Jodi Mckee, owner Jewelweed Health and Wellness Boutique.

An Interview with Jodi McKee, Jewelweed

Recently, we had a chat with Jodi for our Student Business Spotlight. Jodi McKee is the owner and herbalist of Jewelweed, an herbal apothecary located outside Minneapolis, MN. The shop is named after a local wildflower which grows in abundance nearby. Jewelweed is a seasonal handcrafted line made from organic and locally-grown plants. The store also stocks a wide range of products from small makers, such as herbal remedies, flower essences and essential oils, green cosmetics, incense and drinking cacao.

The Student Business Spotlight series features Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine alumni, their work and the many professions that herbalists may choose. Jodi graduated from our Online Herbal Immersion, which is 1,000 hours of personal mentoring in sustainable herbalism and career building.

It all started for me when I became a mother to three boys. My oldest son (now 27) was born when I was 25, so I was still very young. I had only ever used traditional Western medicine. He was three weeks premature and sick all the time. We had to go to the hospital a lot for RSV, make 911 calls and visit emergency rooms for his allergies and asthma. I followed the doctors' advice up until he turned five. There was a point when I realized I had to do something else. So I began looking for alternative treatment options. I came across a leaflet for a herbal class. I attended the class and Lisa Wolff, the teacher, became my mentor and long-term friend. My son was brought to her, and after a year, he had a much improved health through diet, lifestyle, and herbs. My son never again had allergies or asthma. It was huge.

I then had two more sons. Herbs and natural health have become part of our lifestyle. As a young mom, herbal medicine was a bit uncommon where I lived. So as a mother of two children, I showed my friends what plants they could use to treat bruises or for this and that -- the things we know and use in our profession as herbalists. This is how I got started in herbal medicines and these were the roots of Jewelweed.

A view from the interior of Jewelweed.

Tell us about your herbal business. What can it do for your community?

Jewelweed is an incredibly small retail store. The shop is 600 square feet in Wiseta which is a Minneapolis suburb on Lake Minnetonka. We offer high-quality herbal remedies in small batches, flower essences and essential oils as well as green beauty products. The shop invites people to discover what healing means for them. I want the shop to be a place where people can engage in their healing.

When did you decide that Jewelweed would be the best career choice for you?

Since I was a child, I always wanted to own a shop. I would have garage sales and sell the rocks I found in my backyard. As I grew older, I earned a degree in Accounting. Later I got into remodeling and design and opened my own design studio. I had a home furnishings store. It was fun and I enjoyed the work, but it stopped being fulfilling. So I sold the business and took a little time off. The Chestnut School was where I began my studies. After that, I couldn't stop thinking about opening an herbal shop. But I had never visited a shop like the one I envisioned.

Opening Jewelweed was probably the most terrifying thing I've ever done. I felt called to open Jewelweed because it was the most exciting and fun thing I've ever done. It was scary and I wasn't sure if anyone was going to come. Now I know that it was the right decision. I listened to my inner voice, to what felt fun and exciting, to what was really fun. Jewelweed was the result.

Nature organizing kits at Jewelweed.

What is your favorite thing about Jewelweed?

I enjoy the people who come. You never know who will walk through the door. It's a bit like a TV sitcom. And I love how we build relationships. People who come to the shop offer their knowledge, and I share my own. We both benefit from it. We have regulars and new people. Some people come every winter or summer when they are in town. I enjoy the herbal matchmaking. It's fun to introduce people to different plants and stones, and see what sparks their interest. I'm lucky to be able to see and participate in this. It can also be exhausting for me, as I am an introvert. It's also a lot of fun. My customers enrich my life so much. My customers enrich my life so much. I'm really healed, and I'm hoping it's healing to them.

What challenges have you faced when running an herbal business?

Retail store management is hard work! We are on our feet six days a weeks, and we interact with customers all day. As I've said, this can be both joyous and exhausting. To balance my life, I must find other ways to do so. For example, by spending more time in solitude at home. I am always thinking about maintaining that balance.

Jewelweed smoke bundles.

It's also important to consider the logistics involved in running a business. Even though I have a degree in business and experience with running businesses (Jewelweed was my fourth business), it is still a lot. It's a lot to keep track of: the website, store floor, payroll and social media, email marketing, staying up-to-date with technology etc. Even for a small shop, learning all these pieces and integrating into different aspects of the business can sometimes be overwhelming. I am lucky to have great help so I don't need to learn everything and do it all myself. In the first year of Jewelweed I thought that I would be doing the things I loved, like selling herbal remedies and holding classes. But in the past year I've been running the business side of the shop instead. In the next year, I want to hire more help to do what I love. That is, connecting with people and plants.

What motivated you to come and study at the Chestnut school? What has been the impact of your herbal education and business training?

Jewelweed was my first business, but I had already run several others. Juliet Blankespoor’s style, and her eye for aesthetics were what attracted me to the Chestnut school. When I saw the photos of her plants and her beautiful work, I knew that I wanted to enroll in her program as soon it was available. I was blown away by the importance of beauty and how it can heal, especially when backed up with wisdom and truth. Juliet showed me the best way to present my company in a beautiful and accessible manner. Jewelweed embodies that spirit and allows me the opportunity to combine my herbal and design training, as well as running a business. Jewelweed is an environment where beauty comes to life and visitors can experience and feel it.

A Jewelweed Gift Box filled with items that nourish the mind, heart and body.

Why are there three essential herbs in your herbal business/practice?

Jewelweed is one of them ( impatiens capensis). Jewelweed was the first thing that came to my mind when I thought about naming my shop. Jewelweed grows all around me, including along my lake and across the street from the shop. Jewelweed is my favorite because the flowers are tiny and it's hard to find. It's not a loud plant. It's just how I am. I don't want to be the focus of attention. Jewelweed also helped me during my last pregnancy. I had kidney problems and was deemed high-risk. I had to see my OB, a nephrologist and my OB constantly. Lise, my local herbalist/teacher, was the one I saw. She prescribed jewelweed in drop doses. Within a few weeks, I had normalized kidney numbers and was able to carry on with my pregnancy without any problems. My son, who is now 17, has been working with me in the shop since he was 12 years old.

It was the second plant I ever worked with. My boys used to get hurt a lot when they were young. They always carried yarrow with them and used it constantly. They would even ask their friends for it. It is a wonderful blood remedy that heals bruising and cuts. It works quickly. It's also very accessible, and grows all over. When Jewelweed opened, I loved to show people yarrow.

Juliet taught me more than anyone else about the third herb, tulsi. The first summer that I attended the Chestnut school, I bought seeds and planted it. I'd like to think I had a love-affair with tulsi. I ate pesto every day and drank the tea, and told everyone how great it was! It's so special and uplifting. It would be holy basil because I can't live through a summer in my garden without it.

Jewelweed journals with velvet covers

What advice would you give to those who are just beginning their herbal education? What advice would you give to budding herbal entrepreneurs?

To those who are overwhelmed by the number of herbs in my shop, I tell them to learn more about the plants that grow in their backyard or neighborhood. Just be with the plants and see what you can find. If you're not comfortable with wild plants and weeds, start by planting in your garden. Juliet makes all of her plants and weeds look beautiful. You don't need to start out with 50 plants. Just start with one, two, or three. If that's what you know your entire life, it will be okay. I like plants that are easy to find and not too expensive. I love the plantain. As a first plant. I like yarrow, and some grocery store herbs such as thyme and rosemary. Everyone can get them.

The same is true when you start a new business. What skills already do you have? What is easy to learn and available? What is easy and natural to start? Jewelweed was not the first thing I chose to start my business. I started teaching classes in my home and selling the medicine. I wanted to wait and see if the people were interested before investing a large amount of money. My vision expanded from there. I am so happy that the landscape is changing in herbalism and that young entrepreneurs are the future.

The Lucid Dreamer’s Toolkit at Jewelweed by Anima Muni.

What next do you plan to do on your herbal journey, according to you?

I have a few things in mind, something for me and one for my community. In my personal life, I am just beginning the menopausal phase. In this way, I am working with plants. I want to share with others what I've learned and experienced in my body. In general, I am excited about this time. What will it be like for me when my last son goes to college in the next year? What am I going to do?

My focus goes back to why I founded Jewelweed--I'm looking to build a community around plants and healing. I'd like to discuss the idea that plants are right outside your front door and can help you heal. We can take better care of the plants and land, and we will see that the land's state reflects our health and that of our families. Without saying anything, I am saying that if people stop spraying their lawns, if we stop poisoning our water and plants, we can make use of them. So I hope to make people aware of the link between their health and that of the environment.

Interior view of Jewelweed Health and Wellness Boutique.

We are so proud of all our students!

This interview is meant to inspire you to support small women-owned businesses and check out Jodi’s products. You might even find inspiration for your own herbal company. Jodi can be reached via Instagram @jewelweed.shop or the Jewelweed Website. Check out our Student Herbal Business Directory to see what other graduates have been up to.