Choosing health is not always easy – sometimes, it means defying expert medical advice for something you know will work for you. This is how Marilee Nelson, one of the proud trios who started Branch Basics, zeroed in on the importance of going natural with the products they use.
Nelson used to suffer from a chronic illness that required her to go on dialysis. This was not acceptable to her, so she turned to a doctor who believed ‘food can be medicine’ – and it eradicated her concerns. This made it easy for Nelson also to go all-natural when her 10-year-old son’s health became endangered due to pesticides, resulting in brain and immune system damage.
Because of this, Nelson re-evaluated her life choices and soon came up with a product idea that could make a difference not only in their household but also in others.
The result? Nelson, along with partners Allison Evans and Kelly Love, created a home and health range of cleaning products that recently became a $40 million endeavour.
Love for Wellness
Branch Basics’ success wasn’t a stroke of luck but the result of the entrepreneurial spirit and genuine love for wellness. The trio thought of what they wanted for their household and what was missing in the market, or instead, what they wanted removed and replaced at home.
The choice was simple: Remove products that could harm the environment and one’s health and replace them with a 100% non-toxic alternative.
They created a multi-purpose cleaning brand that’s non-toxic and simple to use. More than a product, they offer a lifestyle choice that encourages people to make healthier decisions for themselves.
The Wake up Calls That Led to Branch Basics
Of course, coming up with the product resulted from the partners’ personal experiences. Marilee was able to avoid a kidney transplant simply by removing toxic materials from her environment and diet – something which also healed her son, whom doctors said would never recover from pesticide poisoning (he is now grown up and very healthy!).
Allison, Marilee’s niece, was diagnosed with PCOS and suffered chronic, mysterious pain throughout college. After years of seeing medical specialists and a laundry list of drugs, Allison followed her aunt’s advice and turned her health around.
After two months at Marilee’s, eating only real food, using safe products, and staying in a healthy home, her life was transformed.
On the other hand, Kelly thought she was a healthy individual. But thanks to imbibing the lifestyle of her friend, Allison, even “normal” complaints (painful menstrual cramps, dry eyes, headaches) completely disappeared.
The Backbone of Health Products
With this in mind, the trio finally launched Branch Basics – a wellness company that offers chemical-free products for the whole household. Their liquid all-in-one concentrate is at the centre of their product range that “cleans your windows, cleans your baby’s bottom, cleans your produce.”
In an article, the ladies of Branch Basics shared that their “minimalist” product line is meant to make the whole process more accessible — and save time. “We chose to use our products as a vehicle for our mission,” Nelson says, “so we came out with a concentrate that can replace every laundry [and] cleaning product in the house. It’s so safe it can be used on the skin.”
The product can be used differently: to clean windows, a baby’s bottom, produce, makeup, and whatever surface needs cleaning at home. The trick, they said, is to know the proper usage ratio.
The business also utilised a unique but very effective marketing scheme: Word of mouth.
Focusing on connecting with its customers through various social media platforms, the company was able to amass 50,000 product subscribers, 600,000 email subscribers, and 10,000 five-star reviews on its concentrate and Oxygen Boost, which complements the power of the concentrate.
This resulted in a staggering growth of 40% every year since they started, and eventually, they could grow the business to a staggering $40 million (£32 million).
With this success, the company continues to be committed to the one direction they’ve been loyal to: prioritising human health!
