Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley (A.S.H.) Harris.
Ashley, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
In 2018, I woke up completely paralyzed on my right side. After spending weeks in the hospital I was sent home with a walker, and referral. During the year it took to reach diagnosis, my knowledge of ancient healing expanded, and in less than a year, I was able to go from a wheelchair, to my goal of running on the beach. Peddling herbs to friends and peers on campus, I found myself as a walking root worker. With the onset of COVID, there was a demand to pivot from sharing with my immediate circle the entire human community.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The entire journey at one point seemed like an obstacle. For instance, Ancient Remedies was birthed from my seeking to overcome paralyzation, from Multiple Sclerosis. Also, the onset of COVID-19 became our trajectory to the brand we are today. I was on-campus as a full-time 3rd year Mechanical Engineering major at the University of California San Diego, pre-COVID. When a push to depopulate campus gave me an opportunity to take classes online, I left campus to resettle back in Atlanta(my second home). Taking online classes was a bust.
I ultimately decided to take a break from my degree and focus on the business full-time. I got a van, and have been working on converting it to live/work full-time in order to build the brand touring nationally. Which actually happened much sooner than anticipated when another obstacle arose. We had been doing regular pop-ups at a local food truck park in Atlanta, and anticipated longevity in the space, but those aspirations were cut short after our payment for our third weekend was refunded and we were not allowed to return with no real grounds for removal. It actually was to our benefit, because after this I took the van and Ancient Remedies to my hometown of Rockford, IL where we are now working out our first major contract with an International Hotel and Casino brand coming to the area.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Ancient Remedies?
We’re a local herbal tea manufacturer and distributor, specializing in handcrafted small batch blends; featuring ancient roots, flowers, and herbs to invigorate the body and uplift the human community. What sets us apart from others are our whole chunk blends which create potent teas that last several steeps. As well as, our original B.Y.O.B. blends that allow our customers to create custom blends curated to what their specific body needs.
Because our teas are intended to actually heal and remedy the body our motto is that since everybody is different, everybody’s tea should be different.
Brand wise, I am most proud of our logo and slogan. Our logo is a rendition of the ancient Egyptian Goddess Isis, the mother of healing. While our slogan, “…like gods.”, completely embodies our mission promoting the entire human community to sip, think, and live…like gods.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
We are always looking for people, influencers, and brands to partner with, as well as, motivated individuals looking for executive roles in a start-up environment. The best way to contact us will be via email: info@sipancientremedies.com or send us a direct message on our Instagram account @sipancientremedies.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@sipancientremedies.com
- Website: www.SipAncientRemedies.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/sipancientremedies
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/sipancientremedies
Image Credits:
Katie Lavine Afromila
