We recently connected with Kausha Wells and have shared our conversation below.
Kausha, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
I have always been going to different beauty supply stores to purchase their “whipped” shea butter, which comes in several different fragrances. During Covid-19, when we were all shut in, I ran out of the shea butter! So, I decided that I would try to make my own, without any of the names that I couldn’t pronounce, and make it an all-natural product that is universal from the skin to the hair. I had a conversation with my daughter-in-law (at that time, she was the girlfriend) and my son and came up with the name of KBlessd Butters! I researched different recipes, tried some with my own twist, and used my friends as my “test smarties.” Once I got my formula down, and after getting the go from my friends, I worked on my website and started announcing my launch date. I wasn’t sure how this would work out, how hard or easy it would be, or even if I would be able to do it, but I trusted in God and continued to move forward.
Kausha, 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?
I am a Mother of 4–I have a 32-year-old daughter, a 24-year-old son who is married to my 23-year-old daughter-in-love, and a 14-year-old “doghter” who is the light of my life!
I decided to start my own Body Butter business during Covid, which was the perfect time! I purchased my inventory by doing GrubHub for about 3 months, used my friends as my test “smarties” until I came up with the perfect formula, and launched KBlessd Butters on Nov 2, 2020! My clients love my products because it’s very moisturizing and not heavy, I offer over 30 popular fragrances, and they also love the fact that my butters are also healing. When used consistently, they help to rid of stretch marks and scars. I also offer a Luxe Line and will be announcing a new product on Black Friday, so stay tuned!
KBlessd Butters mission is to create not only luxury skin-care products but a community for Mothers that need the extra nudge to embrace self-care. We provide words of affirmation every week, as well as benefits of Shea Butter, a Scent of the Month monthly, and other promos. We also offer special discounts, promos, and inside information to our KBB subscribers, whom we call our Very Important Blessd Babes, aka VIBB. They get the scoop on a lot of things before the regular public does.
I have an AMAZING team, which is super important in a business! My Marketing team is the absolute best! They manage my social media handles and newsletters, create all of my content, and even helped me to rebrand and direct my photoshoot. My Mother, who I call my sidekick, is also a very instrumental part of my business because after being in Maryland for only a year, I have shown her the ropes to learn my business. She attends all of the events with me, and I would NOT be able to be where I am without her.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
During Covid, when we were all locked in, I had a company car and decided to do GrubHub after work to build up the money to start purchasing inventory. That was truly a blessing because I didn’t have to pay for gas and didn’t have to worry about running up the miles on my personal car. I was able to keep 100% of my profit and just stack up! I was making $100 within 3-5 hours! So, I made a goal for myself, which was to make $500 a week for 3 months, and I did. I didn’t stop until that $100 was made for that day! It started getting a little harder because restaurants started to open slowly, and people were eager to get out, but my 3-month goal was met! That was a great feeling and a huge accomplishment for me!
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
The most effective strategy for growing your clientele is knowing your target audience and marketing specifically to them. That doesn’t necessarily mean specifically thru social media such as IG or FB. People think that lots of followers equal a large clientele, but you must remember that everyone who follows you isn’t your target audience. It’s quality over quantity. Someone can have 100 followers and make over $100k in sales. Also, you must market and engage with your subscribers. They are, I would say, your most valuable customers because they are the loyal ones who will continue to purchase and refer you. If you have a great marketer who understands the market, believes in your product, and understands your target audience, then your clientele will continuously grow. If you can’t afford a Marketer right now, then I would suggest that you learn as much as you can about your target audience and how to market to them. Youtube has all this information for free. You can also purchase an Ideal Client Avatar Guide, which is a guide that will help you communicate effectively with your audience and understand why they are qualified to target them. I purchased mine from radiantmediamgmt.com and it was extremely helpful! It will take some time, but it’s not impossible. But if you just jump out there and try to market to any and everyone, it’s like throwing a dart blindfolded.
Contact Info:
- Website: Kblessdbutters.com
- Instagram: @kblessdbutters
- Facebook: @kblessdbutters
Image Credits
Photographer: Austin Hill @Yrnphoto