Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Marjorie Reaves. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Marjorie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

I started by performing extensive research on similar business models. I researched the market to gauge the price points for specific services that I wanted to provide for my clients, researched to supply costs to make specific products, the cost of an LLC and more. By performing market research, I was able to ensure that I cut down on costs where I wanted, for example, the website platform. This allowed me to ensure I had the funds available for my suppliers for herbs and special products to make the spiritual products. After the research, I made sure I ordered the ingredients and supplies. I slowly built up the inventory and made small batches to ensure I had superior quality control. Most of the products, if not all, are all made from scratch as each item is specifically curated for the customers and the intentions. Once I built up my inventory and built my website, I reached out to a graphics design team to develop the graphics I wanted to make sure I had the branding. I had then applied for my company’s LLC and received that in the mail. From there, I made sure I had business cards, and labels for my products. All of this was in the duration of 6 months to a year before I actually launched my website to the public.

Marjorie, 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’ve been studying natural remedies, and Hoodoo for over 10+ years, but really, my entire life. Taking information from each country that I have lived in..from Japan, to the Philippines, and back to the US.. from New Orleans, LA to the gullah gullah geechee’s in South Carolina..and the Native American healers here in Georgia and Tennessee. The women in my family (on my mother’s side) all were born with special supernatural gifts. My grandmother was the Province healer in the Philippines. Her and my grandfather used to perform exorcisms and other spiritual healing practices for the community. It was their business, and I had lived with them for some time before moving to the United States as a child. That acted as a Segway into my profession today. I provide many spiritual services for my clients. For example, I perform home cleansings, tarot readings, and reiki services. I’ve also added Spiritual Life Coaching services as I completed my life coach certification. In addition to those services mentioned, I also love to create bath and body products, natural tinctures and syrups, as well as candle making. I incorporate spiritual practices and reiki into all of the products that I sell to my clients in addition to the holistic benefits.

I like to think what sets me apart from others they may come across is that- I truly want to help others who are in need. Each item you may purchase, or each service that you may book- is specifically tailored to you and your energy and needs. It’s authentic, and I’m sure you will be able to tell that when you book a service or purchase an item from my online Apothecary. People who seek my help have usually embarked on their own spiritual journey and I am happy to assist in any way I can to help guide you. That is what I am most proud of. I am most proud that my woman owned- veteran owned- small business is doing well, and that I have stayed true to myself and my goals to be in service to others..to help with the spirit, body, and mental space of my clients.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

A lesson that I had to “unlearn” is the thought of having more time as a business owner. Initially, I thought that becoming a business owner, I would be able to do what I want, when I want. Although that is true in small instances, I had to learn the reality real quick. Becoming a small business owner means that you truly have to be ready to put in the time and effort, to ensure the success of your business venture. Most entrepreneurs will most likely relate and say, that you will be working more, especially in the beginning. When most people in the corporate world go to work from 9-5, entrepreneurs will typically work more than the 40 hour work week. Also, be prepared to invest some money into your business, and not to expect a return of investment right away. If you do, then great for you, but for most, you may not see a return of investment until a year or two. It depends with today’s day and age. We’re still in a pandemic and inflation is at an all time high is is expected to get worse, and that in itself creates uncertainty. So you definitely need to ensure you have contingency plans for those types of events.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I built my audience on social media by making sure I had the correct branding and content that relates to my business and business goals. My business social media pages are pretty informal, but it does reflect my business and my own personality. I first made sure the social media name and tags all corresponded with my business. I keep my logo as the profile picture to ensure that my branding is doing what it needs to do. I provide links to my websites. I try to promote sales and specials throughout the year by providing coupon codes for my followers. I link my social media information and it is available on my website so people who visit my site, can also follow me on social media platforms. You have to think of Social Media as a marketing tool. It’s free and readily available for the most part so take advantage in free marketing. If you have additional funds, invest it in promoting your business to your local community. Just make sure to do the research on the cost and if it’s truly worthwhile. I would post up content that relates, or products that I have available, or new products that I am launching. You have to think about these platforms as commercials (i.e. IG Reels, TikTok, etc.).

I built my followers over the years. It’s really unpredictable, at the beginning I had only 200 followers, today I have about 1,900+. I don’t pay too much attention to the number because social media is a volatile platform in some instances. I use it for what I need to.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.behatireiki.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behatireiki_apothecary/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehatiReiki
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehatiMamii