The Indie Experience
September 24, 2007
A Publication of The Indie Beauty Network
ISSN 1530-9630 | Volume 8, Issue 38
To subscribe, click here
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1. Meet IBN's New Members!
2. New At the Blog: What Really Happens Behind Closed Doors?
3. Today On Indie Business Radio: IBN's Own Dawn Fitch!
4. Indie Candy: Angela Kim: Om Aroma & Co.
Indie Beauty Ritual: Pumpkin Face Mask & Peel - fall is here today so find some pumpkins and get busy!
1. Meet IBN's New Members
Welcome
New Members!
The Fairy Society, LLC | Sherri Baldy | California
* Handmade soap.
Tae's Creations | Tae Susan Klein | New Jersey
* Handmade natural skincare products including lotionbars, healing
balms, lip balms, sports balms, whipped shea body lotion and mineral makeup.
Beauty With A Cause | Julie Ann Price | New York
* Beauty with a Cause (b-cause) offers safe cosmetic options. Our
products are either hand-crafted or purchased from small independent
businesses. Products include mineral makeup, hair and face care,, and
lotions. Products have never been tested on animals.
By Monica | Monica Park-Erickson | Utah
* All natural body care products soaps, creams, balms and custom salt
mixes. If you want all natural skin care that works my products are for you.
My most loyal customers are those who have not found anything else that
works for them. I am almost always offering Free samples to new customers
and almost always accepting new product testers.
Sarafina Skincare/Catcher Skincare for Men | Bill
Bates | Arizona
* Two lines of naturally-oriented products for men and women. Catcher
Skincare for Men (www.catcherformen.com) and Sarafina Skin
Care(www.sarafina.biz). Products include anti-aging creams, cleansers,
toners, and body care items.
Masque Apothecary | Shari Lohner | Missouri
* Clay-based facial masks that can be customized for any skin type.
Learn more about Indie members and their exciting products, services and
activities by visiting their websites through our Online
Member Directory. You can search for your favorite Indie by
state/country, business name, keyword or alphabetical listings.
2. New At the Blog: What Really Happens Behind Closed Doors?
Blogs
of special interest to the Indie Beauty community:
Eat
What You Kill: are you sharing in the spoils?
Fear
of Flying? Get Over It!!: join me 14,000 feet in the air
What
Really Happens Behind Closed Doors?: I got out into my neighborhood to
find out
Eye
Spy With My Little Eye: an IBN member points and clicks her way to
success and fulfillment
Keep
More of What You Make: what you keep matters most
Everyone's
A Winner: combining work and family makes everyone cheer!
3. Today on Indie Business Radio: IBN's Own Dawn Fitch!
Indie Business Radio offers practical advice and workable strategies to achievement-oriented, independent entrepreneurs who are trading in the traditional corporate ladder to enjoy life and business on their own terms. Enjoy downloads and audio streams of recent shows at this link.
This
Week's Show: IBN's Own Dawn Fitch!
Guest:
Dawn Fitch of IBN member Pooka
Pure and Simple is not exactly an unlikely candidate for Indie business
ownership. Still, in her wildest dreams, she never thought she's overcome
illness to own and manage a successful beauty business, plus land a segment
on NBC's Today Show!
How To Enjoy the Show: To join live, log onto Indie Business Radio 1:00pm EST. Email your questions to info@indiebusinessradio.com.
Upcoming Shows:
October 15: Deborah Balmuth, Managing Editor at Storey
Books on how to get yourself published (confirmed)
October 29: Shannon Kilkenny, author of "The Complete Guide To
Successful Event Planning" on how to plan a holiday product party (confirmed)
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4. Indie Candy: Angela Kim: Om Aroma & Co.
Some people just can't seem to sit still. Not that they try, or even that they should try. How they possibly get any moments in the day to themselves is a question Indies hear all the time. Take Angela Kim, for example. Wife, concert pianist, bath and body products company owner at Om Aroma & Co. What a combination. How could you not want to know more?
How did you start your business and what was the inspiration for it?
Om Aroma & Co. officially launched earlier this year, but we have been planning, researching and developing the products for past five years. The name is a reflection of my love for yoga and beautiful aromas.
It’s funny how life works. I never thought in a million years that my career as a concert pianist would be the catalyst for founding this company. I was on tour, and right before a performance I ran out to buy a famous brand lotion, which I applied all over my body. I went out on stage and noticed that my skin was terribly itchy and red. In between Mozart and Beethoven, it became unbearable, and after the concert while I was signing CDs, a well-intentioned audience member pointed out that I looked terrible and was as red as my gown!
I returned home and began researching lotion ingredients and I was shocked to find out how many chemical fillers are in beauty products in order reduce manufacturing costs and increase shelf life. I began experimenting on my own, giving creams as gifts to my chamber music colleagues. They began to order for their friends and family, and when I realized that this was becoming a business, I
got busy refining the line by hiring a team of holistic formulators, skin
care experts and aromatherapists to help refine the formulas so I could formally launch to the public.
I still perform, but Om Aroma is my first official business. Actually, I suppose the music world is a business, but I definitely identified myself as an "artist" and not a business person before Om Aroma came into my life.
How many products are in your line?
We have around 20 products in the line. Our best selling product is either Crème Eclat (Antioxidant Body Hydrator), Crème Luxe (Age-Defy Face Cream), or Delices Sucres (Sugar Scrub). I think they are our top sellers because they perform well on the skin, feel extraordinarily luxurious, and we get a lot of comments that the products have an irresistible aroma. We
recently launched "Sexy Green," a fusion of luxury and organic. We
chose that brand name because we wanted to announce to the world that we had
arrived to combine luxury with green lifestyle choices, so we trademarked
the logo and went with it.
Who helps make your business successful?
I have been extremely fortunate in hiring the right employees. I’m very careful in the selection process because I firmly believe that choosing good people to work for you is half the battle. I’ve of course made mistakes, but important lessons are always learned and it’s important to go through the experience. I also worked with a business coach named Janice Hoffman and I have a great public relations firm: Avalon Communications.
My husband is extraordinarily supportive in everything that I do, so I live in an environment where creativity and making things happen is encouraged. This is crucial especially since I am balancing two full-time careers.
We also have a sweet yellow lab named Ella Fitzgerald. A typical day for me is to get up very early, work or walk Ella, practice piano for a few hours, and then work at Om Aroma. My employees take care of a lot of the work load, so I am very grateful to have
them. I don't have any children yet. I am always in awe of parents who have an even tougher job than I
do. How they can bring up children, run a household, and if they have a job on top of it
… it’s simply incredible.
How do you market your products?
Our website does very well, and we have sales reps who believe in the product and effectively sell it to luxury spas and boutiques. I know that a lot of business people think that it’s all about selling. think because I have a different background as a pianist, my utmost goal has always been to have the best performing product. However, this must be backed by people who believe in the product and can get it out there. No matter how a product is marketed, it must be defined by a clear image and personality, and it must be consistent.
How are you financing Om Aroma & Co.?
Om Aroma is currently being supported entirely by sales. We have had interest from
investors, but up until now, I have not felt that it was the right time. We are currently speaking with a few interested investors, and when the right one comes along, I’ll know it and we’ll move forward.
What are the biggest challenges and how do you overcome them?
My biggest challenge has been learning how to master time and organization. I believe if one can learn these skills, one can accomplish anything. I’ll let you know how to overcome this when I do! The other big challenge has been delegation of work. It’s a new concept for me, but the way that I deal with it is that I realize that my employees have strengths that complement my own, and in some cases, they can do many things better than I can. Multi-tasking is another big challenge. Tomorrow, I leave for another concert tour, so this morning was absolutely crazy. After practicing Liszt and Scarlatti, I was training a new employee, making rounds for quality control, and speaking to sales reps. The only way that I can survive is to finish the task at hand before jumping to the next one.
What are your best tips for Indie business success?
My advice to other entrepreneurs would be to periodically ask yourself what you have learned in the past 90 days. Here’s what I’ve learned
in the past 3 months.
1. I’ve learned that one should not be afraid of mistakes. Make it only once, though. Learn and then don’t do it again.
2. I’ve learned that there are two types of people: those who dwell on mistakes and those who welcome them for the lessons.
3. I’ve learned that “passionate persistence” is one key to making it happen.
4. I’ve learned that “passionate persistence” is not the only key to making it happen. Sharp and clear focus on the end goal is the other key.
5. I’ve learned that when you have sharp and clear focus, the important things should be addressed, and the petty things should be forgotten. Learn to distinguish between the two.
6. I’ve learned that when things get tough, it means that Success is coming.
7. I’ve learned that there are two types of people: those who don’t wait for Success to arrive and those who do.
What business book have you enjoyed that has helped you in business, and why?
To be honest, I have not read a nuts-and-bolts business book that I can recommend. Building my business has very much been about a intuitive approach. I am a kinesthetic learner, so I need to experience it first hand to know it. However, I listen very carefully to those that I admire. I meet with extremely successful entrepreneurs, and I ask them questions. I also ask for my employees opinions. I carefully consider what they have to say before making decisions.
I don’t listen to everyone’s advice… it has to sit right with me and I need to believe in it wholeheartedly. I have strong instincts and I follow them. I believe that business is about life, lessons, and people. To me, it cannot be only about the bottom dollar—somehow that feels very empty. Again, I believe this comes from my background as a pianist. Yes, making money for the company and my employees is extremely important and I take the responsibility very seriously. However, it’s also about growing, learning from experiences, and developing meaningful relationships.
Having
said that, a book I recommend that complements my approach is The Law
of Attraction: The Basics of the Teachings of Abraham by Esther and Jerry Hicks.
What are you doing when you're not working?
I love spending time with my husband and dog! My favorite moments are our vacations, just the three of us. I also love spending time with good friends over a great dinner, wine, and conversation. Nothing in life is better than that!
Why do you love being Indie?
I love dividing my time up between artistic and practical business endeavors. I love more than anything else envisioning something and seeing it come to reality. It’s very cool to see your imagination in a tangible way after months and months of hard work.
This is Indie Candy, so if you were a brand of candy, what would
you be and why?
I would be a Dufoux
Chocolate, which is one of the best chocolates made in France. I discovered them while visiting my in-laws who live in the southern Burgundy region. There’s always a hint of surprise in every bite, and I like that!
By the way, if you are ever in the Burgundy region, I would suggest to make your way to visit this exquisite chocolate maker! The chocolate is
irresistibly delicious and, well, frankly isn’t visiting a chocolate maker the best excuse to go to France?
Now that’s the ultimate luxury!
Learn more about Om Aroma & Co. and "Sexy Green" philosophy at Angela's website. And you can enjoy Angela's beautiful piano talent and find out when you can see her in concert in person in your area at her pianist webiste.
Best & Success!!
Donna Maria
Editor, The Indie Experience
The Indie Beauty Network | www.indiebeauty.com
Copyright (c) 2000 - 2007 by The Indie Beauty Network (IBN) and Donna Maria. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized distribution or reproduction is prohibited. IBN does not necessarily endorse any product, event or ideology featured in The Handmade Beauty Connection (HBC) 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 the HBC 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, HBC 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.
