Exploring Life & Business with Jessi Brown of Down to Earth

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessi Brown.

Hi Jessi, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, you could tell our readers some of your backstories.
I never really know where to start, so here goes:

I never really felt like I fit in anywhere. After 13 years in the profession of my dreams, I still didn’t feel like I fit in, so I made a huge shift and created a place where I do fit in, quite unintentionally, and I made sure to make enough room for all the other misfits out there too. Now we can all come together and make our weird little hearts very happy, and I think my small corner of the world is a little brighter because of it.

I was a special education teacher specializing in kiddos on the Autism spectrum and was injured by a large student. As a result, I developed chronic back pain. As a neurodivergent, I tend to do a lot, so I also ran a farmers market on the weekends. One of the vendors recommended I try CBD. I was skeptical but tried it and was surprised by how much better I felt. At that point, I was on 25 pills a day in my mind 30s while I was relatively healthy. That one plant medicine did more than all of those 25 pills combined, and I had a huge aha moment that made me question almost everything I thought I knew. After some research and deep diving, I took a gigantic leap of faith. I chucked my entire career out the window, bought an ugly building, and began a whole new life!

I opened Down to Earth, a small health and wellness shop with only about $2500 in my small town of Pittsburg. While not the most traditional thing for our town, I started with a few essential oils, herbs & spices, and teas. The building needed a lot of work, but I had to make something work fast since I wasn’t getting a paycheck anymore for teaching. My only viable option was to open on one side of the building, which was still offices, while we worked on renovating this other side. At a yard sale, I found a used cash register for 50 cents and opened my doors on a wing and a prayer.

I started doing outdoor vendor events, like my farmers market, and showcasing local artists and crafters. Initially, it was fairly slow going, but I listened to my customers. I started adding items they asked for, but they didn’t seem available in our area.

It was so much fun that I started doing more, attracting more customers and artists. This is the beginning of my 5th year, and my shop has become a wonder. Because I listen to my customers, I carry many items. I didn’t realize that so many people felt like they never fit anywhere. Advertising tends to be very prohibitive on such a shoestring budget; I never could afford much. I could trade some items for advertising on a radio station, but I mostly relied on word of mouth.

In the past 5 years, I have devoted all my efforts to creating a space filled with wonder and joy that brings peace to all who choose to spend their valuable time and money with me. I have worked very hard to create a space for all those who feel like they don’t belong or are weird where we can all come together to learn and grow. With almost no advertising, people seem to find me when they need to. I am humbled and honored that customers travel hours to come to my annual Earth Day Event and Plant Sale in the spring when I have about 800 weird tomato plants. The crazy colors and shapes are so much fun and a great way to get kids, and kids at heart, into growing their food and being part of the solution. I work an insane amount of hours and bite off more than I can chew all of the time, but it’s a great life I am creating. It’s mine, on my terms.

I never really felt like I fit in anywhere. After 13 years in the profession of my dreams, I still didn’t feel like I fit in, so I made a huge shift and created a place where I do fit in, quite unintentionally, and I made sure to make enough room for all the other misfits out there too. Now we can all come together and make our weird little hearts very happy, and I think my small corner of the world is a little brighter because of it.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been fairly smooth?
Smooth sailing has never been for me, so bumps are part of the process. I started with thrifting and recycling old furniture instead of commercial fixtures. I didn’t have much money and nothing to draw from, so I just made it up and learned along the way.

No money: I bartered merchandise for a little bit of radio advertising. I took items in on consignment to fill the shelves with no upfront costs.

Shit down: I’m a helper. I do not feel whole if I am not helping people become happier and healthier. When the pandemic hit, I began making hand sanitizer to help my community get through, but I was only 1 person, so that I couldn’t make enough. I figured out how to source more to help more people. I sourced two 55-gallon barrels of hand sanitizer and thousands of bottles in extreme shortages. I figured out other places people had overlooked. I also teamed up with individuals making masks and got them for those in need. Pivot is my middle name.

Controversial: I added THC products to my offerings while many still believed it was a gateway drug and terrible for you, It continues to be very controversial, but I teach my customers how and why it works so they can have more options and make the bead choices for their health and unique circumstances.

Misunderstood: I provide spiritual, emotional, and metaphysical tools. Most are very misunderstood and shrouded in controversy, but I still keep the peace in my midwestern town by helping others see another’s point of view.

Safe: I provide a judgment-free zone, and I don’t gatekeep.

No fun: With the pandemic and all that jazz, we haven’t had fun in about 3 years, so I got a freeze dryer and made silly candy. It’s small and seems counterintuitive, but life is about balance. Sometimes you need to have a little fun. While I do carry items that are age regulated, I make my shop a family-friendly place and highly encourage children to ring the chimes, pick up all the shiny rocks, and look inside every cool box. Treasure can be found everywhere.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Down to Earth?
Down to Earth is a place for helping you on your journey, whether it is spiritual, emotional, or health-related. I strive to listen to people’s wants and find balance with what we all need. We have a wide variety of bulk herbs, spices, botanicals, crystals, essential oils, hemp products, and tons of DIY supplies so you can be very hands-on in your endeavors. My house brand is called Hippy Spit. In my teacher’s life, a student had bitten a coworker, and the bite mark was terrible. I am bruised to nearly black and painful. I gave him a tin of an herbal salve I make, and he looked at it and said, “What is that? Some hippy spit?” We laughed, but it worked, and years later, when I opened I knew it was the perfect moniker for my creations! I get the highest praise when kids want to come to my store and tell me about their day, and adults say I need to come in for a minute to soak up the good vibes. My offerings have been reiterated, from dip mixes at craft fairs to weird tomatoes in the spring and exciting classes to learn new things. Down to Earth has something for just about everyone. I can’t wait to see what the next reiteration is!

Are any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
I highly recommend Leafly and Jointly for hemp information. I find both to be very helpful in learning the deep details about strains and terpenes, which are all the plant magic in the world! I will talk about terpenes until people’s eye glaze over. 😂

Citrine Circle is a free app that helps you keep track of your crystals, rocks, and minerals, whether you want to know about their metaphysical or geological properties or a checklist for what you are looking for or the ones you already have in your collection. Also, please remember shop owners are not your Google. My job is to help you find what you are looking for, not tell you what you need. You will learn a lot more when you do the work yourself, plus it will be much more helpful in the long run.

Pricing:

• Affordable
• Most under $20

Contact Info:

• Website: www.DownToEarthPitt.com
• Instagram: @DownToEarthPitt
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/DownToEarthPitt
• TikTok: #d2e2525

Image Credits
Jessi Brown