1 00:00:00,930 --> 00:00:01,380 Hi there. 2 00:00:01,410 --> 00:00:05,460 You're listening to gift biz on rapt episode 108. 3 00:00:05,850 --> 00:00:07,980 My bath bomb sales were skyrocketing. 4 00:00:08,100 --> 00:00:11,520 My soap sales were dropping because of the way I displayed 5 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:12,380 them. Hi, 6 00:00:12,380 --> 00:00:13,520 this is John Lee, 7 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:15,680 Dumas of entrepreneur on fire, 8 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:18,230 and you're listening to gifted biz unwrapped, 9 00:00:18,230 --> 00:00:22,550 and now it's time to light it up. 10 00:00:22,550 --> 00:00:24,260 Welcome to gift bears, 11 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:28,280 unwrapped your source for industry specific insights and advice to develop 12 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:29,090 and grow your business. 13 00:00:29,510 --> 00:00:31,130 And now here's your host, 14 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:32,510 Sue Mona height. 15 00:00:34,220 --> 00:00:35,510 Before we get into the show, 16 00:00:35,510 --> 00:00:36,740 I have a question for you. 17 00:00:37,250 --> 00:00:39,410 Do you know that you should be out networking, 18 00:00:39,410 --> 00:00:43,310 but you just can't get yourself to do it because it's 19 00:00:43,370 --> 00:00:47,420 scary. Are you afraid that you might walk into the room 20 00:00:47,420 --> 00:00:50,870 and not know anybody or that you're going to freeze? 21 00:00:50,870 --> 00:00:53,900 When you get up to do that infamous elevator speech, 22 00:00:53,900 --> 00:00:56,540 where you talk about yourself and your business, 23 00:00:56,810 --> 00:00:59,270 while I'm here to tell you that it doesn't need to 24 00:00:59,270 --> 00:01:00,140 be scary. 25 00:01:00,290 --> 00:01:03,470 If you know what to do to help you with this, 26 00:01:03,530 --> 00:01:06,470 I would like to offer you a coffee chat for the 27 00:01:06,470 --> 00:01:08,270 price of buying me a cup of coffee. 28 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:11,450 We can sit down through an online video and I'll tell 29 00:01:11,450 --> 00:01:15,740 you everything that I know about networking and how I personally 30 00:01:15,770 --> 00:01:19,490 built two multi-six figure businesses, 31 00:01:19,550 --> 00:01:21,650 primarily through networking. 32 00:01:22,250 --> 00:01:26,150 You'll walk away with a solid understanding about how networking can 33 00:01:26,150 --> 00:01:28,220 truly grow your business. 34 00:01:28,670 --> 00:01:31,070 And you're going to have new found confidence because I'm going 35 00:01:31,070 --> 00:01:34,460 to give you 10 fill in the blank templates that you 36 00:01:34,460 --> 00:01:36,860 can use for your introduction message. 37 00:01:37,100 --> 00:01:38,960 To learn more about this opportunity. 38 00:01:39,170 --> 00:01:43,910 Just go over to Bitly forward slash network and then job 39 00:01:44,180 --> 00:01:49,400 that's B I T dot L Y forward slash network Ninja. 40 00:01:49,940 --> 00:01:51,890 And now let's move on to the show. 41 00:01:53,030 --> 00:01:56,270 Hi there it's Sue and welcome to the gift biz unwrapped 42 00:01:56,270 --> 00:02:00,020 podcast, whether you own a brick and mortar store sell online 43 00:02:00,050 --> 00:02:01,580 or are just getting started, 44 00:02:01,820 --> 00:02:05,300 you'll discover new insight to gain traction and to grow your 45 00:02:05,300 --> 00:02:07,040 business today. 46 00:02:07,070 --> 00:02:09,380 I want to introduce you to Sheena Smith. 47 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:13,910 Sheena started her business called blues bath and bomb just one 48 00:02:13,910 --> 00:02:14,420 year ago. 49 00:02:14,810 --> 00:02:15,860 As you may have guessed, 50 00:02:15,920 --> 00:02:20,060 she sells homemade bath bombs and also handmade soaps, 51 00:02:20,270 --> 00:02:21,170 sugar scrubs, 52 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:22,040 bath salts, 53 00:02:22,100 --> 00:02:26,660 and lotion bars selling online only through Facebook and in-person at 54 00:02:26,660 --> 00:02:27,500 craft shows. 55 00:02:27,830 --> 00:02:31,400 Her business is exploding just like her bath bombs. 56 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:35,240 Do a typical weekend Event will result in the sale of 57 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:38,210 two or 3000 That box. 58 00:02:38,510 --> 00:02:42,320 And to think this all started from selling donuts. 59 00:02:42,770 --> 00:02:44,600 I know this doesn't make any sense, 60 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:45,380 but it will. 61 00:02:45,380 --> 00:02:47,000 When you listen to her story, 62 00:02:47,010 --> 00:02:48,710 so let's get to it. 63 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:50,720 She knows Come to the show. 64 00:02:50,930 --> 00:02:51,740 Thank you Sue, 65 00:02:51,740 --> 00:02:52,700 for having me. 66 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:54,860 I've given a little bit of an intro, 67 00:02:54,950 --> 00:02:57,110 but I want you to share with us something a little 68 00:02:57,110 --> 00:03:02,230 different, and that is having you describe your ideal motivational candle. 69 00:03:02,290 --> 00:03:05,080 So if you were to choose a color that really resonates 70 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:07,900 with you and a sane that would be on the candle, 71 00:03:08,110 --> 00:03:08,860 what would that be? 72 00:03:09,510 --> 00:03:10,770 Ooh, colors. 73 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:13,770 I couldn't narrow it down to one color. 74 00:03:14,190 --> 00:03:17,970 I would say iridescent like an iridescent glitter, 75 00:03:17,970 --> 00:03:18,960 but the iridescent, 76 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:22,470 because the colors change as you angle your candle, 77 00:03:22,470 --> 00:03:23,490 just like my life. 78 00:03:23,820 --> 00:03:26,460 It changes day to day with my business, 79 00:03:26,700 --> 00:03:28,800 my quote on this candle, 80 00:03:29,010 --> 00:03:32,730 I found it to deal with being brave and being strong 81 00:03:32,820 --> 00:03:33,900 and being humble. 82 00:03:33,990 --> 00:03:35,520 And I found a quote that I liked. 83 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:38,040 It said be strong when you are weak, 84 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:42,780 brave, when you are scared and humble when you are victorious. 85 00:03:42,990 --> 00:03:45,420 And I just thought that was so beautiful. 86 00:03:45,990 --> 00:03:47,760 Yeah, because it's like the opposites. 87 00:03:48,060 --> 00:03:49,260 Yes. Yeah. 88 00:03:49,260 --> 00:03:49,800 I love that. 89 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:50,940 Do you know who that quote is by? 90 00:03:51,300 --> 00:03:54,360 I didn't get to really find out who it was by 91 00:03:54,670 --> 00:03:57,480 You research the quote and find that quote specifically for the 92 00:03:57,480 --> 00:03:58,380 show. Yes, 93 00:03:58,380 --> 00:03:58,890 I did. 94 00:03:59,010 --> 00:04:01,830 Okay. Because I think it's a great one for us all 95 00:04:01,830 --> 00:04:03,570 to remember as we Move on, 96 00:04:03,690 --> 00:04:07,170 correct. Because there is so many times that I just want 97 00:04:07,170 --> 00:04:07,710 to just say, 98 00:04:07,710 --> 00:04:08,610 forget it, 99 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:10,140 but I have to be strong. 100 00:04:10,170 --> 00:04:11,760 And this interview with you, 101 00:04:12,090 --> 00:04:15,810 I was scared to death because I never did anything like 102 00:04:15,810 --> 00:04:16,590 this. So I said, 103 00:04:16,590 --> 00:04:17,520 I'm going to do this, 104 00:04:17,550 --> 00:04:19,800 even though I did not want to do this with you. 105 00:04:19,860 --> 00:04:20,310 But I said, 106 00:04:20,310 --> 00:04:20,490 you know, 107 00:04:20,490 --> 00:04:22,440 what do it do it? 108 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:25,530 And right now I'm not at the top of my game 109 00:04:25,530 --> 00:04:26,580 with the soap business, 110 00:04:26,580 --> 00:04:27,780 it's going to go further, 111 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:31,650 but I'm doing very well for being into it a little 112 00:04:31,650 --> 00:04:32,820 bit over a year. 113 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:35,160 So when I'm at an event, 114 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:39,120 sometimes there's other soap makers and bath bomb makers at the 115 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:39,840 same event, 116 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:42,780 I know I'm doing better sales than them. 117 00:04:42,780 --> 00:04:45,570 So I do stop by their booth and try to find 118 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:47,250 a unique product of theirs, 119 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:50,070 something I like and ask them questions about it. 120 00:04:50,220 --> 00:04:53,370 So that if a customer of mine is looking for something, 121 00:04:53,580 --> 00:04:57,540 I have no problem with sending one of my customers over 122 00:04:57,540 --> 00:04:58,320 to this. 123 00:04:58,470 --> 00:05:01,320 I would say a newcomer or somebody that has a different 124 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:02,520 product than me and saying, 125 00:05:02,550 --> 00:05:05,010 Hey, you see that young lady down there or that young 126 00:05:05,010 --> 00:05:06,390 gentlemen down there with soaps. 127 00:05:06,390 --> 00:05:09,300 Also, they have this awesome soap. 128 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:10,710 And I went over there. 129 00:05:10,710 --> 00:05:12,600 I asked her questions and I would buy it. 130 00:05:12,690 --> 00:05:13,830 I would buy it myself. 131 00:05:13,830 --> 00:05:14,670 So I would suggest, 132 00:05:14,670 --> 00:05:14,970 you know, 133 00:05:15,150 --> 00:05:17,490 go over there and see if she's got something you like, 134 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:19,290 That's great information. 135 00:05:19,290 --> 00:05:19,590 And you know, 136 00:05:19,590 --> 00:05:22,110 so many people wouldn't do that because they think that they're 137 00:05:22,110 --> 00:05:24,180 then losing sales for themselves. 138 00:05:24,210 --> 00:05:25,530 But it's so crazy. 139 00:05:25,530 --> 00:05:28,170 Just like your quote of a little bit of the opposite 140 00:05:28,230 --> 00:05:31,530 is the more generosity you give and you help your customer. 141 00:05:31,590 --> 00:05:34,440 The more it comes back to you and you would almost 142 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:35,400 think it doesn't, 143 00:05:35,610 --> 00:05:36,480 but it Does. 144 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:37,920 It actually has, 145 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:42,060 because at an event I had a girl who had, 146 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:42,960 you know, 147 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:43,440 a little bitty, 148 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:44,700 tiny stope stand, 149 00:05:45,180 --> 00:05:47,460 maybe about six feet long, 150 00:05:47,580 --> 00:05:49,080 directly in front of me. 151 00:05:49,380 --> 00:05:52,860 And she paid the same fee to get in the event. 152 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:54,510 And at this event, 153 00:05:54,570 --> 00:05:55,560 some of my customers, 154 00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:58,220 I would send them to her because she did a lot 155 00:05:58,220 --> 00:06:00,890 of room sprays with essential oils. 156 00:06:01,010 --> 00:06:03,350 I don't do room sprays with essential oils. 157 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:06,140 So I actually sent my customers to her. 158 00:06:06,140 --> 00:06:08,240 I'm like she has some awesome stuff. 159 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:11,180 And one of my customers actually turned to me and said, 160 00:06:11,630 --> 00:06:13,730 I'm going to buy something off of you, 161 00:06:13,970 --> 00:06:16,460 just because your honesty about another business. 162 00:06:16,460 --> 00:06:18,620 So your product has to be awesome. 163 00:06:18,710 --> 00:06:19,970 So it does pay back. 164 00:06:19,970 --> 00:06:23,120 And it actually in front of my face, 165 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:25,760 paid me back when a customer turned it around on me 166 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:26,270 and said, 167 00:06:26,660 --> 00:06:28,490 I'm going to get something from you too. 168 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:32,150 Wow. And that young girl that was directly in front of 169 00:06:32,150 --> 00:06:34,490 me, she had no bath bombs. 170 00:06:34,730 --> 00:06:36,440 She had soaps and room sprays. 171 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:39,080 So I dragged her and her mother when we had a 172 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:40,970 slow period over to my booth. 173 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:42,560 And I trained both of them, 174 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:44,030 how to make bath bombs, 175 00:06:44,060 --> 00:06:45,650 using their essential oils. 176 00:06:45,710 --> 00:06:47,180 It's all going to come back to me. 177 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:48,830 It all does come back to me. 178 00:06:48,830 --> 00:06:50,330 It already has come back to me. 179 00:06:50,650 --> 00:06:53,710 So she knows what you just described is what I would 180 00:06:53,710 --> 00:06:55,210 call a power partner. 181 00:06:55,360 --> 00:06:57,280 We covered this gift biz listeners, 182 00:06:57,280 --> 00:06:58,780 way back in a show. 183 00:06:58,780 --> 00:07:00,340 I don't recall the episode number, 184 00:07:00,340 --> 00:07:02,470 but it was with Julie yousome. 185 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:04,600 I will put it in the show notes what the episode 186 00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:05,290 number is. 187 00:07:05,350 --> 00:07:07,870 And if you don't know about power partners, 188 00:07:08,380 --> 00:07:08,950 you should, 189 00:07:08,950 --> 00:07:11,320 because this is exactly what she was talking about. 190 00:07:11,350 --> 00:07:14,260 If you share an audience with somebody, 191 00:07:14,260 --> 00:07:16,300 but you provide different services, 192 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:17,980 just like Sheena's talking about, 193 00:07:17,980 --> 00:07:18,130 you know, 194 00:07:18,130 --> 00:07:21,220 she had the bath bombs and the person across had something 195 00:07:21,220 --> 00:07:23,260 else, but it's the same audience. 196 00:07:23,260 --> 00:07:25,270 It's the same type of customer. 197 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:27,130 You guys can help support each other. 198 00:07:27,130 --> 00:07:29,440 And both of your businesses can grow. 199 00:07:29,590 --> 00:07:31,570 I'm not going to go into that here because we have 200 00:07:31,660 --> 00:07:33,880 a really super cool story about Jean. 201 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:35,110 I'm going to stay on topic, 202 00:07:35,110 --> 00:07:37,360 but go back and look at that because that could be 203 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:38,200 really valuable. 204 00:07:38,620 --> 00:07:39,520 So Sheena, 205 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:43,600 I kind of teased a little bit in the intro that 206 00:07:43,660 --> 00:07:46,750 your whole company started from donuts, 207 00:07:46,810 --> 00:07:50,830 which of course is super confusing to everybody. 208 00:07:50,860 --> 00:07:52,990 Why don't you take it away and fill us all in 209 00:07:52,990 --> 00:07:54,100 on how that happened? 210 00:07:54,610 --> 00:07:55,720 Oh, wow. 211 00:07:56,140 --> 00:07:58,900 I would say about six years ago, 212 00:07:59,050 --> 00:08:01,990 actually I wanted to purchase a house outright cash, 213 00:08:02,140 --> 00:08:03,820 and then everything I wanted to buy it. 214 00:08:03,820 --> 00:08:04,960 I wasn't happy with. 215 00:08:05,110 --> 00:08:08,110 So I turned to my husband and I turned to my 216 00:08:08,140 --> 00:08:11,290 16 year old daughter because at the time she was working 217 00:08:11,290 --> 00:08:14,290 at the mall and she would come home every day and 218 00:08:14,290 --> 00:08:16,720 tell me how she made her quotas, 219 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:18,550 that her boss gave her and sales. 220 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:19,420 So I said, 221 00:08:19,420 --> 00:08:20,980 I got a good salesperson. 222 00:08:21,130 --> 00:08:22,180 I'm going to start from there. 223 00:08:22,180 --> 00:08:24,010 I'm going to start a business in the mall. 224 00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:25,600 Well, what do I start? 225 00:08:25,900 --> 00:08:26,950 I had no clue. 226 00:08:26,950 --> 00:08:28,570 I looked at little hotdog cards. 227 00:08:28,570 --> 00:08:28,870 I'm like, 228 00:08:28,900 --> 00:08:30,460 no, I don't want to do that. 229 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:34,720 Then I remembered my mother about 20 years ago was telling 230 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:38,530 me that she waited in line at a festival for a 231 00:08:38,530 --> 00:08:39,550 half an hour. 232 00:08:39,580 --> 00:08:41,530 The line was a block long. 233 00:08:41,710 --> 00:08:44,740 And she waited in this line for these hot, 234 00:08:44,920 --> 00:08:48,940 fresh mini donuts that come popping out of a machine in 235 00:08:48,940 --> 00:08:49,990 front of your face. 236 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:52,030 Now I'd never tried the donut. 237 00:08:52,390 --> 00:08:54,460 I've never even seen the machine. 238 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:56,010 So of course, 239 00:08:56,010 --> 00:08:56,700 what do I do? 240 00:08:56,760 --> 00:08:58,530 I call the company that manufactured, 241 00:08:58,530 --> 00:09:01,830 that machine bought the top of the line machine opened up 242 00:09:01,830 --> 00:09:03,090 my kiosk in a mall. 243 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:06,540 I found the kiosk on eBay from another mini donut lady 244 00:09:06,540 --> 00:09:08,190 out of New Mexico, 245 00:09:08,190 --> 00:09:08,780 bought it, 246 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:10,470 used, put it up in the mall, 247 00:09:10,470 --> 00:09:11,580 started making donuts. 248 00:09:11,580 --> 00:09:14,760 Now my machine was being delivered still. 249 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:16,560 I never tested the donut. 250 00:09:16,560 --> 00:09:17,250 Never tried it. 251 00:09:17,250 --> 00:09:20,160 I'm just going off of my mother saying it was the 252 00:09:20,310 --> 00:09:23,490 best donut she's ever eaten in her life. 253 00:09:23,670 --> 00:09:26,790 So I Google find a local vendor within an hour of 254 00:09:26,790 --> 00:09:27,180 where I live. 255 00:09:27,180 --> 00:09:30,600 That makes many donuts when to one of his shows, 256 00:09:30,810 --> 00:09:32,640 he was an awesome gentleman. 257 00:09:32,700 --> 00:09:36,600 He took me and my husband behind his booth showed us 258 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:37,740 how to make donuts, 259 00:09:37,950 --> 00:09:38,820 let us eat. 260 00:09:38,820 --> 00:09:39,570 The donuts, 261 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:41,610 gave us so many tips and tricks. 262 00:09:41,730 --> 00:09:44,580 So that next week we can open our business. 263 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:45,560 That's crazy. 264 00:09:45,560 --> 00:09:46,250 And that's again, 265 00:09:46,250 --> 00:09:48,950 just like you were talking about in the beginning sharing expertise 266 00:09:48,950 --> 00:09:50,060 and not being selfish, 267 00:09:50,060 --> 00:09:53,900 but being generous with information and learning and sharing. 268 00:09:54,380 --> 00:09:57,740 Correct. He was really a godsend and he didn't have to 269 00:09:57,740 --> 00:09:58,100 do that, 270 00:09:58,100 --> 00:10:01,220 but he took his time out and showed us how to 271 00:10:01,220 --> 00:10:04,850 work the machine and how to make a perfect donut. 272 00:10:05,180 --> 00:10:07,460 Okay. So I'm going to challenge you now, 273 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:10,850 how in the world does that lead to bath bomb? 274 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:13,550 Ooh, fast forward, 275 00:10:13,550 --> 00:10:16,760 about six to eight months later after opening our business in 276 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:17,390 the mall, 277 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:22,310 we were a temporary business and a permanent business with the 278 00:10:22,310 --> 00:10:24,170 mall, which was a corporate business, 279 00:10:24,230 --> 00:10:29,330 wanted our location because we were strategically placed by the kids' 280 00:10:29,330 --> 00:10:30,380 play area. 281 00:10:30,620 --> 00:10:32,150 So they wanted our spot. 282 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:34,910 Well, of course us being the little guy, 283 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:37,820 we had to be moved to a different location. 284 00:10:38,090 --> 00:10:39,710 So they showed us the location, 285 00:10:39,710 --> 00:10:42,200 which was across from a Yankee candle, 286 00:10:42,500 --> 00:10:46,010 which is awesome because I love the smell of Yankee candle. 287 00:10:46,220 --> 00:10:51,170 But the first problem was that with my business mini donuts, 288 00:10:51,170 --> 00:10:52,580 it was action attraction. 289 00:10:53,030 --> 00:10:55,430 You smelled my doughnut throughout the whole mall. 290 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:57,530 So now me and Yankee candle are going to have a 291 00:10:57,530 --> 00:11:00,170 problem because their smells and my smells. 292 00:11:00,170 --> 00:11:01,700 You're not going to know who you smelled. 293 00:11:02,060 --> 00:11:05,240 And also to reroute our electricity was going to cost us 294 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:08,390 an arm and a leg over four or $5,000. 295 00:11:08,510 --> 00:11:09,740 So my husband and I said, 296 00:11:10,100 --> 00:11:11,870 let's buy a concession trailer. 297 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:15,200 Let's stay local and do festivals and fairs in our own 298 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:19,460 backyard and only have to work weekends instead of working seven 299 00:11:19,460 --> 00:11:20,240 days a week, 300 00:11:20,330 --> 00:11:21,770 10 to nine in a mall. 301 00:11:21,860 --> 00:11:25,790 Because at this time we also had preschool aged children. 302 00:11:25,790 --> 00:11:28,820 I believe my children were four and five years old. 303 00:11:29,060 --> 00:11:30,860 So we bought a concession trailer, 304 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:32,030 fixed it up, 305 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:35,810 started doing festivals and fairs fast forward a year later, 306 00:11:36,020 --> 00:11:39,980 a lot of the promoters loved my husband and myself because 307 00:11:39,980 --> 00:11:41,330 we were friendly with customers. 308 00:11:41,330 --> 00:11:42,710 We were easy to work with. 309 00:11:42,740 --> 00:11:44,090 We would get into a festival. 310 00:11:44,090 --> 00:11:46,580 They can call us at the last minute we would be 311 00:11:46,580 --> 00:11:50,690 there. So a lot of these festivals had empty spaces where 312 00:11:50,690 --> 00:11:53,180 a vendor didn't show up something would happen. 313 00:11:53,290 --> 00:11:55,060 So a lot of the promoters would ask, 314 00:11:55,180 --> 00:11:58,060 Hey, do you know somebody that can fill this space last 315 00:11:58,060 --> 00:11:58,930 minute? Well, 316 00:11:58,930 --> 00:12:01,510 we were calling our vendor friends and getting them in. 317 00:12:01,690 --> 00:12:03,730 And the idea clicked with me and my husband. 318 00:12:03,970 --> 00:12:07,570 We already started this donut business for our four year old 319 00:12:07,570 --> 00:12:09,490 son so we can build it up. 320 00:12:09,490 --> 00:12:10,480 So when he's older, 321 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:11,530 he has something, 322 00:12:11,950 --> 00:12:15,730 let's start a business for Lula our five-year-old daughter. 323 00:12:15,730 --> 00:12:17,350 But at this time she was about eight, 324 00:12:17,560 --> 00:12:18,460 eight, nine years old. 325 00:12:18,730 --> 00:12:20,290 Well, what business do we start? 326 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:21,310 Well at the time, 327 00:12:21,430 --> 00:12:22,510 just for fun, 328 00:12:22,690 --> 00:12:24,400 I was doing a Melton pour soap. 329 00:12:24,430 --> 00:12:24,700 You know, 330 00:12:24,700 --> 00:12:26,860 you go to Michael's and you buy this little kit and 331 00:12:26,860 --> 00:12:29,080 it has some glycerin soap and a block. 332 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:30,640 And you toss it in the microwave, 333 00:12:30,700 --> 00:12:31,330 melt it, 334 00:12:31,660 --> 00:12:34,510 add some color at some fragrance and bam, 335 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:36,010 you have cute little soaps, 336 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:40,780 but I wanted to do something more of what our grandparents 337 00:12:40,780 --> 00:12:43,060 did, dealed handmade, 338 00:12:43,060 --> 00:12:45,760 original. So which at the time I thought, 339 00:12:45,790 --> 00:12:47,650 Oh, this is a lost art. 340 00:12:47,740 --> 00:12:49,420 Well, I start searching. 341 00:12:49,420 --> 00:12:50,770 I find out in Facebook, 342 00:12:50,860 --> 00:12:53,440 there's a whole bunch of people doing handmade salt. 343 00:12:53,500 --> 00:12:55,540 So I started doing a Facebook search. 344 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:58,420 I found a couple of groups of people that did handmade 345 00:12:58,420 --> 00:12:59,890 soaps across the world. 346 00:12:59,920 --> 00:13:03,370 And I was so surprised that they are still using the 347 00:13:03,370 --> 00:13:05,830 same ingredients that we used, 348 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:08,040 Like way back when or something. 349 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:08,610 Right? Yeah. 350 00:13:08,630 --> 00:13:10,410 So how did you feel about that? 351 00:13:10,590 --> 00:13:11,670 Because at first you thought, 352 00:13:11,700 --> 00:13:12,570 Oh, you know, 353 00:13:12,570 --> 00:13:13,920 no one's doing this anymore. 354 00:13:13,920 --> 00:13:15,960 I'm sure you're thinking I'm going to slip into the market. 355 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:17,700 It's going to be so fresh and new. 356 00:13:17,790 --> 00:13:21,600 And then you did research and you found that AU contraire, 357 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:23,310 there are a lot of people doing it. 358 00:13:23,430 --> 00:13:25,290 What was going through your mind then? 359 00:13:25,290 --> 00:13:27,630 And what made you then decide to keep going? 360 00:13:27,900 --> 00:13:31,770 Because I noticed they were doing it on a smaller scale. 361 00:13:31,830 --> 00:13:34,650 They weren't taking it to the level and some of them 362 00:13:34,650 --> 00:13:35,310 were doing it. 363 00:13:35,310 --> 00:13:36,930 They had their own brick and mortars too. 364 00:13:36,990 --> 00:13:39,270 So you had every level of person, 365 00:13:39,450 --> 00:13:42,600 you had the lady in our kitchen making handmade soaps for 366 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:44,670 her neighbors and her friends and her family. 367 00:13:44,790 --> 00:13:47,430 Then you had a couple people doing the same thing I'm 368 00:13:47,430 --> 00:13:48,210 doing now, 369 00:13:48,330 --> 00:13:49,620 but that didn't stop you then. 370 00:13:49,770 --> 00:13:50,580 No, it didn't. 371 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:54,150 It did it because in my area there wasn't anything like 372 00:13:54,150 --> 00:13:55,890 that. Ah, 373 00:13:56,070 --> 00:13:57,180 so there's your niche, 374 00:13:57,210 --> 00:13:58,170 this type of thing, 375 00:13:58,170 --> 00:13:59,250 right? In your area, 376 00:13:59,250 --> 00:14:01,320 because you were going to stay in sell locally. 377 00:14:01,410 --> 00:14:06,450 Correct. And I had a worldwide network of other soap makers 378 00:14:06,450 --> 00:14:07,800 from India, 379 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:09,450 from Australia, 380 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:11,490 from the us helping me. 381 00:14:11,520 --> 00:14:13,500 Right. They don't know me. 382 00:14:14,010 --> 00:14:15,900 We just know each other on Facebook, 383 00:14:15,930 --> 00:14:17,790 but we were all helping each other out. 384 00:14:17,790 --> 00:14:19,500 Like here here's some tips and tricks. 385 00:14:19,710 --> 00:14:21,240 Here's a nice booth set up. 386 00:14:21,330 --> 00:14:23,970 Why don't you try adding this ingredient to your soap? 387 00:14:24,060 --> 00:14:25,710 Why don't you try doing this? 388 00:14:25,770 --> 00:14:29,100 So I had thousands of people across the world helping me. 389 00:14:29,610 --> 00:14:30,510 Awesome. Okay. 390 00:14:30,510 --> 00:14:31,890 So you had that, 391 00:14:31,890 --> 00:14:32,820 you did your research, 392 00:14:32,820 --> 00:14:34,950 you already knew the name was going to be your daughter's 393 00:14:34,950 --> 00:14:37,410 name. So that totally makes sense. 394 00:14:37,620 --> 00:14:41,040 How did you get started in terms of presenting these to 395 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:41,610 the market? 396 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:45,510 Well, we were scheduled to do a wrestling show for the 397 00:14:45,510 --> 00:14:48,720 Ford motor company union employees. 398 00:14:48,990 --> 00:14:50,940 So the union president said, 399 00:14:50,940 --> 00:14:51,350 you know what, 400 00:14:51,350 --> 00:14:53,270 go ahead and bring your soap business with. 401 00:14:53,300 --> 00:14:55,370 Cause I explained to him we're starting a soap business. 402 00:14:55,430 --> 00:14:56,630 I would like to bring that out. 403 00:14:56,630 --> 00:15:00,620 Since we already booked our donut business to cover your concession 404 00:15:00,620 --> 00:15:01,940 for your wrestling show, 405 00:15:02,090 --> 00:15:04,700 what this wrestling show we had both booths set up right 406 00:15:04,700 --> 00:15:05,600 next to each other. 407 00:15:05,750 --> 00:15:08,540 My husband and son-in-law was working the donut stand. 408 00:15:08,630 --> 00:15:10,190 I was working in the soap booth. 409 00:15:10,250 --> 00:15:13,700 Well, adding that second booth and me taking over that booth 410 00:15:13,730 --> 00:15:16,760 and no longer helping with the donut business, 411 00:15:17,120 --> 00:15:18,470 we got swamped. 412 00:15:18,770 --> 00:15:20,030 It's A perfect storm, 413 00:15:20,030 --> 00:15:21,650 right? Yes. 414 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:24,950 So all three of us started working both businesses at the 415 00:15:24,950 --> 00:15:26,060 same time. 416 00:15:26,060 --> 00:15:26,600 My word. 417 00:15:27,110 --> 00:15:30,410 Yes. So that's so business took off right away. 418 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:32,840 Exactly at the same pace as that donut business. 419 00:15:32,900 --> 00:15:35,600 Like if it's been there since day one of the donut 420 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:37,130 business, wow. 421 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:38,810 After that night, 422 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:41,660 I was getting calls from Ford, 423 00:15:41,690 --> 00:15:43,010 the Ford motor company, 424 00:15:43,070 --> 00:15:45,140 their employees that attended that event. 425 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:46,400 We need more soap. 426 00:15:46,610 --> 00:15:48,230 Can we buy this in bulk? 427 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:51,890 I had one lady call me and say she was almost 428 00:15:51,890 --> 00:15:53,810 in tears because she said, 429 00:15:53,870 --> 00:15:57,920 my husband used your activated charcoal and it has peppermint and 430 00:15:57,920 --> 00:15:58,730 tea tree in it. 431 00:15:58,850 --> 00:16:01,640 My husband used your soap for the first time this week. 432 00:16:01,730 --> 00:16:04,550 And he has never felt so good and relaxed in his 433 00:16:04,550 --> 00:16:05,240 whole life. 434 00:16:05,420 --> 00:16:08,210 I need to buy every bottle that soap that you have 435 00:16:08,210 --> 00:16:10,310 left. That's a testimonial. 436 00:16:10,580 --> 00:16:12,380 I think I had 10 bars of it left. 437 00:16:12,500 --> 00:16:15,230 I packaged up those 10 bars of soap and I met 438 00:16:15,230 --> 00:16:17,480 her at a local restaurant supply store. 439 00:16:17,870 --> 00:16:18,620 Oh my gosh. 440 00:16:18,830 --> 00:16:22,100 And now every couple of months she calls me and I 441 00:16:22,100 --> 00:16:24,440 sell her and it's open to everybody else, 442 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:27,650 but I sell her that soap by the loaf. 443 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:30,770 So she's buying 25 bars and that's all she's using. 444 00:16:31,010 --> 00:16:32,900 She's giving it out to friends and family, 445 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:35,330 her husband's got his stock and she's happy. 446 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:38,320 Wow. Well that is the testimonial to the product and the 447 00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:40,840 quality of what you're producing for sure. 448 00:16:40,870 --> 00:16:41,350 So, okay. 449 00:16:41,350 --> 00:16:42,760 So we're at donuts and now, 450 00:16:42,760 --> 00:16:44,140 so correct. 451 00:16:44,230 --> 00:16:47,320 Then what happens When I started going into, 452 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:49,600 after the Ford motor company event, 453 00:16:49,780 --> 00:16:50,680 I went into, 454 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:53,200 it was a local indoor garage sale. 455 00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:55,150 I was kind of on the fence for it because I 456 00:16:55,150 --> 00:16:56,680 thought garage sale, 457 00:16:57,040 --> 00:16:59,260 that stuff from people's attics and basements, 458 00:16:59,260 --> 00:16:59,620 you know, 459 00:16:59,860 --> 00:17:01,780 one man's junk another man's treasure. 460 00:17:01,900 --> 00:17:05,140 I didn't want my pretty soaps to be considered something I 461 00:17:05,140 --> 00:17:06,700 found in the basement and the attic, 462 00:17:06,850 --> 00:17:07,420 but I'm like, 463 00:17:07,420 --> 00:17:07,960 you know what? 464 00:17:08,050 --> 00:17:08,800 I'm going to do it. 465 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:10,810 It's only a couple blocks away from my home. 466 00:17:11,020 --> 00:17:15,310 Well, this booth was actually two times the size of my 467 00:17:15,370 --> 00:17:16,630 wrestling event booth. 468 00:17:16,660 --> 00:17:17,560 So on this one, 469 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:20,770 I had upped it from 15 different lines of soap from 470 00:17:20,770 --> 00:17:24,400 the wrestling show to now about 40 to 50 lines of 471 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:27,520 soap. I also threw in some bags of bath salts, 472 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:28,060 I made, 473 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:31,390 I also made about a hundred little bath bombs just to 474 00:17:31,390 --> 00:17:31,900 put out there. 475 00:17:31,900 --> 00:17:34,390 So now my customers have a little variety. 476 00:17:34,660 --> 00:17:37,840 I actually went and made some cute little displays and got 477 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:41,350 some signs made from Vista print and set up my booth. 478 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:42,790 Well again, 479 00:17:42,850 --> 00:17:44,650 soaps were flying off the shelf. 480 00:17:44,890 --> 00:17:49,770 I didn't get a chance to eat during that seven event. 481 00:17:49,980 --> 00:17:54,000 I could not leave my booth space because everybody was piled 482 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:56,610 into this little 10 by 10 foot booth space. 483 00:17:56,930 --> 00:17:58,250 That's crazy. 484 00:17:58,250 --> 00:18:00,080 I bet the time went so fast though. 485 00:18:00,110 --> 00:18:02,060 You probably didn't even realize you didn't get a chance to 486 00:18:02,060 --> 00:18:03,080 eat. Correct. 487 00:18:03,080 --> 00:18:04,730 It was nine o'clock when I set up, 488 00:18:04,790 --> 00:18:06,800 it was one o'clock when I realized, 489 00:18:07,040 --> 00:18:08,570 Hey, I'm out of here in two hours. 490 00:18:08,690 --> 00:18:11,840 Yeah. I'm going to stop you here really quickly because gift 491 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:12,740 biz listeners, 492 00:18:12,770 --> 00:18:15,170 we've just covered a couple of points that I really want 493 00:18:15,170 --> 00:18:15,950 to underline. 494 00:18:16,070 --> 00:18:19,460 First. Sheena's talking about the fact that some of these small 495 00:18:19,490 --> 00:18:20,660 local events, 496 00:18:20,690 --> 00:18:20,960 you know, 497 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:21,470 she's thinking, 498 00:18:21,470 --> 00:18:22,100 should I do it? 499 00:18:22,100 --> 00:18:23,180 Should I not do it? 500 00:18:23,360 --> 00:18:27,470 Look at how our business has grown from being exposed through 501 00:18:27,470 --> 00:18:28,580 those types of events. 502 00:18:28,580 --> 00:18:30,260 So if you have an opportunity, 503 00:18:30,260 --> 00:18:33,080 you just don't know who might be coming by. 504 00:18:33,080 --> 00:18:35,750 You know that it's a weekend and it's leisure time who 505 00:18:35,810 --> 00:18:39,110 from a large company might be coming by or you have 506 00:18:39,110 --> 00:18:42,110 big business potential from some of those events. 507 00:18:42,170 --> 00:18:45,320 The other thing is she talks about her product growth and 508 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:47,360 how it started with the soaps. 509 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:51,470 She saw an opportunity because her customers are already liking that 510 00:18:51,470 --> 00:18:53,600 product to extend the line, 511 00:18:53,630 --> 00:18:54,500 a similar thing. 512 00:18:54,500 --> 00:18:56,420 They're still pampering products, 513 00:18:56,450 --> 00:18:58,490 but different versions of the same. 514 00:18:58,490 --> 00:19:01,100 So she's staying in her core business, 515 00:19:01,190 --> 00:19:03,200 which is pampering products, 516 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:03,980 if you will, 517 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:04,970 but extending. 518 00:19:05,090 --> 00:19:06,260 So in that way, 519 00:19:06,260 --> 00:19:09,560 she's giving people a way for herself to upsell, 520 00:19:09,590 --> 00:19:11,450 right? Because people are not just going to buy the soap. 521 00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:14,300 Then they might buy the bath salt or my personal favorite, 522 00:19:14,300 --> 00:19:15,500 the sugar scrubs. 523 00:19:16,010 --> 00:19:18,350 So, but that's an automatic way. 524 00:19:18,350 --> 00:19:21,380 You can start growing your sales when you stay in your 525 00:19:21,380 --> 00:19:22,550 core focus, 526 00:19:22,610 --> 00:19:25,550 but you add options just like Sheena was doing. 527 00:19:25,580 --> 00:19:26,000 All right. 528 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:29,690 So you did this garage sale that you weren't sure about. 529 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:30,590 And again, 530 00:19:30,590 --> 00:19:33,320 proof of concept everyone's buying you out. 531 00:19:33,410 --> 00:19:35,390 Now, what happens Now? 532 00:19:35,390 --> 00:19:39,080 I start getting invited to events by customers that came to 533 00:19:39,080 --> 00:19:43,160 that big garage sale that were actually promoters for other events. 534 00:19:43,220 --> 00:19:47,750 So one of the invites I got was a rescue pet 535 00:19:47,750 --> 00:19:51,800 shelter in our local County expo center. 536 00:19:51,950 --> 00:19:52,490 So I'm like, 537 00:19:52,490 --> 00:19:53,690 this is different. 538 00:19:53,870 --> 00:19:55,280 So I set up a booth, 539 00:19:55,490 --> 00:19:57,290 made my stand even bigger. 540 00:19:57,470 --> 00:20:01,430 This time I brought out couple hundred bath bombs labeled up 541 00:20:01,430 --> 00:20:02,690 my sugar scrubs, 542 00:20:02,870 --> 00:20:04,610 bagged up more bath salt, 543 00:20:05,060 --> 00:20:09,440 added some solid lotion bars that could be used for human 544 00:20:09,710 --> 00:20:14,390 and for the bottom of pet dogs and some solid lotion 545 00:20:14,390 --> 00:20:19,010 bars that we created for dogs here in the Chicago land 546 00:20:19,010 --> 00:20:22,700 area. A lot of people throw salt on their snow. 547 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:25,250 So when you take your dog out to use the restroom, 548 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:27,440 that salt eats up your dog's feet. 549 00:20:27,560 --> 00:20:30,320 So I created a lotion bar with coconut oil, 550 00:20:30,470 --> 00:20:32,570 beeswax and cocoa butter. 551 00:20:32,690 --> 00:20:33,890 And this was like waxing, 552 00:20:33,890 --> 00:20:34,820 you Dawes pause. 553 00:20:34,820 --> 00:20:37,730 So that dog can go outside and wouldn't get that salt 554 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:38,300 eaten Up. 555 00:20:38,390 --> 00:20:39,860 Well, I'm going to need some of those. 556 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:43,880 Oh, those fly off the shelf to a lot of people 557 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:48,070 consider their dogs and cats to be their children. 558 00:20:48,250 --> 00:20:52,000 Absolutely. So just like we put shoes on our kids' feet. 559 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:53,410 When we take them outside, 560 00:20:53,560 --> 00:20:54,640 this is a different way. 561 00:20:54,640 --> 00:20:56,800 You don't have to put those booties on their feet. 562 00:20:56,890 --> 00:20:58,600 And a lot of the dogs take them off or they're 563 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:00,010 uncomfortable, right? 564 00:21:00,070 --> 00:21:00,910 It's natural. 565 00:21:00,940 --> 00:21:01,810 It's safe. 566 00:21:01,930 --> 00:21:04,900 If the dog goes to lick off the lotion bar, 567 00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:06,820 it's not going to hurt the dog. 568 00:21:06,850 --> 00:21:07,660 It's safe. 569 00:21:07,780 --> 00:21:09,640 There's nothing the dog can choke on. 570 00:21:09,760 --> 00:21:11,410 There's nothing that will poison the dog. 571 00:21:11,500 --> 00:21:12,580 Everything is edible. 572 00:21:12,690 --> 00:21:13,440 Good point. 573 00:21:13,500 --> 00:21:13,770 All right. 574 00:21:13,860 --> 00:21:16,470 I want to ask you a really important question here. 575 00:21:16,830 --> 00:21:19,440 A lot of our listeners are in the same boat as 576 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:22,590 you they're makers or creators of their product. 577 00:21:22,620 --> 00:21:25,740 So you're kind of in a catch 22 because you want 578 00:21:25,740 --> 00:21:26,760 to bring in more business. 579 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:28,470 But when you're bringing in more business, 580 00:21:28,500 --> 00:21:31,440 you're actually making more work for yourself because you've got to 581 00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:33,090 produce the product. 582 00:21:33,180 --> 00:21:36,930 What do you see in terms of any challenges there and 583 00:21:36,930 --> 00:21:38,070 what do you do about that? 584 00:21:38,070 --> 00:21:39,330 Because everywhere you're going, 585 00:21:39,330 --> 00:21:40,680 I'm hearing it with successful. 586 00:21:40,710 --> 00:21:42,600 You're selling through product like crazy. 587 00:21:42,690 --> 00:21:43,830 So this is what happened. 588 00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:45,480 I started selling more product, 589 00:21:45,510 --> 00:21:48,720 which meant I need to make more product. 590 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:50,790 And I was one at the time to refuse, 591 00:21:50,790 --> 00:21:51,930 help from anybody. 592 00:21:51,930 --> 00:21:52,800 No, I got it. 593 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:53,970 I can do it on my own. 594 00:21:54,120 --> 00:21:56,760 So I did that for about a month living on nothing 595 00:21:56,760 --> 00:21:57,630 but coffee. 596 00:21:57,720 --> 00:21:58,440 Oh my word. 597 00:21:58,890 --> 00:22:01,380 And maybe a couple hours of sleep at night. 598 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:04,410 Finally, a friend of mine offered to help. 599 00:22:04,470 --> 00:22:04,830 I said, 600 00:22:04,830 --> 00:22:05,160 no, no, 601 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:06,000 no, I got this. 602 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:06,840 I got this. 603 00:22:07,170 --> 00:22:10,410 Well, she wouldn't take no for an answer because she seen, 604 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:10,950 I guess what? 605 00:22:10,950 --> 00:22:11,610 I didn't see. 606 00:22:11,730 --> 00:22:12,780 I was beat. 607 00:22:13,020 --> 00:22:14,010 I was tired. 608 00:22:14,070 --> 00:22:15,600 She was a smart friend. 609 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:18,660 Yes. So she just showed up the next day and said, 610 00:22:18,660 --> 00:22:19,440 I'm helping you. 611 00:22:19,500 --> 00:22:21,390 And from there I was like, 612 00:22:21,450 --> 00:22:24,630 wow, I really got something done. 613 00:22:24,780 --> 00:22:26,490 She did a great job. 614 00:22:26,610 --> 00:22:27,510 And from there, 615 00:22:27,810 --> 00:22:28,440 my cousin, 616 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:32,490 Nicole started coming over and helping me make bath bombs. 617 00:22:32,490 --> 00:22:33,750 Because these bath bombs, 618 00:22:33,750 --> 00:22:39,450 I was making approximately one to 3000 bath bombs by hand 619 00:22:39,510 --> 00:22:41,070 per week for my event. 620 00:22:41,340 --> 00:22:42,240 Oh my word. 621 00:22:42,780 --> 00:22:45,780 Yes. So now we created a bomb squad, 622 00:22:46,140 --> 00:22:47,700 which consisted of course, 623 00:22:47,700 --> 00:22:48,630 all this time. 624 00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:50,160 My 23 year old daughter, 625 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:54,600 Ariel, she was helping me behind the scenes since day one, 626 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:58,440 whether it would be taking her brother and sister and watching 627 00:22:58,440 --> 00:22:59,070 them for me, 628 00:22:59,220 --> 00:23:01,950 helping me carry some heavy stuff, 629 00:23:01,980 --> 00:23:03,690 helping me make product, 630 00:23:03,750 --> 00:23:05,610 helping me with ideas. 631 00:23:05,730 --> 00:23:08,280 My daughter Ariel was always by my side. 632 00:23:08,370 --> 00:23:09,930 So now fast forward, 633 00:23:09,930 --> 00:23:11,130 we have a bomb squad. 634 00:23:11,460 --> 00:23:13,260 It consisted of myself, 635 00:23:13,290 --> 00:23:13,980 my daughter, 636 00:23:13,980 --> 00:23:15,630 Ariel, my girlfriend, 637 00:23:15,630 --> 00:23:17,130 Jenny, and my cousin, 638 00:23:17,130 --> 00:23:19,980 Nicole. So everybody would come over, 639 00:23:20,010 --> 00:23:21,360 we'd get plenty of food, 640 00:23:21,540 --> 00:23:22,560 plenty of stuff to drink. 641 00:23:22,560 --> 00:23:24,150 And we would just build bombs. 642 00:23:24,150 --> 00:23:26,370 We would start about five o'clock in the afternoon. 643 00:23:26,580 --> 00:23:29,010 We wouldn't get done till maybe two or three o'clock in 644 00:23:29,010 --> 00:23:29,490 the morning. 645 00:23:29,670 --> 00:23:32,100 And we would do that about two times a week. 646 00:23:32,310 --> 00:23:34,680 But I bet you had a blast because you're all going 647 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:35,760 together. It's not, 648 00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:37,500 then you working solo anymore. 649 00:23:38,010 --> 00:23:38,850 It was fun. 650 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:41,400 You couldn't talk and chit chat and do whatever while you're 651 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:42,090 making the bombs. 652 00:23:42,090 --> 00:23:43,020 Right? Correct. 653 00:23:43,050 --> 00:23:46,430 And then they would also give me design ideas. 654 00:23:46,520 --> 00:23:49,970 Like let's try layering your colors and see how that would 655 00:23:49,970 --> 00:23:53,270 look or let's make this one lighter or let's make this 656 00:23:53,270 --> 00:23:54,170 one darker. 657 00:23:54,230 --> 00:23:57,110 Or they would just completely make up their own bomb color. 658 00:23:57,340 --> 00:23:58,180 And I liked it. 659 00:23:58,360 --> 00:24:01,000 It's good that you accepted input from them too, 660 00:24:01,270 --> 00:24:02,860 because then they feel ownership, 661 00:24:02,890 --> 00:24:06,820 feeling satisfied and gratification for what they're doing to help you 662 00:24:06,910 --> 00:24:08,560 fabulous that you would do that. 663 00:24:08,560 --> 00:24:09,730 And I got to tell you, 664 00:24:09,790 --> 00:24:13,750 this is a classic problem that I think makers fall into 665 00:24:13,750 --> 00:24:14,440 is, well, 666 00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:15,250 any entrepreneur, 667 00:24:15,280 --> 00:24:17,830 let me go with anybody who starts a business is I 668 00:24:17,830 --> 00:24:19,150 can do this all myself. 669 00:24:19,210 --> 00:24:20,230 I don't need help. 670 00:24:20,260 --> 00:24:22,060 I'm going to save every little penny. 671 00:24:22,060 --> 00:24:24,550 I possibly can throw it back into the business. 672 00:24:24,610 --> 00:24:27,400 And I am super woman and can do it. 673 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:29,980 And it was so great that your friend jumped in and 674 00:24:29,980 --> 00:24:30,610 said, Nope, 675 00:24:30,700 --> 00:24:31,720 you do need help. 676 00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:33,430 And kind of forced you into it, 677 00:24:33,460 --> 00:24:34,600 because think about it. 678 00:24:34,630 --> 00:24:36,340 You would have never been able to do that for the 679 00:24:36,340 --> 00:24:37,000 long haul. 680 00:24:37,060 --> 00:24:40,510 You would either landed in the hospital or after, 681 00:24:40,510 --> 00:24:40,990 I don't know, 682 00:24:41,020 --> 00:24:41,620 two months, 683 00:24:41,620 --> 00:24:43,450 if you could even have gone that long, 684 00:24:43,450 --> 00:24:46,330 at some point you would have just had to be hands 685 00:24:46,330 --> 00:24:48,250 up. I give in That is correct. 686 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:49,990 Now let's fast forward a little bit. 687 00:24:50,110 --> 00:24:53,200 This fun little bomb making party and this little bomb squad, 688 00:24:53,290 --> 00:24:54,850 the girls were getting worn out. 689 00:24:56,740 --> 00:24:58,570 They started dropping like flies. 690 00:25:00,130 --> 00:25:01,600 The dangers of success, 691 00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:02,290 Chino. Yeah, 692 00:25:02,380 --> 00:25:03,880 We were all tired. 693 00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:06,940 So now they are just as exhausted as I am. 694 00:25:07,060 --> 00:25:09,310 So now I had to put on my thinking cap and 695 00:25:09,340 --> 00:25:13,420 think of how can I not wear out my friends and 696 00:25:13,420 --> 00:25:19,180 family? What can I do to make this bomb making process 697 00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:20,200 go smoother, 698 00:25:20,260 --> 00:25:21,040 go quicker. 699 00:25:21,070 --> 00:25:22,390 Yeah. So what did you do? 700 00:25:22,570 --> 00:25:26,830 Well, my husband by trade is a mechanic and he loves 701 00:25:26,830 --> 00:25:28,990 his old fashioned cars. 702 00:25:29,050 --> 00:25:30,820 He loves his rat rods. 703 00:25:30,820 --> 00:25:35,140 He loves his classic Chevy's and he loves his hydraulic pumps. 704 00:25:36,430 --> 00:25:39,940 So what he tried to do is design me a pneumatic 705 00:25:39,940 --> 00:25:43,570 press that will automatically make my bath bombs for me. 706 00:25:43,750 --> 00:25:45,700 This was about late September. 707 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:46,990 At the same time, 708 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:49,420 a friend of mine that makes bath bombs. 709 00:25:49,480 --> 00:25:51,460 He was trying to design a press. 710 00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:53,440 So we were talking back and forth with him. 711 00:25:53,440 --> 00:25:54,580 How to adjust the press. 712 00:25:54,580 --> 00:25:57,340 What can we do anything we can do to get this 713 00:25:57,340 --> 00:25:58,150 press working? 714 00:25:58,300 --> 00:26:00,190 Well, this press was slowing me down. 715 00:26:00,190 --> 00:26:02,020 So we tossed it in the back of the closet. 716 00:26:02,020 --> 00:26:04,810 And I just continued with whoever would show up at my 717 00:26:04,810 --> 00:26:06,340 house and helped me make bombs. 718 00:26:06,490 --> 00:26:09,250 I would just continue the hand-making of the bath bombs. 719 00:26:09,430 --> 00:26:12,970 And plus now we're getting into October where my festival season 720 00:26:12,970 --> 00:26:13,780 is slowing down. 721 00:26:13,810 --> 00:26:16,600 So now instead of making 3000 bath bombs, 722 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:19,360 I can get away with a thousand to 2000 a week. 723 00:26:19,390 --> 00:26:24,340 So now my friend in Wisconsin perfected his pneumatic press and 724 00:26:24,340 --> 00:26:25,450 it was beautiful. 725 00:26:25,540 --> 00:26:27,760 He called it the bath bomb express. 726 00:26:27,940 --> 00:26:30,130 I named her Stella and I fought him on it. 727 00:26:30,910 --> 00:26:33,130 Her name is Stella because she was beautiful. 728 00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:34,870 She was made of steel. 729 00:26:36,790 --> 00:26:37,870 She Was gorgeous. 730 00:26:37,900 --> 00:26:39,790 So the bath bomb press, 731 00:26:39,820 --> 00:26:42,160 I think he was like around with the mold. 732 00:26:42,160 --> 00:26:43,560 It was around 500 bucks. 733 00:26:43,890 --> 00:26:46,260 And I was still on the fence because I had already 734 00:26:46,260 --> 00:26:51,060 invested in my non-working press about $500 already. 735 00:26:51,060 --> 00:26:54,210 And I didn't want to spend $500 on somebody else's product 736 00:26:54,210 --> 00:26:56,160 when I had something that was close to working. 737 00:26:56,220 --> 00:26:58,320 Yeah. But somehow You have to invest in the future. 738 00:26:58,320 --> 00:26:59,970 Shayna. Correct. 739 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:00,870 So what I did, 740 00:27:00,930 --> 00:27:04,170 he had little raffles going on because he's building his bath 741 00:27:04,170 --> 00:27:05,250 bomb press business. 742 00:27:05,310 --> 00:27:07,020 So one day I was at an event, 743 00:27:07,020 --> 00:27:07,830 I was bored. 744 00:27:07,860 --> 00:27:09,630 I seen he had a raffle going on. 745 00:27:09,900 --> 00:27:11,400 It was a $20 ticket. 746 00:27:11,670 --> 00:27:13,140 I never win anything. 747 00:27:13,260 --> 00:27:15,750 I don't even find that loose quarter on the street. 748 00:27:15,780 --> 00:27:16,650 So what I did, 749 00:27:16,830 --> 00:27:20,250 I bought me a $20 raffle ticket and I thought nothing 750 00:27:20,250 --> 00:27:20,640 of it. 751 00:27:20,700 --> 00:27:21,030 I'm like, 752 00:27:21,030 --> 00:27:21,360 you know what? 753 00:27:21,360 --> 00:27:22,920 I'm going to support my friend. 754 00:27:23,100 --> 00:27:24,900 I'll buy a $20 raffle ticket. 755 00:27:25,050 --> 00:27:26,010 Well, out of nowhere, 756 00:27:26,010 --> 00:27:28,470 I'm getting all these messages and notifications. 757 00:27:28,740 --> 00:27:29,400 You won, 758 00:27:29,400 --> 00:27:30,030 you won, 759 00:27:30,030 --> 00:27:33,210 you won what I won the bath bomb press. 760 00:27:33,380 --> 00:27:34,310 That's crazy. 761 00:27:34,310 --> 00:27:35,480 That is fate. 762 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:36,800 You've got the press. 763 00:27:36,860 --> 00:27:38,120 Now, what has that meant? 764 00:27:38,120 --> 00:27:41,060 And where is the business today in terms of production, 765 00:27:41,750 --> 00:27:45,260 Press my husband and my 10 year old daughter can work 766 00:27:45,260 --> 00:27:46,580 it when I need that backup. 767 00:27:46,730 --> 00:27:49,670 I don't use it because my hands are actually faster than 768 00:27:49,670 --> 00:27:50,480 a pneumatic press. 769 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:53,750 If you would believe that now this means that the people 770 00:27:53,750 --> 00:27:56,180 in my own home under my own roof, 771 00:27:56,300 --> 00:27:57,890 if I need them to back me up, 772 00:27:57,950 --> 00:28:00,800 they can jump on a press and make bath bombs for 773 00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:01,850 me. Wonderful. 774 00:28:01,850 --> 00:28:05,480 So it's kind of a contingency plan when you really are 775 00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:06,680 needing it at this point, 776 00:28:06,710 --> 00:28:10,100 you still have the ability to grow now with the equipment 777 00:28:10,100 --> 00:28:10,760 that you have, 778 00:28:10,820 --> 00:28:12,470 correct. Beautiful. 779 00:28:12,500 --> 00:28:15,740 Okay. I want to talk a little bit about how you're 780 00:28:15,740 --> 00:28:19,730 marketing your business and it's different than a lot of people 781 00:28:19,730 --> 00:28:22,700 are doing and it's working fabulous for you. 782 00:28:22,700 --> 00:28:25,880 So it's a great thing to be sharing with our audience 783 00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:29,210 here. There are only two ways that you're selling your product. 784 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:31,040 One is face-to-face, 785 00:28:31,040 --> 00:28:33,350 which is what we've been talking about this whole time. 786 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:35,570 And then also online, 787 00:28:35,600 --> 00:28:37,070 only through Facebook, 788 00:28:37,070 --> 00:28:38,360 right? As of today, 789 00:28:38,870 --> 00:28:39,920 As of today, 790 00:28:40,010 --> 00:28:43,490 really what I'm doing is just festivals and events, 791 00:28:43,550 --> 00:28:44,570 face to face. 792 00:28:44,900 --> 00:28:49,370 Some people in my local area can contact me on Facebook 793 00:28:49,460 --> 00:28:51,740 and I allow them to do a pickup or I'll meet 794 00:28:51,740 --> 00:28:54,380 them somewhere at a public location. 795 00:28:54,740 --> 00:28:57,140 I do ship some of my products, 796 00:28:57,320 --> 00:28:58,970 but never my bath bombs. 797 00:28:59,360 --> 00:29:05,810 Okay. So you are using Facebook to show people the product 798 00:29:05,900 --> 00:29:09,680 and then tell them where you're going to be live next. 799 00:29:09,740 --> 00:29:10,910 That is correct. 800 00:29:11,090 --> 00:29:15,380 So that is a whole different way of using Facebook to 801 00:29:15,380 --> 00:29:18,050 sell than a lot of people ever think about. 802 00:29:18,110 --> 00:29:21,410 And because you are so successful in person, 803 00:29:21,410 --> 00:29:23,120 plus then you don't have the shipping and you know what 804 00:29:23,120 --> 00:29:26,780 else? You don't have any of the bagging materials that you 805 00:29:26,780 --> 00:29:27,350 would need, 806 00:29:27,350 --> 00:29:30,350 because I think you put them in like Brown bags or 807 00:29:30,350 --> 00:29:32,060 some bags right at your booths, 808 00:29:32,060 --> 00:29:34,220 right? That is correct at my booth. 809 00:29:34,250 --> 00:29:35,210 When you come, 810 00:29:35,420 --> 00:29:39,770 the reason why I don't have an Etsy store or an 811 00:29:39,830 --> 00:29:44,350 online website is because at a festival and event, 812 00:29:44,500 --> 00:29:45,940 you get me, 813 00:29:46,060 --> 00:29:47,980 you get to talk to me and ask me, 814 00:29:47,980 --> 00:29:49,060 how did you make this? 815 00:29:49,060 --> 00:29:49,990 What is in it? 816 00:29:50,140 --> 00:29:51,130 I want to know, 817 00:29:51,130 --> 00:29:53,050 can you make me a specialty product? 818 00:29:53,080 --> 00:29:54,910 Can you make something for my baby shower? 819 00:29:54,910 --> 00:29:57,160 Can you make something for my cousin's wedding? 820 00:29:57,220 --> 00:29:58,960 You are getting me. 821 00:29:59,020 --> 00:30:02,230 And also when you come to a festival and event, 822 00:30:02,380 --> 00:30:05,860 everything is spread out there where it's self service. 823 00:30:06,070 --> 00:30:09,280 I have over 30 boxes of bath bombs. 824 00:30:09,400 --> 00:30:10,990 And on my counter, 825 00:30:11,020 --> 00:30:13,630 there is bags spread out throughout the counter. 826 00:30:13,690 --> 00:30:14,800 You have my soaps, 827 00:30:14,800 --> 00:30:16,090 you have my sugar scrubs. 828 00:30:16,090 --> 00:30:17,020 You have my bath, 829 00:30:17,020 --> 00:30:18,610 salt, you as the customer, 830 00:30:18,610 --> 00:30:21,100 get to go in there and pick out what product you 831 00:30:21,100 --> 00:30:23,530 want. So if a bath bomb has a chip in it, 832 00:30:23,590 --> 00:30:24,580 you don't grab that one. 833 00:30:24,580 --> 00:30:25,420 You grab that nice, 834 00:30:25,420 --> 00:30:26,080 pretty one. 835 00:30:26,350 --> 00:30:29,050 And that chip bath bomb goes into a box that I 836 00:30:29,050 --> 00:30:31,960 call the uglies and we'll get to the ugly soon. 837 00:30:32,110 --> 00:30:35,590 My customers get to pick out whatever product they want and 838 00:30:35,590 --> 00:30:36,490 then they come to me. 839 00:30:36,660 --> 00:30:37,410 That's beautiful. 840 00:30:37,410 --> 00:30:37,950 And you know what? 841 00:30:38,010 --> 00:30:40,230 You sent me a picture of the booth and I am 842 00:30:40,230 --> 00:30:42,450 going to put it on the show notes page because it 843 00:30:42,450 --> 00:30:46,530 really is a great visual of what Sheena's actually describing. 844 00:30:46,590 --> 00:30:46,890 All right. 845 00:30:46,930 --> 00:30:48,840 I want to hear about that ugly box. 846 00:30:48,930 --> 00:30:50,610 Is that like a discounted box? 847 00:30:50,610 --> 00:30:51,720 And when can I see it? 848 00:30:53,190 --> 00:30:57,030 This ugly box is exactly that it's from my ugly bath 849 00:30:57,030 --> 00:30:59,790 bombs. Whether I didn't put enough color in it, 850 00:30:59,850 --> 00:31:01,350 I put too much color. 851 00:31:01,530 --> 00:31:03,420 It was a cracked bath bomb. 852 00:31:03,510 --> 00:31:06,660 My husband had broken a batch of bath bombs. 853 00:31:06,780 --> 00:31:09,450 It's an ugly box for the ugly bombs and they're not 854 00:31:09,450 --> 00:31:10,080 for sale. 855 00:31:10,380 --> 00:31:14,400 What it is is for my repeat customers as a thank 856 00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:16,620 you. When they purchase something again, 857 00:31:16,710 --> 00:31:17,820 there's the ugly box. 858 00:31:17,850 --> 00:31:20,070 I fill up a bag of ugly bath bombs because they 859 00:31:20,070 --> 00:31:20,940 still work, 860 00:31:21,030 --> 00:31:21,960 right? It's just, 861 00:31:21,960 --> 00:31:22,680 they're ugly. 862 00:31:22,980 --> 00:31:25,200 But I give them to my customers for free as a 863 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:27,150 thank you for coming back and seeing me. 864 00:31:27,630 --> 00:31:28,380 I love that. 865 00:31:28,380 --> 00:31:32,280 And you're not compromising quality at all because since it's existing 866 00:31:32,310 --> 00:31:34,500 customers, they already know your product, 867 00:31:34,590 --> 00:31:36,360 correct. Beautiful. 868 00:31:36,420 --> 00:31:37,200 The ugly backs. 869 00:31:37,220 --> 00:31:39,000 You've got great terminology. 870 00:31:40,020 --> 00:31:42,120 I want to sit with you and have a planning meeting 871 00:31:42,120 --> 00:31:44,490 and you can give me all these ideas of what to 872 00:31:44,490 --> 00:31:47,030 call for different things because they're so creative. 873 00:31:47,220 --> 00:31:48,200 Well, a customer, 874 00:31:48,300 --> 00:31:48,960 a young girl, 875 00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:50,970 she must've been about 13 years old. 876 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:53,010 She calls it the old box. 877 00:31:53,070 --> 00:31:56,790 I actually like her terminology better the old box, 878 00:31:56,940 --> 00:32:00,090 but I'm so used to calling it the ugly box that 879 00:32:00,090 --> 00:32:00,660 it's stuck, 880 00:32:00,660 --> 00:32:03,810 but I really want to start calling it the old box. 881 00:32:03,840 --> 00:32:05,430 You can merge it together or something. 882 00:32:05,430 --> 00:32:05,940 I dunno. 883 00:32:06,030 --> 00:32:07,440 Now that display, 884 00:32:07,620 --> 00:32:10,410 I'm very proud of that display because on that display, 885 00:32:10,590 --> 00:32:12,840 those boxes that create my bath bomb. 886 00:32:13,170 --> 00:32:14,550 That's a recyclable item. 887 00:32:14,700 --> 00:32:17,100 There's a lady in Chicago that makes wine out of her 888 00:32:17,100 --> 00:32:18,210 basement out of her home. 889 00:32:18,420 --> 00:32:19,580 Those are great crates. 890 00:32:19,580 --> 00:32:22,230 She had about 50 of them in her basement. 891 00:32:22,320 --> 00:32:26,280 She put out a Craigslist ad selling all of those crates. 892 00:32:26,550 --> 00:32:27,510 I made an offer. 893 00:32:27,540 --> 00:32:30,150 I went there and picked up off 50 of those crates. 894 00:32:30,210 --> 00:32:32,220 Didn't know how I was going to hide them from my 895 00:32:32,220 --> 00:32:36,930 husband because my house has now turned into soap. 896 00:32:36,960 --> 00:32:37,920 Bath bomb sugars. 897 00:32:37,950 --> 00:32:39,030 It's a supply house. 898 00:32:39,050 --> 00:32:40,700 I bet it smells marvelous. 899 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:44,030 Oh, you could smell my house from the sidewalk Yom. 900 00:32:44,090 --> 00:32:46,100 So I had to figure out a way to hide these 901 00:32:46,220 --> 00:32:47,930 50 crates in my house. 902 00:32:47,960 --> 00:32:50,000 So I grabbed a corner and I stacked them to the 903 00:32:50,000 --> 00:32:53,660 ceiling, but I started putting my bath bombs and my soaps 904 00:32:53,670 --> 00:32:56,450 inside these crates at festivals and events. 905 00:32:56,600 --> 00:33:00,560 That's when really my bath bombs and my sales skyrocketed on 906 00:33:00,560 --> 00:33:01,370 bath bombs. 907 00:33:01,670 --> 00:33:04,550 What I didn't notice until a couple months later, 908 00:33:04,880 --> 00:33:09,500 my soap sales had fallen by me taking my soaps off 909 00:33:09,530 --> 00:33:12,680 a wood riser and putting them in those crates. 910 00:33:13,040 --> 00:33:16,190 So now my bath bomb sales were skyrocketing. 911 00:33:16,310 --> 00:33:19,760 My soap sales were dropping because of the way I displayed 912 00:33:19,760 --> 00:33:24,050 them. So I kept those wood crates from my bath bombs 913 00:33:24,140 --> 00:33:27,500 and went back to a wood riser on my soaps. 914 00:33:27,880 --> 00:33:30,460 That is a gem of a tip. 915 00:33:30,580 --> 00:33:32,170 Really, really smart. 916 00:33:32,170 --> 00:33:34,410 By the way it was being displayed is how, 917 00:33:34,420 --> 00:33:35,950 especially at festivals, 918 00:33:35,950 --> 00:33:37,060 right? Correct. 919 00:33:37,090 --> 00:33:39,820 Because people are going to come in because of what they're 920 00:33:39,820 --> 00:33:41,260 seeing, they're going to be drawn in, 921 00:33:41,260 --> 00:33:41,470 you know, 922 00:33:41,470 --> 00:33:44,770 and usually there's table after table or booth after booth. 923 00:33:45,010 --> 00:33:46,780 So displays are everything. 924 00:33:47,380 --> 00:33:52,120 I am on my fourth option to display my soaps. 925 00:33:52,330 --> 00:33:53,530 My first option, 926 00:33:53,830 --> 00:33:55,060 I made a wood riser. 927 00:33:55,120 --> 00:33:56,020 My husband said, 928 00:33:56,020 --> 00:33:56,710 no, honey, 929 00:33:56,830 --> 00:33:58,540 you met at a set of stairs. 930 00:33:58,630 --> 00:33:59,950 My second option, 931 00:34:00,220 --> 00:34:03,460 I made it on a pair of window shutters with boards 932 00:34:03,460 --> 00:34:04,210 coming to it. 933 00:34:04,570 --> 00:34:06,040 It kept falling apart. 934 00:34:06,400 --> 00:34:09,790 Third option was that failed bath bomb box that I put 935 00:34:09,790 --> 00:34:10,510 myself in. 936 00:34:10,540 --> 00:34:14,110 So now I'm on a collapsible wood riser and things are 937 00:34:14,110 --> 00:34:15,430 starting to pick up again. 938 00:34:15,880 --> 00:34:17,770 Good. So you might've found the magic there, 939 00:34:18,190 --> 00:34:20,080 correct? The display matter. 940 00:34:21,610 --> 00:34:24,820 I am still looking for another option because I'm not a 941 00:34:24,820 --> 00:34:29,110 hundred percent happy because it is time consuming to take out 942 00:34:29,110 --> 00:34:33,250 my soaps out of a container and display them like my 943 00:34:33,250 --> 00:34:34,000 bath bombs. 944 00:34:34,030 --> 00:34:38,920 I store transport and display in the same container. 945 00:34:39,160 --> 00:34:42,190 I want to do that same thing for my soaps, 946 00:34:42,310 --> 00:34:47,200 where I store transport and display in the same container. 947 00:34:47,290 --> 00:34:47,740 Yeah. Yeah. 948 00:34:47,860 --> 00:34:49,090 That's a good point too. 949 00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:51,700 But at least you have something that's increasing the sale. 950 00:34:51,700 --> 00:34:52,900 So at least for now, 951 00:34:52,960 --> 00:34:53,170 you know, 952 00:34:53,170 --> 00:34:54,220 you're on the right path. 953 00:34:54,520 --> 00:34:57,400 Correct. You can always switch it out as you go. 954 00:34:57,400 --> 00:34:58,480 Right. Right. 955 00:34:59,050 --> 00:34:59,380 All right. 956 00:34:59,380 --> 00:35:02,410 Sheena. I want to roll now into our reflection section. 957 00:35:02,410 --> 00:35:05,860 And this is just a real quick look at other things 958 00:35:05,860 --> 00:35:08,920 that you've been doing and things that you can share with 959 00:35:08,950 --> 00:35:11,560 our listeners that have made you successful. 960 00:35:11,560 --> 00:35:13,690 So these are just really quick answers. 961 00:35:13,720 --> 00:35:16,420 What is a single trait that you have that you've called 962 00:35:16,420 --> 00:35:19,450 upon regularly that you think has made you successful? 963 00:35:19,630 --> 00:35:22,600 I honestly think it's how I treat my customers. 964 00:35:22,720 --> 00:35:24,850 I don't treat them like customers. 965 00:35:24,850 --> 00:35:26,440 I treat them like friends. 966 00:35:26,560 --> 00:35:30,100 I come in and I treat them like if they're family, 967 00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:33,160 I know that you do that because the way I discovered 968 00:35:33,160 --> 00:35:35,740 you was from a show and I didn't even know you, 969 00:35:35,950 --> 00:35:37,620 of course I loved the product right away. 970 00:35:37,620 --> 00:35:40,380 Cause anything that smells yummy is great for me. 971 00:35:40,680 --> 00:35:41,220 But you were, 972 00:35:41,220 --> 00:35:43,950 you're so friendly and jovial at the booth. 973 00:35:43,950 --> 00:35:44,790 And it's very, 974 00:35:44,790 --> 00:35:46,770 very clear that you like what you're doing. 975 00:35:47,000 --> 00:35:48,620 I love what I'm doing. 976 00:35:48,650 --> 00:35:52,430 I am happiest when I'm at that booth on a weekend. 977 00:35:52,730 --> 00:35:55,280 And I'm even happier when my daughter Lula, 978 00:35:55,460 --> 00:35:56,600 is there helping out. 979 00:35:57,080 --> 00:35:58,040 I bet you are. 980 00:35:58,100 --> 00:35:59,150 I'm sure of that. 981 00:35:59,180 --> 00:35:59,930 So yeah. 982 00:35:59,960 --> 00:36:01,340 The way you treat your customers, 983 00:36:01,370 --> 00:36:04,070 that's going to make people come back to you for sure. 984 00:36:04,070 --> 00:36:05,390 And that's going to spread the word, 985 00:36:05,390 --> 00:36:06,500 no question about it. 986 00:36:06,890 --> 00:36:11,000 Is there some tool that you're using besides the hydraulic press? 987 00:36:11,000 --> 00:36:13,760 Because a lot of us don't need that for our businesses, 988 00:36:13,940 --> 00:36:17,810 but is there something else that you're using just to conduct 989 00:36:17,810 --> 00:36:20,510 business in some way that you could share with our listeners? 990 00:36:20,660 --> 00:36:23,840 I just network with other crafters, 991 00:36:23,840 --> 00:36:25,130 with other vendors, 992 00:36:25,280 --> 00:36:27,110 with other promoters. 993 00:36:27,440 --> 00:36:28,880 I stay in touch with them. 994 00:36:28,940 --> 00:36:31,850 Now I'm at a point where I've already gotten invites for 995 00:36:31,850 --> 00:36:33,200 events in October. 996 00:36:33,320 --> 00:36:35,840 So a lot of it has to do with networking, 997 00:36:35,840 --> 00:36:37,880 talk to your other crafters, 998 00:36:37,880 --> 00:36:40,730 become friends with them because they can tell you about upcoming 999 00:36:40,730 --> 00:36:44,420 events. Where are you networking on Facebook Book? 1000 00:36:44,630 --> 00:36:48,620 You're talking about in groups or Local Facebook groups on my 1001 00:36:48,620 --> 00:36:52,610 groups, in our area groups at events. 1002 00:36:52,880 --> 00:36:55,160 I talked to my neighboring crafters, 1003 00:36:55,160 --> 00:36:59,690 my neighboring vendors at events I walk around and I actually 1004 00:36:59,690 --> 00:37:03,320 purchase from my other vendors for my other crafters, 1005 00:37:03,650 --> 00:37:04,820 A number of different places. 1006 00:37:04,820 --> 00:37:06,560 You are networking people at events. 1007 00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:10,640 You're networking with people in local Facebook groups. 1008 00:37:10,640 --> 00:37:13,940 And then also industry Facebook groups like crafting groups, 1009 00:37:13,940 --> 00:37:14,510 et cetera. 1010 00:37:14,660 --> 00:37:18,860 Correct. And now I have my customers because I'm based in 1011 00:37:18,860 --> 00:37:20,360 Northwest Indiana, 1012 00:37:20,450 --> 00:37:22,580 which is a Stone's throw from the Illinois, 1013 00:37:22,610 --> 00:37:23,780 Chicago borderline. 1014 00:37:23,900 --> 00:37:25,760 So I mostly stay in Indiana. 1015 00:37:25,760 --> 00:37:29,240 But last fall I started branching out to the Chicago land 1016 00:37:29,240 --> 00:37:33,170 area. So I'm getting a lot of my Chicago customers saying, 1017 00:37:33,170 --> 00:37:35,870 Hey, we have an event here in Aurora. 1018 00:37:35,870 --> 00:37:38,990 We have an event here in Naperville or Grey's lakes. 1019 00:37:39,050 --> 00:37:40,640 Why don't you try to see if you can get into 1020 00:37:40,640 --> 00:37:43,160 our neck of the woods so we can get more bombs. 1021 00:37:43,220 --> 00:37:45,860 So now I have customers saying, 1022 00:37:45,860 --> 00:37:47,000 Hey, here's an event. 1023 00:37:47,030 --> 00:37:48,830 Can you try to get into that event so we can 1024 00:37:48,830 --> 00:37:49,790 get more bombs? 1025 00:37:50,240 --> 00:37:53,000 Is there a book or something you've read or listened to 1026 00:37:53,000 --> 00:37:55,580 lately that you would share as a resource? 1027 00:37:55,760 --> 00:37:57,170 I haven't read any books. 1028 00:37:57,350 --> 00:38:02,840 Where do you go to keep yourself educated or learn new 1029 00:38:02,840 --> 00:38:04,430 things? Google I, 1030 00:38:04,430 --> 00:38:05,660 Google has everything. 1031 00:38:05,870 --> 00:38:07,880 It is crazy how, 1032 00:38:07,910 --> 00:38:08,780 when there's questions, 1033 00:38:08,780 --> 00:38:10,400 so many people will forget about Google. 1034 00:38:10,550 --> 00:38:10,760 You know, 1035 00:38:10,760 --> 00:38:11,360 we'll have questions. 1036 00:38:11,360 --> 00:38:11,660 You'll be like, 1037 00:38:11,690 --> 00:38:12,350 Oh, I wonder how this, 1038 00:38:12,350 --> 00:38:13,130 I wonder how that, 1039 00:38:13,130 --> 00:38:14,360 and then you almost, 1040 00:38:14,450 --> 00:38:15,230 I don't know if you do this, 1041 00:38:15,230 --> 00:38:17,030 but I do I'll challenge Google. 1042 00:38:17,030 --> 00:38:19,430 Like there's no way I'm going to be able to find 1043 00:38:19,430 --> 00:38:20,420 the answer to this question, 1044 00:38:20,420 --> 00:38:21,560 but I'm gonna try it anyway. 1045 00:38:21,560 --> 00:38:22,190 And guess what? 1046 00:38:22,190 --> 00:38:22,820 Sure enough, 1047 00:38:22,910 --> 00:38:23,600 there it is. 1048 00:38:23,660 --> 00:38:24,440 There's the answer. 1049 00:38:24,950 --> 00:38:27,830 Yes. Right in front of my face at my fingertips. 1050 00:38:28,010 --> 00:38:29,150 Yep. That's crazy. 1051 00:38:29,300 --> 00:38:29,690 All right, 1052 00:38:29,720 --> 00:38:32,960 Sheena, I'm so sad that this is coming to an end, 1053 00:38:32,960 --> 00:38:34,820 but it has to cause we all have to get back 1054 00:38:34,820 --> 00:38:35,500 doing work. 1055 00:38:35,620 --> 00:38:38,380 But I want now to invite you to dare to dream, 1056 00:38:38,620 --> 00:38:40,810 I'd like to present you with a virtual gift. 1057 00:38:41,170 --> 00:38:45,370 It's a magical box containing unlimited possibilities for your future. 1058 00:38:45,520 --> 00:38:48,760 So this is your dream or your goal of almost unreachable 1059 00:38:48,760 --> 00:38:50,560 height that you would wish to obtain. 1060 00:38:50,800 --> 00:38:53,740 Please accept this gift and open it in our presence. 1061 00:38:53,980 --> 00:38:58,440 What is inside your box Business growth currently right now I 1062 00:38:58,440 --> 00:39:02,850 purchased a vintage newspaper truck that I am going to be 1063 00:39:03,090 --> 00:39:06,420 restoring to transport my soap business. 1064 00:39:06,600 --> 00:39:10,500 Something that I have on the horizon would be to open, 1065 00:39:10,890 --> 00:39:12,150 not a brick and mortar. 1066 00:39:12,270 --> 00:39:13,830 I believe in reuse, 1067 00:39:13,890 --> 00:39:18,420 recycle. I want to use shipping containers as my brick and 1068 00:39:18,420 --> 00:39:22,650 mortar stores and have them almost like a franchise where you 1069 00:39:22,650 --> 00:39:24,870 can purchase the shipping container, 1070 00:39:24,990 --> 00:39:26,400 purchase my product, 1071 00:39:26,460 --> 00:39:29,310 lease a piece of land in a high traffic area. 1072 00:39:29,430 --> 00:39:30,900 That's what I want to do. 1073 00:39:31,400 --> 00:39:33,450 You have someone to connect you up with about that? 1074 00:39:33,540 --> 00:39:34,770 Remind me after the show. 1075 00:39:34,860 --> 00:39:35,910 Okay. Thank you. 1076 00:39:36,120 --> 00:39:38,460 I have someone totally different industry, 1077 00:39:38,790 --> 00:39:40,590 but someone who may be able to help you out with 1078 00:39:40,590 --> 00:39:41,040 some of that, 1079 00:39:41,310 --> 00:39:45,450 I would like to see my business in shipping containers. 1080 00:39:45,720 --> 00:39:48,720 How creative who's seen anything like that before, 1081 00:39:48,930 --> 00:39:49,770 right? I mean, 1082 00:39:49,770 --> 00:39:51,270 what a great idea. 1083 00:39:51,690 --> 00:39:53,490 Well, our living in shipping containers, 1084 00:39:53,490 --> 00:39:55,590 which that's another vision I have. 1085 00:39:55,770 --> 00:40:00,540 I want to stick my whole family in a shipping container 1086 00:40:00,540 --> 00:40:03,930 home, not your average one box shipping container. 1087 00:40:03,930 --> 00:40:06,180 We had a little bit more elaborate design, 1088 00:40:06,240 --> 00:40:09,120 but I want my home to be out of shipping containers. 1089 00:40:09,210 --> 00:40:12,330 I want my business to be out of shipping containers. 1090 00:40:12,480 --> 00:40:13,320 And in Cleveland, 1091 00:40:13,320 --> 00:40:18,510 Ohio, they have a whole retail street of nothing but shipping 1092 00:40:18,510 --> 00:40:21,510 containers. There's other spots of Vegas, 1093 00:40:21,510 --> 00:40:24,330 I think is doing a shipping container wall. 1094 00:40:24,540 --> 00:40:28,140 I think we have something going on in Spain And it's 1095 00:40:28,140 --> 00:40:29,160 becoming a thing. 1096 00:40:29,460 --> 00:40:30,480 Yes, it's Out there. 1097 00:40:30,480 --> 00:40:31,860 It hasn't caught on well. 1098 00:40:32,100 --> 00:40:34,140 So I want to be at the forefront of that. 1099 00:40:34,500 --> 00:40:37,680 And this is a way that you can actually grow because 1100 00:40:37,740 --> 00:40:39,930 at some point the way you're doing the business now, 1101 00:40:40,140 --> 00:40:43,620 unless you continue hiring people and hiring people and hiring people, 1102 00:40:43,710 --> 00:40:45,840 you do max out on your time. 1103 00:40:45,870 --> 00:40:46,140 I mean, 1104 00:40:46,140 --> 00:40:49,470 there's only one you and there's only one weekend a week. 1105 00:40:49,530 --> 00:40:52,440 So at some point you would max out, 1106 00:40:52,440 --> 00:40:55,410 but this is a way for you to expand your business 1107 00:40:55,440 --> 00:40:58,980 without you having to totally be part of it as you 1108 00:40:58,980 --> 00:40:59,640 move forward. 1109 00:40:59,640 --> 00:41:00,870 So I love, 1110 00:41:00,870 --> 00:41:02,060 love, love that idea, 1111 00:41:02,160 --> 00:41:03,420 gift biz listeners. 1112 00:41:03,480 --> 00:41:04,440 I have to tell you, 1113 00:41:04,440 --> 00:41:05,730 usually at this point, 1114 00:41:05,760 --> 00:41:09,030 I'm telling you an online site where you can reach out 1115 00:41:09,030 --> 00:41:10,500 and buy from Sheena. 1116 00:41:10,620 --> 00:41:13,020 But right now I think we're just going to talk about 1117 00:41:13,020 --> 00:41:13,890 her Facebook page, 1118 00:41:13,890 --> 00:41:16,350 where you can go see what she's doing. 1119 00:41:16,440 --> 00:41:17,790 And if you're lucky enough, 1120 00:41:17,790 --> 00:41:19,890 it sounds like they might be able to direct message you. 1121 00:41:19,890 --> 00:41:22,620 If they want to try some of your fabulous product. 1122 00:41:22,800 --> 00:41:24,720 I don't know if you want us to do that or 1123 00:41:24,720 --> 00:41:25,500 not. Shana, 1124 00:41:26,220 --> 00:41:29,550 Ken. I am trying to create my bomb to be harder 1125 00:41:29,760 --> 00:41:32,610 where it could take the abuse of being thrown around in 1126 00:41:32,610 --> 00:41:34,490 a, ah, 1127 00:41:34,580 --> 00:41:36,710 Okay. So that's one of the reasons why you're not shipping 1128 00:41:36,710 --> 00:41:37,250 right now. 1129 00:41:37,310 --> 00:41:38,720 Correct. And you know what, 1130 00:41:38,780 --> 00:41:40,430 that's another way for future growth. 1131 00:41:40,430 --> 00:41:41,540 Once you've got that done, 1132 00:41:41,540 --> 00:41:43,490 which I am totally confident, 1133 00:41:43,490 --> 00:41:45,080 you will given the whole story. 1134 00:41:45,080 --> 00:41:46,160 One thing's led to another. 1135 00:41:46,160 --> 00:41:46,940 You've seen a need, 1136 00:41:46,940 --> 00:41:49,610 you filled it and continued and carried on in the same 1137 00:41:49,610 --> 00:41:51,200 way, found another need and filled it. 1138 00:41:51,200 --> 00:41:53,600 So I'm certain that you're going to be able to figure 1139 00:41:53,600 --> 00:41:55,670 out how to do that with your bath bombs. 1140 00:41:55,730 --> 00:41:58,850 We will be watching you before. 1141 00:41:58,850 --> 00:41:59,300 You know it, 1142 00:41:59,300 --> 00:42:01,940 you may even have a website up and be taking orders 1143 00:42:01,940 --> 00:42:02,360 that way, 1144 00:42:02,360 --> 00:42:03,200 who knows? 1145 00:42:03,260 --> 00:42:06,830 So, but in any case much success to you, 1146 00:42:06,830 --> 00:42:10,040 I'm so excited to see what happens with these shipping containers 1147 00:42:10,040 --> 00:42:11,180 as you move forward. 1148 00:42:11,270 --> 00:42:13,370 And may your candle always burn bright? 1149 00:42:18,850 --> 00:42:20,950 Where are you in your business building journey, 1150 00:42:21,160 --> 00:42:24,070 whether you're just starting out or already running a business and 1151 00:42:24,070 --> 00:42:26,290 you want to know your setup for success. 1152 00:42:26,380 --> 00:42:28,570 Find out by taking the gift biz quiz, 1153 00:42:29,020 --> 00:42:32,110 access the quiz from your computer at Vic dot L Y 1154 00:42:32,290 --> 00:42:36,250 slash gift biz quiz or from your phone by texting gift 1155 00:42:36,250 --> 00:42:37,870 biz quiz to four four two, 1156 00:42:37,870 --> 00:42:38,590 two, two. 1157 00:42:38,980 --> 00:42:41,260 Thanks for listening and be sure to join us for the 1158 00:42:41,260 --> 00:42:42,100 next episode. 1159 00:42:43,960 --> 00:42:46,900 Today's show is sponsored by the ribbon print company, 1160 00:42:47,590 --> 00:42:50,260 looking for a new income source for your gift business. 1161 00:42:50,500 --> 00:42:54,550 Customization is more popular now than ever render products. 1162 00:42:54,550 --> 00:42:56,800 Have your logo or print a happy birthday, 1163 00:42:56,800 --> 00:42:59,440 Jessica Rubin to add to a gift right at checkout, 1164 00:43:00,100 --> 00:43:02,680 it's all done right in your shop or across studio in 1165 00:43:02,680 --> 00:43:06,250 seconds. Check her for ribbon print company.com 1166 00:43:06,340 --> 00:43:09,970 for more information after you listen to the show, 1167 00:43:10,060 --> 00:43:11,380 if you like what you're hearing, 1168 00:43:11,680 --> 00:43:14,440 make sure to jump over and subscribe to the show on 1169 00:43:14,470 --> 00:43:18,250 iTunes. That way you'll automatically get the newest episodes when they 1170 00:43:18,250 --> 00:43:18,700 go live. 1171 00:43:19,480 --> 00:43:22,180 And thank you to those who have already left a rating 1172 00:43:22,270 --> 00:43:26,920 and review by subscribing rating and reviewing help to increase the 1173 00:43:26,920 --> 00:43:28,810 visibility of this on round. 1174 00:43:29,350 --> 00:43:30,940 It's a great way to pay it forward, 1175 00:43:31,210 --> 00:43:34,180 to help others with their entrepreneurial journey as well.