The Indie Experience
September 15, 2008
A Publication of The Indie Beauty Network
ISSN 1530-9630 | Volume 9, Issue 34
To subscribe, click here
-- Media Partner --
1. Meet IBN's New & Renewing Members
2. Twindie of the Week: Guess Who I'm Following!!?
3.
New At the Blog: It Takes a Global Twitter Village
4. Today on Indie Business Radio: How to Tell Your
Story Effectively to the Media
5. Indie Candy: Regina Mowrer :: Dr. Flower's Essentials
:: Georgia
Indie Beauty Ritual: Chocolate Milk Bath
1. Meet IBN's New & Renewing Members
Welcome Renewing Members!
Mundo Botanics | Sevi Kay | Maryland
* Member since September 2006; Honest, vegan, earth-friendly, cruelty-free and as-natural-as-it-gets cosmetic care products formulated with aromatherapeutic essential oils and certified organic botanicals. Our handcrafted products include artisan natural perfumes, mineral cosmetics, taklon makeup brushes, skincare, hair care as well as a canine grooming line dedicated to coat, paw and ear care since 1997. Our entire line is vegan and we are dedicated to using non-toxic, biodegradable ingredients for environmental protection. We do offer retail, wholesale and private label services.
Welcome New Members!
Aziza Beauty Supply | Darshall Banks | Virginia
* Aziza Beauty Supply is an online beauty supply store that takes pride in finding quality organic and natural beauty products for our members at a discounted rate. We also sell unique jewelry for men and women.
Green Fire Herbs | Diane Schips | New York
* Green Fire Herbs specializes in products based on the healing herbs and sustainable materials. We make holistic bath and body products, teas and tea products, candles, and textiles made from hemp, bamboo, corn, organic cotton, nettle and other fibers.
IndulgeInScents | Renee Sherman | California
* We are a small company that believes in buying local, fair trade, organics, and wholesome ingredients and creating indulgent products.
makeScents | Michelle Gephart | Washingon
* Apprentice Indie.
Qetziah | Debra Shafer | Tennessee
* Apprentice Indie.
Tyrika Swails | Texas
* Apprentice Indie.
Learn more about Indie members and their exciting products, services and activities by visiting their websites through our Online Member Directory. You can search for your favorite Indie by state/country, business name, keyword or alphabetical listings.
2. Twindie of the Week: Guess Who I'm Following!!?
Last
week's Twindie of the Week (an exciting person I'm following at Twitter) was IBN member
JoAnn Hines of Packaging University. Jo Ann has been a member of IBN since
January 2007.
She offers consulting services to help people package their products for maximum
shelf appeal and sales. Jo Ann speaks frequently at conferences on the topic of
packaging and is one of the first women to be nationally recognized in the
packaging industry overall. Check out JoAnn on Twitter.
Last week's winner of some handmade soap is Indie reader Charonda
Crome of Uzuri Designs.
So, here are the hints for this week's Twindie of the Week:
- her company is hiring so if you need a job, check with her
- she launched a new line of mineral makeup last week
- she's planning to be at Expo West next year
- she recently got a new puppy
- her kids love her office because there's a Wii there; they don't like to go home anymore
- her office Internet was down this past Saturday; she was not happy
- she works with her husband
Who is this week's Twindie? Be the first to tell me and you'll win some handmade soap made by a member of the Indie Beauty Network!
To enter, email your answer (name and business name) to donnamaria @ indiebeauty dot com. Put TWINDIE OF THE WEEK in the subject line and be sure to include your address with your answer for quick shipping of your prize. Good luck!
3. New At the Blog: The Global Twitter Village
Here
are some current new and popular blog posts. Enjoy and feel free to make your
opinion known. And don't forget to leave your blog or website address so we can
learn more about you, your products and your services. Do you have something to
say? Post a comment and join the discussion!
It Takes a Global Twitter Village - yes, I know, more about Twitter. But this one will touch your heart. Reach out and Tweet someone. You never know whose life you will be touching.
Getting to Know You: 10 Interesting Things About the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild
Enter to be StartupNation's Home-Based Business of the Year!
Want more great information to help you grow your business? Then click here to get my blog posts automatically delivered directly to you through our RSS feed. If you prefer email, provide your email address at the blog, upper right corner.
4. Indie Business Radio: How to Tell Your Story Effectively to the Media
Today's
Show: Entice the World to Your Door With Effective Storytelling
Chicago-based talk show host and author of How to Make Your Story Irresistible to the Media, Monique Caradine joins me to discuss the importance of telling your story effectively, in order to garner media attention that puts you and your products and services in the most favorable light.
How To Enjoy the Show: Enjoy Indie Business Radio live at the website. Call your questions in at (800) 773-0355.
Enjoy Last Week's Show! Last week's show on mentoring your own passion with Dr. Leticia Wright is now available for you to download or stream at Indie Business Radio!
-- Media Partner --
5. Indie Candy: Regina Mowrer :: Dr. Flower's Essentials :: Georgia
I am
so not addicted to Twitter. Or at least I was working on breaking the addiction
when I met Regina Mowrer of Dr.
Flower's Essentials. Regina is a 38-year old wife and mother of a 5-year old
daughter. She and her family's body parts live in Georgia, but their hearts are
in Alaska where they hope to move someday. In fact, many of the profits from Dr.
Flower go into an Alaska savings account, which they hope to use to make their
dream come true. Here's more.
When did you start your business and what was the inspiration for it?
Dr. Flower's Essentials, Inc. was started March 2008, though my plans to have a soapmaking business have been brewing before I got pregnant in 2002. I went to a soapmaking class in Dec 2001 and was considering starting a business. I got pregnant the very next month and priorities shifted.
My daughter was born Oct 13, 2002. I kept making soap, but
put the business on hold until Sarah was ready for Kindergarten.
My previous job was working with my parents in law's small business. I learned a lot about the ins and outs of small business that I did not get working for NCR or SunTrust Service Corporation as an industrial engineer. My husband is a huge supporter and team player. He's had a small business
of his own on the side since he was 18. The idea of working really hard and reaping the benefits
of your work directly are really the reasons I wanted to own my own
business are points toward owning your own business. My husband's parents had no
choice but to start a business of their own after his father was laid off from a
company after 20+ years at the age of 50. Who wants to live in fear of that ever happening again? Not us!
So here we are.
Is Dr. Flower your full-time professional career?
It's full-time while kid is at school ;-) My husband's job pays the household bills at the moment.
How did you discover soapmaking and what excites you about it?
I was in between jobs at the time. I had just finished working at my parents in law's small business. They decided to sell it and retire. I became very interested in all things that were back to basics. How to make bread, grow organic food, care for your family in a more pioneer style. I didn't swap my washing machine for a wash board mind you, but I did learn how to cook and could make a mean homemade ginger snap cookie and homemade rosemary
foccacia bread. Yum.
A few years ago, a friend taught me how to bake pies from scratch, and while
tooling around the kitchen, we decided to attend a local soapmaking class. At
the class, we made a batch of basic peppermint soap. Fresh rosemary blooms and blue green
algae were used. I was hooked, even though my business dreams were delayed a bit
by the birth of my child.
When my daughter, Sarah, turned 5, she started half-day preschool, which freed up some of my time to spend on soapmaking again. So I started
slowly, got my paperwork in order, and began attending soap making meetings to learn and get an idea of good vendors.
What makes your products special? What's your niche?
What is special about my products is that they are all natural with very few exceptions. I have paraffin candles and one phthalate free fragrant soap. Everything else is all natural. The environmental side is a bit of a passion for me and my husband. When we met, he was an Alaskan mountain climber and a card carrying member of the Sierra Club. We spent our honeymoon in Alaska at a homestead owned by a couple of fellow climbers. These experiences shape who I am today. They also will help shape the products that I wish to bring to my community. (Our goal is to return to Alaska and make it our home!)
What new and exciting plans to you have for your business?
I am very happy with the experience of starting up! I've met wonderful people along the way, learned new things and most of all, I've learned a lot about myself. I'm working on new products, keeping up inventory of current products and most of all, learning how to market them. My products are not widely featured yet, but I'm working on that this year. My business plan is still a work in progress and so is my niche. I know that whatever my niche ends up being, it will be based on natural products that don't contain harmful chemicals and/or fragrances. I have done some sample marketing to runners that participated in a church fun run. It was good exposure but has not yet materialized orders.
How do you market your products?
Online is my predominate marketing so far. We signed up with Network Solutions SEO package and went through some interesting steps on what makes a site rank high on search engines. I've since moved on and built additional internet marketing techniques such as the social networking and blogging. I did do a short stint with the mom's "party" circuit with Tupperware. I found that sales party marketing takes too much of my energy to be worth the effort. I have since moved away from that one and plan to sign up with a few events per year.
What is a good business or professional book you have used lately and how has it been helpful you in your
business?
There are so many, but here are a few. First, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle:
A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver. The eating local and seasonal goals outlined in this book are
amazing! It's tricky to balance being a mom, wife, and business owner and grow your own food! It has made increased
my consciousness of the foods we eat, and it's quite inspiring to eat healthier and move toward an organic lifestyle.
The Big Green Purse by Diane MacEachern
shares the message that where you put your purse makes a difference! There are many ideas in this book that really need more proof than the author gives. It will be fun to take each question and discuss
it on my blog while educating my customers and audience on the impact of their "purse". This same thing applies to the buy homemade pledge or supporting
Indie businesses with your "big green purse".
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill - This book was recommended by
IBN member Anne-Marie Faiola of Brambleberry
at the Alabama Soap Meeting. I had a group of girls in mind to discuss the
possibility of starting a Mastermind group with and one of them produced the book in ebook form for
FREE! Gotta love that!
What tips can you offer others who are thinking about starting a business?
Make sure your business name domain is available and purchase it right away! I wanted drflower.com but it was purchased a week after I looked for
and found it available. I ended up putting a dash in as a compromise.
This was one mentioned to me by several sources: Be sure to tell your story and why you are in business selling your product.
People like stories!
What's your typical day like?
It's not easy to balance being a wife, mom and CEO but I'm having fun trying. My self confidence is higher now than it has been in years. Taking breaks when frustrated and prioritizing tasks are the first things I've found helpful. A set schedule that can bend as life events change it seems to work too. Knowing that I'm not alone and that other women are in the same or even tougher position also helps immensely!
What is the biggest challenge you face as an Indie and how do you overcome it?
Delegation will be an issue of the future. Marketing is the biggest current hurdle with prioritizing tasks behind that. Many hats can fluster a person. Good thing I've seen a small business in action. I realize when I'm flustered that I should draw on what I know.
When you're not working, what can we find you doing?
In the woods backpacking, at the beach, or at a live show of local singer song-writer music.
This is Indie Candy, so if you were a brand of candy, what would you be and why?
Nature's candy of course: a cross between a wild blueberry and a wild blackberry from the mountains of NC with all the antioxidants and sweet sugar of nature.
How did you find the Indie Beauty Network and what do you think of it so
far?
I found IBN from my circle on Twitter where I'm
@drflower, I discovered the Indie Beauty Network. I saw other soap selling sites that had the member certificate and went to the
IBN home page to see what it all was about. I joined and have learned a whole lot about marketing, networking, as well as tips and tricks on how to stay sane and happy running an
Indie business. Other ways I'd like to benefit from membership start with marketing and smart ways to conduct business. From what I've seen so far, I won't be disappointed in the slightest!
What do you love about being Indie? The lifestyle? The money? Both?
Yes and yes! The idea is to make a buck while being available for my kid when she needs me.
What are your annual gross revenues, or since your business is so new, what are
you planning for?
I would like my first goal achieved by next year to have the funds to buy land in the great state of Alaska.
What do you think of the FDA Globalization Act of 2008?
I understand the basic goal of providing safety to the public, but believe that major revisions are in order for independent businesses to thrive. We can accomplish
the goal without alienating small business owners. It'll take a lot of work but the company of folks working on it are competent and
honorable and I believe will accomplish the challenging goals.
What types of social networking and media are you involved in and why?
I am a member of the Handcrafted
Soapmakers Guild and the Indie Beauty Network. I also spend a good bit of time writing on
my own blog as well as tracking and commenting on host of other blogs from suppliers to friends to potential customers. I'm on
Facebook,
MySpace, and Twitter
and try to integrate my posts between all 3 which is a challenge. Some of the folks that I'm connected with I've met at local soap meetings and the list has expanded from there.
7. New At The Forum: FDA Globalization Act of 2008 and More!
We
have collected well close to 3,000 signatures to the Petition opposing the draft
of the Food and Drug Administration Globalization Act of 2008! You, your
friends, colleagues and customers are to be applauded! Keep them coming!
Watch the video and sign the Petition against this law!
Here's what else is new at the Forum:
How to track site stats on a Wordpress blog
Rare and unopened essential oils and porcelain canisters for sale!
Share your packaging expertise: packaging for oily salt scrubs?
New 23-year old Indie could use your help, encouragement
As always, share your thoughts and questions at the Forum!
Best & Success!!
Donna Maria
Editor, The Indie Experience
The Indie Beauty Network | www.indiebeauty.com
Copyright (c) 2000 - 2008 by The Indie Beauty Network (IBN) and Donna Maria. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized distribution or reproduction is prohibited. IBN does not necessarily endorse any product, event or ideology featured in this newsletter or on IBN's website. All information is provided on an "as is" basis and no express or implied warranties are given. Any use of the information contained in this newsletter or on IBN's web site, including recipes, is solely at your own risk. IBN and Donna Maria disclaim any liability in connection with the use of all recipes, products reviewed and other information. Except for sponsorships, this newesletter refuses compensation from companies to feature or mention their names or products. Opinions expressed in any Product Review are personally those of the reviewer and do not represent the views of IBN, Donna Maria (unless she is the reviewer) or any other person or company.
