Meet Hiba Agha | Small Business Owner/Herbalist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Hiba Agha and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hiba, other than deciding to work for yourself, what was the single most important decision you made that contributed to your success?
The single most important decision that I made that I believe contributed to my success has been to let go of the fear of the unknown or the fear of being judged, to stop anticipating all the bad scenarios that might play out and to just trust in myself and in the process. Along those lines, it has also been to just start somewhere. Don’t let the details or the big picture steer you away from starting. You can improve things as you go, or even change. Just because you started at point A does not mean you will end up at point A necessarily. What is beautiful about just starting somewhere, even when all the pieces aren’t completely put together yet, is that you quickly lose the fear or anticipation about all the theoretical scenarios and you get to tackle the practical scenarios in front of you, and soon much of the fear dissolves because you realize that much of those scenarios were just made up in your head. So my piece of advice is just start somewhere and figure the rest out as you go.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My Herbal Box was born in October of 2019 and the idea behind it was to encourage others to join the herbal or plant path but to also make it accessible and fun. We started out as an herbal subscription box and the idea was that once a month, our customers would get herbs and herbal products centered around a theme and they would also receive educational materials to teach them all about the herb of the month. It started with so much interest that it took us by surprise, but in March of 2020, we were affected by Covid19 in terms of supplies, shipping delays, and cancellations due to people losing their jobs. We decided to become an online retailer, showcasing and selling herbal products from small batch makers and herbalists and to expand our offerings. We sell teas, coffee, elixiris, skincare products, low waste products, candles and more and we attempt to feature local makers or small artists, aritsans and herbalists. We also have a membership program, where members can get 20% off all products for a small monthly or yearly payment. Our blog features recipes, learning material and thoughts on plants and herbs as well as natural remedies. It definitely hasn’t been easy to navigate a new business in these times. From evolving to keep up with the world around us, to overcoming instagram algorithms with a tight budget, it is more important now than ever to support small businesses. Growing this business has also been a journey in personal growth. Getting over the fear of imposter syndrome has been a great lesson and just putting myself out there in that way has been really insightful. I also try to straddle between the capitalist setting of having to go go go and sell sell sell in order to remain a viable business with championing an ethical business that believes in environmental protections, sustainability, ethically working with plants and working with makers and farmers that also believe in those principles. I also believe that education is a key piece and I try to portray how to work with plants ethically and responsibly. We try to use zero plastic in our packaging, work with ethical foragers and wildcrafters, include only organic and natural ingredients in the products we sell and uplift other small businesses. Challenges change day by day and my advice would be to just persist and if you love what you do and have a great product, the good times will come rolling in. As for setting up a business, I say just go for it! It has never been easier to set up a website by yourself, use one of the new graphic design programs that takes all the guesswork out of creating designs, reach customers directly through social media, and use your phone to take amazing photos. I do ALL the work on my own and I am no expert in any of those things. There is a feeling of empowerment that comes with doing it all and learning and growing in this way and I think it is beautiful. As for marketing, my belief is that I do not want to buy in to a system that makes me work 24/7. I think that if something is coming from a place of great intention, joy and purpose, it will flourish in due time. I have definitely been on the verge of burnout at times and stressed about sales and numbers, but I am trying to move from a place of trust and flow and believe that what is meant to be will be. My aim is not to become a huge company but if I can sustain myself with what I love to do, then I am winning.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Living in Southern California our itinerary would definitely include lots of nature. There would be beach days or beach picnics in the winter, lots of hiking and identifying wild plants, and eating Mexican food! It is a little hard to think about this question in the context of where the world is at the moment, but if this was pre-2019, I would say museums, Balboa Park, picnics, hikes, swims (if it’s warm enough) and lots of eating outdoors on lovely patios. There might be some music or concerts or a ride out to Joshua Tree National Park, Tijuana for some tacos, or even L.A. for some food and live music and museums.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I will start with a person because I would not be here today without my business partner Makenzie. Makenzie and I worked so well together because we had such different strengths. She knew how to just go for something and make an idea become a reality and I was good at all the inner workings, the writing and much of the creative process, while she drove the business side of things. I learned a lot from working with Makenzie about ignoring limiting beliefs, just going for something and making a vision come to life. There are many books that have pushed me along the way but one that completely changed my mindset to be able to take ownership of my life and where it was going was The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck by Mark Manson. I also want to shoutout an herb teacher/mentor who lured me onto the herbal path, Dan de Lion as well as my friend Centehua Sage. I also want to thank my herb school The Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine for giving me the knowledge to move forward on this path.

Website: www.myherbalbox.com

Instagram: myherbalbox

Facebook: My Herbal Box

Youtube: myherbalbox

Image Credits
Valentina Mudenek Hiba Agha