Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Brandi Ferguson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Brandi, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?
Ever had insomnia and hypomania so bad that all you can do is lay in the bed with your eyes open wide while ideas crashed into your brain at 1000 miles an hour? Well that’s what was going on the night I came up with the name of my business. I suffer from insomnia and Bipolar so that night I was up until 3am just thinking and thinking. Then a name hit me out of no where and I said the name out loud. “Solar Essentials Mood Mists”. Then came the uncertainty. Is the name too long? Will the name bring customers. Oh my, my hypomanic brain was in overdrive. My husband woke up just for a second at 430am and I was so excited I told him “I know what to name the company!” He just said ok and went back to sleep. I just couldn’t sleep. I started writing my business name in different ways in my notes on my phone. “Solar Mist”, “Solar Essentials”, Solar Mood Mists”. But nothing made me more proud and confident than my first choice “Solar Essentials Mood Mists”
Brandi, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Hi, I’m Brandi, creator of Solar Essentials Mood Mists and I have a Mood disorder. I suffer from insomnia, PTSD and anxiety along with Bipolar for over 20 years. I know, what a mix!!! For many years I’ve only taken medication, but as time went on I realized that wasn’t enough. So a few years ago, I chose to try something new and holistic and my heart went into Essential oils.
Sometimes medication and exercise isn’t enough to shake that depression or maintain that mania and/or anxiety. We need extra assistance.
My products are all organic and help assist with a variety of moods. Herbs such as lavander, rosemary, spearmint and peppermint are infused myself to use in my products.
I take pride in my work and I work hard to try and help others like myself who may need help with sleep, meditation, anxiety, energy, and self-love in a more holistic way.
I make essential oil blends that assist with helping a person’s mood. I want to say that makes me a little more unique than the rest of the competition.
My Solar Essentials Mood Mists/Rollons/Body Butters will help better your mood!
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
This can count as a pivot in life and my business. I started creating my business in 2020 but started feeling ill and my health wasn’t doing well. I was still creating blends but it was more like a hobby by 2021 since I had so many doctor appointments. By Summer 2022, I was ready! Or at least i thought i was. I felt that my health was gonna be what it was and that if I didn’t start my business now I never will. I had my business name, my website set up but not launched, I already told my family, made my business cards and bought all the things needed to set up my “office”. But then my worse nightmare came true on October 19th when I was diagnosed with Neuroendocrine Cancer Stage 3. I felt like my world fell apart. I thought to myself “I didn’t even get to get my feet wet yet into being a businesswoman, this isn’t fair.” But I grew up learning life isn’t always fair and I wasn’t going to let this be my downfall. I’ve overcame so much and I wasn’t gonna let this cancer get in the way. A few weeks after my diagnosis, November 2022, I had surgery. The cancer had spread to my lymph nodes so I had several of them removed and had my colon resection (Colostomy). After being hospitalized for 11 days I went home to recover. But I was still determined to go back to continue with my business. In February 2023 I finally launched Solar Essentials Mood Mists!
We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.
Currently, I’m still a very very small business. I opened up my shop on Etsy in February of 2023. I keep in touch with my clients, who are mostly family and my children’s teachers and my social media family (people I’ve known online but never met in real life) by sending emails with new products I have recently put out. I’m also very old school. I like to speak to people face to face and give out samples of new products that are coming out soon. I make people feel comfortable when they chat with me so it makes it easier for them to become a returning client.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://brand.page/Solaressentials