Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Micahla Flori . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Micahla , thanks for joining us today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?
I am definitely a believer of the spirit realm and once I did some digging on my family tree, Lula started popping up. Lula was my grandmother’s sister who passed away as a baby. I had never heard of her, but found her death certificate just before I relocated to Charlotte and had almost forgotten about that discovery at the public library in 2019. Then there were random calls from Lula, GA and scripting her name while painting to create a loc texture in a woman’s hair made me feel like she could be a significant being. At the top of 2022, I was craving a distinct re brand that encompassed more than just desserts and leaned more towards a lifestyle brand. I worked with a brand consultant and we agreed on the idea of naming the brand as a person that our customers could identify with and easily remember. Lula came to mind immediately and has since represented what I idealize as a change agent. She was not on earth side very long, but the possibilities of who she could have been are endless. I like to akin her in that regard with the eccentric nature of the brand. Oh and Munroe is an ode to Marilyn Monroe. In high school I wanted to know everything about Marilyn Monroe so I thought Lula Munroe had a nice ring to it, sounds like someone I’d want to know more about!
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?
I’ve had an entrepreneurial spirit since I was in elementary school. Not 100% sure which ideas were solely mine or in co-creation with my mom, but my first experiences vending were with small toys and trinkets from that popular bulk toys catalog people got party favors from in the early 2000. Also into selling girl scout cookies around the same time, then making menus in middle school with breakfast sandwiches – not sales then, just the idea, and then selling my first desserts in high school and getting in trouble because students weren’t supposed to sell goods to each other at school. So just like being in the kitchen since a young age, I’ve always had an understanding of the most basic principles of business. Fast forward to today, I have grown awareness around pricing, marketing, and the importance of delegating tasks.
My most current and precious endeavor is Lula Munroe Artisan Goods. Through Lula Munroe I offer baked goods, statement merch,beauty tea blends, and soon will have a larger variety of hand crafted goods and services that are in alignment with conscious consumption and centered around the power of plants. With Lula Munroe I am most proud of taking on the challenge of creating “healhty-ish” desserts by swapping out certain ingredients all while maintaining classic flavors. My overall goal is to encourage people to heal their bodies through better food choices and movement. For the next generation, I am sharing an alternative to heavily processed snacks and desserts while spreading the message that healing is accessible to us at all times. I also really pride myself on making or having a direct hand in producing all the goods that Lula Munroe carries. It took some time to define my offerings, but as an Artisan intentional about all that I create, I’ve learned to embrace the ability to exist in more than one category and identity the proper channels to share each expression.
When I’m not making or selling products, you can catch me learning about a new skill from a book or class, practicing yoga, treating myself to a homemade meal, or simply admiring the sky.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
Word of mouth and sampling product at vending events are the top two ways I get new clients. Vending events are always an awesome opportunity to exchange energy with a potential customer and also let them have a taste of our baked goods. I’d say on average, a sample converts potential customer into new customers about 70% of the time. Word of mouth will forever be the most reliable source of new clients in my opinion. The power of sharing digitally is major too and encouraging a current customer to leave a Google review or even asking them to tag me in their Instagram story or post can serve as the greatest referral.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
Funny story, as mentioned before I didn’t begin with great strategy and that is mainly due to being unexpectedly laid off from a job I was really enjoying back in 2020. Starting a business felt like a pipe dream in 2019, but a little boost in confidence and small severance from my former company felt like enough surplus to get something started, even if on a small scale. Since that initial investment, I have remained self funded. As the year ends and looking forward to 2023 I plan to qualify for grants or small loans to pay back quickly.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
August @elvenafro (last photo only)