We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lucretia Williams a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Lucretia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

The number one thing is your MINDSET! Having a positive mindset can improve your overall well-being and help you cope better with challenges and setbacks. It can also increase your resilience, boost your confidence, and enhance your creativity and problem-solving abilities.

Lucretia, 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?

In February 2007, I launched Lucretia’s Body Oils and Sprays. It was that day that I decided to take a leap of faith and make my longtime dream of owning my own business a reality. I started my company with $200. What started out as a small hobby selling to friends and family has now expanded to over 32,000 customers worldwide. I did this by utilizing every vehicle of social media in order to connect with people and other businesses to expand my customer base and to increase awareness of my brand.

My company’s mission is designed to give people a place to shop for quality, custom made bath and body products; at a fraction of the cost from what you would pay at department stores.

Through the years I have created and mastered the art of making a variety of luxurious bath & body products. My custom-made product line includes but not limited to: Body Butter, Whipped-n-Creamy Sugar Scrub, Shower Meringue, and Bath Bombs just to name a few. These products are receiving rave reviews throughout the world and the internet. I brand my business as the place where, “DRY skin comes to DIE!” Most of my customers brand me as LBOS which they pronounce as ELBOWS!”

A few credits to my name; I had the opportunity to have my products in the celebrity gift bags with prestigious events such as the 2012 BET Hip Hop Awards Celebrity Gifting Suite and also the 2012 NBA All Star Gifting Suite for celebrities. I was also invited to make a guest appearance on WCIA CiLiving and I was also selected to be one the panelist on the ‘Interactive Discussion & Panel with Successful Female Entrepreneurs’ sponsored by Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. Champaign-Urbana Alumnae Chapter and the James Earl Jones Award 2017 for Entrepreneurship given by FOSDP Organization. Not to mention that I’ve been featured on many blogs, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. My company was also mentioned as one of the ‘spotlight’ businesses with radio personality; Michael Baisden of the Michael Baisden show. Also I have a growing celebrity base who have enjoyed my products.

At Lucretia’s Body Oils and Sprays, it is important to me that everyone receives great customer service. It is also equally as important that everyone receives great quality products. To ensure that, I thoroughly check each item to certify that it meets every customer’s desire. You can be assured that you are receiving the very best when shopping for bath and body products at Lucretia’s Body Oils and Sprays.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I initially built my social media audience on Youtube. I must admit that this was a challenge for me because I didn’t feel comfortable being in front of a camera. But I knew that for my brand to reach beyond my reach, I would have to face my fears and realize that ‘I AM MY BRAND!’ People needed to know and see me as a person and that I was relatable. I eventually gained the name as Ms. Lucretia all over the internet. As time went on, I was very comfortable with making Youtube videos, interviewing on many blogs/podcasts, local TV stations, radio stations, and various entrepreneur panels.

The advice I would to anyone on how to build their social media presence, is that to build a social media audience you need to be your authentic self. Building a social media audience can be a challenge but being authentic and having good products can help. By being yourself and sharing your unique perspective, you can connect with others who share your values and interests. In addition, having quality products that people enjoy can help you build a loyal following who will help spread the word about your brand. Remember to engage with your audience, post regularly, and be open to feedback. With time and effort, your social media audience will grow and thrive.

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

Well seeing that I have been in business for 16 years, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve had to pivot and display resilience with overcoming challenges and bounce back from adversity. But one that sticks with me most was in 2020 during COVID! Running my business in 2020 presented a range of challenges including limited supplies, disrupted supply chains, reduced demand, and increased health and safety protocols. These obstacles have required me to adapt quickly, innovate, and find new ways to connect with customers. Despite the difficulties, I had to find ways to persevere, stay relevant, and even thrive in the face of adversity.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lawbodyoilsandsprays.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawbodyoils/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawbodyoils
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoVPZwsWbgvhfbSFy_Y5ePg
• Other: Tiktok: Lawbodyoils1 and FB VIP Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/469005544858624