Lily Galef, Nina Mullen, Hilary Quartner
Today I want to introduce you to a brand that I recently learned about during my search for a natural alternative for tension relief. Migraines are something I’ve been dealing with for years, and after having a series of severe migraines, I knew that I didn’t want to rely on typical OTC medications that often caused more trouble than providing any true relief… that’s when I found out about Hilma and their Tension Relief supplement. It’s one of four supplements that founders Lily Galef, Nina Mullen and Hilary Quartner worked with physicians to create and they are absolute game-changers when it comes to updating your medicine cabinet.
In this interview the founders of Hilma share an inside look at how the brand began including how they met, the most important factor to maintain a healthy working relationship with the scientific advisers and physicians who formulate the supplements for the brand, their personal favorites and more.
First of all, how did the three of you meet?
We were all friends prior to being business partners. Hilary and Nina met at Harvard Business School, and Lily and Nina were friends from childhood. Lily and Hilary met through Nina!
At what point did you decide that you wanted to start a brand with natural remedies that are backed by science (and formulated by medical professionals?)
The original idea was inspired by an Emergen-C pack; we realized that it was odd that although we turned to clean labels in all areas of our lives from our foods to beauty to household products, we were still turning to health products with synthetic ingredients, sugars, fillers and dyes, in moments when we were most trying to be healthy. We realized medicine cabinets were stuck in the past! We had all had compelling experiences using natural remedies for common needs, so knew there were options missing from our pharmacy shelves that we could bring to people in a clearer, more trustworthy way if it was grounded in research and science. We spent over a year validating the idea with research, honing the business plan, and assembling a team of scientists to lend their expertise and perspective to the product development process.
Echinacea
Tell me about the story behind the name.
In our search for a name, we knew we wanted to find something that didn’t mean anything to most people, so we could imbue it with the brand feeling that we wanted to create. We loved the name Hilma because it checked that box, and was evocative of a caregiver, which of course was spot-on for the brand we were building.
What is the most important part about maintaining a healthy working relationship with the scientific advisors and doctors you work with to create the products at Hilma?
We try to be very respectful of their time, which means entering every conversation with lots of preparation and targeted requests for help and input.
Where do you source some of the natural ingredients that are used in your products?
We source our herbs from all over the world, depending on where the herbs grow and are of the highest quality. Each ingredient is vetted by a sourcing expert who has been in the space for over 30 years, as well as by third party labs to validate identity and quality. Our products are all manufactured and tested in the US.
Do you feel the pandemic has led consumers to look for more natural remedies for everyday stresses and ways to boost their immune systems naturally?
We have been hearing from customers that they’re more focused on their health and also more open minded to incorporating new approaches and routines. The overall change of pace has led many to question the habits they’ve formed purely out of convenience, and start to work towards lifestyle changes that felt intimidating to try now that they have more time to do so. Oh, not to mention, everyone has been cleaning… and the medicine cabinet has been no exception to that!
Which of the products do each of you find yourselves using the most often?
Lily — Tension Relief – I keep it on my desk! I’ve been getting a lot of tension from all of the screens and long days of work during quarantine.
Hilary — Indoor/Outdoor Support – I use it daily leading up to high pollen season in the spring, and then again during the fall when Ragweed is at its peak! I also take it for indoor irritants like dust.
Nina — Upset Stomach Relief – I have an ulcer so it really is my go-to almost daily! I’ve had bad experiences with over-the-counter options in the past so I am just always so happy with how well it works for me and that, of course, it’s natural.
Currently Hilma offers four products (Immune Support, Upset Stomach Relief, Tension Relief and Indoor/Outdoor Support) Do you have more products currently in the works?
We do! They’ll be hitting the market in the beginning of 2021!
Your products have been featured in Byrdie and Vogue to name a few. What was it like seeing your products in the media for the first time?
We were of course very excited and proud! Every step of the way we have moments in which we say to each other “can you believe this was just an idea not so long ago?” It’s really fulfilling ally fulfilling to see the products we’ve worked so hard on help people feel better.
Shop Hilma and following along via Instagram for new releases @hilma_co
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