We were lucky to catch up with LaShonda Topps recently and have shared our conversation below.

LaShonda, appreciate you joining us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

The name Dream Tummy was generated because today’s society, everyone wants to look and feel their best without undergoing surgery or some just have issues with bloating and would like to be comfortable. We all have one ultimate goal: a dream, flat stomach (whatever a person considers flat) so why not a healthy drink to help boost your body metabolism, restore natural energy, and help lose inches off your waist to help create your “dream tummy”

LaShonda, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have a BS in Criminal Justice but have been a social worker for 5 years. I have been in business for 3 years. I got started due to a personal issue with my own body. I was having complications with regular bowel movement and bloating.My best seller is the Ultimate Dream Tummy. Many of my customers love it because the bottles are bigger and they get a free Starbucks gift card when their first purchase is $40 or more. Our products are sold online only and shipped to all 50 states. My biggest goal is to reach so many people who are struggling with using the restroom consistently, bloating, no energy, or for those who just need a quick detox to look their best and be comfortable in their own body! Also, it taste like lemonade without the sugar.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

In the beginning of starting my business and looking for my audience, I started out generating ads via social media. It really worked and it opened a broader perspective of people in different states. After I hit my first 1K followers on Instagram, i stopped generating ads and started heavily using hashtags. Most people think hashtags don’t work, but my business is living proof that it works! I’ve also started sharing my own posts/reels more on my personal page to reach people who might not have seen my ads or posts in the hashtags. I share a lot throughout local Facebook groups as well. It works to connect with people, you never know who will need your services. My advice to beginners are to try whatever works for you; whether it’s starting an ad or attending all pop up shops. Always remember, someone is interested, might not be everybody, but there’s always someone.

We’d love to hear your thoughts about selling platforms like Amazon/Etsy vs selling on your own site.

I sell through my e-commerce website and I use Facebook or Instagram marketplace. I decided to use those as they are free to market on and sales are connected through my Godaddy website. It can be challenging to market on other sites especially when you have limited control, but to know that someone took interest in my business is always a plus. You are still able to promote your sales through Facebook or Instagram marketplaces but it does take a while for the orders to show up on your website orders page.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.dreamtummy.net
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/dreamtummy5
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/dreamtummy