Skincare Line Gives Mom Time
by Sophie Ziels, photos by IMP
Software engineering manager turned stay-at-home entrepreneurial mom is not a phrase heard every day, but this sentence perfectly describes Ali McClean, Boise native and creator of natural skincare company Peachies and Creamies.
Family is something extremely important to McClean. Her son, Collin, who is eleven years old, and daughter, Megan, who is now twenty years old, are the most important pieces of her life. Her children were the main reason for her deciding to end her career as a software engineering manager. She knew starting her own company would not happen overnight, but she went for it anyway.
“I dedicated time to learning about marketing, advertising, social media, how to sell over the internet, and how to get an LLC. I had to learn how to do something from the ground up, I had no mentor and had to learn everything on my own”. McClean hired a company to create a website and packaging, but she had to learn how to create the brand. She has taught her children that “with hard work and with hope and faith you can make something happen”.
Peaches and Creamies was founded in 2015 and as of now they are sold in five stores in Idaho and have an online presence. There are two products: a full body cream that is all natural and organic and can be used on the face, and a body wash. The company is slowly growing because McClean is committed to having a debt free company.
When she first resigned from software engineering, McClean received her yoga certification and used it for charity. She taught yoga for the Haze House, which is an outlet for low income teens in Idaho. She wanted to do something different, and from her time teaching yoga she realized, “I can do this, I can start a company. I became less afraid, almost like another opportunity. I have time I’m not going to waste it now”.
From her time teaching yoga, McClean became inspired with giving back. Peaches and Creamies gives one percent of profits to charity. McClean has decided to donate to GoFundMe, which is a website where community members can share their stories and ask for donations. McClean said she chose GoFundMe as the charity “because I find the ones I choose are so inspirational and all have a story”. She would like more input from the community in order to become involved with small local companies that do not have the means to get their word out.
McClean gets her entire family involved with the company and said, “the company is a family company and we are all close to it.” McClean said that her son just recently told her “you are going to come up with more products. Two kinds of lip balm and you are going to have perfume oil.” McClean’s kids, husband, and friends and family are all really proud, and are learning right alongside of her.
McClean, because of Peaches and Creamies, is now able to pick up and drop off her son at school, which she was not able to do before. She is also able to pack her sons lunch; it is these little things she appreciates. She can also be there for her older daughter because she said, “kids need you in a different way when they are older.”
The company is slowly growing and, as of right now, everything that is made, McClean gives back to the company in order to attempt to be debt free; she always keeps her family in her best interest.
For more information about Peaches + Creamies, visit www.PeachesandCreamies.com
