We recently connected with Konica Cherry and have shared our conversation below.

Konica, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later

I think I started my business at the perfect time. I don’t think I would’ve started my business any sooner or later than I did if I had the opportunity to go back and start over. I was 22 years old when I first started my business and I am 26 now. I was very young and I am still young now, however, It gave me the time I needed to fail. I feel like success means nothing without those low moments. When you experience the downsides to being an entrepreneur when it is time to celebrate those wins you appreciate them so much more because it’s like “Dang, I just went broke stocking up on inventory” but then that restocking leads to increased sales and increased sales leads to more exposure and then next thing you know I’ve secured another store location. I started my business with no foundation, no background knowledge on how to run a business, nor did I have the support I needed when I first started. I was working a 12-hour shift Job at Juvenile Center as a supervisor; when I first decided to start my business, I really had no idea that 2 small cubes of soap and lip scrub in a ziplock bag with my signature on it in a Sharpie for $5 would lead me to 10+ locations that distribute my products. I was super anti-social before I started my business and I remember saying to myself “I didn’t even think this many people knew me” because that’s how socially awkward I was. I don’t think I would have been the person I am today If I hadn’t started my business right at the time that I did. If I started my business sooner I don’t think I would’ve had the motivation to actually run a business, I wouldn’t have been consistent. If I had started it any later than what I did I feel like I would be a completely different person. Starting a business changed me, It changed my perspective on life, It forced me to grow and really show people anything is possible if you do the work.

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?

My name is Konica Cherry, a Winston-Salem, NC native and Winston-Salem State University Graduate. I own the KONIWANI NATURALS ORGANIC SKINCARE LINE. I have always been interested in learning about the earth, outer space, the ecosystem, and just anything that entails the life cycle and how we as individuals are one with nature. I became interested in holistic health during my very last year in college which was 2018. My grandmother would always have what I thought at the time was weird ideas to try at-home remedies for everything; I do mean everything. Anytime my siblings or cousins and I would get sick she would try to get us to put potatoes in our socks. Placing potatoes in your socks was known as an old remedy to draw toxins out of your body through your feet. I never tried it but I became so heavily invested in the at-home remedies that my grandma would suggest that I would do a lot of research, which would lead me to realize that all we need to heal our bodies is what the earth already provides. I also went vegan around the same time I became heavily invested in holistic health. I started visiting a local store in my hometown “House Of Health”, This store sells every natural herb, vitamin, and essential oil you can name. I became so obsessed with this store I would go to almost every day. I would learn about a natural herb or product and I immediately had to try it. I remember walking into House Of Health with my brother and I told him: ” I can just see myself having some type of product and It being in this store on this shelf”. At the time I had no plans or ideas of running a business, especially not a skincare business. I had forecasted my future already and did not even know it. I was not even a full year into running my business and my products were sitting on the shelf inside of “House Of Health” and I was constantly selling out; weekly actually. I started with a natural soap bar which is an oatmeal soap bar for acne and sensitive skin and now I have a catalog of products from soap, face toners, moisturizers, and natural lip balm. I was so authentic with my journey and I think that’s what helped me stand out from other business owners. I treat each customer as if I know them personally just through engagement. I think a lot of businesses don’t create a connection with customers and it’s like a even exchange but you never really get to talk to the owner and connect on a level outside of just doing business and I pride myself in that because it has helped my business grow so much. Everyone inside of House Of Health treats me like family and they always tell me your customers talk about you like they know you personally and that’s because I take time to actually be present and not just sell a product. Like any other business owner, the journey has been filled with a million emotions, moments of failure, and thoughts of quitting but it is just a fire inside of me that will not give up. I think that being able to show everyone that although I am a business owner, I am still a real person that is what has helped me brand myself.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I lost my grandmother this year and she was my best friend that was my everything. As a business owner, I know personally I like to show up as myself 100% every day. A lot of people don’t get to see that side of entrepreneurship where you can’t sleep at night or you sitting in your office packing orders and you’re just crying. Griefing and running a business was just different. I don’t think I unlocked the door to my office for months, I don’t even remember looking at or touching a product, packing an order, or even communicating with a single customer. I watched my sales drop, I watched my business completely slow down but in the midst of all of that new stores wanted my products…STILL! I didn’t know how to show up and grieve. I wasn’t sure how to keep a business afloat without it being obvious that I just mentally couldn’t bring myself to be motivated. I gave myself some time and I would have thoughts of quitting my business. I literally remember thinking maybe this is not for me anymore, but something inside of me just won’t let me give up. I spent months not doing anything and I had to learn that although this was a challenge for me I had to continue pushing. I just kept praying to God asking for guidance I didn’t know if this was it for me business-wise or If I had to just take a couple of steps back and just start over again. I took some time off and then I just jumped back in like nothing happened, in the same week I secured two more store locations and I realized the only person giving up on me was me. It’s during those most challenging moments that you really have to sit and ask yourself why am I doing this? and is this truly my desire and purpose?

How’d you meet your business partner?

My business partner is actually one of my cousins. We’re really like sisters Honestly that’s my best friend. We’ve been close since we were kids. She is more like a background person though and that’s because she chooses to be. She doesn’t really care to be on the forefront as far as showing casing “Oh this is who helps me”. She doesn’t even care about the credit or validation. She genuinely just wants to see me win. She works just as hard for my business as I do; sometimes harder than me. I can literally call her right now with an idea related to the growth or just improvement in general for my business, She will call back in 2 minutes and she has already figured out how to maximize off of one idea for the benefit of my business. Her vision for my business is just as clear as my vision for business she sees exactly what I see. It’s very rare to find somebody who can literally see as far as you can see when it comes to the expansion of your business and how far it can go. The best part is she has a background in business so working alongside me is just natural. If I’m lacking anywhere she steps right in and confronts me from a business standpoint. It’s like one of those things where when we’re cousins we’re cousins but when it comes to business we’re really business partners.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/KoniwaniNaturals
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/koniwaninaturals/?hl=en