We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kristen Woodruff a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kristen , thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about how you went about setting up your own practice and if you have any advice for professionals who might be considering starting their own?
Prior to starting Buttered N Bliss All Natural Body Treats, I had a desire to find a product that truly moisturized and nourished my skin. Store bought products were not helping me at all. My skin remained dry and dull looking, so I was determined to find a solution. I started off researching natural based ingredients and the unique properties associated with them. Once I found a few staple ingredients, I researched formulations and got to work. Initially, I started making body butters which are oil based as opposed to lotions which are water based. Immediately, I started to notice a difference in the texture, look and feel of my skin based on my new found concoction. I was so excited that I created this body butter that I decided to share with close friends and family. They gave raving reviews on how the product helped them, and how it truly made their skin look and feel healthier. Since this product was becoming a real game changer in my inner circle, I decided to branch out and make it available to the public. It took me a couple of months to come up with a business name, build a website and work on my initial formulation. After a few weeks of trial and error, Buttered N Bliss was birthed! I have been in business now for over 4 years and have a variety of products available for purchase such as body oils, sugar scrubs, face oil and more. I also have participated in several markets and have a customer base all across the country. Some of the initial challenges were definitely coming up with a catchy business name and also integrating creativity in order to stand out in an over saturated skincare marketplace. My advice for any young professional is to not worry about the competition– be your unique voice and brand and stand on what you believe in. The other piece of advice is to set tangible weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual goals and figure out what steps you need to do to obtain that, and also come up with a business plan that outlines the look and feel of your business. I would also suggest to have a target audience in mind, and gear your messaging to that target as best as you can. Connect emotionally with your audience, and have excellent customer service. It will take you very far.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Buttered N Bliss officially launched in 2020, during the height of the pandemic. During that time, I struggled to find skincare products that worked for my dry skin needs. After many months of researching various natural based ingredients and the associated properties, I developed a body butter formula to help nourish my dry skin. Shortly after, I saw immediate results, and I just had to share with close friends and family. They loved the body butter, and encouraged me to sell to the public. My initial reaction to those gentle nudges was fear and doubt, however, I didn’t let that stop me. I mustered up the courage to figure out what would be needed in order for me to start a product line. I began working on my website, creating labels, securing a packaging vendor, purchasing shipping materials, posting social media advertisements, and so much more. Within a couple of months, I started selling my signature whipped body butters through my website. I didn’t know what to expect. In fact, I didn’t expect this idea to go very far at all. To my surprise, I sold out on launch day. I was overwhelmed with excitement at where this idea of mine could go, and had so much encouragement to keep pushing. The last four years has been full of wonderful moments, challenging times, difficult lessons and testimonials that have brought tears to my eyes, however, I wouldn’t change a thing! Had I decided to not “go for it” in the midst of my fear and doubt, I would not be here today. Since then, I have added moisturizing body oils, soap based sugar scrubs, face oil and soap to my product line. Buttered N Bliss has also participated in several vending events, as well as gained customers from all over the U.S. Furthermore, since I have started, we have not only helped our customers with their dry skin care needs, but have also had the opportunity to inspire them to put self-care and pampering first. There is often a narrative, especially for busy moms, that there isn’t time for self care. Well, at Buttered N Bliss, we are heavy on making sure you realize that you are worth every bit of taking care of yourself, and we encourage you to do so daily, even if it means simply moisturizing your skin after a bath and/or shower with one of our nourishing and hydrating signature body butters. I believe my desire to make constant connections with my customers and providing great customer service is what sets me apart. Whether it is a personalized note with their purchase, regular emails, or surprise discount codes to show my gratitude, I thrive when I know that my customers are happy and even more so when they make repeat purchases. :-) I would say I’m most proud of not giving up in the face of adversity. It is so easy for small businesses to give up when there are very slow months, no financial assistance, low social media engagement, and so much more. Although times have been challenging these last four years, I constantly remind myself of my why and who I am helping. If I can help just one person feel confident, love the skin they are in, and bring value to their life all while inspiring them to implement self love and care, it brings me so much fulfillment. What I want potential customers to know about Buttered N Bliss is that we stand by our business tagline which states, “self-care is not an option, it is a priority.” Also, that it is so important to pour into your own cup and take care of you so that you can show up in your best light for others. Whatever you’re doing in life, don’t let the fear of the unknown stop you from pursuing your goals, dreams and aspirations. You got this! Cheers to the soft life!
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
Here are various strategies that I have used for growing my clientele:
1. I often participate in markets and county fairs. During those markets, I ask for an email address. I also provide samples so that potential customers can “try before they buy”, and this almost always converts them into customers.
2. With the emails, I add those customers to my email list. I send out weekly newsletters that bring value to my ideal customer–motivation, empowerment, stories of resilience and self-care tips. I also share with them product updates, product recommendations, special offers that are exclusive to my email recipients and more. I have been able to grow my business through my email list.
3. Anytime a customer leaves a review, I send them a discount code that they can use toward their next purchase as a way to say thank you.
4. When a customer refers a friend, I send them a free gift in their next purchase.
5. I have a customer rewards program. Every time a customer spends money, they earn points. Eventually, those points gain them access to discounts, rewards and more. Customers can sign up for free on my website!
6. With each order, I also add a personalized note because I want each customer to feel special and show my appreciation.
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
Definitely market research, having a business plan, networking/building relationships and having regular goals. Being able to revisit your branding, messaging and more often to see what is working and what is not. Learning to invest in your business in the form of time and money if you want to see real growth.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.butterednbliss.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/butterednbliss
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/18L11sz8Nu/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
