We were lucky to catch up with Jennifer Harris recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jennifer, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
“high quality products that solve everyday problems.” Our mission is about observing, listening, learning, finding and creating answers. Ever since I was a little girl, I was always into extreme sports. Competing in gymnastics at 6, drag racing at 16, and bodybuilding at 26. I love extreme sports because you’ are not just playing a game. In extreme sports, you arrive at the event a prepared athlete ready for competition day, you give it EVERYTHING YOU GOT, then, you take it all as data, come back next time, better! This is how I look at little things in life. Things like chapped lips, dry skin, self talk, and body image are little things you brush off. Why would you care when you are already winning The Game? Not sure its my BS in Kinesiology and Nutrition or my anxiety disorder that forces me to care. Regardless, I am a human who genuinely cares what people are consuming, applying, and promoting. I care about you like a nurturing mother does her baby; like a car guy and his hot rod. Pulp and Pressure is fueling you from the inside out; to heal, and to nourish your soul. Be kind to yourself by allowing Pulp and Pressure to help increase the quality of your life with our high quality products.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I started out making nail polish because people always wanted to know my secret to long healthy nails In 2022 I started experimenting with cosmetic ingredients while applying my knowledge of nutrition and human performance. I created my first vegan nail polish! Unfortunately, it is still in its developmental stages. Since it was taking so long, I thought of another problem I face; dehydrated lips! Being honest, I stay overworked and under hydrate which leaves me with dehydrated lips and skin. Not cute! Obviously the best answer is to drink more water, but we need more than that to repair the damages caused by dehydration. It was also summer 2022 in the Midwest, temperatures reached 110 degrees with humidity, and I worked at an infrared sauna fitness center! The amount of water I had do consume to replenish seemed impossible! I also was stuck in a negative headspace about the size of my lips. I wanted them bigger like all the babes getting filler. But it goes against my values as a natural athlete. So I looked at the facts, I read the data, and I crafted the most perfect lip plumping gloss called Agua de Coco Loca! My crazy coconut water lip plumper is the most hydrating plumper on the market! It heals, soothes (with no irritation) and allows your lips to reach their full potential. The more you wear it the better your lips feel! We hit the local market, it sold out in a month! By winter I released another best seller; Winter Watermelon. This pink tinted lip plumper is now in 6 boutiques/salons across the Kansas City and Saint Louis area. We also sell on TikTok and on our website: www.pulpandpressure.com. The growth of this brand is something to be proud of, and the future has endless potential. We look forward to developing more innovative solutions to your life’s challenges.
How do you keep your team’s morale high?
You need the P&P personable and professional! People want to talk to The Boss. If you talk like and boss and dress like a boss; one can only assume. They will want to talk to you in the hopes that they can soak in some of your good energy. Every relationship starts with attraction, but you have to be able to keep their attention. The only thing that can keep a person’s attention for more than 3 minutes is ourself. Make it about them! Do you like lip gloss? See how they react and go from there. Tell a relatable story and see how they respond. Caring about their response and speaking only to that response creates a professional environment that gives off a safe atmosphere. It can be tough if they put up a wall, but no hard feelings. Remember, the faster you move on the faster you get paid! Plus you are respecting their boundaries. When people respond positively, they become curious as a consumer or business owner. That is when your product speaks for itself; allergies free, cruelty free, safe, effective. If you create beautiful packaging in top of sticking to your morality, the product sells itself.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I started my business on foot! I still prefer doing business in person. Building a brand starts in the community. Getting to know the business owners and workers is the only way to grow. These are the people in your environment that are already doing what you are trying to do. It takes courage to show up unannounced with a fully made product and pitch it a buyer on the spot! 9 times out of 10 they will give your props and feel apart of the journey. The journey is the backbone of your brand, so the more people feel connected to it, the more support you will find you have along the way. That support will come in handy when times get tough, and they will get tough. I have been turned down so many times. Selling this way often leaves me crying in my car, feeling like a phony. But I never let that “L” end my day. I could not bring that energy into my home life, or let negative thoughts feast on my brain. “One more stop” I would tell myself, and -what-da-ya-know- another sale! Feels so good I go to the next spot. No matter what, you have to keep going. Pick a product you can truly get behind, get your margins on point and never quit! Success is inevitable.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pulpandpressure.com/
- Instagram: @pulpandpressure
- Other: TikTok: @pulpandpressure
Image Credits
no credits, just me!