gift set available in Eucalyptus, Lavender, Jasmine and Rose.
We value transparency and are proud of our standards and ingredients. Sustainability is at the core of who we are. Plant-based, all-natural, eco-conscious, sustainable and cruelty-free. Good for you. Good for the planet. Our standards are unwavering, are the backbone of our brand and the pride of our products.
All natural. No preservatives. No synthetics. Plant based. Cruelty-Free. Vegan. Non-GMO. Non-Toxic. Gluten-free. Organic ingredients. Small batch. Made in the U.S.A. Family Owned. Bio-based. Eco-friendly. Plastic-free. Biodegradable. Compostable. Reusable Packaging. Recycled Materials. Recyclable. Inspired by nature.
All of our gift sets are beautifully wrapped in our eco-friendly, hand-stamped, reusable gift bags and include a plantable seed paper, handwritten notes.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Traveling! Small trips or big, I loved seeing new places, learning about other cultures and spending quality time away from home with my family.
Pricing:
- Free shipping on orders over $55
- Gift sets range from $36-126
- Products range from $26-32
- Bath Tea $26, Bath & Body Oil $32
- Pure Essential Oil Candle $28, Feel Good Matches $10
Contact Info:
- Email: jill@houseofmedicinals.com
- Website: www.houseofmedicinals.com
- Instagram: @houseofmedicinals
- Facebook: @houseofmedicinals
- Twitter: @houseofmedicinals
- Youtube: @houseofmedicinals
