The Indie Experience
January 4, 2010
A Publication of The Indie Beauty Network
ISSN 1530-9630 | Volume 11, Issue 1
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1. Indies On Assignment: Just One Thing
2. Meet Our New and Renewing IBN Members
3. This Week's Indie Business Radio Show:
Marlon Smith on "Living With Purpose"
4. Featured IBN Member: Sherri Willson :: Designer Label
Gal :: California
5. Indie and Small Business Resources
6. About dM, the Chief Executive Indie: How Can I Help
You??!
Make It Yourself!: Vanilla Warming Oil
1. Indies On Assignment: Just One Thing
Each week, I share a quick tip you can implement in your business, along
with a homework assignment so you can track your progress.
Assignment #5: Just One Thing
Well, here we go again. It's the first week of 2010 and the weight loss commercials have started in earnest. We are all feeling the pressure to dub ourselves either sad failures or monumental successes based on the goals reached (or not) in 2009. So I've been thinking about the goals I set last year -- the ones I accomplished and the ones I didn't accomplish. I'm pretty much over the latter and I feel positive about the things I was able to do.
Still, I know that some things didn't get done simply because I never should have set them as goals in the first place. Some things were last minute add-ons that fit more into the "wish" category. Others just took my focus off of the things I really REALLY wanted to accomplish.
I wonder if the same thing has happened to any of you? I also wonder whether it would help all of us to share one single goal with each other. Just one thing, one small but important thing, that we want to accomplish in 2010 and use a simple blog post to encourage each other and hold one another accountable.
I've decided to do that, using this blog post, and I invite you to join me by sharing Just One Thing you want to accomplish in 2010. Seriously, just one thing. I'll update the post every few weeks in 2010 to give participants a chance to use the threaded comment area to share both victories and encouragement, and generally hold one another accountable.
Assignment: Read my Just One Thing blog post and consider leaving a comment that shares Just One Thing you want to accomplish in 2010 and how we can help you do it. Even if you're shy or don't want to share, please stop by and tell me what you think of my Just One Thing, and let me know your best tips for getting it done.
Selected recent articles that may interest you:
Increase your sales with site parties: it's easy and fun!
It's your lawn. Mow it.: my commentary on the social media learning curve
99 Small Business Mistakes And How You Can Avoid Them: yes, only 99!!
My ThemeWord For 2010: WISDOM: thinking in terms of filtering every 2010 choice through a specific lens helps put things into perspective
Thanks for allowing me into your email boxes and have a great week!
2. Meet IBN's New and Renewing IBN Members!!
Here is a listing of the new and renewing IBN members!
Website links are included where appropriate. You can see an entire
official
membership directory at our flagship website. You can also meet members
who are active in our social networking site
here!
In the Potter's
Hand | Christine Gillund | North Dakota
IBN Member Since February 2007. Family owned and
operated business manufacturing three lines of allergen specific skincare
and bath products: Gluten-Free Savonnerie (find at GFSoap.com), Millennial
Essentials and Dakota Free Products. The formulas are designed for people
with allergies, Celiac Disease, chemical sensitivities, Autism or dry and
sensitive skin. Our handmade products are paraben-free, perfume-free,
latex-free, gluten-free, casein-free, colorant-free, peanut-free and
vegetarian. Includes bar soap, liquid soap, hair care, facial care,
essential oil gels, baby products, lip balms, gift sets and spa products. We
offer full disclosure of all ingredients.
Apothecary 659 | Cathy McCracken Ohio
Premium anti-aging skin care products at a reasonable price.
Earth Maiden Soap & Sundries | Mary Ernst | South Carolina
IBN Member Since December 2001. Our cottage soapworks in
Charleston, SC offer a wide variety of vegan and vegetarian soaps, lotions
and hand-built pottery soap dishes, each one unique and signed by the
artist. Our soaps, made from natural plant oils, embedded with gently
abrasive organic oats and natural plant materials, feel smooth and creamy in
your hands, offer rich luxurious lather and leave your skin exceptionally
soft. Choose from essential oil aromatherapy blends, quality fragrance
blends or fragrance-free varieties. Feel the difference!
Skin Perfection | Kari Thomas | Idaho
Skin Perfection Organic Anti Aging Skincare, the best all natural and
organic skin care! We use Organic Extracts, Copper Peptides, Retinol,
Hyaluronic Acid, DMAE, GABA, Apple Stem Cell, Syn Coll. The most advanced
Antioxidant Serums with 25% Argireline, 15% Matrixyl 3000, to increase
collagen, firm and tighten sagging skin and erase wrinkles without parabens!
Creating
Harmony | Kathryn Smith | Indiana
IBN Member Since December 2007. Creating Harmony LLC is an earth-friendly,
environmentally conscious cottage industry that provides luxurious handmade
skincare using essential oils and flower essences. Our focus is to provide
superior skin care products and natural remedies while supporting the people
we believe are behaving responsibly - namely, organic farmers worldwide.
Paraben-free.
Blushing Rose | Donna DeRosa | California
Located in Southern California, Blushing Rose offers handmade
soaps and bath products. We specialize in unique scent blends and creative
presentations. Each sale comes with a free sample of one of our other
products.
KYME, The Fragrance of Life | Deitra Greene | Oregon
KYME, The Fragrance Of Life Collection is a mother/daughter business. We
believe that people are a fragrance to one another (2 Cor 2:12-14) , and
that applying essential oils to the body will only enhance the your natural
fragrance while drawing others to you. We use a blend of Top quality
essential oils infusing the oils into our decadent brown sugar scrubs, our
colorful salt crystals (sprinkle a table spoon or two into your running
bathwater or place a teaspoon in your favorite burner and enjoy the
fragrance of life as it relaxes you and our #1 best seller “A Woman’s Gold”
Shea Butter from the tree of life in Africa.
LunaBleu Delicious | Carol Thibodeaux | Louisiana
LunaBlèu provides handmade, custom fragranced bath and body products, made
to order. We hand select only the best fragrance oils available and use pure
essential oils. in many of our blends. Essential oils are beneficial to the
body in many ways, and are absorbed through our largest organ our skin as
well as through inhalation. LunaBlèu offers the finest moisturizers from
around the world. LunaBlèu's handmade custom scented products are superior
to mass produced products because they are made in small quality controlled
batches, utilizing the highest quality raw materials. Our clientele receive
our utmost respect and attention.
Moon
Sisters Studio | Niki Knowlton | Arkansas
IBN Member Since December 2006. High quality, handmade
candles, bath salts using Dead Sea Salts and artistically molded
moisturizing soap. We invite you to treat yourself or someone you care
about!
Jeanie
Naturals | Jean Lazonda | Missouri
IBN Member Since December 2007. Natural and organic skincare
formulations created from tea.
Red Clover Cottage | Kim
and Chris Judd | Utah
IBN Member Since January 2009. Red Clover Cottage is an
Essential Oil and Herb Shop located in Payson Utah and on the web. We source
and carry 100% pure therapeutic quality oils. Right here at the cottage we
make handmade natural items such as soaps, lotions, bath salts, and chemical
free household cleaners. Most products can be custom scented. You’ll come
for a look… stay for the experience!
Beau Savon | Jane Kern Brooks | Illinois
IBN Member Since February 2003. Beau Savon is a 12-year old cottage industry
that prides itself in the formulation of beautiful, luxurious products for
the skin. Our soaps are made the old-fashioned way, one batch at a time,
utilizing the cold process method. We promise to continue the never-ending
process of researching new ingredients, refining quality and adding the
finest products to our line. Experience the wonders of our natural handmade
products and new gift boutique items we know you will love.
Eve Organics, LLC | Sharron Pinheiro | Michigan
IBN Member Since January 2008. At Eve Organics, we provide the finest in
organic skin care products and mineral makeup. All of our skin care products
are chemical and paraben free and are formulated with therapeutic grade
essential oils to support the body's ability to heal common skin problems.
We give 10% of our profits to a different charitable organization every
quarter. Eve Organics is "organic skin care and mineral makeup with a
purpose."
Simply Cosmetics | Brenda Hyre | Florida
IBN Member Since December 2008. Simply Cosmetics offers a wide
selection of natural & organic beauty products, but mainly specializes in
mineral cosmetics. Rejuva Minerals is our top selling line, created for
those who have skin sensitivities to ingredients that are commonly found in
cosmetics, or for those who simply desire a safer product.
Crave Body
and Bath | Sandy Jackson | Ohio
We strive to provide you with the most nourishing skin care products with
Certified Organic & Natural Ingredients. No Harsh Chemicals or
Preservatives. We have a wide range of nourishing skin care products from
Body Butters, Foot Creams & Scrubs to Body Scrubs, Lotions & Creams. We
follow green guidlines and use wind powered energy. So our skin care
products are nourishing to your skin and also great for the environment.
The Habie Rose Collection & My Handcrafted Gifts | Cindy Anacleto |
California
Handcrafted gifts -- soaps, gift baskets and more!
Herb Majicks | Rae Keegan | Washington
IBN Member Since December 2008. I draw upon traditional
formulae and a spiritual sensibility grounded in Wiccan practice to create
handmade incenses, purification baths, and anointing oil blends. These
ceremonial tools are compounded of high quality ethically wildcrafted and
organically grown plant materials and pure essential oils. They are blessed
and majickally charged one batch at a time with honor and integrity. You
will find a deep sense of connectedness with the Divine your simplest
rituals more effective and profound.
Herbs of Grace | Vanessa Nixon Klein | Washington
IBN Member Since December 2000. Our goal is to provide
superior quality mineral cosmetics, using the finest, natural ingredients
available, chosen especially for their purity. We offer a full line of all
natural mineral makeup. Our Natural Look Mineral Makeup includes loose
powder foundations, vegan lip balm, and a versatile line of mineral colors
that can be used as eyeshadow, blush, lipstick and more. There are no
artificial ingredients, preservatives or chemical dyes in these products. We
do not test on animals and never will. We welcome all who are looking for
beauty products with a conscience. Now also supplying superior quality
unblended micas, titanium dioxide and iron oxides free of synthetic dyes or
artificial coatings, as well as bulk blended mineral foundations and colors.
San Diego
Natural Soap | Katherine Nelson | California
IBN Member Since January 2007. San Diego Natural Soap Co.
manufactures a fresh, innovative collection of natural bath, body & home
care products. Our products are expertly formulated and handcrafted with
pure, natural and organic ingredients.
La Isha | Sharon Gnatt Epel | Colorado
IBN Member Since December 2008. La Isha Inc., created for
women by women, is a company founded on the belief that beauty and good
health should not be mutually exclusive. Dedicated to developing safe,
effective antiaging skin care solutions for women, La Isha's organic skin
care line utilizes pure organic oils, premium botanicals, high potency
pomegranate extracts, precious essential oils and clinical aromatherapy to
create products that actually support good health.
Vienna's Herbal Compounds | Vienna Carroll | New York
IBN Member Since December 2008. We love handcrafting the
aromatherapy and herbal products we offer you here: we have experienced
their healing help. Our remedies are based on traditional formulas and made
with superior quality natural and organic ingredients. We use only pure
essential oils to boost healing and add a subtle fragrance to these
effective yet gentle blends. Our very best to you and may God's light shine
upon you always. Natural Beauty, with Love from Harlem to You.
Mikamy Meadows, LLC | Amy Mattingly | Ohio
IBN Member Since November 2007. Unique. Clean. Green. We've
taken the best nature has to offer and customized it to bring you unique and
natural personal care products for the whole family. Our product line
includes face and body care, home cleaning and fragrance products, and
natural soy candles. Good for you! Good for the earth!
Big Art Candles | Donna Deshazer | Florida
IBN Member Since December 2008. Makers of all natural soy candles.
Allure Minerals | Carol Jackson | Georgia
Allure Minerals manufacturers and develop high quality mineral makeup and
makeup brushes. We supply a range of heavily pigmented and sheer colors from
unique to everyday. Look for our foundations, blush, eye shadows and
primers. As we expand, you will find an even greater selection of products
and colors. Our commitment is to provide you with excellent customer car and
for your health and well being, a clean, sanitized product.
3. This Week's Indie Business Radio Show: Marlon Smith on Living With Purpose
<
--- Featured photo: Marlon Smith, this week's Indie Business Radio Show guest
Marlon Smith, author of "Living With Purpose," shared fantastic tips and inspiration on yesterday's show. If you missed it, you can stream or download it right from your desktop while you work. This show is the perfect New year's complement for all the filing you are catching up on, your morning run or time otherwise wasted sitting in traffic. I hope it inspires you as much as it inspires me! Listen to the show to find out how you can get Marlon's free 2-page concentrated planner to help you set goals and stay on track.
List to my interview with Marlon Smith at this link.
Indie Business Radio airs live on Mondays 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 all of last year's informative, business building shows. You can also subscribe to the show on iTunes by searching on Indie Business Radio.
-- Sponsor --
4. Featured Indie: Sherri Willson :: Designer Label Gal :: California
Last week, I replied to a (well, really "another") question from someone requesting tips on how to "make money fast." While I know her questions were tongue-in-cheek, the fact that the question was asked in the context of asking for serious business advice and direction conformed that the "get rich quick" mindset is still prevalent in our nation. That's why I love watching and learning from people who don't even go there.
See, the "get rich quick," "make money fast," "be an affiliate and blow up" kind of mentality gets in the way of genuine success. It interferes with creativity by replacing valuable brain space with the idea that there are short term shortcuts to the long term life you want. I assure you, there are none!
That's why I am so inspired by the IBN members I featured at my blog lately for their 2009 accomplishments. Joan Morais hired a VA so she could be more productive without losing her competitive edge. Marla Bosworth took simple steps each day that ultimately led her to double her sales in 12 months. JoAnne Bassett launched a blog, even though she was a bit skeptical, and discovered new paths to confidence and increased sales.
Another amazing IBN member who made things happen last year is Sherri
Willson of
Designer
Label Gal in Silverado, California. graphics and label design company
serving the Indie and handmade craft industries. Sherri also makes
personalized labels, hang tags and other items for families and busy moms. Here's what
Sherri told me she did last year to expand her business into new areas
without compromising her existing customer base.
dM: I understand that your challenge last year was to launch a new segment of your business without losing the edge you had in the existing one, yes?
Sherri: That's right. I revamped my business from being a personalized label printing business to being a graphics designer. The challenge was to do this while maintaining my existing customer base for pre-made labels, built up over the past 5 years. I needed to market myself as a graphic designer without breaking the bank. Social networking was the path that I chose to do this. Joining and participating IBN's social networking site launched my business in a direction that I am thrilled and excited about. I lead, Product Labeling Tips and Tricks Group, one of the largest and most active groups at the site.
dM: How did you develop a social networking strategy so you weren't just socializing with no business results.?
Sherri: I made a conscious effort to keep in touch with my customers. I launched a Facebook Fan Page and saw it grow to 350 fans in a few months. I purchased some FaceBook ads focused on a specific demographic. I add new information to the page on a daily basis showing my new designs and offering new promotions.
I also added a rewards program. Each time a customer makes a purchase, they earn a small cash reward. Each month, I send them an email reminding them that they will automatically get a reward when they make a repeat purchase. My opt-in rate is through the roof. It has been a huge success. I invested time in learning Google’s suite of products – Google Ad words being one of them. When I receive an order, I provide a small questionnaire asking where they found out about me, and it is proven, that it has paid off. The answers I receive are Facebook, Google Search, IBN, Etsy and eBay. Many doors have opened in 2009 and sales have increased exponentially over the year.
I also started to use Twitter recently. I also have a LinkedIn profile and have joined groups on labels, packaging, social networking, and network marketing in order to get my name out there. My goal for 2010 is to start plunging into the other networking resources and to get a newsletter and blog up and running on a regular basis.
5. Indie and Small Business Resources: Give 'N Take @ Our Social Networking Site!
<--
Featured photo: our home page screen shot, featuring the
pretty smile of Terri Simmons of Mangoberry Botanicals in Georgetown, Texas!Each week, I make additions to the site so you can enjoy it even more. Each day, a new IBN member is featured and there'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!
Upcoming Events: classes, teleseminars, online training, conferences and more!
What does your small business and professional sports have in common?: Jim DeBetta asks a thought provoking question
How do you go from information to innovation?: the Question of the Week challenges each of us to go from collecting information to putting it to use!
What are the pros and cons of hiring a sales rep?: Funlayo asks the question and there are some great tips and suggestions. Add yours!!
Lots of beautiful product photos are at the site -- jewelry, soap, perfume, candles and more!!
6. About dM, the Chief Executive Indie: How Can I Help You??!
I
would love to speak at your next 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 Newsletter
www.IndieBusinessBlog.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.
