We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Altheda Bastien. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Altheda below.

Altheda, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

My mission as the owner of Nailah’s Naturals is pretty simple. Our goal is to provide quality personal care and skin care products to consumers that are all natural and free from the typical harsh ingredients you’d find in bigger name brands. We believe in keeping things simple with the majority of our products being made with just a few key ingredients that still manage to offer the best value and overall customer satisfaction. We are also striving to become the go to brand in New Haven County and beyond and are utilizing social media, vending and networking events to bring more presence to our company. Having a 5 star rating online is a great accomplishment, and we look forward to what the future holds.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Nailah’s Naturals is a natural body/personal care company located in New Haven, Connecticut specializing in body butters, body and lip scrubs, lip oils, and more. All of our products are made with 100% all natural ingredients and are homemade. I started the company a little over three years ago in the midst of the pandemic in Spring Valley, NY then moved to Connecticut. I always wanted to have my own business and initially wanted to start out with hair care products, however after much thought I decided to start with skin care products and slowly transition into more products as time progressed. My daughter Nailah is the source of inspiration behind the brand, and in starting the business, the goal was to leave a legacy behind for her and future generations to come. She frequently accompanies me on vending events in the community and assists with some aspects of the production process. I take pride in how well the products have been received by customers and am grateful for the continued support from our followers.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Our social media audience over time grew organically. We normally utilize regular posts in the news feed and stories as well as reels, sponsored ads, and relevant hashtags. When posting use eye catching graphics, such as the templates on Canva, which I highly recommend. Don’t always focus on a sale, focus on what issue your product or service may solve, and post accordingly. We respond to DM’s in a timely manner, and also engage with followers on a regular basis. For anyone just starting out, with their social media page for business-give it time to grow the page following and be consistent. Use sponsored ads and start with a small budget that can be modified to target your demographic. Check the insights to see who exactly your audience is made up of. If you attend networking events or vend at events, always get business cards and follow each other. Lastly, don’t underestimate the power of posting and sharing to Facebook Groups. We receive many likes and follows on the Facebook page. These are ways to grow your social following over time.

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

Show up! Don’t be afraid to get from behind the computer and attend networking events and sign up for pop up shops. Your customers may be other vendors or attendees. I remember a time I left a sample of a product with a cashier at my local Shoprite, which led to another cashier placing an order with me. So really you never know who may purchase your product or service. Introduce yourself first, then your brand. People tend to do business with people they like.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.nailahsnaturals.shop
• Instagram: nailahsnaturals
• Facebook: Nailah’s Naturals
• Twitter: Nailah’s Naturals
• TikTok: nailahsnaturals