Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ashley Dumas. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ashley, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s talk about social media – do you manage your own or do you have someone or a company that handles it for you? Why did you make the choice you did?

When it comes to social media, I like to manage it right now. My reasoning is because I never want to lose sight of why I do what I do, and I love being closely connected to my supporters. I love showing them me unfiltered and they love me for that. I feel like the best way to grow a small business on social media is to be known for something people love and they will eventually travel further into their customer journey. I am known on TikTok for helping people show gratitude to things they normally wouldn’t think about when they are showing gratitude. I give motivational speeches that are fun and relatable. I show up on camera looking a complete mess at times and they love it and I love them for loving me!!

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 go by Ashley D, your favorite scented Sista. I started off making candles out of a DIY kit from 5 Below with my two daughters and it was a fun craft that we made into a YouTube video for their channel. We had so much fun doing this, so when covid it, I couldn’t go to Bath & Body Works and get my candles. I had to have candles burning, they were my kryptonite. Since I couldn’t visit them, I decided to start making my own. I did a LOT of research and as I was researching, I saw all of the health benefits that are associated with candles, the different types of wax, wicks, fragrances, and so on. Once I purchased everything I needed, I started to use fragrances that help with mental well-being. When I saw a major shift in my moods a light bulb just went off and I said that’s it. I can build a candle sisterhood and reach women who suffer from depression and anxiety and tell them about the good news, the answer to our prayers! Once I started reaching out around my community everything just fell in place and now, I have my own online candle store. I have been successful because I talk about candles on a deeper level and how they are good for your health and their purpose isn’t just to make a space smell nice. I am so proud of the women I have been able to help heighten their moods on a daily. I love that my affirmations I send with the aromatherapy candles help shift their mindsets and set them on a path of healing.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I built my social media by being really transparent about every aspect of my life. I shared everything from teen years to adulthood and parenting. That grabbed the attention of my audience quickly because there are still so many women that are scared to share their truths because of how cruel the world is. Hearing me speak about growing up and having to see the abuse my mom faced to being an alcoholic and getting a DUI, to sharing the story of how my children pushed me out of that dark hole I was in. They related to that and eventually I started sharing content about personal development and now I am attracting an even bigger audience because I am adding more value to what I can bring. I also incorporate how to use candles while meditating and setting intentions while you burn them. To those of you wanting to build a social media presence, I would suggest adding value to what you are posting. Do not just post hoping it will gain traction. Set your intention for each post and have fun while you do it. Do not focus on trying to make viral content, focus on your message and set the tone for who you want your target audience to be.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele is letting my customers choose what I add to the store. I will make a post on my story and ask what they think about a certain product or what label looks better, do they think sis should bring this candle vessel back, etc. I let them have a voice and they feel heard. I don’t want them to feel like oh, this is just another candle company that is going just put things out that we have no interest in. I want to add things they value and love to have in their home/space.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.scentsiblesista.com
• Instagram: scentsiblesistallc
• Facebook: Scentsible Sista LLC
• Other: TikTok: scentsiblesista