VIRTUAL HERBALISM CONFERENCE - DAY 4
Founding an Herbal Product Business Today with Ric Scalzo
In this class, Ric Scalzo shares insights on building a successful herbal product business that prioritize the health of the planet alongside personal wellness. Ric has spent decades shaping the field through his work in the products industry, from founding Gaia Herbs to creating the Ric Scalzo Institute for Botanical Research, Ric’s journey has been dedicated to the integration of plant-based healing and sustainability. Now, with his new venture, Kokora, Ric brings his vision of “rest, restore, revitalize” to regenerative organic farming. This discussion highlights Ric’s lifelong mission to bridge herbalism with regenerative practices and scientific innovation.
Ric Scalzo began his journey in herbal and naturopathic medicine in 1980, studying various traditions such as Naturopathic, Ayurvedic, and Traditional Chinese Medicine.
He received a master’s degree in Herbal Medicine and an Honorary Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine. He is renowned for his innovations in Herbal Medicine and personal commitment to retaining herbal integrity, as well as a leader in the movement to integrate regenerative agriculture into the world of Herbal Medicine.
Ric Scalzo, founder of Gaia Herbs, made a transformative philanthropic gift to Sonoran University, establishing a botanical research institute focused on the cellular mechanism of action of medicinal plants and isolating and characterizing their primary constituents. The research and collaborations with Sonoran University have been grounded in a shared love and fascination of the coevolution of plants, people, microbes, and the environment.
About Ric Scalzo:
Find Ric:
9:00 AM EST: A Path Forward: Lessons Learned from Travel and Transformation with Traditional Medicine with Nick Polizzi
NEXT WEBINAR:
- contributing to the Chamomile: Herb of the Year Speaker Film offered exclusively with the 2025 Herbalism Conference VIP Pass Ticket!
- contributing to The Heirloom Recipe Collection, a curated course featuring 40 signature herbal recipes from sage herbalists like Rosemary Gladstar, Dr. Aviva Romm, Felicia Ruiz, David Winston, and dozens of others. These timeless treasures will surely become cherished heirlooms in your own apothecary, exclusively available as an upgrade to 2025 Herbalism Conference VIP Pass Ticket!
Discussion Highlights:
- Finding the balance between scaling a business and maintaining high-quality, ethically sourced herbs.
- Key practices to ensure both success and environmental responsibility in your herbal business.
- Regenerative agriculture in the cultivation of herbs and how regenerative farming differs from other sustainable practices.
- Criteria for sourcing herbs sustainably.
- Evolution towards sustainably and regeneratively sourced products in recent years.
- Ensuring the long-term sustainability of the herbs used in the herbal products industry.
Virtual Herbalism Conference: Live Access
OPENING CEREMONY: FEBRUARY 16
DAY 3: FEBRUARY 19
DAY 4: FEBRUARY 20
- 1:00 PM EST: A 101 Guide: Harvesting Herbs and Wild Edibles with Holly Hutton & Heather Wood Buzzard