With Roots Firmly Planted, Local Woman’s Business Ventures Continue to Grow

Ten years ago, Western Springs resident Amy Cox faced a diagnosis of an autoimmune condition known as Hashimotos Disease. Instead of letting her condition get the best of her, Cox said the diagnosis “served as a wake-up call.”

“I realized I was more about wellness than sickness,” Cox said. “I quit my big job, stayed home with my kids, and literally got back to my roots!”

For Cox, getting back to her roots has opened up a whole new way of life and a sprouted two new business ventures as well—subURBAN Homestead and its sister company, Cutting Edge Culinary & Garden Consulting.

Cox said her businesses, which she refers to as “my two seedling enterprises,” complement each other well.

“Cutting Edge Consulting provides creative programs for businesses and organizations looking to connect their client base with their core competencies through the creation of memorable green sensory experiences,” Cox said. “subURBAN Homestead provides events, classes, and sustainable products that enable people to bring fresh, green living home.”

While complementary, each venture focuses on a specific clientele and has provided Cox with a quite diverse client base.

“Because I do a lot of programs and speaking engagements, I am not really sure how many total clients I have,” Cox said. “I am confident and grateful, however, that I will always have enough.”

Through Cutting Edge, Cox works with large top culinary professionals, not for profit organizations, independent garden center retailers, organic/sustainable farmers, and large corporations. subURBAN Homestead's client base on the other hand, includes individuals, professional athletes, kids, families, clubs, organizations and businesses.  

Cox’s personal approach to each of her clients allows her the flexibility to customize her programs to specific the needs of each individual customer.

“I see the forest and the trees when I work with people,” Cox said. “I believe in people owning their own power, so I gear my work towards the needs they personally identify. I know I am successful because by the end of the process they demonstrate that they own what I helped them create.  At that point I move along onto something else.”

In short, Cox said her businesses are “really for anybody who wants to learn simple ways to create a fresh, green, healthy lifestyle practice.”

Cox recently celebrated her 20^th wedding anniversary with her husband Jim. Together they have two daughters currently in middle school. The entire family is as committed to the “seedlings” as Cox is.

“All three of them are very supportive of me and lend their individual talents from time to time to help the business succeed,” Cox said. “I am a very blessed lady.”

“I am fairly handy and any time Amy needs something built or modified for the business I am more than happy to help,” Jim said. “I’ll never turn down a request for help because I know I’ll be paid back with a delicious, healthy, well-cooked meal,” he jokingly added. “On a serious note, what really makes me happy with Amy’s business is the joy and gratification it brings to her. She really enjoys sharing her knowledge with others and is constantly hearing how she has helped improve the lives of others and how good they feel, which is great to know.”

As her “seedlings” evolve, Cox hopes to branch out into all aspects of the basics of wellness, which she says include “food, water, exercise, rest, shelter and individual ownership of power.”

To me, life is a garden,” Cox concluded. “I spend every moment I can savoring and enjoying the bountiful gifts it produces. Physically digging in the dirt is very gratifying for me, as is cooking beautiful meals without recipes and entertaining friends. I just do my best everyday to be a happy, grateful, grounded, loving person. Most days that is pretty easy for me. My life is far from perfect, but it works perfectly for me.”