Mama Says...

3rd Annual Mama's Handmade Holiday Marketplace this Saturday from 11 to 5!

2011-12-08T05:10:00.000-08:00

This Saturday, December 10th, Mama is opening up her doors to some of her favorite crafty friends for a fabulous Handmade Holiday Market! Lots of gifts to choose from, such as handcrafted jewelry and accessories, handmade belt buckles, beautiful baby goods, hand-blended teas, hip housewares, treats for your hounds, and of course, lots of bath and body products! Join us from 11 to 5 and shop some of Atlanta's best designers and artists - just in time to finish up your holiday shopping!

When: Saturday, December 10th from 11 to 5
Where: Mama Bath + Body • 743D East College Ave • Decatur, GA 30030 (behind the Cookie Studio)
What: 3rd Annual Mama's Handmade Holiday Marketplace
Find us: loveyourmama.com or call 404.377.7800

Who:
Cameoko Jewelry - http://cameoko.carbonmade.com/
Christina Kober - http://www.christinakoberdesigns.com
Jessica Swift - http://www.jessicagonachaswift.com
June Shin - http://www.juneshin.com
Just Add Honey - http://www.justaddhoney.net
Mama Bath + Body - http://www.loveyourmama.com
Orangeberry Baby - http://www.orangeberrybaby.com/
Princess and Butch - http://www.princessandbutch.com
Taj Ma Hound - http://www.tajmahound.com

Click here for more information: http://loveyourmama.com/mhhm2011.html

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2011-10-19T09:16:00.000-07:00

To honor this important month of remembrance and awareness, Mama
has created a special soap to benefit the Dragon Dream Team of Akron, Ohio. 50% of all soap sales will go to the team. How did we come to choose them as our breast cancer charity of choice, you ask?

My Mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in February of 2007. It was the most terrifying phone call of my life.

Early detection saved my Mom’s life, and the Dragon Dream Team, a group of kick-ass breast cancer survivors, lifted her spirits.

I watched them compete in Ontario a couple of years ago against other breast cancer survivor Dragon Boat teams around the country and was able to see first hand what an amazing organization it is.

The thing that moved me about all of the women is no one was there to talk about surviving what was probably the worst ordeal of their lifetime. They were there to compete and support and live.

When deciding how I wanted to contribute to this cause that is so dear to my family, I decided that because being a small business that relies so heavily on my community, that I wanted to give back on a community level. Even though I live in Atlanta and they’re in Ohio, these women are every bit a part of my community because of what they mean to my Mom.

The soap is peppermint and rosemary, a scent combination that my Mom picked, and I think its uplifting qualities suit the team -- and its mission -- perfectly. If you would like to support the team, click here to buy a bar of the Dragon Dream team soap. 50% of each bar goes directly to the team.

To learn more about the Dragon Dream Team of Ohio, click here.

Toxic Ingredients in Cosmetics

2011-01-28T07:03:00.000-08:00

I have started probably 50 blog posts on this topic, intending to do a series on why natural products are better for you, and how to tell the difference with all of the false marketing out there. Unfortunately, I haven't had much time for writing these days. A friend sent this to me, which pretty much says it all:
http://storyofstuff.org/cosmetics/

The Beehive - Grand opening party tonight!

2010-04-16T04:18:00.000-07:00

Mama's home away from home has moved to fabulous new digs and the store is officially opening tonight! The Beehive (formerly Beehive Co-op) is under new ownership and just moved to the Edgewood Shopping Center in Little 5 Points. Don't miss the grand opening party tonight from 6 to 10!

Valentine's Day at Mama!

2010-02-08T06:18:00.000-08:00

The Mama Shop is all about love right now.

Loving the felted roses (stage right) that were formerly wool sweaters - made by my friend and former studio mate Felted Heart. We have some other great gifts for your sweetie too at a variety of price points.

Loving our V-day themed soaps: Chocolate Bar and My Flower. Both are 100% natural, so it was a challenge coming up with a chocolate scent. The combo of cocoa butter and cocoa powder won. Chocolate Bar smells like a brownie and My Flower is rose geranium essential oil. It's a really lovely rose scent - no Granny perfume here.

Also loving my flowering Quince branches. A much needed little bit of spring. I have a hookup, so let me know if you want some of your very own!

We were a little late with our Valentine's Day offerings this year, so I'm not going to have time to photograph and get them up on the website. If you're interested in ordering any of the chocolate or rose scents, shoot me an email: mama@loveyourmama.com or call the shop: 404.377.7800. Still plenty of time to ship before the big day!

The Story of Mama

2010-02-03T08:24:00.001-08:00

I've been putting myself "out there" more and more over the last year and have consequently been fielding lots of questions relating to the origin of my company. I've had this company in some form or another for over 8 years now, so Mama has a long and varied history with many components that make up the whole. I get a lot of questions about how I started, which I think is great. Authenticity is a big buzzword these days, so I suppose it's only natural that people would want to know how I got started in the business making natural products. I am an authentic person, and it's hard to stand out in the midst of so much unauthentic marketing, so I really try to give them the goods.

I always thought that the seed for Mama was sown on a fateful late night sitting in the Los Angeles airport, waiting to board a red eye to Atlanta to produce a music video that was giving me hives. I was on a career path that had made me miserable. I looked around at a lot of happy people (this was in early 2001, when travel used to be a happy occasion) and wondered what they did in life. And then I thought "body products make me happy. Maybe I could make them." And thus began the long journey that landed where I am today. I thought that was the beginning of my story. But then I remembered another layer.

This other layer is not quite as romantic as the "I hated my life so I made a new one" story. Yes, that is part of my story, and it's a common thread that keeps popping up in the bios of many an entrepreneur, because it's a concept appeals to a whole lot of people these days. But if I really think about it, another part of Mama's story happened prior to my airport epiphany and involves a failed attempt at multi-level marketing. It was not my first. There have been many failed efforts in general and my first (of two) multi-level marketing attempts was in college, when I decided that I should sell knives. I think I maybe sold a set to my parents and grandparents - didn't even cover the cost of my demo set. But I can still cut a penny with scissors.

So the next time around, I was a freelancer in the film industry in Los Angeles. I was admittedly not a master networker, and there were only so many jobs available to a larger work pool, so I didn't feel like I had much control over my career. I was a hard worker and I was tired of not having enough opportunities (read: money.) So I was always keeping an ear to the ground for other ways to line my wallet. A friend and film ex-pat came to me with an "exciting new opportunity" which shortly revealed itself to be a multi-level company that sold "natural" cleaning and body products. (I say "natural" because I'm not really sure that they actually were.) It's funny, because I had recently completed work on a film that had an entire part of the script dedicated to poking fun at multi-level product companies. To top this off, at the time I was working for the writer of said script. (he was lovely, but not a proponent of multi-level marketing). I knew that this type of selling hadn't worked for me in the past, and that most of my friends would probably give me hell, but that shows you how badly I was looking for new opportunities (read: money.) So I signed up. Predictably, I sucked at it. I don't think I even sold enough to cover my demo set. To let you know where my head was, when my friend initially showed me the company's catalog (no website - remember people, this was pre-21st Century) I didn't understand what it was and I started pitching her ideas that I had for redesigning their packaging. I was obviously missing the concept. She looked at me like I had a third eye.

But here's the thing that I got out all of this: I learned about the existence of natural products. This company's specialty was cleaning products that came in concentrated form and you added water. Truthfully, the products (and the packaging) weren't memorable. The only thing I really remember is that they lasted a long time and I couldn't keep up with the monthly required minimum purchase because I had a tiny apartment that I rarely cleaned. But I do distinctly remember going to the orientation where they were talking about the cleaning products aisle at grocery stores. Lots of expounding on the chemicals that most of these products contained, and explanations of why they were bad for our environment, our home, our water, etc. This information is in the forefront now, but remember, this was over a decade ago. They told us to take a trip down the cleaning product section of the grocery store aisle and notice the smell. That the smell is called "seepage" and it occurs because the plastic can't contain the chemicals it holds. Their instructions were to go home, gather up all of our chemical laden cleaning supplies, put them in a box and set them out at the curb. This was, not so obviously at the time, to make way for the starter kit of their cleaning supplies that was on it's way, but I bought into it and I did it. And let me tell you, I have never used another bottle of Pledge or Windex again. And I still can't stand to walk down the cleaning products aisle of any grocery store. The point is, this is a very important part of my story, because if not for this experience, none of this information would have even been in my consciousness. I was passionate about the message, but I couldn't sell the company because I didn't believe in it. I have worked so hard to make Mama a company whose products I do believe in, and I can vouch for them because I make them myself. This year, I plan to write more about all of this and natural products in general. I hope that you'll enjoy the journey with me.

Thanks Piewacket!

2010-01-12T06:01:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Lara and her gorgeous blog Piewacket for featuring one of her Christmas gifts that just happened to have Mama origins. Head over to the blog for some serious eye candy!

Shop will be closed today

2010-01-08T07:34:00.000-08:00

Wanted to let you know that the shop will be closed today due to the freezing temps, a 29 car pile up on 285 this morning (that I was not involved in) and an icy parking lot.

I've been debating all morning about whether or not to open, and finally decided that a snow day was in order. I have some batches of soap that have to be made today, and I can't mix my lye outside for obvious reasons. So I'll be soaping it at home today.

We'll be open again at 10am on Saturday. Enjoy your day!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-07T18:11:00.001-08:00

I had intended to have a 2009 recap up by now, as well as a 2010 "gotta get it done" post. And at least 50 items checked off of my "to do in the new year" check list. Two days before my vacation actually ended, I was really ready to get back to work. But as it turns out, I'm having a helluva time ramping up. As is my husband. He just spent the last 2 hours creating my super hero alter ego:

Note the wooden spoon in my right hand. The dog sidekick was my mandate.

Here's to a great 2010!

love,
the Soapstress

And a happy new year.

2009-12-23T10:43:00.000-08:00

Mama will be taking a much needed respite starting tomorrow (Christmas Eve) at 2pm! We will be closed (both shop and online customer service) until Tuesday, January 5th. All orders placed between now and then will be made and shipped once we get back. I won't be checking messages, but I'm always available via email, so if you have any pressing questions/concerns between now and then, please email them to me: mama@loveyourmama.com.

I want to thank all of my wonderful customers from the bottom of my heart for giving me such an amazing first year in business. Even though Mama has been around for much longer, this is the first year I've really put it out there on this level, and the response has been overwhelmingly amazing. I'm am thankful beyond words and so excited to see what the coming year will bring.

I hope your holidays are very merry and we'll see you in the New Year!

Mama's Handmade Holiday Marketplace is this Saturday!

2009-12-09T18:11:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, December 12th, Mama is opening up her doors to some of her favorite crafty friends for a fabulous Handmade Holiday Market! Lots of gifts to choose from, such as handcrafted jewelry and accessories, handmade belt buckles,silkscreened note cards and prints, handbags, great clothing for kids and adults,hand-blended teas, hip housewares, treats for your hounds, and of course, lots of bath and body products! Join us from 10 to 5 and shop some of Atlanta's best designers and artists - just in time to finish up your holiday shopping!

Mama Bath + Body
743 D East College Ave (behind the Cookie Studio)
Decatur, GA 30030
http://www.loveyourmama.com

Participating Designers:

Colleen Keenan - http://www.colleenkeenan.com
Felted Heart - http://www.feltedheart.com
Fringe - http://www.traceytirrell.com
Jessica Gonacha Swift - http://www.jessicagonachaswift.com
Just Add Honey - http://www.justaddhoney.net
Lancaster West - http://www.lancasterwest.com
Mama Bath + Body - http://www.loveyourmama.com
Princess and Butch - http://www.princessandbutch.com
Relic Boutique - http://www.relicboutique.com
Taj Ma Hound - http://www.tajmahound.com

Black Friday online special at Mama!

2009-11-27T07:25:00.000-08:00

SKIP THE MALL AND SPEND BLACK FRIDAY AT HOME! Get a jumpstart on your holiday shopping during the busiest shopping weekend of the year, without leaving your house! From Friday November 27th thru Monday November 30th, enjoy FREE SHIPPING on all purchases over $50 and an additional 15% off all purchases over $100, online at Mama Bath + Body. No codes necessary.

Our holiday items are finally up and are only going to be here through end of December, so head over to our site to cybersniff Sugar + Spice (clove and cinnamon) and O'Tannenbaum (fir needle and rosemary).

(Please note our brick and mortar shop will be closed over Thanksgiving weekend, Thursday thru Saturday. We will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, December 1st.)

Save The Date for Mama's Handmade Holiday Marketplace on December 12th!

2009-11-25T09:19:00.000-08:00

TGIF!

2009-11-20T12:21:00.000-08:00

And particularly that it's this Friday. It's the end of a long week which wraps up an even longer couple of months, and I finally found myself with a moment to sit down and blog. I'm feeling a little tired, but also really great. I just finished my sales tax (relief)and it's out the door. All of my articles are written and turned in. I don't have any festivals or markets for the next 2 weeks, and I'm actually taking Thanksgiving weekend OFF. And tomorrow is my birthday. I'm not turning a particularly interesting number, but I always love my birthday because it means the holidays are right around the corner. And today, I got a great birthday gift in the mail. A preview of the December Southern Living. And guess what's on page 21?

Yippee!! I celebrated with a red velvet cupcake from my favorite neighbor.

Have a great weekend!

Thanks Sunday Paper!

2009-11-16T04:30:00.001-08:00

It is always a pleasure to be interviewed by really good writers!

http://www.sundaypaper.com/More/Archives/tabid/98/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/4713/Listen-to-your-mama.aspx

The class schedule is finally up!

2009-11-11T18:02:00.000-08:00

And here's a sneak peek, because I haven't had time to link it to anything on my site yet!

http://loveyourmama.com/classes.htm

Free tea blending workshop this Saturday with Brandi of Just Add Honey!

2009-11-10T17:28:00.001-08:00

Join the tea lady, Brandi from Just Add Honey, at the shop this Saturday, November 14th for a tea blending workshop. You can show up anytime between 11 and 3. Brandi will have a stock of tea-licious ingredients on hand to teach you how to blend your own flavor! She will also have her full selection of custom blended teas and will be offering savory suggestions for the holidays.

In other news, we will be posting our candlemaking class schedule on the site this week. Stay tuned!

The Beehive Co-op turns 5 on Saturday, and you are invited to the birthday party!

2009-11-04T16:54:00.001-08:00

Sadly, I won't be able to make it because I'm doing a festival all day Saturday. I'm bummed! The Beehive was the original boutique in Atlanta to create a retail venue for small, local designers to show and sell their wares. I've been a vendor there since June of 2006. It has been a place where I've met and developed great relationships with other like-minded designers and small business owners. It provided my teeny tiny business with exposure to press and it helped me build my customer base, starting when I first moved to Atlanta and this was the only store I was in. So show your support for local design and stop by on Saturday! There are lots of great raffle prizes, including a fabulous Mama Zen gift set. Happy Birthday Beehive!

Thanks Buzz Entertainment Magazine!

2009-11-04T09:05:00.000-08:00

I had a nice interview with a new, local, online magazine. Check it out!

http://buzzentertainmentmagazine.com/content/2009-10-21-Mama-Skin-Care-Boutique-Debuts-in-Decatur

Here's the official dish about the grand opening and the new shop!

2009-09-24T19:41:00.000-07:00

Mama Bath + Body Grand Opening Event on October 3rd

Emilie Sennebogen, owner and "chef" of Decatur's new Mama Bath + Body, is set to open her flagship store on East College Ave in Decatur. She'll be hosting a grand opening event on October 3rd from 10 to 6. In addition to her own line of all-natural soy candles, body lotions, sugar scrubs and artisan soaps, she will be premiering new products and offering complimentary mar-tea-nis by local tea maker Just Add Honey and sweets from the neighboring The Cookie Studio. The first 25 customers will get swag bags loaded with Mama samples and goodies, or you can stop by and watch product-making demos throughout the day in the wide open workshop area.

After five years in business with her online operation, Sennebogen is excited to finally occupy her own brick and mortar location. With a desire to create a refreshingly new kind of shopping experience, she decided to bring her production out in the open. "People always ask 'how do you make lotion' or say 'I'd love to see how soap is made," says Sennebogen. And now they can. Take one part studio kitchen, one part retail space, one part classroom, pack it into a hip and cozy shop and you've got the right idea.

Stop in on any given day and you may catch Sennebogen in full swing -- music on, pouring her soy candles or mixing a batch of her custom "Decatur neighborhood soap." If you have a minute, she'll even explain what she's doing and how she's doing it. Or you can sign up for a soap or candle making class and learn how to make your own. And soon, you will even be able to buy supplies at her shop to make it at home.

In addition to a selection of pre-packaged gifts to grab on the go, Mama also creates custom gift baskets and plans to carry a well-edited selection of other gift items made by local artisans. For more information, visit www.loveyourmama.com.

And thank you Alison at Skirt!

2009-09-23T09:40:00.001-07:00

http://atlanta.skirt.com/alerts/because-you-love-your-mama

Thanks Daily Candy!

2009-09-23T05:03:00.001-07:00

http://www.dailycandy.com/atlanta/article/75447/Mama+Said

Fall Beauty Bar event this Thursday at Paisley Umbrella

2009-09-21T14:03:00.000-07:00

Fall Beauty Bar Event

Thursday, September 24th 6pm - 9pm
2971 N. Fulton Drive Altanta, GA 30306

RSVP to info@BLENDcustomparfum.com

Join Susan Sexton, master French custom parfumeur of Blend, Emilie Sennebogen of Mama bath and body products, Aarti Amin, henna painting artist and Carla Wallace, makeup artist from DeVine Beaute as they share tips on how to create an updated image for fall. Enjoy fragrance and make up modeling, savor light mediterranean bites by Chef Courtney, sip delicious pomegranate martinis courtesy of Ultimat Vodka and shop for all your fall beauty must-haves!

Get Married will help you register for your FREE issue of Get Married magazine, a chance to win an awesome honeymoon, and more! This is one event you simply don't want to miss. Mark your calendar for this intimate, personal and stylish evening.

www.paisleyumbrella.com

My sign is mangled, but my spirit is not

2009-09-16T18:12:00.000-07:00

I had this up for all of 2 days.

The Cookie Studio ladies warned me this would happen. There is just no good place to put a sign out by the road. They inevitably get run over. This was supposed to be temporary until I could figure out my best signage option for the street. Oh well, the chalkboard had seen better days anyways. Never to fear, it will not end up in a landfill. I will chop off the legs and make it a table top model. It wouldn't be the only thing in my shop given a new life by a roll of duct tape. I can feel my Grandpa beaming down on me.

So anyways, the store is open. But everyone who comes in the shop has said they couldn't tell, so I obviously I need to fix this stat. This is why I did a soft opening. Calling the sign guy tomorrow.

My fall music is starting to jump out at me during my itunes scrolls. Fleet Foxes. Radiohead. The Strokes first album. The transition from summer to fall is my very favorite time of year, and it breathes new life into me. Except for the ragweed. It's my personal version of Kryptonite.

Pics coming soon of the new shop. I'll be pimping my wares at the East Atlanta Strut this weekend. Looking forward to it, because it's my favorite festival in Atlanta. Oh, and this too:

New Mama products making their debut, complimentary mar-tea-nis from local tea maker Just Add Honey, yummy sweets from The Cookie Studio and swag bags full of goodies for the first 25 customers. Put it on your calendar and more details coming soon!

Come see us at the Grant Park Festival this weekend!

2009-08-28T17:43:00.000-07:00

I figured since the Grant Park Summer Shade festival is tomorrow and Sunday, it still isn't too late to post that we have a booth there! We are in booth 35 on Savannah Circle. For more info visit the Summer Shade website.

Oh, and the new shop will be open next week! I decided to do a soft opening so I have a little time to figure out store operations before opening to the masses. The official grand opening is October 3rd, but in the meantime, here's where you can find me running around with my hair on fire:

Mama Bath + Body
743D East College Ave (behind the Cookie Studio)
Decatur, GA 30030
404.377.7800

Shop summer hours: Wednesday thru Friday noon to 6 and Saturday 10 to 4.

Be there or be square.

Finally, the exciting news!

2009-07-21T05:35:00.000-07:00

It occurred to me that I should probably follow up my "exciting news coming soon" post with the actual exciting news. So here ya go: Mama is moving into our very own store at the end of this month! And this time, it actually is our very own. My name is on the lease, and I'll be paying all the bills. Gulp. To say that I'm terribly excited is the understatement of the year. And as it gets closer, a little anxiety is creeping in here and there. I suppose that is to be expected.

The new digs are in Decatur on East College Ave.

I'll post pictures soon of the interior before and after once I finish with the after. The shop needed a little work, so right now I am up to my elbows in paint. We move in August 1st and I need a couple weeks to get set up. Our grand opening will be Saturday, August 22nd, so I have a lot to do! The weekend after the opening marks the beginning of fall festival season, so I'm mentally trying to gear up and get my head in the game.

I'll write more soon about how this came about, but right now I need to go paint!

Thanks to Leah from the Daily Piglet

2009-07-02T13:33:00.000-07:00

A very belated and heartfelt thanks to Leah at the Daily Piglet for her kind words about Mama.

At some point I will blog again. This is the first week where I have been able to sit down and take full breaths in and out, so I'm trying to (start to) get caught up. Which probably won't happen anytime this year, but at some point soon I will fill you in on all of the exciting new things that are going on behind the scenes. Just to keep you guessing: one of them involves a change in venue.

Exciting details coming soon!

Talulah B trunk show and Paisley Umbrella Save the Date

2009-06-25T05:13:00.000-07:00

I'm heading out of town this weekend, but my wares will be at the fabulous Talulah B trunk show. The trunk show got a Daily Candy write up today, so hopefully the ladies will be out in droves! Click here for details

And if you're a bride to be or know of one, the Paisley Umbrella save the date event is tonight in Buckhead. I just signed up to be one of the vendors, and I will be offering unique gifts and custom favors, as well as a whole lot more.

More on everything that's happening right now (and there's a lot) later, because I'm trying to make a plane.

Have a great weekend!

Technology meltdown

2009-06-16T17:18:00.001-07:00

I apparently have the ability to break electronics with my mind because my phone is down and my email has disappeared. If you sent me one of the 300+ emails in my inbox, I promise that I will write you back as soon as I figure out where it went! My phone should be back up and running on Friday, providing that there are iphones left when I show up at AT&T bright and early.

Sigh.

Work/life balance

2009-06-08T08:43:00.000-07:00

The title is sort of a joke, because let's face it, anyone striking out on their own with a business doesn't have much balance of any kind. I'm writing this to postpone cleaning up my disaster of a house. I have boxes of supplies and soap stuff taking over 3 rooms that needs to be straightened and put away.

That's about the extent of the life part of my balance equation. Cleaning up the overflowing messes from my rapidly growing business. I've moved soap making operations into my house because it takes up so much room and I'm already tapped out of space at the shop.

I did, however, carve out a little me time this week and went to 2 shows. In one week. That is a rarity for me, especially since they were both on school nights. We went to the Decemberists on Wednesday, and I have been in a perpetual state of blown away-ness since. They are one of my very favorite bands, and their live shows never disappoint. I haven't seen them since their last incredible tour in 2007, and we got a two-fer this time around - they played their entire new album in song order for the first hour, and then came back out and did another hour of their older stuff. It was the best night out I've had in a long time, and the new album has been perpetually on repeat since.

And then last night we went to see Bon Iver. A very different show from the Decemberists, but equally impactful. His pitch-perfect falsetto and gorgeous harmonies were exactly what I needed to end the week. I love this video.

The other non-work item I have to report on is my vegetable garden. I planted it from seed and it has absolutely exploded, which excites me beyond words.

We are going to have cucumbers, beans, squash and hopefully peppers. Enough to feed a small country. Despite the repeated warnings I've read, I planted everything too close together. When you're planting teeny little seeds, it really is hard to comprehend how big the plants will get. The fence was put up to keep predators out and it isn't doing a very good job. Someone's been nibbling on the leaves. I believe this is the culprit:

Meet my dog Lucy. Part canine, part goat.

Mea Culpa

2009-06-02T17:07:00.000-07:00

In light of an upset comment about a recent post, I decided to take the post down. The offending post dealt with a small segment of the population that I run into periodically at festivals, people WHO ARE NOT representative of my customers. I grouped these people into intentionally generalized stereotypes and attempted to write humorous anecdotes. My intention was to write a funny, if not a bit irreverent post - think David Sedaris. My commenter obviously thought Ann Coulter, because she handed me my ass. The post wasn't intended to be mean-spirited. Snarky, yes. I was blowing off some steam. Humorous definitely. But mean-spirited, no. I struggled with whether or not to take it down. After all, it's my blog and I can snark if I want to. But this situation has really gotten me thinking about what I want to put out there, and what I'm trying to achieve with my blog. I want to connect with people who care to read what I have to say. Mission not accomplished. My fault.

I'm still finding my voice on this blog, and I announced to my husband a couple of weeks ago that I've decided it was important to "be myself". To be honest about what I was feeling, and really give people the real inside scoop on running a small business, the good, the bad and the ugly. Today, after I read him the comment, he said, "so how's that working out for ya?" Honestly, I wasn't even sure anyone read the damn thing, so I was terribly surprised to discover that my readers aren't necessarily my friends who know me and think my brand of humor is funny. Lesson #1: know your audience. Snarky and irreverent certainly has its well-worn place in the blogosphere, but if I'm alienating customers, I've obviously missed my mark. It would be one thing if I was trying to inspire controversy or even a spirited and intelligent debate. But I don't want that. I want to give people who are interested an honest look at the engine of a small business, from my perspective. That still means the good and the bad, but hopefully no more ugly.

This incident has gotten me thinking a lot about the Internet in general. I've never been the biggest fan of blog comments. The anonymity of communicating through cyberspace seems to give a lot of angry people a license to wound. I've read a lot of comments on other blogs that were intended to sear, and I always wonder how people are capable of such cruelty when they would never say it to someone's face. I'm not referring to my commenter - I obviously offended her and I feel really badly about that. I take full responsibility for the situation, and I replied in my comments with a genuine apology. But she said she wouldn't be back on my site, so I have no way of reaching her to give her my apology. She may not be willing to accept it, but at least I would be able to try. I'm also not referring to my post. I'm not anonymous - you know how to find me if you want to give me the what for in person. But the one-sided communication of commenting on the Internet really bothers me. I find myself longing for the days of telephone and good ole US Mail, where a return address is required.

So my new mission statement for my blog is to be provocative in a way that makes you want to know more, not in a way that puts you off. And if you stop reading my blog, I hope that it's because I bore you to tears with my verbosity and not because I've pissed you off. But hopefully you'll still want to patronize my business. Because I truly am so thankful for my customers and I value your business and your support more than words can say.

ICE Re-cap

2009-05-31T22:52:00.000-07:00

What a great great weekend. I’m writing this in a very relaxed, very grateful state of mind. It’s not very often you’ll find me like this at the end of a festival. The getting ready wears me out to the point that I usually enter the weekend exhausted, so I’m on the verge of collapse once the weekend is over. Something was different about this one, and though I haven’t quite been able to succinctly define why, I do have some thoughts about the matter.

I’ve been pretty frank about how I feel about doing festivals. But I’m starting to feel a shift in my attitude. Festivals have a lot of the same familiarity that film sets do. You can be in different cities with different crews, but you make fast friends. There’s a “we’re all in this together” comraderie that you don’t get very often in life. And I happen to have chosen two jobs that have brought that into my life. That can’t be an accident.

One of the aspects of my business that has always greatly appealed to me was being a part of my community, and now that I'm out and about in the festival circuit more regularly, I'm feeling that tenfold. It is the best feeling when people come into my booth saying, "Oh, I bought your products at (insert place) and I love them!" Or, "I've heard about your products and I've been wanting to try them." Mama felt invisible for a lot of years because I was so in and out of it. And now that I've put myself and my products out there, I'm loving all of the new connections that I've made with people in the community.

I want to give a big hats off to Christy and Shannon and all of the people that went into making ICE a success. Centennial Park was a fabulous back drop for this show, and it was hot hot hot, but that didn't keep people from coming out in droves. I was really impressed with the vendor line-up. There were a lot of talented crafters and artists who I had never seen, and the ICE crew did a great job of getting them there.

This marks the end of spring festival season for me, and will be my last until the fall. I just found out that I was accepted into Grant Park Summer Shade, which will kick off the fall festival season in August! In the meantime, you can find me at some farmer's markets around town, or you can stop by the store and shop in air conditioned comfort!

A turning point

2009-05-21T19:46:00.001-07:00

Before I made Mama my full-time venture, it was more of an idea. It was something that I put out there sporadically and only when time allowed, so there was never any consistency or any real progress. At least not financially. I just did the math and realized that I am in my 7th year of business. Mama will be 5 in September, and I started out with a different product line before Mama. In that 7 years, I primarily focused on developing products and branding, but didn't really spend much time on sales. I get so excited by ideas, and I was constantly coming up with tens of hundreds of them. If time wasn't a factor, I would have a very diverse company. But you can't build a company solely on ideas, particularly if you're not getting them out to the masses. So when I decided to make a go of it full-time, I pared down to the essentials, focused on what I had and started selling. The response has been amazing and it's given me such pleasure on so many fronts. But my glamourous life as a small business owner consists of working 7 days a week, as many hours a day as I can keep my eyes open. Let me be clear - I am SO not complaining. I remember many times within the last 7 years when I was slaving away at a job I didn't particularly like, visions of Mama dancing in my head, when I heard about small business owners who were working round the clock and dared to complain of a lack of sleep because of their mad success. I would have given my right arm! So now I am figuratively armless, because I have joined those masses of sleepy entrepreneurs. And I am delighted to be one of them.

But I'm realizing that I can't keep going at the rate I have been for any sustained period of time. The hectic pace is largely dictated by the various facets of the business that are commanding my attention. I'm doing a little bit of everything - retail store, festivals and markets, wholesale, private label, internet sales, and the list goes on. I'm jumping at all of the opportunities and there have been many, which is the most incredible feeling. There were a few months of sleepless nights in the beginning of the year, and now I sleep like a baby. Mostly because I'm so tired, but I'll take that over insomnia any day. However, the multiple paths have begun to leave me feeling like a jack of all trades and the master of none. I'm a person who benefits from some focus, but I find myself running around like a crazy person all day responding to the various opportunities. It's a dream for a person who is relying on their business to grow, but it's also somewhat of a conundrum in the grand scheme of things. I want to keep everyone happy, but if I'm overcommitted, no one will be happy. You know what I'm talking about.

I know that I'm exactly where I should be, but it's making me take a hard look at where I'm going. "Work smarter, not harder" has been running through my head lately, but I'm not even sure where to start working smarter. Actually, that's not true. It's that the concept of working smarter involves spending more money, which is also hard. Either spending money on people to help me, or spending money on services that I currently perform. For example: I design, print, cut and apply all of my own labels. It takes longer than you can even imagine. Probably about as much time as making the actual products when all is said and done. I could either hire someone to help cut and apply the labels, or I could outsource the printing. And then I could still use someone to clean the containers and apply the labels, because it's a time-consuming job. It's a tough call, because both are additional expenses that come with their own risks. Label printers require large minimums per label, and without counting, I probably have at least 20 different labels for all of my different products. That's a pretty large investment out of the gate. Products and information evolve as I discover more about my business, so I tend to alter my labels at least once a year. I don't sell as many products per year as I would have to buy labels for, so I'm stuck with labels that I won't even use. So maybe I suck it up and use all of the labels, but that's unlikely. OK, so maybe I hire someone. There's the liability of putting someone in contact with the sharp blade of my paper cutter (though the worst I have ever done is slice a hole in my shirt, I'm sure worker's comp wouldn't see it that way), plus there's the need to find someone with the precision necessary to get the job done. It's not rocket science, but it does take a certain amount of skill to get the labels lined up and make clean, accurate cuts. I've been doing it for 7 years, so it's second nature. I need another me. This is just one example of the many things that I'm constantly assessing. The same considerations go for web design, bookkeeping, manufacturing, and selling, all of which I do myself. Granted the latter four don't risk losing a finger, but hopefully you get where I'm going with this. Growth requires people to help, and that terrifies me. It wouldn't terrify me if I had the right people, but finding the right people is either pure luck or a lot of trial and error. The latter part is what inspires fear. I learned to manage people in my former career, and I've been told that I'm a good person to work for. But I don't really have any skills in hiring people. Film work was job to job, so if a person wasn't right, I just toughed it out and didn't hire them again. Didn't have to have the tough conversation about why they weren't right. There was always the out that I had my "usual" people. Call me a chicken, but it's no fun to look someone in the eye and tell them they're not "a good fit for your company" (i.e. not good at their job), and you're letting them go. So growth is scary because it involves other people and all of the stuff that comes with.

The next phase of my business in my mind has always been wholesale. This means selling my products to retailers who sell them at their stores. And it's the obvious next step for a business who wants to grow substantially. Which means cold calling retailers if you're a masochist, or a trade show if you want the easier, but more costly path to the masses. Trade shows are EXPENSIVE. And there's no guarantee that you will recoup your investment. Because it's not just the expense of the trade show itself, you're also selling your products for half of your retail price. The whole purpose is to sell volume. Volume mandates growth. Buying more stuff to make your products, hiring more people to make it. This traditionally is an action item in the business plan of a business like mine, so it's where my mind has been. Truth be told, it's not something I'm terribly excited about. I'd much rather have a retail store, which I do, but retail stores have their own financial risks. There is a lot involved to owning a successful retail store. "If you build it, they will come," is not a realistic marketing plan. Just so ya know.

The long and the short of this is, it's all a risk. You just have to decide which risk you want to take. And up to this point, I haven't been able to choose one. I go back and forth on a weekly basis, and have my finger in all of the possible pots, in the smallest of ways. But you get to a point where you need to stop trying things out and pick a direction. And so...

I had a meeting today about a new opportunity that has gotten me really excited, and in a curious way, has gotten me mentally on track. It won't necessarily lessen my workload, but will streamline my focus, and it offers growth without the hugest investment. It involves entering into a niche that comes with no guarantees, but makes a lot of sense when I take a hard look at my business and who my customers are. And it involves me putting my tradeshow/wholesale plan on hold, because I know I have to stop trying to do so many things at once. Which is a huge relief, to say the least. It's happening fast because I'm hopping on a train that is already moving, but it's made me think that I can grow my business for the time being while still staying small, which makes sense for my life where it is right now. It allows for other life things to happen, without the pressure of managing a business that is growing exponentially. It also allows for other ideas I've had in the past 7 years to come into play. Ideas that I loved at the time, but put on hold because I didn't have the means to move them forward at the time. I know I'm being vague, but I want to share the new direction once I have my head around it. I assure you, it doesn't change any of the work that I'm doing now. Rather, it complements it and allows me to grow at a pace and in a direction that I'm more comfortable with.

More exciting details coming soon!

Kirkwood update

2009-05-16T18:24:00.000-07:00

So I woke up this morning at 6am with the forecast looking the exact same as when I went to bed. I talked to my friend who was going to be in the booth next to me - she had done a risk vs reward assessment and decided not to go. I turned on the weather channel and mulled it over for about an hour. I called another friend who was already there and said there were a lot of vendors setting up. I decided that I would be uptight all day if I didn't go and at least give it a shot, so I got in my car and headed over. The morning was nice, albeit humid, so I was feeling hopeful. I was next to some friends who were keeping up with the forecast throughout the morning, and got the news that storms were rolling in around 1 and were supposed to last all afternoon. They started to break down around noon. Still uncertain, I took a few extraneous things to my car and kept up the mental debate. Around 1:30 the dark clouds rolled in, the skies opened up, and within 10 minutes I had a 3 foot wide river running through the back of my booth, which was jammed full of people trying to wait out the downpour. My gut said to cut my losses and go, so I started making very wet trips to my car. I got soaked, but my products did not, which was what was important to me. It had lightened up a bit as I took the last load, but was still drizzling when I got home. I again looked at the forecast, which had 80 to 100% chance of thunderstorms throughout the rest day. It stopped drizzling around 3 and... IT DIDN'T RAIN ANOTHER DROP ALL DAY. It actually cooled off, and the afternoon turned out to be a lovely one with the sun occasionally peeking out. I heard a lot of people showed up at the festival. I keep telling myself that I made the best decision I could with the information I had, but I'm still feeling a little remorseful. I actually had a pretty good morning sales-wise, even though there weren't that many people out. It was indicative that if it had been a nice day, I probably would have had a really good day. And if I had I stuck it out, it may have been a good day after all. Sigh.

I realize that I'm not a great candidate for festivals. I don't like the unpredictability, and the extreme weather wreaks havoc on my products. I didn't intend for festivals and markets to become the mainstay of my business plan, but they are the low hanging fruit so to speak, so I've crammed my calendar full of them for this year. I thought that I would be able to focus on promoting the retail store and making wholesale contacts in between, (as well as keeping my site updated and sending more marketing emails, blogging more, sending out press releases, etc etc.) but I am a one person shop and I've found that getting ready for festivals is taking up the majority of my long hours. That being said, I've noticed a considerable jump in foot traffic at the store since Inman Park, and I've made some wholesale contacts as well. Most of the festivals and markets I've participated in this year have been wonderfully profitable, but I have had a couple of bad weather days where I came home determined to about-face to a business model that mandates I conduct all of my business in a controlled climate. Immediately. But I made the decision to bootstrap my business for the time being, so I'm doing exactly what I need to be doing. Except for today.

I'm not one for regret, so I'm trying to look at this as a learning experience. This whole thing has gotten me thinking about my process and business in general. I'm usually pretty decisive, and I usually make good decisions. So when I don't, I have the tendency to beat myself up. I need to work on this, because all we have is our intuition and our knowledge of past events, and there's no way to accurately predict the outcome of something. This is the ultimate truth for running a business in general. Most people who do festivals for a living have a "you win some, you lose some" mentality, and I can't say after 6 years of doing this that I've ever been able to get my head around that. And the more I've thought about it, I realized I don't really have that attitude in regards to my business in general either. Not to say making a wrong move should be taken casually, but I know small business owners who accept their mistakes or bad judgment calls with humility and without a lot of mental anguish, and they seem to have happier lives as small business owners. That being said, I have to remind myself that I'm transitioning out of an industry that wasn't very forgiving about bad judgment calls, so I made it a point not to make them. I am realizing now that this was an awfully rigid way to live and doesn't give you much of an opportunity for personal growth. So I'm having some growing pains, but at least I finally feel that I'm going in the right direction. I'm screwing up all over the place, and I'm weathering the storm.

To show or not to show?

2009-05-15T18:32:00.000-07:00

That is the question, indeed. I've spent all week gearing up for the Kirkwood Festival, and the inaugural East Lake Farmer's Market, which are both happening tomorrow. This is what weather.com has for me:

Not pretty. So now comes the conundrum, do I go to the show? I've decided to definitely do the market because it's in the morning, when things look a little less sinister. The Kirkwood festival is open for set up at 7 and goes from 10 to 7pm. That is a long day of sitting in off and on thunderstorms. And honestly, who wants to be trapped in a 10 x 10 metal tent when there's the possibility of lightning? My in the know husband, Chuck, explained that the percentage of the chance of storms isn't really a prediction, and is actually based on the last 100 days that had comparable conditions. Right now the percentages are 30 to 50%. Not high enough to make the call tonight, but enough to keep me up worrying about it all night. The deal with festivals is once you're in, you're in, so there's no breaking down until the bitter end unless you want to carry everything out by hand. And that's usually frowned upon.

I really hate not honoring my commitments, so I've been stressing about this all day. But I also know that I have to do what is best for me and my business. I don't want a big sudsy lump of freshly made soap or soggy labels and ruined products. I slaved away this week, working long hours to make everything. I really don't like the thought of losing money, but I loathe the thought of wasting time and losing money. I have orders to fill and 100 other things to do (like update my website with all of my new stuff), and that will be hanging over my surly head while I'm sitting in my soggy booth. I told Chuck I feel like a farmer. I don't like having my finances so dependent on mother nature, and this has made it glaringly obvious that it's time to make the time to expand my business plan so I'm not so reliant on festivals for income.

In the meantime, I've decided to wait and see what the morning brings. I've packed up my car, but I pared down my booth from the usual mini-store that I set up for festivals to my single table farmer's market booth. That way if I have to bail out in a hurry, it won't be a 1 hour + breakdown. I wish I had a crystal ball.

Inman Park this weekend!

2009-04-22T12:59:00.001-07:00

We are busy busy gearing up for the Inman Park festival this weekend. The weather is looking good, which is a big relief. This is my first time doing a big 2 day show, so I have no idea what to expect. I've been making soap for 2 weeks straight! As I mentioned in my previous post, we will be premiering a NEW COLLECTION OF SOAPS as well as a NEW PRODUCT! Plus we've got some serious SALES going on, so be sure to stop by!

Unfortunately I'm not sure exactly where my booth will be located, so if you don't stumble into me, feel free to call: 404.808.6900. Click here for more info about the festival, as well as upcoming markets and festivals that Mama is doing.

Mama update

2009-04-14T11:50:00.000-07:00

In the effort to become a better blogger, I'm going to start trying to write some short and sweet posts vs the occasional verbose rant. There will be more of those too, just with some other stuff in between.

I'm currently busy busy getting ready for the Inman Park festival which is in 2 weeks!! Times-a-tickin'and I'm up to my elbows in olive oil, making batches and batches of soap. My mom is making the trek from Ohio in a week to help me get ready and then she will be doing the festival with me, which I'm really looking forward to! She has been an amazing source of support and inspiration in my journey with Mama, and I only wish she lived closer to share it with me more often.

I will be premiering a SPECIAL COLLECTION OF SOAPS at Inman that I've been working on for the past few months, as well as a BRAND NEW PRODUCT! You'll have to stop by my booth to find out what it is. In addition to making the goods, I'm working on a plan to freshen up my booth a bit. I have only done the occasional festival for the past couple of years and this year I'll be doing most of the ones who will accept my application, so I decided it was time to funk it up. I just hope I have time to do everything that I want!

I have also have a new scent in the line called Fresh - it's a delightful blend of pink grapefruit, tangerine & lavender, and has been selling like hotcakes at the markets I've been doing.

I will get Fresh online after Inman. The plan was to do it before, but I'm trying to get better about pacing myself and prioritizing.

Also coming up on May 16th, I will be at the Kirkwood Festival. Hope to see you out and about enjoying our hard earned spring! I'm crossing my fingers for great weather...

Mama has a new retail store!

2009-02-24T17:41:00.000-08:00

Mama has some exciting news, which has been brewing for the last couple of weeks. We have moved into our very own retail store! Well, not exactly our very own. We are sharing space with the fab folks at Taj Ma Hound Dog Bakery. I met Krista, the owner and proprietess of Taj Ma Hound, through a very good mutual friend of ours. She has a big old shop and I have been jonesing for a retail space for a while now, so it was serendipitous that we join forces.

You may think, body products and dog biscuits? We thought that at first too. But upon discussing our businesses and our customers, we realized that we have a lot of crossover. Also, she bakes in the back and sells in the front, and I needed a retail space where I could do the same. So it really is such a great fit. We may just be the new business model for weathering this economic downturn! I will miss my spacious studio, and my wonderful studio-mate Mary, but there are so many pluses to my new store. Not only is it less than a mile from my house (I can finally ride my bike to work!) but it also gives me the much desired opportunity to meet and interact with my customers.

The store is located in the heart of Oakhurst Village in Decatur. If you want to come check out the new digs, stop by the Oakhurst Wine crawl this weekend! Click here for address and directions.

Old Friends and New Beginnings

2009-02-21T07:32:00.001-08:00

My friend Jim directed a commercial shoot for REI yesterday, and asked me to bring some Mama products and set up my festival booth for the shoot. The commercial is about sustainable living and shopping locally - Mama fit in perfectly, and I was happy to participate. Especially because I got to set up in front of Sevenanda, a local grocery co-op. They've been on my list to contact about carrying my products.

My calltime got incrementally pushed three hours because the lead actor had fallen off of his bike and had to go get stitches. By the time they got to me, they were rushing to make their day because they still had several more locations to shoot and they were running out of daylight. Also by that time, the health and beauty buyer had gone for the day, so I didn't get to meet her but I got her card. This is the first shoot I've been on where I haven't been working, and I found myself more than happy to sit back and do my little part while everyone else rushed around with their hair on fire.

I had the opportunity to catch up with some old film friends I hadn't seen in a while. Everyone was super congratulatory about "getting out" – of the film industry that is. It made me feel like an anomaly (in a good way). People don’t get out of the film industry very often. Partially because it's good money and partially because most of us have resumes that don't translate well into other industries. Which is funny, because film people are some of the most hard-working, intelligent, clever and capable people I've ever met. And they are used to getting more done in a day than most people even think about getting done in a week.

When I sat down to write this post it was going to be about putting yourself out there and things coming back. That's been happening lately with Mama on many small levels, and I'm paying attention. But as I was writing, reflections on my film career and where I am now kept rushing through my head. So I think I need to have a little therapy and write about that.

Film work is made up of planning, anticipating, reacting when your plans go awry, and then pulling a solution out of your ass, all in a very compacted amount of time. It's high stakes, and especially stressful if you're the one responsible for the money part. When I started producing, I did music videos, which are the worst of the worst. On the way home from a shoot, I would get a natural high – almost giddy, because we actually achieved the impossible and got the video in the can. I guess I thrived on the intense ups and downs. And I know that I largely defined myself by my job. There was never a shortage of drama, and it was fun for a while, but the process and the drama stressed me out so badly that I got sick after almost every job. Commercials were better and I got into a comfortable pattern working with the same director. But nonsense is still nonsense, and I found myself getting less tolerant of it all as the years went on.

I was miserable toward the end, and pretty much left while flipping a mental middle finger. I thought it would be a huge relief, and it has been to a large degree. But most of my reflection has been about all of the bad habits I developed – necessary protective measures, but things that went against what I believe in and want for myself. And frustration that it took me as long to break away as it did.

Someone recently asked what I had learned from it. I completely surprised myself, because I couldn't think of an answer. I'm someone who is constantly thinking about things, and thought that I was someone who learned my lesson. But it usually happens once a situation is behind me. This led me to realize that my film career isn't behind me yet. I've been so hyper-focused on moving forward that I haven't tied up the loose ends that I left behind. I haven't honored the transition that I'm making right now. Or rather I haven't honored my years in the film industry, and part of that is seeing the good in those 14 years. Once I started thinking about it, it wasn't too hard to find.

I developed numerous skills throughout my film career. I learned budgeting, scheduling, time management, organizational and people management skills as well as how to work with clients - and that's just the short list. All of these are essential skills to have when running your own business, and most of them are things I never knew that I would or could do when I graduated from college. I got to go places that most people would never be allowed to see (ever been inside a morgue?). I got to meet and mingle with many exciting and well-known people. I got to travel. I made good money and had time between jobs to start my own business. And I met so many great people. Film work is very gypsy-like, and film sets become insular little worlds where friendships develop quickly. For many years I thought I had the best job in the world. I need to remember that.

Change was inevitable, and the prospect of change was and is very exciting to me. But now that I'm going through it, it's been harder than I anticipated. This is going to be an interesting year - I have a lot to learn, and a lot to unlearn. As of my 2nd month out, I haven't had an easy time of it. My worst-case scenario producer planning can be debilitating, as far as knowing what steps to take with Mama and what to wait on. I am a company of one, and I miss having a team to bounce ideas off of, and to help execute the plan. But I am slowly becoming part of a network of other small business owners who are filling that gap. After years of crazy hard work with downtime in between, I'm having to learn to pace myself. Not quite there yet – I still collapse with exhaustion at the end of every week. I'm pretty single-minded, and tend to do best when I can focus on one task and marathon through it to completion. So I’m having to learn compartmentalization - this is a concept that still feels completely out of my reach. Most of all, I’m trying to learn to get out of reactionary mode, which for me has become synonymous with crisis mode. Film work has a "drop everything you're doing and do this" mentality, and if I could pick the single thing that drove me completely insane about my job, that would be it. It made running a small side business very difficult because I couldn't plan in advance, and it was a source of endless frustration. And even though those calls aren't coming anymore, I still find myself anxiously waiting for something or someone to come along and screw up my plans. This makes little upsets become big upsets, and generally isn't very productive. So I have my work cut out for me, but I'm starting to see little flashes of what will be. Little breaks from the chains that bind me, which are mostly in my head. Slow and steady wins the race. And maybe someday I'll believe that.

How this horrible economic crisis could actually benefit my business

2009-01-26T17:26:00.000-08:00

Let me start by saying I am NOT a Pollyanna. The original title of this post was "Trying to stay positive and focused when the world is falling apart." These are scary times. I am doing my best to stay positive. It doesn't really help when this is the front page of CNN:

I've spent the majority of January catching up from December, getting really really organized, and having a lot of talks with myself. I made the long overdue decision in December to quit my job and focus on Mama full-time. I have no regrets, but I have had some reservations. Granted, I am not like the majority of these unfortunate people who are getting laid off left and right. But I am now completely responsible for my financial situation. Freedom has a price, but it's a risk I'm willing to take.

I do have some background in an economic crisis of my own personal kind. When I started out a little over 6 years ago, I did the credit card thing (different time, different place, different product line) and I messed up royally. It cost me thousands of dollars in credit card interest and took me three years and a good deal of ingenuity, but I made it out without defaulting on a single credit card or declaring bankruptcy. If you're thinking "she only did what a responsible person should so she should quit congratulating herself," you're absolutely right, but look at the mess around us due to people that have bailed on their debts. So I guess what I should say is that I'm proud that I didn't contribute to the problem. I choose to look at it as having earned my masters in business from the School of Life. I learned a lot, and I'm ready to go round 2. It's pretty scary, but I feel so much more prepared, and ready to face the challenges. And I feel like my excitement and passion will go a long way in helping me get there.

My business is such a microcosm right now, that I have nowhere to go but up. And I'm optimistically thinking that I will be able to grow my business, even in these uncertain times. Maybe not as fast as I would like, but upwards nonetheless. The guy from Clif Bar started his business during a recession. Granted it wasn't this recession, and he lived in a garage and rode his bike to work. Or something like that. Actually, maybe it was Method. Whatever.

My point is, what this financial crisis has done is forced me to look at how I grow my business, which could really do me a favor in the long run. Because there aren't funds readily available to borrow, I will be forced to sell products before I can buy new ingredients, and I will have to use existing capital to grow. This will take longer, but I'm in it for the long haul, which I have to keep reminding myself. This will also help me weed out what is working and what isn't as I go, versus becoming heavily invested in some idea or product that turns out to be a big flop. My conclusion about using credit cards to run your business is this: racking up credit card debt might be an option if you're the type of business that stands to attract a big investor, or better yet, stands to be bought straight out for a huge sum of money. Then that 6 digit credit card balance might worth the risk - I didn't owe that much, but I've read about people who have. But I want to keep my business small and privately owned. I have no desire for human resources or overseas outsourcing to be items in my business plan. I know it takes money to make money, but unless Kiehl's comes knocking (which I'm not counting on), it's really not a good idea for me, or businesses comparable to mine, to borrow big. Like I said, I learned that the hard way.

So rather than writing a 5 year business plan, because frankly I have no idea what this year will bring, I'm writing a 1 year action plan. My goal is to take this year to figure out what is working and what is not, on a very small scale. I probably won't get to half of the things on my list, but I hope to be able to prioritize the ones that keep me moving forward and upward. In regards to borrowing, I am looking at applying for microloans as a means to help cover myself if I were to have the opportunity grow more quickly than I could afford. For example if I got a big order that I had to fill, and needed some capital to buy the ingredients or get a bigger piece of equipment, etc. But I fully plan to let the means dictate the end. Or is it the ends that dictate the means? I guess it's whichever one that doesn't involve using my credit cards. And it's going to mean working my ass off.

Another thing our stressed economy has done is helped me really start to pay attention to how I spend my money. On the rare occasion that I treat myself to a latte, I now make a point to steer clear of The Corporate Giant and head over to my neighborhood coffee shop. I'm not particularly impressed with how a lot of big business are running their businesses these days, and while I know they make a bigger impact on our economy and create a lot of jobs, I feel like it's my responsibility to help support the little guys. Because they're also creating jobs and paying taxes, just on a much smaller scale. And because I'm the littlest of little guys. I also buy as much local food as possible. Not only does it taste better and fresher, but I have done a ton of reading on farming and food distribution, and have learned that a big part of the world food crisis is a result of huge corporate farms who grow single crops - using pesticides which ruin the land and have other major consequences. Their existence has put many community farmers out of business, whereas increasing the number of community farms, who grow multiple and varied crops and serve smaller communities, could actually solve the food crisis. This is greatly simplifying a complex topic and I don't want to stray too far from my original point. Which is that as a result, I make it a point to spend as many of my grocery dollars as possible at local farmers markets. As well as avidly supporting other local food makers, crafters and artisans.

So, to sum up my long winded post, perhaps some good will come out of this big mess. Maybe it will create a new generation of more responsible consumers, small business owners and (gasp) corporations. My hope is that those of us who are trying to make a go of it on our own will be able to weather the storm and keep moving forward. And of course I really hope that jobs will be created for the staggering number of people who have lost theirs. And if not, maybe they'll join the growing ranks of small business owners and start one of their own. Yes we can.

Big Big Mama sales this weekend!

2009-01-16T07:41:00.000-08:00

The Beehive Co-op (in Buckhead) and Gifted (in Roswell) are having BIG SALES this weekend, and I have marked a bunch of Mama goodies down 50 to 75% off. So get out there and stimulate the economy!

I'm playing big time catch up right now, so I'm getting somewhat of a slow start on my blogging this year. Lots of stuff going on behind the scenes, so there will be much more to come soon.

Happy New Year!

Quick update

2008-11-06T19:45:00.000-08:00

Haven't had much time for blogging because I have been filling orders, restocking stores, and making lots of product for the holiday festivals that I have coming up. As well as celebrating a very fine moment in American history.

My first show is this Saturday at Mary Lin elementary school in Candler Park. Click here for details. I will be stocked with all my new holiday scents (that I still haven't had time to put up on my website). Unfortunately, Studio 658 will be closed this coming Saturday, because Mary and I are both doing Mary Lin, and we couldn't find anyone to mind the shop. We have worked out our schedules for the rest of the year, and will be open every Saturday from 11 to 3 beginning 11/15.

As soon as I hit one deadline, I have another one looming right behind it, so catching up has become a fruitless effort. I've decided to just go with it. On my list for next week: updating my website with everything holiday and trying to prepare myself for the onslaught of upcoming shows. I will post info and pictures of all my goings-on very soon!

Of course, in typical Emilie fashion, while my hands are making everything for the next weeks, my brain has already moved onto next year. After 6 years of plugging along in some form or another, I finally feel like I have hit my stride, and Mama is ready for the masses. I have some great ideas, and can't wait to share them with you! All in due time...

Open Studio hours this Saturday at Studio 658

2008-10-16T15:17:00.000-07:00

This Saturday marks the beginning of our Open Studio hours! We will be open every Saturday from 11am to 3pm, from now through Christmas. I will be manning the shop this Saturday, so please stop by and say hi! My new soaps are out and ready to be tested, and it's a great time to get some gift ideas for the holidays. Felted Heart also has all of her merchandise at the shop, and is now making great stuff for adults. So come check it out!

Studio 658
658 Angier Ave, unit C
Atlanta, GA 30307

We are located in the Old Fourth Ward, in a white warehouse building. We haven't gotten our signs yet, so when you get there, pull in the driveway all the way in the back, and park to the left.

Click here for directions.

Hope to see you Saturday!

Email Marketing and Product Updates - An informational rant

2008-10-08T07:28:00.000-07:00

I've been working hard on getting my site updated for the past couple of weeks, so I could do a marketing email. I just looked at my Constant Contact account and saw that I haven't sent a marketing email since February of 2007. So THAT must be why people aren't coming to my site. Which means I spent all of that money for an email sign up box on my website that no one uses because they don't go to my website because I don't send any marketing emails reminding them that I exist. I mean, who can be bothered with marketing, right? I'm a creative person! Business lesson #4832. Remind customers you exist. Check.

A quick note about this. I have about 600+ people on my email list. Some of them are friends who I added to bulk up my list before I had any customers, but most of them are legitimate customers or people who expressed interest in becoming a customer. People who have bought my products and raved about Mama, only to never be heard from again. This goes to show, no matter how good your product or service is, you have to keep reminding people that you're around. There's a lot of competition and people are busy. I always wondered why Coke advertised, because everybody knows about them. But I suppose that could be because they're everywhere, so you can't forget. (especially if you live in Atlanta). Yes, this all seems like a no-brainer. But when you do everything in your company and you have X hours a day to do it, you tend to focus on the tasks that you like. Like the making products, creating new ones, designing packaging, coming up with new scents, etc. The fun stuff.

So it occurred to me, as I send my first marketing email in 19 months, Mama has evolved quite a bit since then, and it might be good to do a product line update for all of my (hopefully) returning customers, who I pledge not to lose touch with again!

1. The most notable change is that I've switched my lotion preservative to a non-paraben preservative called Optiphen, which just recently became available to companies of my size. Preservatives are a controversial subject that I have been researching for years, so at some point soon I will do a post with my research. Until then, just know that parabens are no longer desirable preservatives and we don't use them anymore. For more info about why we use preservatives in our lotion, go to the product info section on our site.

2. Speaking of lotions. My first couple of years in business were a little dicey with the lotion formula. The consistent feedback I got was that it was too hard to get out of the bottle. You were heard, valued customers, and I worked hard to come up with a new formulation that has received rave reviews. I also changed the bottles to one that is a little more squeezy, so if you're willing to go round 2 with the lotion, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

3. I've discontinued using Fragrance oils, which meant saying goodbye to Green Tea and Vanilla. When I started this company, I wrote in my mission that I wanted to offer the purest, safest, most effective products to my customers. So that means sticking with essential oils, which are plant based and 100% natural. I did decide to make one exception for the holidays - Cranberry was very popular last year, so I'm bringing it back as a limited edition holiday scent just for this holiday season. I'm working on coming up with an essential oil blend next year that will be a suitable replacement.

4. Scrubs - I've replaced my salt scrubs with sugar scrubs. They have become my best sellers, and I don't think any former salt scrub lovers will be the least bit disappointed. Sugar is a very effective and more gentle exfoliant than salt. And the coconut, almond oil, and shea butter base stays nicely emulsified and leaves your skin soft without the heavy oil feeling that the salt scrubs left.

5. New sizes - I've added more sizes to the products I carry. Body lotions come in 4 and 8 oz bottles, sugar scrubs in 10 and 20 oz jars.

6. Gifts - my vendor discontinued my snap trays! Such a bummer. I started using chinese takeout containers while I was trying to find a suitable replacement, and these have been so popular, I decided to stick with them! So that's that.

7. Soap! Mama finally has soap! Most body product companies usually start with soap. I tend to do things backwards. My husband Chuck decided to come on board as my soap maker, and his soap is great! Richly scented with a nice creamy lather. I highly recommend!

And there ya go! Head over to our site and check it out!

East Atlanta Strut

2008-09-20T21:45:00.000-07:00

I did the East Atlanta Strut today. All I have to say is: Best. Festival. Ever. I have sat at so many festivals wishing something would fall out of sky and hit me on the head, so I would have to go home. This was not one of those festivals. It was a beautiful day. I met some great people. My husband hung out with me all day and we drank beer. Friends stopped by. And I sold more than I ever have at any other festival. Even more than the Strut in 2006, which prior to this one, was my best festival ever.

Chuck and I got so amped up that we were ready to sign a lease on an empty East Atlanta store front.

That was the beer talking - it is something that I've been considering for a while, but now is not the time. However, I did come to the realization that these are my people, and it's great to find your people. I did a festival in Marietta a couple years ago where I sat in the baking sun for 2 days and I don't even think I made my booth fee back. Those were not my people.

Any entrepreneur will tell you that there are many days where you wonder what you're doing and where you're going. This is not one of those days. And I am overwhelmed with gratitude.

It's the little things...

2008-09-03T16:18:00.000-07:00

I got another mixer! I am so excited! Judi, the designer of Studio 658 and also Mary's sister, traded me her old Kitchen Aid mixer for some Mama products. It is the perfect mate to my other Kitchen Aid hand-me-down-mixer from my mother-in-law. I have been desperately needing a second mixer, but it's on the long list of things that all have to happen NOW, so it hadn't happened yet. This could not have been better timing because I have a big lotion order to make and the East Atlanta strut is coming up. There is gonna be some mixing going on!

Heating the oil and water phases:

2 Batches of lotion at once! So exciting.

We pour each and every lotion by hand.

Ready to go!

Studio 658 Grand Opening

2008-08-24T17:53:00.000-07:00

Our grand opening was a great success. I am absolutely exhausted and totally elated. As busy as I have been, now it feels like the real work is starting. I have so many plans for the studio. I want to use it as a retail store for Mama (with limited hours - kind of a starter retail store) and I'm also planning to put together a schedule of DIY classes in candlemaking, soapmaking, scrubmaking, etc. Since we moved in, Mary and I haven't had a moment to sit down and meet about all of our plans, so we still have a lot to figure out. I had planned to take a few days off once I reached this mile marker, but there is too much to do. Onward and upward!

Busy Crazy Happy

2008-08-05T17:19:00.000-07:00

And not necessarily in that order.

First of all, on August 1st, I moved into a new store in historic Roswell called Gifted! They don't have a website, but the address and info is on my site under stores.

I still need to make more goodies to stock my booth, but I didn't have time to get everything made before the soft opening on August 1st. The grand opening is September 1st, so I have a little time.

I also sent some products to a new store that is opening in Leonia, NJ called The Craft Lounge. The owners are friends of a friend, and were interested in carrying my stuff, which is always great. Hopefully the Jersey girls dig Mama!

And (drumroll please) on August 3rd, Mama made the monumental move out of my house and into our new studio!! Ladies, and Gentlemen, Studio 658:

There will be more pics once I get a little more set up. The renovation took a little longer than expected, but the place looks fantastic. And it gave me time to get completely packed and organized, so the move was relatively breezy. And now I'm gearing up for a crazy August. My studio mate Mary and I are planning a grand opening for August 22nd and 23rd. So not only do I have to make EVERYTHING in my product line to have fresh product to stock up the studio, I also have a commercial shoot (my other job), and a long weekend trip to see my family in Ohio happening between now and then. Which means I'm going to be working 24/7.

I have to be honest - I don't relish these overbooked weeks-upon-months. I tend to muddle through them all frustrated and cranky. I'm always better when I'm busy, but right now it's more like a 'wake-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night-in-an-oh-hell-i-forgot-to-do-that' panic. So I am more than surprised to find that my general attitude has been great! Probably because I'm so excited about all of the new developments.

I tend to work so fast and furiously trying to keep up, that I forget to savor the good moments. So as I dove in to my new kitchen to make the first batch of lotion, I remembered to stop and enjoy what was happening. It was the best 30 seconds of my year;)

Hope to see you at our Grand Opening!

If I Rent It, Will They Come?

2008-06-30T19:57:00.000-07:00

I saw what is to become my new workshop today for the first time, and it got me really excited! The biggest draw of the space for me is that it has a full kitchen, which I will be spending a lot of time in. Of course I forgot to take pictures, but that's OK because it is currently under construction, and I would rather post pics of the finished space. Mama isn't exactly in a financial place where taking on another monthly bill is the best idea, so this is a big leap of faith. Which is more than a little scary in our unsteady economy. However, I really do feel that having a space where customers can come see me work and interact with me is a big part of the sales process for an independent designer. One of the hardest parts about working at home is that I feel completely disconnected from the people who use my products. I'd like my customers to understand the work that goes into making everything. A $15 lotion isn't cheap, and people should understand what they're paying for. Plus, having their feedback about what is working and what isn't, is invaluable for making my line the best it can be. Mary has been kind enough to let me get started with a 6 month lease, and since we're approaching the holiday season, which is the busiest time for Mama, I'm hopeful that I can at least cover my investment. Of course I'm striving to go way beyond that.

I have a multi-prong plan to try to get Mama out to more of the masses, and when I look at all there is to do to make this happen, I kind of want to crawl into bed and put the covers over my head. I'm pretty good at big picture planning and making tons of lists with action items, but I have a terribly hard time prioritizing these lists, and I tend to get overwhelmed and anxious about how much there is to do, which can be paralyzing. I've been looking for ways to combat this unproductive behavior, and I recently read something helpful about how athletes approach a race. When running a marathon, you don't start off thinking about making it to the finish line. You set a smaller milestone for yourself, and focus on achieving that, and then do it again and again until you reach your goal. It seems like a no-brainer, but I've been creating anxiety inducing lists for years, so it's going to require some undoing of these unhelpful habits. And like many creative people, I have a considerable amount of ADD that I'm constantly trying to keep in check. Another technique I've been trying out lately is visualization. My mom sent me a great article that was written for people in her field, but can easily be applied to anyone trying to achieve a goal. It talked about visualization being a key component of achieving success, and that simply setting a goal wasn't enough. So whenever I get overwhelmed, or start to succumb to the inner demon of self-doubt, I close my eyes and picture myself in my new workspace, with 5 mixers going at once, and hundreds of empty bottles lined up on the counter waiting to fill a throng of orders.

I move into my space July 15th, so I have a lot to do to get ready! One thing at a time...

Time to start a blog

2008-06-15T10:54:00.000-07:00

After a long period of contemplation, I’ve decided it’s time to hop on the blog bandwagon and start one for Mama. Mama has been plugging along at a turtle’s pace for the last 4 years, largely due to a lack of time on my part. It has been a labor of love and an exercise in patience, which I liken to watching my garden grow. Small victories here and there, but ultimately it moves at the indeterminate pace dictated by nature. In this case, the nature of my life. Like many determined women, my efforts to HAVE IT ALL are constantly doing battle with Father Time. I have a demanding full-time job and a DIY house renovation forever in progress, along with a husband, 4 pets, and the many other things of life. So Mama has taken a backseat for some time. This has been a frequent source of frustration, because it’s one of my very favorite things. I recently watched an Iconoclasts episode with Madeleine Albright, a woman I admire greatly, and she made a comment that really stuck with me: “I believe women can have everything, just not all at once.”

As these words have rolled around in my head, I’ve summed it up as, it comes down to priorities at different stages in life. Where my life is right now, the job is a necessity. And given the state of the economy, I’m very happy to have it. Our house is great, and I’m very happy to have it too. And the people and the places and the things in life are all important as well. So it all comes down to: where does Mama fit in? It hasn’t. So I’m fitting it in. Mama is becoming a top priority, because it’s really important to me, and I’m really REALLY ready to move it to the next level. Whatever that may be.

One of the exciting developments of my “Make Way for Mama” phase is that I am signing a lease on a workshop space. Throughout my residence at the Beehive Co-op, I have had the opportunity to meet a lot of other designers with whom I share a lot in common. One of my Beehive cohorts, Mary from Felted Heart, just bought a building and Mama is going to rent some space from her. Mary, who is a designer of beautiful childrens’ clothes, has been a huge supporter and one of my best customers, and I’m so excited to be joining forces with her. I’m hoping to move in sometime in July. More on this as it progresses.

Since the handmade aspect is a big part of the appeal of my products, it has become evident that sharing the behind the scenes could be beneficial to its success. As well as fun and therapeutic for me. Which means it’s time to make time for a blog. And this brings me full circle.