Growing up, Marilee Nelson aspired to become a doctor and never imagined she would end up selling cleaning products. “I don’t even think of it that way,” she explains. “I see our products as a means to further our mission. However, I experienced two unexpected catastrophic events in my life that had no viable medical solutions or positive prognosis.
“I was pre-med,” Nelson recalls. “I had a challenging childhood, battling earaches, asthma, allergies, severe hormone disruption, and unexplained fevers. My parents took me from one doctor to another, trying to find answers. My mother was diagnosed with cancer when I was 12, which inspired me to pursue medicine.
After enduring 28 years of relentless health issues—challenges that her son would later face as well—Marilee Nelson initiated a “positive rebellion to save [her] son.” She turned away from the Standard American Diet (SAD) and began to see “food as medicine.” This shift led to immediate improvements, even allowing her to avoid what was deemed a “necessary” kidney transplant. She had also been firmly told that pregnancy would be impossible for her, but that’s a story for another time…
Nelson was deeply into the food-as-medicine movement and even became a medicinal chef, operating a health resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Upon returning to the U.S. in Texas, she learned firsthand about the detrimental effects of pesticides on the immune system. Her son, Douglas, developed extreme sensitivity to various environmental toxins, including chemicals, pesticides, mold, volatile organic compounds, and electromagnetic radiation. It seemed that everything posed a potential risk to his health.
Doctors referred to Douglas as a “bubble boy,” labeling him as “catastrophically chemically injured, with irreversible damage to his brain and immune system.” Nelson remarked, “I realized that Douglas was a case study for observing how the body and mind react to chemical exposures and how they respond when those triggers are removed.”
The Nelson family adopted an intensive detox regimen, believing it to be the best—and only—way to “cure” Douglas of his numerous interconnected immune disorders.
A pivotal moment occurred when Nelson discovered Bau-biologie, or “Building Biology,” which examines how different types of buildings—both “green” and conventional—impact occupant health, particularly focusing on bedroom hygiene. In Bau-biologie, she found the insightful answers she had been seeking, ultimately earning certification as a Bau-Biologist and Bau-Bio Inspector.
From her experiments with immune system-friendly home cleaning products, Three Branches Healthy Living was founded in 2012. The Minneapolis-based company eventually evolved into Branch Basics (“Safe cleaning made simple”) with the partnership of two other women, Allison Evans and Kelly Love.
Branch Basics is committed to providing a range of home and healthcare goods intended for novices, basic users, and “elevated” clients, with the tagline “From mess to clean, we’ll take care of everything in between.”
The flagship product, Branch Basics Concentrate, is a white-labeled nontoxic cleaner that is 100% bio-based, biodegradable, Certified Made Safe, EWG-Verified, Cruelty-Free Verified, and independently tested to ensure it is not an irritant to the skin or eyes.
The “concentrate” model is central to Branch Basics’ subscription plan, which allows customers to simply add water. The products are also sold at retail stores, including Walgreens, Walmart, and Whole Foods, and have been featured in well-known publications such as People, Real Simple, Forbes, O Magazine, and Women’s Health.
We didn’t initially aim to sell soap,” Nelson explains. “Our mission is to empower people to cultivate healthy homes and utilize the advantages of pure ingredients.
Branch Basics was founded to help individuals rid their lives of toxins and embrace healthier lifestyles,” Nelson continues. “Our strategy begins with eliminating cleaning products that contain some of the most harmful chemicals typically found in homes.
Branch Basics has roughly thirty employees. Privately held and supported by angel, incubator, and accelerator funds. It brought in roughly $40 million in income in 2023.
Nelson suggests taking things one step at a time for other business owners. She provides this anecdote to bolster her argument:
“I had this epiphany as I was assisting my small son in getting better. We were lying on cots outside. Due to his extreme sensitivity, he was unable to be in a tent. Outside, in the open air. I’m gazing up at the sky at what must be midnight; my son and husband are both asleep, and I’m thinking to myself, “What have I not done?” What have I failed to do?
And I suddenly felt the need to go inside and take out the box in my bathroom that contained my favorite skincare products, fragrances, and other items. I reasoned that if he gets better, I would retrieve these items. And I reasoned that since they were in the box in this room, it wouldn’t worry him when I placed them there.
That evening, I had a fight with myself until I just got up and faced it. I kept it a secret from both my son and my spouse, who would have believed I was insane.
Why would you do that?
The next day, when my son came in for lunch—he usually spent most of his time outside but would come in occasionally—he had been in there for a few minutes and said, ‘Mom, what did you do?’ I replied, ‘What are you talking about?’ and just played dumb. He responded, ‘I don’t know. I just don’t feel as agitated as I usually do when I’m in the house.’ I said,
‘Really? Well, why don’t you stay in here as long as you feel that way?
In the end, he ended up spending the night in that room.
One box at a time. One replacement at a time. One breath at a time… That’s the mission of Branch Basics: to provide refillable products that empower families like theirs to take better care of themselves and each other so that everyone can enjoy optimal health.
