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

Ani , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

The mission behind Le Feu Skin is to heal and hydrate skin in the most non toxic and natural way. The story behind my mission is that after I was burned, the doctors encouraged me to use non scented lotion and eat fatty foods to help with skin regrowth, but I wasn’t sold on the idea. I checked labels on scar creams and non scented lotion and the ingredients lists shocked me. I was pretty into a clean, non toxic lifestyle to begin with and so I decided to research and come up with my own product. I never intended to sell my lotion or make it a brand, but after the miracle healing it performed on my own skin, I had to share it with others. I wanted others to know they could heal burns, prevent scarring, and hydrate their skin with non toxic ingredients that actually work. I’ve done the research, I’ve trial and errored for many years getting this lotion right and I know it works.

Ani , 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?

My name is Ani Smith and in 2017, about 8 days after my wedding, I was stuck in an off-road vehicle that caught on fire. Once I was able to get out I was left with 2nd and 3rd degree burns on my arms and shoulders and down my left side. After a week in the burn unit, a series of burn baths to remove the burnt skin, and a pig skin graft, the doctors released me with directions to use non scented lotion and eat fatty foods to help regrow my skin. I was in no way involved in the skincare industry but I had knowledge of clean living and a non toxic lifestyle so I researched and trial and errored and came up with my own lotion with natural ingredients made to heal burns and prevent scarring without all the artificial ingredients and harsh chemicals that seemed like they would harm my skin instead of heal it. After only a few months of using the lotion I created, my skin healed up and I now have virtually no scarring. After about 2 years of using the lotion myself and gifting it to others who had minor burns or old scars, I decided I needed to share it with the world- so I created a website and began selling it online. And the word spread. The healing spread. The fact that customers are seeing results so quickly with a natural product makes them share with others and the ripple effect has been amazing! Brands can pay all the money in the world for marketing and influencers to promote their brand, but raw, unfiltered word of mouth about true results is priceless. And I believe that customers and social media followers can see that and appreciate the authenticity behind my brand and the success stories of not only myself but my clientele.

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

The most effective strategy for growing clientele is hands down word of mouth success stories. People using the product, the product working, then sharing the product with others. You can grow your social media following by paying for marketing and paying influencers and definitely grow clientele that way, but for me it’s the product that sells itself. And when someone uses it, and it works- then I have a client for life! I do a few markets a year where Im able to sell in person and tell my story and have people sample the lotion and even then the product sells itself. Before and after success stories are a huge part of my brand and although I have empathy for every “before” story- I am always grateful to whoever introduced my product to them because the “after” is always a success!

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

I try to maintain communication with clients via email, social media and in person at events and markets. Any issues with shipping or orders I try to respond to immediately. I always reply to followers on social media and engage with my followers via stories and posts and any DMS. I try to answer any questions about products promptly and explain the differences or ingredients so everyone understands how the products work and how they are effective. I would hope that by being authentic and engaging and continuing to make a quality product that my followers and clientele remain loyal and responsive.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lefeuskin.com
• Instagram: @lefeuskin
• Facebook: Le Feu Skin
• Yelp: Le Feu Skin