The Indie Experience
October 26, 2009
A Publication of The Indie Beauty Network
ISSN 1530-9630 | Volume 10, Issue 26
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-- Click the picture to learn more and register!! --
1. Notes and Highlights From dM, the Chief Executive Indie:
The Media Is You!
2. Meet Our New and Renewing IBN Members
3. Where's dM?: Seminars and Events With dM!
4. This Week's Indie Business Radio Show:
Marc Warnke: author of "Options Not Obligations"
5. Featured IBN Member: Rosanne Tartaro :: SunRose
Aromatics :: New York
6. Indie and Small Business Resources
7. About dM, the Chief Executive Indie: How Can I Help
You??!
Make It Yourself!: Honey Pumpkin Spread
1. Notes and Highlights From dM, the Chief Executive Indie: The Media Is You!
Who needs Oprah, Martha and Good Morning America when you can create media outlets of your own to make and distribute information about your products and services!! My experience has shown that small business and independent business owners like you and me can produce and distribute information about our products and services that are effective at creating relationships and generating buzz.
While it's nice to be featured in the media, it's cost
effective, efficient and fun to create your own media outlets. And it works!
Please watch this short video where I share my new one-day, intensive media
training program!
I've created a one-day workshop just to share this valuable information with Indies! With technology, there's nothing you can't do that large media outlets can't do. Oh sure, we don't have tons of cash and hundreds of bodies at our beck and call, but we don't need them. Why? Because we don't have to reach billions of people to be successful. We can reach a tiny percentage of the world's population and that works just fine to set any business owner up for a future of longevity and prosperity. Watch this short video to learn more, and visit the website to get more information and to register today!
Thank you for allowing me into your email box this week. I hope you enjoy this issue!
2. Meet IBN's New and Renewing IBN Members
Shenui | Karen Bombelli | Washington
* Customized bioactive skincare.
Erica Marie Wigley | Maryland
* Apprentice Member.
T's Treats | Tamarie Dean | Washington
* T's Treats is an independent Seattle based gourmet gift company
offering luxurious customized gifts and natural products from coffee to
cosmetics. We carry only natural and organic products. Our mission is to
offer a truly personalized gift that is beautiful and luxurious from the
contents to the packaging while keeping the cost affordable. Custom build
your pack, select a pre-made pack or choose items individually. We also
offer men's gifts and Seattle hand delivery.
Lilie De Vallee | Joseph Abdallah | Washington
* IBN Member Since November 2006. Our products are made
with high quality ingredients. Handmade soap, lotion, creams, liquid soap,
bath salt, massage oil, perfume oil and other bath and body products.
Black Pearl Botanicals | Jill Gibbs | New Mexico
* IBN Member Since October 2006. Founded in 2001 offering
natural perfume, skin care and home spa products. All of the products are
handcrafted with 100% natural ingredients. Product line includes: solid
perfume, jojoba based perfume oil, rose body butter, scented shea butter,
nail oil, facial elixir, smoking cessation oil, foot balm, pregnancy belly
balm, lavender bar soap, gardenia bar soap, vanilla lip balm, botanical milk
bath, bath salts, massage and bath oil, salt scrub, foot soak, organic
tropical body oils, massage, bath and personal care accessories such as foot
rollers, sea sponges and bamboo moisture gloves. Variety of gift
collections. Free Shipping $75+. Retail/Wholesale.
3. Where's dM?: Seminars and Events With dM
Here are some other exciting things coming up!
Today on Indie Business Radio: My guest will be Marc Warnke, author of "Options Not Excuses." Listen live and join the live chat at 1:00pm New York Time on Monday, October 26, 2009 here.
dM at Indie Business Revolution: 11/14/09: Join me, Kayla Fioravanti of Essential Wholesale and Monique Hayward, author of "Divas Doing Business" at this fantastic event at Bay 13 Restaurant in Portland's Pearl District. Click here to learn more and register!
dM on "Online Marketing With RSS Ray". Ray will interview me on "The 7 Characteristics of Highly Effective Twitter Pages and the Importance of Twitter Follower Numbers" on 12/9/09 at 1:00pm EST.
dM at 2010 Conference of Handcrafted Soapmakers in Denver, CO: Join me and hundreds of other soapers for the premier soaping event of the year! I'll deliver a presentation on advanced social media and how you can use it lead your business, expand your sphere of influence, maximize your time, and generate more sales! Click here for details. (My husband edited and produced the video on that page!)
4. This Week's Indie Business Radio Show: Marc Warnke, author of "Options Not Obligations"
<
--- Featured photo: Marc Warnke, Indie Business Radio Show guest
Marc Warnke, author of "Options Not Obligations," joined me on today's show. Marc said that we can enrich ourselves personally by rethinking how we handle our finances. Marc calls himself the "Family First" entrepreneur and I'm looking forward to picking his brain for tips on running a successful Indie Business (multiple hats and all) which still enjoying precious personal and family time.
One of the things Marc said on the show is that every small business is a train wreck at one (or more) point in time or another. The difference between your success and your failure, he said, is "what you do with your train wreck." Loved that!
I really grilled Marc about how he set up his businesses to have "balance" between work and family time. I thought it was important to really probe his claims of having options, especially since he's already a millionaire. Marc was gracious (even though I was really stickin' it to him a bit) and he shared some fantastic tips. The audio will be ready in a few days and will be posted to the Indie Business Radio Show 2009 Archives. In the meantime, there are lots of other shows there for you to enjoy while you work. Just click the stream link and enjoy!
Indie Business Radio airs live every Monday at 1:00pm New York Time. There are two ways to join the live show:
Listen Only: Click here at 1:00pm New York Time and follow the instructions to choose your audio player.
Listen and Chat: Once you activate your audio player (above), you can join us for the accompanying live chat on Savorchat at 1:00pm New York Time. Just click the link, sign in using your Twitter or FaceBook account, and you can join us live!
Visit the Indie Business Radio Show 2009 Archives to enjoy past shows. You can also subscribe to the show on iTunes by searching on Indie Business Radio.
-- Sponsor --
5. Featured IBN Member: Rosanne Tartaro :: SunRose Aromatics :: New York
<--
That's Rosanne's book cover. Her photo is coming soon!
dM: How did you start your business and what was the inspiration for it?
Rosanne: I worked for the NYC Department of Corrections from 1978 to 1998. As the end of my tenure began to near, I discovered essential oils and aromatherapy. They had incredible effects on me so I made it my business to learn more. My passion grew. My goal became to have my own business. Between 1995 and 1998, when I left the corrections field, I had used my vacation time to travel the country taking aromatherapy workshops & courses. I learned from industry pioneers like Mynou deMey, Martin Watt, Michael Scholes and Joni Clark. I also took Perdue University's 1997 training class, which was a very big deal at the time because it was one of the only (if not the only) university supported training in the nation.
dM: What are some of the things you did in advance of starting your business that have helped make it successful?
Rosanne: I've always been a self-starter. Working in corrections, and before that on Wall Street, I continuously led projects and had bosses who let me do so. To be successful in my business, I made sure I did my research. I used the time I had working at a full-time job to do that. That gave me the advantage of starting slowly. It was really really hard, but I continued because I knew that on the other end, I'd be able to walk away and move onto my passion full time.
As I started my business, I accepted the fact that I
would have no life outside of the business for an indefinite period of time.
But again, I knew that wouldn't last forever either, I was just growing my
business .. a day at a time.
Another thing I did in advance was I made up my mind that I would not go
into any debt for my business. Instead, I 'self funded', cashing out my 401K
, opened a business account with $500.00 and $5,000 line of credit. Even
today, I am relativity debt free. Of course there's a small amount on my
credit card at all times, but I don't allow it to revolve. I pay it off
regularly so the balance stays low.
What's your niche?
Rosanne:
My niche - essential oils, carrier oils, shea butter. My client base is
mostly made up of holistic healers, massage therapists, day spas, massage
schools, hobbyists, natural perfumers, acupuncturists. Anyone who wants to
use essential oils in their every day lives for relaxation and skin care.
dM: Do you participate in any trade shows?
Rosanne:
In the beginning, when I first stared out, I did a lot of different kinds of
shows because no one knew who or what SunRose was. Living in New York is a
huge benefit when it comes to being in business because there are so many
customers in your own back yard. I think I probably did every show and
market there was, in every kind of weather. I remember being terribly hoarse
after a day at many shows! Exhausted yet energized, if you have every worked
a show.. you know what I mean.
This past spring, I did the Go Green Expo in Manhattan, a 4 day event that
exhausted me. But it was worth it. I do shows now and then because they keep
me sharp and enables me to connected to the people who like my products.
After over 10 years in business, it still amazes me the number of people I
meet who think they know what essential oils are, but really don't. A major
part of the trade show is handing out my printed materials which do a good
job of explaining what essential oils actually are and how they can be
helpful to people.
However, even though I still do shows now and then, my vision for the
business has always been that it would mostly be online. Advertising in
specifically targeted online sites works well for me too. (Disclosure:
Rosanne is one of IBN's longtime sponsors.)
Also, I do have printed ads in magazines as well.
dM: What's new and exciting with your business these days?
Rosanne: My book, "Chakra Balancing," is selling well. I think it's because it's a beginner's guide and it really breaks down into simple terms what chakras are and how essential oils can help you balance them.
I
am also loving the "Professional Formulas" I created. I have discovered that
people who love essential oils and use them regularly, do not always have
the time or know how .. to blend carrier oils for the base of their product.
They wanted the blends made for them , which is when I introduced my
Professional Formulas to respond to that demand. There are 7 Professional
Formulas for all different skin types. They can be used as massage oils
(personally or by professionals) and as facial skin serums, especially
during the winter months. My favorite is Professional Formula # 4, a
combination of Apricot Kernel Oil, Fractionated Coconut Oil, Rosehip Seed
Oil, Evening Primrose Oil & Vitamin E. It's good for all skin types.
I am also doing well with my new organic natural deodorants. "Active"
(pictured here), is my favorite.
dM: What sort of social media do you use in your business and why?
Rosanne:
I use Face Book, Twitter and my blog. I like all of them but the blog is my favorite. (Thanks to dM for helping me start it!) And Tina Sams over at the Essential Herbal for helping me thru. I love blogging because I can do it myself.I have a fantastic website designer (Kim Baron of Fallen Muse WebWorks), as I do not know HTML and I'm really not a techie person. With a blog, however, I am able to use this application on my own to update my blog, which keeps me in touch with my customer base.
Not sure if I would like blogging because I was at first very intimidated by it. I was thinking, "Gee, what if people don't like how it looks, or they don't like what I say??!" I decided to use Blogspot because it's free and easy. I love uploading pictures! I have learned more about using my camera too! I love sharing photos not just of my products and such but also of my garden and the wonderful things I love about living in New York. It's amazing!
I connect my blog to FaceBook and Twitter so that when I blog something, I also share it at FaceBook and Twitter. I also send out an email notification when I update my blog. Everything kind of works together and I learn something new that I can use every day.
I think social media, especially a blog, is important because the world is so impersonal today. I think it's important to create ways for people to get to know the person behind the company, so they can you know you are, who they are doing business with.
I'm also not new to FaceBook. In fact, I read an early article about it in the Wall Street Journal when they were first launching it .. and signed up right away. However, I wasn't really sure how to use it for my business until just a few months ago when I made my SunRose Aromatics FaceBook Fan Page.
dM: Have you received sales as a direct result of your FaceBook Fan Page?
Rosanne: Absolutely! That was a wonderful thing.
After just a few months, I have lots of people there. I stay connected with
them and they connect with each other. I have new sales within 24 hours of
announcing an on going sale, blog give a way, or new products on FaceBook. I
think that's pretty incredible. For example, a few days ago, I put up an
announcement about my new chakra jewelry and I had several sales the next
day.
The important thing to remember about social media is that it's cumulative.
You can't just use a blog for a few months and when you get no sales from
it, walk away. I've only had a FaceBook Fan Page for a few months, can
update it myself -- and get sales right away -- I have to say it's an
amazing tool. The Fan Page drives people to the website and the blog. Nice!
dM: Who helps your business be successful?
Rosanne: Honestly, I am the driving force, I am the creator. I do pretty much everything, Even so, without good staff and support from my website designer and other vendors, I would not be here. SunRose is known for customer service, quality products, care in packaging and the samples I include with orders. There is no middle man. And I think that's how it has to be if you're going to be in business by yourself -- especially if you are going to be debt free like I am committed to being. Especially in this economic climate, watching how spending for inventory and advertising is critical.
dM: What tips can you offer other small and independent business owners?
Rosanne: Always give out samples with orders. Do local
shows to connect you with real people. Do holiday shows in your area because
you will almost always make a profit on them. If you're just starting out,
do street fairs, local fall and holiday bazaars. At most shows, people are
there looking for samples so don't disappoint them. Network, meet wonderful
people, learn from them and then follow up after the event. You may not make
your money on the day of the show, but you can make up for that in what you
learn and also, if you follow up with them after.
Don't rush your business. Take your time, do your research and make sure
you're ready. If you can work a full-time job for a while before you take
the leap, do that. Recognize that, in the beginning, apart from the
business, you will have no real life.
It is hard work .. but if it is your passion, it will also be very
rewarding.
Finally, make sure you know what you want out of business. My goal was to be
rich. "Rich" to me means ... being able to pay myself, my staff and pay my
bills. Therefore, yes, I am rich. Decide what "rich" means to you and then
pursue that. Remember to believe in yourself and follow your vision.
Don't rush business. It can be rushed. Take your time, do your research and make sure you're ready. If you can work a full-time job for a while before you take the leap, do that. Recognize that, in the beginning, apart from the business, you will have no real life.
Finally, make sure you know what you want out of business. My goal was to be rich. "Rich" to me means being able to pay myself and pay my bills. I am rich. Decide what "rich" means to you and then pursue that.
dM: How did you discover the Indie Beauty Network and what do you think of your membership?
Rosanne: dM and I participated on the "IDMA" Aromatherapy Discussion Group in the late 1990's. I liked her vibe, so when she launched IBN in 2000, I was one of the first people to sign up. dM is our warrior woman. My friends and I joke that she "speaks the language of the A&P," meaning that she takes lots of big, yucky works and translates them into things everyday people can understand. She keeps us informed on what's going on in the industry we love and that's a great service. (Thank you, Rosanne.)
dM: What do you think are the best things about being Indie?
Rosanne: When I left my job as in Correction, I was emerging from what I called a "20 year sentence." I was grateful for my job. But I love being Indie and I don't have a single regret. If I had to do it all over again, I'd do it. And I'd do it the same way. Being Indie means I have the luxury of saying I'm going to take it a day at a time, a product at a time.
dM: What are you doing when you're not working in your business?
Rosanne: Working in my business.
Seriously. I purchased a laptop so I can work from any area of my business.
I check emails throughout the day. Let's face it too, the economy has not
been the best. So I had to scale down on staff from 5 days a week to 3 days
a week. Which means I am more hands on now. My garden is also my passion,
which I share on my blog. It is so important to make time each week to
pursue other things I love. Crystals are another interest of mine, so when I
can, I go to trade shows to enjoy buying them for myself and as gifts for
others.
What are your sales like?
Rosanne: As I said earlier, my very first month in
business, I grossed $500. Now, almost 11 yrs later, it's approximately
$20,000 a month. As with others in business .. this economy has effected
SunRose as well, Some months are better than others. Though overall, I am
pleased with my growth and very proud of my business. I am hopeful that 2010
will even be another great year!!
How to connect with Rosanne:
Website
http://www.sunrosearomatics.com
Twitter
http://twitter.com/sunrosearomatic
6. Indie and Small Business Resources: Explosion of Activity at Social Network!
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Featured photo: our home page screen shot from this morning, featuring the
pretty smile of Terri Simmons of Mangoberry Botanicals in Georgetown, Texas!There are over 4,000 people at our site! Each week, I make additions to the site so you can enjoy it even more. Each day, a new IBN member is featured and threre's also a fun new poll where you can share your favorite fall fragrance oils.
There are also some brand new fun and informative discussions going on all the time. Here are some recent highlights -- join us with your thoughts and experiences, and find out what other people in your industry are doing!
Question of the Week: What are you doing with pumpkin products these days?
FDA, FTC Warn Dr. Andrew Weil About Unauthorized Drug Claims: be informed, be aware of what is happening in your industry!
Holding Down A Day Job While Ramping Up Your Business?: a great discussion with tips and encouragement for people who are doing this! This is a great add-on to some of the tips Rosanne shares about her experience doing this in the article above.
How To Hire A Sales Rep: your tips, questions answered
Kelloggs, Kraft, General Mills Suspend "Smart Choices" Labeling Program: clear evidence that the FDA is taking an entirely new approach to reviewing the labels of products it regulates.
Indie Business Moms Who Homeschool: wonderful questions, tips and encouragement for moms juggling so many important things!
7. About dM, the Chief Executive Indie: How Can I Help You??!
<--
That's me and other IBN members advocating on behalf of small and
independent cosmetics businesses with regard to the FDA Globalization Act of
2008/9. L to R:
Jamila White,
Anne-Maria Faiola, moi,
Kayla Fioravanti
and Lela Barker.
(Links are to our Twitter pages.)
How can I help your women's group or conference gathering?!!
Donna Maria Coles Johnson, the Chief Executive Indie, helps small and independent businesses owners, combine smart sales and marketing strategies with integrated, branded digital media tools to create relationships, expand their sphere of influence and increase sales. Through her blogs and weekly radio show, dM delivers helpful and entertaining content that inspires, encourages and informs small business owners worldwide. Known for her innovative yet friendly style, dM's expertise has been showcased in Entrepreneur, Global Cosmetics Industry, Working Mother, the Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Tribune, National Public Radio, ABC World News This Morning, WUSA-TV9 (CBS Washington, DC affiliate), Ebony and a host of other regional and national media outlets.
Whether the topic is integrating career and family, leadership, small business ownership or new technologies, dM has a life-changing presentation for you and your audience. Contact dM today at donnamaria @ indiebeautynetwork.com to discover how she can contribute to your unforgettable conference or gathering event.
If this issue of The Indie Experience has been useful to you, please feel free to hit the Forward key and share it with a friend, or you can link directly via URL to this issue here.
See you next week! In the meantime,
Enjoy your life, build your business and have your way!
Donna Maria
Editor, The Indie Experience
IBN Social Network | www.indiebeauty.com
Copyright (c) 2000 - 2009 by 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 newsletter 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.
