We were lucky to catch up with Diana Utley recently and have shared our conversation below.

Diana, appreciate you joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

My passion is giving an alternative to chemical, preservative pacted products for hair, skin and nails.

When I was a little girl my Mother Carrie, would come up with solutions for skin hair, and nail conditions. If I had dry skin, dull hair or was stinky she would go into the kitchen. Her products were pure and simple. My Mother Carrie made lotions, soothing balms, sugar scrubs and body wash.

As I got older with age came changes to my hair, skin and nails. I found with age even my body smelled different. I tried the simple things my Mother made. The change in my skin, hair and nails was remarkable. I have brought you the solutions from my Mother Carrie’s kitchen, 4 U Organic Body Butter.

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?

After many failed attempts to find products to help with my thinning hair, dry skin and off smell that just came with age and changing hormones, I decided to try the things my Mother did. As a child if you had a skin, hair or stinky problem my mother would go into the kitchen and produce something that worked for that condition. I remember as a small child seeing her put raw onion on babies feet for fever for example. It seems as if the older I was getting the things I used in the past for hair or skin problems were becoming less effective no matter the cost. My background is culinary arts. I am a Chef. I went into the kitchen and started making some of the things I saw my Mother Carrie using. It took years to develop products that I used on myself to come to the products we have today. We are always updating and add new items per request of customers.

Any fun sales or marketing stories?

Durning developing of our products I was unsure of whether or not it be a sucess. I was introduced to a womens networking group giving their first womens health fair. I took a change and applied for a vendor spot. At that time our business was not making any money. I paid the vendor fees and brought all the necessary items. I used my salary from working an out side job to buy raw products and materials. Not having done anything like this before I did not know whay to expect. The event was the single biggest sucess our business has ever seen.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

My sales were not where they needed to be and I was going to have to make some hard choices. A lady that had been purchasing our products from a supplier stopped me and said I have been purchasing a lot of your products. They are really helping me. She said don’t stop doing what your doing.

GOD knows our hearts. He had that lady remind me of why I was doing what I was doing. Of course I needed to make money. The thing that got me involved in the first place was to offer an alternative to the products that had failed me with my skin, hair and nails.

Contact Info:

• Website: 4uorganicbodybutterllc.com
• Facebook: 4 U Organic Body Butter
• Other: Email: [email protected]

Image Credits
All the pictures were taken by myself Diana Utley