Feeling it...true confessions of a business owner.
Dear readers....this is a long time coming. I've written 'truth' articles before...but always hiding behind some sort of mask to save my feelings. But brace yourself, I am going to let it all out because I am tired. I am tired of fighting, yet I can't seem to let go of my dream.
So, let's dig into the nitty gritty shall we? We've been an official business now for 5 years. Having a business means spending long nights thinking of product, doing research, testing product, taking time away from family to fulfill orders, redoing websites/scents, doing taxes....the list is literally endless. As soon as I think I am done, there is something else. We then have to market, because how else are people going to find out about us? Marketing is going on all social outlets...facebook, instagram, twitter (which I'll admit that I haven't done in months, probably more like a year), then there are other outlets now like ello and snapchat.... then there's doing emails, contacting old customers, etc. Marketing is also getting and always posting in everyone's face...but do it too much and be 'unfollowed' or loose 'likes' on your business page....do it too little and people forget you're there...which means no sales.
Now, if you actually made it through to this point....aren't you absolutely tired? Just reading it should have your mind spinning, and if it doesn't....you need to own your own business, because you're amazing. HAHA. But seriously, I am exhausted. I am exhausted from fighting. Fighting to keep doors open, fighting big name stores, fighting diy videos, fighting the market. I am drowning. It feels good to admit....I...am....drowning.
People see me and think...she's got it together. I don't. Not even close. At first, I thought it was just me...but it's not. Tons of small businesses are closing their doors this year. More than I have EVER seen! It's sad. At least 50% of small shops that I know have closed their doors. Selling their instagram acct/users/followers and finally closing down because business has gotten too hard. Owning a in store is sometimes even harder! In 5 years, 3 small store front businesses have closed....all within the last 2 yrs....all of which were open for 10+ years...but just couldn't make it anymore.
For me...for us, it's not just the DIY videos, or the big name stores or even the MLM companies that wanted a piece of the 'natural pie'...sales have dropped considerably since those beauty boxes got big. You know, the one you probably have for $10 a month? Let me just dab into this ridiculous box for a minute, ONLY the middle man gets all that money. I was in one...I would know. I have to give out free samples to the boxed company and then pray for people to like it enough to come and purchase with me again....and again...and again. So, did we have people come back? Absolutely..they loved their product....until the next month a different box went out with new companies with similar product and then those customers went to them for w/e reason, or the customer just waits until there next box arrived from other companies, but never reorders from whatever is inside the box (get my point?). It's a smashing success for the middle man putting out the box. They get all the money. The money from the subscribers, which will cover s/h and then they bank the rest....while small or big businesses send out 100s/1000s of free product to potential customers, hoping to win them over....at least for one month...but we pray for more. We've been asked to start a monthly box....yet for some reason I can't seem to wrap my mind around screwing others. Now, this is TRUE confessions, so I can't lie and say it's never crossed our mind! Let's be honest though, the customer doesn't think about the companies doing this....supplying the goods....you're just happy about getting a whole box of sweet awesomeness for $10. I mean, who wouldn't!
I feel like it's a uphill battle. Left and right I see people just starting to do soaps....tons of people do bath bombs now because they saw the market for it and a 'how to' video. I've had customers come to me and admit that they have gone other places because it was cheaper and claimed to have the same ingredients, but when they used it....they said it left their skin feeling weird or nasty. They in return came back to me. This makes me have mixed emotions. I love hearing that people have come back....but you left. For someone cheaper. For someone you could drive to vs ship from. I can't say I blame you....financially, things are rough EVERYWHERE. A better deal, IS INDEED a better deal. But, my point being....there is a reason my prices are the way they are. Prices are rising for the raw ingredient world. I don't know if it's because 'natural' is a hot commodity right now or if people are finding short cuts and companies are trying to make a buck where they can...or a mix. Shipping has gone up. This all means, our pricing has to go up.
Although I've had rants about other business products, I will only say this....I can account for how my products are made. I can tell you how the shea butter is processed, that I have seen the manufacturing sheet. I can tell you that even though I have ,for this season, expanded my scents into the fragrant scent world, I still make the base the same way we always have..truly natural, and mark which ones are fragrant for the customers that want that difference. We do the research (even our fragrance has none of the really bad ingredients in it...which is why there are only a few and we still haven't gotten others because they don't make it without the harmful stuff)....we get our items from a company that started off as a one room business and grew, who takes our business license into account for wholesaling prices. We are a legit business that isn't out to undercut other businesses, but to make the best from the research we have done. That is my rant on that part of it.
True confession time. I have thought about getting my product from amazon, ebay or etsy just to lower prices and get people back. Have I? No. Because unfortunately my guilt eats away at me.
True confession - I have wanted to close down the business and give up more than once this past year. Because after our oldest had neurosurgery I truly realized how much the business changed me. It made me bitter. It has made me bitter toward big name places who claim they are something and aren't....toward other dishonest small shops....toward people whom I thought would support us, but turned around for something cheaper. I get it...TRUST me....we are STILL paying on the neurosurgery my daughter had....and bills KEEP piling in. They don't seem to stop. But that doesn't mean it doesn't sting just a little.
Are you tired yet? I am.
Now, I mentioned before how I can't seem to let my dream go. What is my dream? I want La Belle Naturelle to be a name to people. I want people to know honesty, trust, true customer service. I never planned or claimed my products healed or can cure anything. It healed my daughter, but that doesn't mean it's going to do the same for you. My biggest thing is that your skin IS your biggest organ. It soaks in EVERYTHING you put on it. Brace yourself....Essential oils is NOT the cure for everything...it helps. Coconut oil is NOT a go to for everything...it's a natural detox...it helps some and for others it can be their worst nightmare. My point? I want our products to mean a healthier you...it's not the end all, be all. Nothing is. And shocker, you're kidding yourself if you think there is a product out there that will.
True confession, it is NOT my favorite thing in the world to sit down and go back through 12 months of orders, gather address and hand write every single Christmas card for my customers. It's not. I can't stand it. It takes me literally weeks to do it. This past time, it took me 2 months to gather the info and then hand write everything. Does your box company of beauty products or other companies do that? Do you know how much postage money I went through? I don't expect a metal, but that's the thing....no one thinks anymore. No one thinks about the time, energy, money or thought that went into something like that. Other small shop communities thought I was nuts! But then complimented me on the idea. LOL. I don't care though. I don't like doing all the work, but it makes me feel good in the end. Even if you don't come back.
Are you still reading? Congrats! Truth bomb.....I feel like I am in a cycle that is going to end. I don't want it to, but I can't seem to find that one person to make my business soar (like Taylor Swift did and bam she's known everywhere...haha). There is too much competition out there...and I don't have the thousands to do it with either.
Some people think we did the VIP page as a way to get more money....but truthfully it was a way to help keep cost down without completely shutting our doors. Let me dabble in this for a minute. Our prices needed to go up, however, we calculated that if we did the every 3 months, it would give our business just enough to keep it at those low prices without loosing too much money....in other words, covering our cost to keep it low. Our tride and true customers will tell you it's worth the money and that the 'membership' pays for itself....but of course if you're a one time buyer or random buyer....it isn't worth it. Confession - I hate it. It's a lot of work. But, it's worth it to my customers.
You're probably asking why in the world I want to keep going if it seems like I am unhappy. The true answer is what I stated above. Confession - looking at it, I'm not sure it's worth it anymore. It saddens me. We know there will always be competition...there will always be people undercutting others. I would if we could....but again, between my conscious and morals....I can't seem to do what others have done. And that my friends is why I feel like we will never last.
This is not a good bye letter...it's a confession. A true confession of a business owner. One that isn't on their own, but really feels like it. Biggest truth bomb yet... when business would normally be booming, we made our lowest amount this past month since before we officially opened, 5 years ago.
Still reading? Did you make it this far? Congrats. While I could name the few that probably have....instead, Ill leave you with a thank you for listening to my confessions. It's all true, it's all raw and most (esp that last part) is VERY hard to admit.
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