Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Golden.
Hi Nicole, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
When the 2020 pandemic hit, life got very dark for the residents of Peach Hill, Moorpark, CA. Especially for the children in the neighborhood. I joined forces with a few moms to create events in the community that were safe and brought positive energy and fun. We were recognized in local news outlets for events such as the Moorpark Halloween House Decorating Contest, Spooky Car Parade, and Shamrock Hunts.
From then on, I knew whatever I set out to do would have a positive impact on my family and others. It would only be prudent to give my community the recognition it deserves. Hence, the bright side of life became “Just Peachy Life!”
During the pandemic, being an at-risk household, we used a TON of hand sanitizer. My husband and I noticed our hands were dry and cracking. Our little kids didn’t want to use it because they said the gel felt like “boogers.” We tried countless brands and did not find any that met our expectations. As a mom, if something doesn’t exist, you figure it out and make it yourself. I created an amazing formula that kills germs, does not dry out your hands or leave an oily residue, smells fantastic, and dries instantly. I partnered with the business department and a pharmacist from the FDA. With their guidance and a TON of research, our Magical Mist Hand Sanitizer is now FDA-listed as an official over-the-counter drug.
On lockdown with two toddlers, I had zero time to myself. Finding even five minutes a day, self-care became essential. As a member of countless online mommy groups, I knew I was not the only one struggling. So, I decided to create a line of clean products to help pamper those in need of some relaxation and release. Every product we have is something I wanted for myself. For years, supporting small businesses has been a priority. The innovative ideas, customer relationships, and details that go into small businesses are what make them so appealing.
Growing up in the Conejo Valley and an active member of Ventura County it is important to pay it forward. Just Peachy Life is always donating to different local charities and fundraisers. We sell our products on social media platforms @justpeachyca and our website www.justpeachy.life. We have booths at local Farmer’s Markets and events such as Westlake Village Farmers Market, Thousand Oaks Chili Cook-Off, Thousand Oaks Street Fair, Enegren’s Oktoberfest, and Holidays in the Village – a European Marketplace.
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?
Starting this small business has allowed me to put forward my strengths and test my weaknesses. My husband and I own Golden Plumbing and have had that business for years. However, starting Just Peachy Life was a whole new ballgame. Developing products that do exactly what I wanted took time. Working with the FDA is a new language I had never been exposed to; blessed that the feedback on our products has been amazing from the minute we launched. Having two toddlers and keeping up with supply and demand was a hard balance to find. Building relationships with other small businesses and vendors in the community became key to our learning. The legalities of this business are very different from our plumbing company. Different insurance, bookkeeping, employee training, vendor relationships for materials, and marketing. Staying organized and focused on what drives me to do this is key. With that said, I have never been happier doing what I do. Creating a product that is exactly what I want it to be is a full-on vibe. Every time a customer tells me how amazing our shower steamers are fills my heart with pride. When people try our beard oil and become repeat customers, I know I am on the right track. Seeing someone recommend Just Peachy Life products on social media is SO EXCITING. In the end, small business isn’t easy, but I have the COOLEST JOB EVER. I get to be creative and social and give back to my community while creating space to be a fully present mom, wife and some time for myself.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I have a bachelor’s degree in Apparel Merchandising with a minor in marketing. Studied international business in 7 different provinces in China and come from a family that owns numerous small businesses. I set goals to exceed expectations and love to develop others. I have experience in public relations, event planning, advertising, and management, and worked as an executive in the fashion industry for over 20 years.
I am the CEO of Just Peachy Life, a cleansing and wellness products company. Ninety percent of our products are handmade. All the products are based on supporting self-care. We are known for our Magical Mist Hand Sanitizer, shower steamers, precious stone jewelry, Morning Wood Beard Oil, and 5 o’clock Shadow Shaving Tonic. All our products are made with therapeutic, high-grade, cold-pressed essential oils. We do not use any fragrances or dyes. Our sage, cedar, and rosemary is ethically sourced from local family farms that employ over 100 families. The Palo Santo is imported from Piura, Peru. Our newest product launch is our precious stone essential oil rollers. The rollers are made with the highest quality essential oils with amazing therapeutic blends.
Being nominated for the Moorpark Community Awards for Shop of the Year, Woman of the Year, Neighbor of the Year, and New Business of the Year has been a beaming highlight of my career. Our community is like one big family, and it makes me feel excited and humbled. Being featured on the KCAL 9 News afternoon show was another EXTREMELY AWESOME moment. I shared Just Peachy Life products while representing our community and my favorite local charity, Conejo Community Outreach.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
What started as the brainchild of three small-town moms during COVID-19 evolved into a full-time dream career for me. Sarah Stern, Liz Hames, and I spent many nights drinking truly in my garage, coming up with ideas of how we would launch a business together. Sarah is a social media guru, and Liz has worked as an executive in the bridal industry for many years. Our kids were best friends, and we were each other’s voice of reason. The kids would play, and we would be testing out different essential oil brands and making blends to create the perfect scent. All of us were so busy with toddlers that we never had time to relax and take a bath. Hell, we were lucky if we got to pee by ourselves. Five-minute showers were our claim to fame for some alone time. What could make the five minutes in the shower even better? Voila, the Just Peachy Life Shower Steamer, came to life.
The three of us had been using hand sanitizer way before Covid. We had babies and always had some in the house, car, and our diaper bags. During the pandemic, sanitizer was sparse, and people were making it with raw ethanol that smelled like moonshine. It was horrible. Liz and I pulled many late nights coming up with both Lavender and Peppermint blends for the Magical Mist Hand Sanitizer. As time went on, Sarah and her family moved out of state then Liz and her family did the same. This is when Just Peachy Life became my sole baby.
A mentor guiding me through the adventures of growing my mom-boss business is Erin Driess Keyan. Erin is the co-founder of goPure – a local science-backed clean skincare company. She supports woman-run businesses and understands what it’s like to grow a company from its grassroots. She has taught me the ins and outs of packaging, vendor relationships, and understanding the women’s market. Erin has two kids, and we have had many discussions about how to balance work and mom life.
My biggest cheerleaders and teammates are my family. My husband is the best partner, #1 supporter, and muscle I could ever have. He helps me make and package products, sets up and tears down our booth at events, and promotes the business along with whatever is needed to help us grow. Not to mention, he is my #1 product tester. My kids are my world, and I love being part of the family business. They look forward to hanging out at our booth during events, chatting with customers, and watching me create new products. They have been working on setting up a recycle, reuse, and reduce program called Just Peachy Kids.
For months Liz and I had been working on creating the perfect sanitizer. One Summer night, my little girl Layla and I were hanging out, mixing different ingredients to find the right blend. Mommy let’s try adding a little of this, how about replacing this with that? We should test it and see how it feels. It was a night filled with science, bonding, and amazing memories. Well, when we finished our test batch, to both our surprise, it was PERFECT! We were so excited that I sped over to Liz’s house at 9:30 pm to have her and her husband test it out. The excitement filled the air; we finally created the magic we had been looking for. This is the day Just Peachy Life’s Magical Mist Sanitizer was born.
My parents are constantly in my corner, rooting for my success. My mom shares products with her friends and has even helped me at the booth. My dad looks to make sure I am making sound business decisions. Both being small business owners I always look up to what advice they have to give. My sister Monique works for me from time to time. Teaming up with her is productive and she has my best interest at the top of mind. She is incredible at running a sales floor. When creating products, she gets me on all levels, and it is so easy to accomplish things together. My youngest sister, Danielle, talks about Just Peachy Life to people and shows me she is proud of what I am doing. My brother wants to see me shine, and all my aunts, uncles, and cousins have shown up to events we have had a booth at to show love and support. I feel truly blessed to have the family I do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://justpeachy.life/
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/justpeachyca
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/justpeachyca
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEkwmyuogl7TTjkO44_YkYw
- Other: www.tiktok.com/justpeachylife
Image Credits
Mikie Ericson
