Wally’s Natural Story
Wally’s Natural was established more than 30 years ago by Russ and Terese Sheppard, out of a desire to help their son who had ongoing ear problems. After exhausting traditional treatment options, Russ and Terese began exploring a more holistic approach. Their research led them to the centuries-old tradition of ear candling. The ear candling proved to be successful with their son and they wanted to share the natural approach with others.
From its humble beginnings in 1991, Wally’s Natural was created in Russ’ parents, Clyde and Jean Sheppard’s home located in Meadow Vista, California and has managed to grow into the company it is today. Wally’s started as an Ear Care company manufacturing and selling products geared toward the natural consumer with its holistic Ear Candles and organic Ear Oil. Wally’s uses only premium Beeswax, Paraffin and Soy blend waxes, unbleached cotton muslin and an array of USDA-certified organic essential oils, along with packaging materials that come from sustainably managed forests.
Wally’s Natural assembled a small team to serve primarily local, natural stores and soon became the talk of the Natural Products Industry. Through word-of-mouth, effective results and popularity with their customers, Terese and Russ were able to increase production capacity and began to plan for future expansion. In the mid-to-late 1990s, Wally’s landed their first major customer who remains a customer today. With continued growth, Wally’s relocated in the early 2000s to its current solar-powered facility in Auburn, California. Wally’s Natural has a product line devoted to natural, sustainable and environmentally-friendly wellness.
The Sheppard’s children’s involvement were contributory to the success of this thriving 3 generational family business. Working together as only a tight-knit family unit can, the Sheppard’s created a positive reputation for the company, of consistently high-quality standards and excellent customer service. The last decade has been transformational for Wally’s Natural, landing its largest customer, hiring key management members, going live with automation, and adding additional facilities to accommodate the strong and consistent growth with the ability to distribute nationwide. Wally’s Natural can be found on the shelves of many of the most recognizable stores as they are America’s #1 Ear Candle company.
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Our Address
Wally’s Natural, Inc.
11837 Kemper Rd. Suite 5 Auburn, CA 95603
+(800) 215-1566
support@wallysnatural.com
Our Team
HOLLY FOX – Owner/CEO
As Wally’s Natural CEO, Owner and Board of Directors’ Secretary, Holly Fox has continued her family’s mission to deliver the best quality, natural ear care solutions. For half of the company’s 30-year history, Holly has been integral in its evolution from its small-scale days of operating out of her parents’ garage to the successful, multi-million dollar brand it is today. She grew up surrounded by Wally’s and has worked in almost all roles prior to becoming an active owner and CEO. Holly’s prior roles as candlemaker, receptionist, bookkeeper, finance manager, finance director, operations director and general manager empower her to understand all facets of the business. In Holly’s current role, she oversees the operation and financial performance of the company, working closely with the General Manager, Michelle Farleigh, and their tight knit team, to continuously grow the leading presence of Wally’s Natural in the industry as well as its quality and care for product, customers and the environment. Holly enjoys camping with her family, riding her horses, and participating in 4H.
MICHELLE FARLEIGH – General Manager
With nearly 20 years of expertise in business operations management, Michelle Farleigh provides leadership, guidance and an outside perspective to Wally’s Natural. She is responsible for the company’s daily operations-devising and deploying short and long-range strategies, overseeing the company budget, P&L and managing department expenses to implement appropriate actions based on the variance trends and forecasts. Prior to Wally’s Natural, Michelle was the general manager for all California operations at BioReference Laboratories. She is a data and results driven leader who is well-versed in applying a multi-faceted approach to managing safety, operations and productivity across multiple business lines. She has enjoyed pivoting into the holistic industry and using her experience to grow a family-run business teeming with passion for what they do. In her spare time, Michelle enjoys photography, reading, paddle boarding, supporting youth sports and her three children in all they do.
JEFF FOLDENAUER – Operations Manager
Jeff oversees all aspects of manufacturing, production, maintenance, engineering, warehouse, distribution and 3PL. He ensures that operational processes, procedures, and systems are in place and that the business is positioned for growth by developing forecasts and being responsible for P&L. Jeff is always improving the productivity and effectiveness of the business by identifying problems and developing solutions. He builds forecasts from sales, review in-house inventory and partner with vendors to determine the supply chain. Jeff also ensures that our company is compliant with USDA Organic manufacturing regulations through yearly organic certification. Jeff likes to spend time with family, golfing and volunteering in his community.
ALEXA MANDELE – HR Manager
Alexa a Human Resources professional with over 15 years of comprehensive human resources experience, including recruitment and retention, employee relations, benefits administration, payroll management, compliance audits, training and new hire orientation. Alexa possesses knowledge of human resources in a variety of sectors, including union and non-union environments. She is highly organized and detailed, works independently and exceeds expectations. Alexa is bilingual in English and Spanish. Alexa enjoys running, hiking, gardening, road trips and spending time with her family.