UNIT 1: OUR STORY AND HERBAL HISTORY
Lesson 1: Introduction to the Entrepreneur Herbal Course
Lesson 2: Our Story
- A Glimpse into the Herbal Academy (VIDEO)
- The Herbal Academy Story
- The Business Plan Checklist
Lesson 3: The Humoral System and Astrological Medicine
- Origins of Medicine in Greek Mythology
- The Hippocratic Legacy – Four Qualities, Four Elements, Four Humors
- Product Prompt: Herbal Incense
- Aristotle’s Philosophic Contributions to Medicine
- Dioscorides: De Materia Medica
- Galen and the Four Temperaments
- Paracelsus
- Nicholas Culpeper and Astrological Medicine
- Product Prompt: Herbal Honey for Grief Support
Lesson 4: American Botanical Movement
- The Age of Discovery
- American Medical Botanists
- The Rise of the Sectarian Schism in the American Botanical Movement
- Product Prompt: Samuel Thomson’s Formulas
Lesson 5: Other American Botanical Traditions
- Native American Healing Traditions
- African American Healing Traditions
- Appalachian Folk Medicine
- The Wise Woman Tradition
Lesson 6: Modern Allopathy and Holistic Healing
- All of those Allopaths: Allopathy and Holistic Healing
- Medical Needs in Colonial America
- Product Prompt: Flower Essences
- The Allopaths Organize
- Opportunities in Complementary and Integrative Health in Mainstream America
UNIT 2: HERBAL TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD
Lesson 1: Ayurveda
- The Principles of Ayurveda
- The Five Elements
- The Three Gunas and the Twenty Attributes
- The Three Doshas
- Product Prompt: Ayurvedic Massage Oils
- Assessing Your Constitution: Prakruti and Vikruti
- The Seven Dhatus
- Digestive Fire: Agni
- Samprapti: The Causes of Disease
- Preventative Health and Ayurveda
- Ayurvedic Treatment
Lesson 2: Traditional Chinese Medicine
- Westerners Think in Squares. Chinese People Think in Circles.
- In the Beginning…Chinese Creation Myths
- Tao
- Fundamental Concepts in TCM
- Practical Applications of TCM
Lesson 3: Global Healing Traditions
- Global Healing Traditions
- African Traditions
- Unani: Greco-Arabic Medical Tradition
- Pacific Traditions
- Pacific Traditions
- Practicing Multicultural Awareness and Sensitivity
Lesson 4: Entrepreneur Video
- Entrepreneur Interview with Mary Blue of Farmacy Herbs (VIDEO)
UNIT 3: BOTANY, PHYTOCHEMISTRY & SOURCING RAW MATERIALS
Lesson 1: Plant Identification and Taxonomy
- Basic Botany
- Learning the Language of Plants: Introduction to Botanical Terms
- Introduction to Plant Identification + Plant Walk (VIDEO)
- Plant Identification by Family
- Other Ways to Identify Plants
Lesson 2: Plant Chemistry
- What are Plant Constituents and Where Do They Come From?
- Common Medicinal Constituents
- Secondary Metabolites
Lesson 3: Sourcing Herbs and Ingredients for Medicine Making and Product Manufacture
- Sourcing Herbs: Considerations
- Sustainable Growing and Harvesting Methods
- Sourcing Sustainable Bee Products
- Entrepreneur Video: Honey! (VIDEO)
- Sourcing Other Ingredients
- Other Considerations
Lesson 4: Wildcrafting
- Wildcrafting (VIDEO)
- Considerations and Core Ethics
- Preparation and Planning
- Supplies
- Technique
Lesson 5: Drying Herbs: Considerations and Techniques
- Choosing the Appropriate Drying Method
- Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) and Drying Herbs
- Processing and Storing Herbs
Lesson 6: Entrepreneur Q&A
- Wildcrafting Herbs for Product Manufacture: Q&A with Lauren Murphy of LaLa Earth
Lesson 7: Entrepreneur Video
- Entrepreneur Interview with Peter Borchard of Companion Plants (VIDEO)
UNIT 4: DEFINING YOUR PATH
Lesson 1: Defining Your Path
- One Path, Many Ways
- Entrepreneur Video: Defining Your Path with Mary Blue of Farmacy Herbs (VIDEO)
- Entrepreneur Video: Open an Herb Shop! With Salli Greene of Alternatives for Health (VIDEO)
- Entrepreneur Video: Getting the Book Deal with Noah Wilson-Rich of Best Bees (VIDEO)
- Role in Community
- Many Approaches to Training
Lesson 2: Continuing to Grow
- Ways to Continue Professional Development – Continuing Education
- Ways to Continue Professional Development – Professional Networking
Lesson 3: Useful Resources and Organizations
UNIT 5: MANUFACTURING
Lesson 1: Incorporating Essential Oils into Herbal Products
- What is an Essential Oil?
- History of Aromatherapy
- The Three Methods of Essential Oil Use
- Groups Requiring Special Consideration
- Blending Essential Oils
- Aromatherapeutic Blending (VIDEO)
- Incorporating Aromatherapy into Other Modalities
- Using Essential Oils for Healing
Lesson 2: Making and Managing Herbal Preparations
- Herbs, Solvents, and Preparations
- Making Herbal Products – Tutorials
- Infused Oils
- Salves
- Creams & Lotions
- Honeys, Electuaries, Syrups, and Elixirs
- Macerated Tinctures
- Percolated Tinctures
- Infused Vinegars & Oxymels
- Body & Facial Scrubs
- Shelf Life
Lesson 3: More How-Tos
- How to Choose Your Packaging
- Designing Labels for Both Look and Longevity
- Naming Your Product and Writing Descriptions
- The Fire Cider Controversy (VIDEO)
- How to Price Products
- How to Ascertain Product Lifespan
- Journaling Your Steps Through Product Creation
Lesson 4: Advanced Formulation
- Advanced Formulation (VIDEO)
Lesson 5: Good Manufacturing Practices for Dietary Supplements (21 CFR 111)
- What are cGMPs?
- Definition of Food, Dietary Supplement, Cosmetic, and Drug
- Terminology and Language in 21 CFR 111
- cGMPs: Required Documentation
- Document Guidelines
- Record Keeping
- Established Specification Requirements
- Production and Process Control System: Requirements for Manufacturing Operations, Packaging, and Labeling
- Botanical Identification
- Microbial Testing
Lesson 6: Labeling Herbal Products
- What Kind of Product Are You Selling?
- What You Need to Put on Your Dietary Supplement Label: For Starters
- Exemptions & Tricks to Know
- Basic Label Requirements for Food & Dietary Supplements
- Labeling Requirements for Cosmetics
- Dietary Supplement Claims
UNIT 6: HERBAL BUSINESS
Lesson 1: Setting Up Your Business
- Taking a Vision to a Plan
- What is Your Vision?
- Creating a Business Plan
- Entrepreneur Video: The Business of Selling Herbs (VIDEO)
Lesson 2: Stories from Entrepreneurs
- Building a Successful Business
- A Success Story
- Entrepreneur Video: Best Bees (VIDEO)
Lesson 3: Creating a Business and a Brand
- Intent/Vision: Why You’re Starting a Business
- Vision as Structure: Questions to Help You Move Forward with Your Business
- A Brief History of My Personal Business Experience
- Slow and Steady: Growing with Your Business
- Considering Where To Sell Your Products
- Seeking Help: Interns as an Asset to Your Business
- Business and Product Naming: Creating a Brand Name and Image
- A Successful Herbal Company: Herbal Revolution (VIDEO)
- Marketing Your Products
- Running a Business: Other Considerations
Lesson 4: Evolution of a Brand
- What’s In a Name?
- Your Logo
Lesson 5: Herbalism and the Law
- Legal Issues in Herbalism (VIDEO)
Lesson 6: Running an Herbal Business
- Legal Business Structures
- Insurance
- Accounting
- Receiving Payments
- Shipping
Lesson 7: Creating an Online Presence
- Creating and Maintaining a Website
- Social Media
- Writing and Publishing Online
Lesson 8: Resources for Entrepreneurs
- The Entrepreneur Booklist
- Handy Business References
