Ariella Vaccarino and Theresa Ofstad interview Mel Mutterspaugh, formerly known as Mountain Mel and current founder of The Herbalists Path, Apothecary Momma, and Medicine Makin’ Mommas. Mel was a huge success, and her products were sold at REI until she decided to close down shop and pivot to an online learning platform with The Herbalists Path, Apothecary Momma, and Medicine Makin’ Mommas. Listen to her story of the highs and lows of running a successful company while being a mom.

Ep 22 – Mel Mutterspaugh – The Herbalists Path – Apothecary Momma

:25 – Found Mel on Need a guest Facebook page. Her company is called The Herbalists Path.

1:45 - Theresa’s story of her mom “Ginkgo Biloba Tree.”

2:15 – Mel has a 9 1/2-year-old daughter.

2:35 - Clinical herbalist - Herbalist Path.

3:30 - Created a Natural first aid kit at age 20, got into REI.

4:50 - Learned how to hustle and network from being a bartender as well as being a mixologist.

5:50 - Mountain Mel’s essential goods were created to help change the world.

6:30 - She had a lot of success, yet it was the hardest thing in her life.

7:55 - How did you know how to price your product?

10:00 - Ariella was hired by LA Opera and wanted to do it so bad that she didn’t realize she would get paid for it.

11:50 - The stigma of having to give it all away for free when it comes to herbalism. Yet the years of education and hard work needs to be recuperated.

12:50 - Working with a human body.

15:30 - Shut down her business a year ago. Decided to create something different.

17:25 - Mel was very successful in many ways.

19:44 - Meyers Briggs test, Mel is the complete opposite of her new business partner.

21:25- Apothecary mama – herbal mentorship book sorry but you’re just gonna have to be patient because the car on my way.

22:50 - Herbalist program was launched in July 2022.

25:45 - Medicine making mamas launched February 2023. The art of mixology.

26:30 - Ashwagandha Tincture with scientific strategies.

27:35 - The overwhelm of where to find herbal ingredients and how to mix it all together.

28:50 - Apothecary mamas get discounts to online dispensaries like Full Script for herbs and supplements.

30:30 - It’s clear that Mel is an expert. How do you do all of this as a mom?

34:00 - Learned the art of delegation, even if nobody can do it as good as you. Hire people to help you.

35:00 - Using a team to help editing videos that were already created. Creating Reels for social platforms.

35:42 – A mom, Jennifer, has been helping her and just completed VA training (Virtual Assistant.)

36:45 – Record on TikTok, then edit with Capcut, create Reels, and upload to all other platforms. TikTok gives favoritism to those using their platform and recording in it.

38:05 – Recently started repurposing her TikTok’s and publish them to the public on her personal page as a fresh post.

41:50 – Many people don’t like to post on their personal page which can be imposter syndrome. Why wouldn’t your friends and family want to know what you are doing?

43:20 - Metricool, Hootsuite, and vidIQ are platforms to help publish on social media.

45:00 – Onlinejobs.ph is where she found her teams of people to help with VA work.

46:20 – Tips on what to help you use a team of people for.

47:20 – Connecting to businesses that support the same things you do.

Find Mel at the following links:

https://www.theherbalistspath.com/

https://www.theherbalistspath.com/blog/the-herbalists-path-podcast

https://www.theherbalistspath.com/medicine-making-mommas

https://www.theherbalistspath.com/apothecary-momma-herbal-mentorship

https://www.tiktok.com/@theherbalistspath

https://www.facebook.com/TheHerbalistsPath

https://www.instagram.com/theherbalistspath

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheHerbalistsPath

https://www.pinterest.com/TheHerbalistsPath/

Some Background on the hosts!

Ariella Vaccarino-

Once an opera singer, mother to 5 children, voice and piano teacher, creator of

Voice Lessons To Go, a line of voice lesson CDs/downloads that sell nationwide.

She is also the host of the podcasts:

The Talented Magical Mommies Club

Ariella's Vocal Notes

and she has her own YouTube channel about singing:

www.youtube.com/VoiceLessonsToGo

Theresa Ofstad-

Is currently working a fulltime job while running a Basketball Club with her husband and teenage son. She is developing a business called Fuller Life, a resource for patients, seniors and their families. She is an area director with Toastmasters, a lifetime learner, leadership fanatic, and community connector.

Fuller Life

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