How to Leave Successful Careers Behind to Start Your Passion Project

Aug 1, 2022 | Family Business

Meet the successful co-founders couple that started the Lavender Creek Co. Family

Leaving your hometown and moving to Los Angeles to pursue your dreams is one of the most classic American stories.

You could almost picture the Greyhound bus, a tiny suitcase and optimism in the eyes.

LA is a special place, there’s no doubt about it. There’s something here for everyone. Whether it’s business, law, or Hollywood.

Most people come here looking for fame and fortune. But for Myriah and Ryan, co-founders of Lavender Creek Co, LA was the home that gave them a strong foundation, which eventually led to their dreams in another part of California.

Both native Angelenos; both Ryan and Myriah’s families have roots in Los Angeles county.

Native American on her mother’s side; Myriah’s family has lived in the heart of Hollywood – Burbank, California – for generations. Literally surrounded by the limelight of the world’s biggest film studios, she found her penchant for numbers and was working successfully in finance and accounting for more than 20 years.

Ryan is a veteran of U.S. armed forces and has more than 10 years of experience in B2B sales in a number of industries. His closest brush with fame came when he worked with a Shark Tank company owned by Mark Cuban and Robert Herjavec. He has also worked with major retailers like Target, Walmart, Amazon, and government agencies like Orange County, the County of Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

California Love
Morning walks on the beach, evenings spent listening to the crashing waves of the Pacific. Hikes through deserts and redwoods. The couple basks in the glory of nature and finds peace and comfort in the great outdoors.

Their lifestyles are driven by sustainability – using environmentally-friendly products for their homes and adopting natural lifestyles.

They love organic foods, eco-friendly living, essential oils, and natural ingredients.

Both are active volunteers, feeding the homeless and finding new ways to combat food waste and doing their part in fighting climate change.

Their weekends and vacations meant escaping the urban skyscrapers and getting closer to their favorite part of the State – the Central Coast.

Corporate professionals by day – adventurers in their free time – they were on a straight and narrow path to continue on this road… until they both fell deeply, madly, and illogically in love with lavender.

The Wedding that Led to a Lavender Farm
Their first encounter with lavender was in the picturesque Carmel Valley, with their own beautiful vineyard setting wedding, accented with lavender decor.

This was the day that the seeds of the Lavender Creek Co. were planted.

Lavender Rising
Combining their personal lifestyles and interests, they found the project of their dreams.

Digging a little deeper, they discovered that lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is native to the Mediterranean. But it also flourishes in dry climates; U.S. states like California, Arizona, Hawaii, and New Mexico.

Lavender oil is used as perfume and to aid sleep, relax muscles, and has antifungal and antibacterial properties.

The oil is also, not surprisingly, used in cooking by several top European and American chefs.

The versatility of lavender makes it a wonder plant. So, there’s commercial viability.

It was settled. Lavender had captivated their imagination and cultivating a farm in their favorite part of California was a natural next-step.

What’s so great about lavender?
A quick history lesson will show that lavender has been used for healing and cleansing for thousands of years.

The flowering herb’s healing powers were known by ancient Romans and Greeks, and studies today prove lavender’s medicinal worth.

Lavender, in addition to being excellent for healing the skin, is also used for its calming effects, in teas, in balms, and as a soap. It has a positive impact on both mental and physical health.

Lavender oil is used to relax muscles, heal stress, fight insomnia, ease anxiety, dementia, pain and several other conditions.

The most beautiful lavender farm in California
Lavender Creek Co. farm is located on Carmel Valley Road, deep in Monterey County’s wine country. In between the famously scenic Big Sur and Hwy 1 coast, and the agricultural Salinas Valley known lovingly as the “Salad Bowl of the World” for its excellent soil and growing a massive amount of vegetable produce for the US and the world.

There is a creek running through the farm, aptly named Piney Creek.

The farm is 100% off the grid; everything is powered by the sun and gravity!

As first time farmers, not only are they cultivating a herb that is helpful to the mind and body, but they are doing it using all natural resources.

The farm is blooming and so is the lavender loving family. The couple reside near the farm with their 2.5 year old daughter; Aulora, and their soon-to-arrive son.

Come visit Lavender Creek!
Although the farm is not ready yet for visitors, it is being prepared as a wedding venue, vacation rental, and to welcome passersby who want to unwind or spend the day taking pictures.

The farm is surrounded with grand and beautiful California oak trees. Turkeys, deer, and lots more wildlife are also seen throughout the year.

The possibilities are endless.

And if you’re unable to visit the farm, they have already started selling lavender items in their shop and will introduce lavender items for use in food and beverage, skincare, and the household.

As the first buds of lavender sprout in 2023, the couple’s mission to make lavender’s natural health properties available are blooming into a reality.