About
Hi!
My name is Jass Stupak and I am a Certified Holistic Nutritionist (CNP) and Community Herbalist. I’m grateful you are here!
Starting Leaves was like stepping into a whole new world of possibilities. As someone who had never considered owning a product business before, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. I knew I wanted to combine my nutrition education and love for healing herbs but I never imagined it would have led me to a physical product.
Our original blend of leaves tea started out as an anti-fungal and bloat formula I created for myself while doing an anti-fungal protocol. In 2018, I experienced a severe form of perioral dermatitis after an outbreak of food poisoning…right after my twenty-second birthday. Little did I know that this unwanted gift would ultimately inspire me to create a line of herbal teas that promote wellness and healing.
Growing up, I always had clear skin, so this sudden burst of rash all over my face had me questioning and researching anything that could have triggered this reaction. After getting tested, I learned that all of my symptoms of skin, bloat, anxiety and headaches were caused by a fungal overgrowth triggered by the food poisoning (note to self, never get tacos at a food stand again). I researched countless herbs that could help me clear the excess candida (a specific type of fungus) out of my body, and ultimately clear the stubborn perioral dermatitis. You can learn more about my story here. After testing and experiencing various combinations, I created an herbal formula that would support me on this healing journey.
After drinking this blend for weeks, a friend of mine pitched the idea of me selling this herbal remedy to my nutrition clients to support their digestion. I hadn't truly ever thought about it before, but I was always getting asked about this formula and it was the only blend my parents ever wanted to drink.
From there, with no product-based experience or knowledge, leaves was born in the kitchen of my apartment in Kelowna BC.
During the pandemic, we gave leaves a little glow up by adding two additional herbs to the formula: Lavender and Rose. These two floral herbs gave our formula the flavour we were longing for plus the additional benefit of digestive and relaxation support. We went through our second rebrand which we truly fell in love with.
Since then, we’ve gone through revisions, multiple restocks, holiday collections, failed products, misprinted labels, pacakge redesigns, learning curves, huge wins and hard losses. Creating our leaves collection has been one of the most challenging and fulfilling business experiences I have ever gone through (and continue to go through today).
In 2021, I went back to school in Victoria BC to study Herbalism. I wish I could have never left that classroom. Becoming an Herbalist opened my eyes to the world of herbal medicine and since then, I have been jotting down formulas in my notes app to bring this incredible form of medicine to you and your daily routine. I was hoping to have these formulas out on the market for you as of last year, but I know that the timing couldn't be more perfect today.
After moving back to Ontario, I’ve made it my mission to open the world of herbalism to my community.
At leaves, we create intentional tea infusions that not only taste flavourful, but also make a significant improvement in your health. There are so many tea brands out there that do an outstanding job at making tea taste good, but our goal was to incorporate medicinal benefits in our formulas. At the end of the day, herbs are our best nourishment.
I don’t think we give herbs enough credit. I believe in the power and connection with herbs and I’m glad that you are here today so I can help you experience that too.
Our mission at leaves is to simplify gut nourishment with powerful healing herbs while creating a beautiful and soothing experience inspired by everyday wellness.
When I’m not researching herbs, you can find me on extra long walks with my boyfriend, Dylan and his dog, Leon, planning trips, having drinks with my friends, cooking delicious meals or reading.