Women at the Helm 2014

Meet the next wave of out leaders!

SELIMA AND TAMI LUST
Co-Founders, CEO and President, Iwilla Remedy

Tami and Selima Lust started their plant-based body care line because, like so many of us, they were tired of relying on traditional medicine. “We started listening to our bodies’ signs that our diet and lack of exercise were causing us harm. …Cancer scares and, unfortunately, losses within our families [also] had a huge impact on us deciding to live better and healthier lives,” the couple says. “And, sadly, hearing the doctor say that surgery was the only solution to Tami’s uterine fibroids was the last confirmation we needed to change our lives.” Their business, Iwilla Remedy, offers a variety of body oils, lip balms, skin cream, insect repellent, and a private consultation service. Local organizations were vital to the duo’s success: In 2013, they won top prize in the Brooklyn Public Library’s PowerUP! Business Plan Competition, which helped them secure funding, while the Business Outreach Center in Brooklyn offered a key mentor. “Most importantly, our mentor gave us the space to be authentic and, with each strategic decision, she held us accountable to what we said we wanted to build. That helped us make decisions that were best for our lifestyle and business.”


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