Nuwati Story

From a young age I showed a strong proficiency in problem solving, creativity, and working with my hands. I knew since third grade that I wanted to be an auto mechanic. Over the years I have added many skills and passions like welding/metal work, woodworking, leather crafting, cooking smoked BBQ, sports, and making/playing music. I worked as a BMW technician for fifteen years until sports injuries from high school made me step away. I then moved to a desk job with a company that kept me in the automotive world as a diagnostic technician for body shops. I quickly moved up to a supervisor position and had the pleasure of working with and managing a talented group of 20-60 people. As with many small and quickly growing companies, they had a desperate need for help in many departments and I answered the need within the IT department. In Feb of 2025 we decided it was time for me to be a stay-at-home dad and make the farm my primary focus.

I look forward to being able to teach our children how to solve problems. We will, no doubt, face numerous problems as we move along in life. Too many people wish to take the “easy way out” anymore and I want our kids to understand that sometimes the hard way is the better option.

As business owners, Kassi and I will be able to teach our children how to support the business and eventually they will take over Nuwati Herbals. We want to be able to give them the opportunity to learn the many aspects of business as well. We want them to understand how special the trust is that is given to us by people all over the world who use our products. I look forward to learning and growing Nuwati Herbals with my family and seeing what the future holds.

I was the one that never listened to any advice growing up. I was determined to have a career in music management, and it wasn’t until after I graduated with a music degree from the University of North Texas, that I discovered the music industry is extremely difficult to break into. I did not know what else I wanted to do with my life, so I started working in hotels as a means to earn a paycheck. There was a constant source of drama and excitement, but after a couple of years, that became exhausting. I opted to move into the finance department in hotels and had a nice little stint there until a non-profit caught my attention. I moved over to a beautiful company that facilitates organ donation throughout the state of Texas. It was very rewarding and enjoyable.

Ryan and I bought a small farm in 2019 and we all rediscovered our love for nature. We found all sorts of wild berries and beautiful wildflowers on our property. We planted more flowers and a fruit and vegetable garden. Our children are learning every day that if you take care of the Earth, the Earth will take care of you. We started growing fruits and veggies for our own enjoyment, and it wasn’t long before we felt compelled to open a farm stand. We are very proud and excited to say The Miller Farm Stand has become the “go to” for home grown produce in our community!

As farmers, Ryan and I want to be able to curate a farm that we are proud to leave our children in the future. As a mom, I want to be able to teach our children the dedication needed to undertake obligations like a farm and a business. As a business owner, I want to be able to share with our children the commitment that is required to gain and maintain the trust of our customers. I want our family to understand how special it is to build a business where everything is grown and produced in the USA.

All of these things are stepping stones that we will eventually leave to our children, but before any of that can happen, we will need to foster their sense of wonder and exploration. Between the farm and Nuwati Herbals, I fully believe all of this can happen and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for the Miller Family!

“I am who I am, and I don’t pretend to be anything I am not. I am Mixed Blood (Cherokee and Scots-Irish), and look more like I should be wearing kilts rather than a ribbon shirt, but my heart tells me otherwise.  I have always been drawn to my ancestors and I know that I am doing what Great Mystery put me here to do, and I pray that I inspire the spirits of all my ancestors. Every day I strive to Walk in Balance on My Path and to always be there for The People.

Despite my ancestry, Nuwati Herbal products are not represented to be ‘Indian Products’ as defined by law.

Nuwati Herbals began in August 2002, at a small show in St. Louis, Missouri.  At least that was the first public display of the Nuwati products. The idea and the premise was established over 50 years ago when my Grandma would send me out, at the age of 5, to gather herbs, bark, roots, flowers, and leaves, from which she would make Medicine. She taught me the proper way to gather, so that there would always be plants for future generations. I developed a special connection with Nature, and required close contact and frequent encounters with the woods and Mother Earth.

As the years went on, I attended Jefferson College, the University of Missouri-Columbia, and Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, earning Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science degrees in Speech and Language Pathology. During my college years, I always maintained my strong connection with Mother Earth. After graduation I specialized in rehabilitating stroke patients and continued my exploration of Native American Spirituality. I started studying alternative or complementary healing practices and became a Reiki Master. I did an extended internship with Dr. Thomas Sachs, a Naturopathic Doctor, and 8th generation Cherokee Medicine Man. I then bought a Health Food store, calling it The Medicine Wheel. People would come to my store and ask for help with their health, telling me that they had tried Western Medicine to no avail. I would call upon the Plant People (herbs), and make teas and balms for them. I never made any medical claims. I would just say, “Try this and see what it does for you.” I began hearing comments like, “I haven’t slept this well in years,” or “Your tea is the only thing I have found that calmed the storm in my stomach.” The word of my teas and balms spread and I found myself helping more and more people. Over time my ‘remedies’ became a major part of my business. But, to quote the great philosopher Harry Callahan, “Every man’s got to know his limitations,” and I knew mine. In one word, Retail. I could only help as many people as I could get to enter my store. Unfortunately, I lacked the marketing background necessary to wholesale my products. In March of 2002, I attended a Holistic Expo at Webster University in St. Louis, MO. There were numerous products promoting health and wellness, and I couldn’t help but think how my own products would fit in. As I walked around, I noticed a small redheaded woman with the most beautiful smile I had ever seen. I vowed if I saw her one more time I would talk to her. Later that day while leaving a seminar, as Creator would have it, I ran right into her and that is how I met my partner, Kimberly.

After a thirty year marketing and management career in the commercial insurance business, I found myself burnt out. The job had ceased to challenge me and I was constantly frustrated that I couldn’t make a more positive difference in people’s lives. I knew that something else in life was trying to find me and that if I didn’t make a space for it, it never would. So I walked in and resigned.

The next year found me pursuing writing courses (I have since written many short stories and articles in addition to a monthly pet column in a local magazine).  I also took a part-time job, that quickly became a full-time job, with a national health and beauty chain. The pay was minimal and most of my friends thought I had lost my good sense. But I felt a strong draw to learn retail merchandising and promotion. The reason for my detour into retail sales became apparent when I met Rod Jackson. In addition to my business and marketing background, I would need a merchandising background to pursue our mutual venture.

The day we met at the Holistic Expo (March 2002) a positive force was put in motion. We started a friendship, a relationship and a business in a matter of a few short months. We both wanted to have a positive influence in the lives of others. Rod had the ability to do just that with his superior and unique products. And I had the ability to tell the world about them.

We want to thank the many people who have influenced and supported the efforts of Nuwati Herbals from the day we glued our first label on a jar of tea in August 2002. A special thank you goes to our many friends who have helped us with art and logo design, label design, insurance programs, reviewing contracts, setting up our credit card services, finding our trailer to haul Nuwati Herbals around the country…and most importantly of all…the manual labor it takes to setup and tear down all our shows!

The mission of Nuwati Herbals is to help people restore Balance to their lives. We thank the Creator every day for the opportunity to be part of this process.

And so, it is good…

Rod Jackson & Kimberly Stauder (now Jackson as of May 19, 2012!)

And the story continues…

“Mums” walked on Nov 27, 2018.  We know that each and every day she continues to look down on us with love and pride.

In 2002 a new baby was born. The baby’s name was Nuwati. The two proud people of Nuwati are Rod and Kimberly. They dreamed of a business that would help people. Nuwati is a dream come true!
They work day and night to make sure everything goes just right!
They travel around many states for their shows…Just how many people they help only God knows!
As the years went by and the business grew they had another dream come true!
On January 1, 2017, they got a new building in which to create their products. “The Plant” as they call it, is an appropriate name…for their herbs are plants, one and the same!

The rest of the story:
Many years have now gone by. There are many products going out of “The Plant” daily all over the United States, Canada, and Bermuda.
The years have been very busy and profitable.
Yes, they had a dream, that dream became a reality.

That dream is Nuwati Herbals!”