We were lucky to catch up with Beth Hughes recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Beth thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

It started at a young age, obsessed with reading product labels and playing with bottles. That gave way to flipping through magazines, gawking at entrepreneur’s ion the pages in my twenties, somehow Knowing I could be one of them. One Christmas I sat down and had a real talk with myself and decided to make the jump. I left 16 years of corporate America behind in early 2018 to step into entrepreneurship. It is still the best decision I have ever made. Not knowing at the time I left my marketing director position, I was expecting. My son Heywood is now one of my more popular woodland scents. I began to chip away at the little studio in my backyard, expanding the brand, engaging in more retail relationships, and growing my extensive Collaboration clientele. Looking back at my early years, I have always just loved putting things into bottles. A tell tale sign of an apothecary girl…

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

An “a-ha moment” hit me at my kitchen sink nearly nine years ago. Little Light Co. was the response to me needing to turn my little light back on inside of me. The desire to create and shine for myself and for my community and to no longer sit in the darkness. “Seven Scents Inspired by the South” was born in Athens, Georgia in the Spring of 2015. Beginning with a French lavender candle called Lavender & Lace, inspired by both my grandmothers, we now have ten signature scents, aromatherapy mists, and bath salts in our apothecary line. The recipes have remained the same and are all-natural holistic healing tools. Leaving 16 years of a consistent paycheck and corporate America was scary but I followed my calling and I do not regret one moment of it. I looked within for a little light and it sure showed up.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Private Labeling vs. Collaborating

I had received wonderful advice about always giving Little Light Co. its day in the sun. Meaning, always put your brand on your product so I get my acknowledgment and marketing’s worth out of each client. Well, along comes a designer that really had a good idea in their mind, but it was her way only. It was in the early tears of little light co and I was eager to gain bigger names and cooler client if you will. IK allowed them to private label in exchange for social and digital media recognize, which never happened. Silly me. I allowed their graphic designers to submit the labels, which i always designed myself. They were a mess and all to be reordered. Again, silly me.

Hold the line! Know your worth and remember the reason you set your brand standards and collaborative guidelines is to elevate and protect your company and artisanship. I will never private label, if you want to work with us, your know our products have a n excellent reputation and we add value to your gifting.

How did you build your audience on social media?

SHINING THE LIGHT ON OTHERS!

What tracks? Authenticity. That and sharing the spotlight. My biggest and most successful move on social media has always been sharing others work. Tagging everything and everyone. We cannot do this alone. When you share others creative works it not only feels good, it amplifies the creative community. I also say YES to almost all Giveaways and Donations. Over the past decade I can honestly say I see the return. From silent auctions, to promoting a local artist and creative well themed and curated giveaways I have witnessed true organic growth. The followers come marching in. Little Light Co. has never outsourced social media or used bots. I might not have 100k followers but the ones we do have are authentic and engaging and REAL. You cannot put a value on that. SO be the light and shine love on others. Your marketing will track.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.littlelightco.com
• Instagram: @littlelightco
• Facebook: @littlelightcandleco

Image Credits
Select Photos by Evermore Photography All other photos provided by Little Light Co.