Photos Cy Gilbert
EM: April and Travis, your journey from losing your jobs in California to starting It’s the Balm Co. in Idaho is truly inspiring. Can you tell us how it all began?
April: It all started during the COVID-19 pandemic. My husband and I both worked for The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Beach, CA, and they shut down during the pandemic. We both lost our jobs on the same day. It was a huge shock, but after much prayer, we decided to sell our house and move to Texas with our young daughter to start over.
Travis: Shortly after moving, we all became sick with strange symptoms. We had no idea what was happening until our Naturopath suggested testing our home for mold. It turned out we had toxic mold in our HVAC system, and we had been inhaling the spores for months. Our three-year-old daughter, who used to talk non-stop, suddenly began stuttering and then barely talked at all. We knew we had to leave our home immediately.
EM: That must have been terrifying. How did you cope with such a drastic situation?
April: It was overwhelming, but we turned to social media to share our journey. I started talking about our experience with toxic mold and the natural remedies we were using to heal. I became an affiliate for many of these products, which provided us with an income. Eventually, we decided to buy an RV and travel to places in nature to help us recover. Living in the RV was freeing, and our health improved almost immediately.
EM: How did the idea of starting a business come into play during this time?
Travis: While living in the RV, we had a lot of time to reflect on our future. Neither of us wanted to go back to the hotel industry. We did extensive research into natural healing and knew that maintaining a non-toxic environment was important to us. April’s affiliate marketing business was growing, and we noticed that many people were struggling with skin-related issues. That’s when April started making tallow balms in our kitchen, using 100% grass-fed, grass-finished beef suet.
April: We sent out samples to my Instagram followers, and the feedback was amazing. In December 2022, we officially launched It’s the Balm Co. with just two products. We made 100 balms, and they sold out quickly. Today, we have 22 products, and during each restock, we produce 1,200 to 1,500 tallow balms, soaps, and deodorants. It’s been an incredible journey.
EM: That’s impressive growth in such a short time. What do you think contributed to your success?
Travis: Our background in hospitality played a huge role. We’ve always worked together—first at Morton’s The Steakhouse, then at The Resort at Pelican Hill. Starting a business together felt natural. Customer service and fast shipping are priorities for us, and that’s something we learned from our years in hospitality. Initially, shipping was a big challenge because the volume quickly became too much for us to handle alone. We were fortunate to have our parents help us pack orders, but as the business grew, we hired two employees to assist during restock weeks. This has been crucial in keeping up with demand.
April: Another key factor is our commitment to quality. The healing benefits of our tallow balms come from the fact that our cows are grass-fed and grass-finished, meaning they’re never given any grain. We source our fats from independent, local family farmers who practice regenerative, sustainable, and humane farming. Our tallow is pure, with no additives or preservatives, which sets our products apart.
EM: Looking back, how do you feel about the path that led you here?
April: Honestly, if someone had told us five years ago that we’d be running a skincare company, we would have laughed. But now, I can see how everything we went through led us here. Our business philosophy is deeply rooted in our hospitality background—customer service is everything. Many of our customers are dealing with health issues, and we’re able to share our healing journey with them, offering hope. We’ve connected with so many amazing people through this business, and those connections have been such a blessing.
Travis: We don’t take anything for granted. Losing everything during the pandemic was devastating, but it also brought us closer to God and each other. We’re grateful for the opportunity to serve others through our products, and we’re committed to giving back as much as possible. Helping others heal and providing hope is what drives us every day.
