We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shonda M. Cuberson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shonda below.

Shonda, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I created The Beautiful because we should have access to quality products made with the best ingredients. People should feel confident that what they are using on their skin isn’t hurting them. My business provides wellness products that are clean, safe and effective.

Personally, over the last several years I stopped using products we all grew up with because they always seemed to sit on top of my skin, or they were too fragrant … or they simply didn’t work.

And the chemicals and preservatives used in those products allow for them to have a long shelf life – but those ingredients aren’t good for our beautiful bodies. I started using natural oils and butters to nourish my skin. During the pandemic I experimented with ingredients to find combinations that I love, and I shipped samples to friends across the country to get honest feedback. The response was overwhelming and there was such a degree of excitement and support that I knew I had to keep going.

I created an e-commerce site and I began promoting my business on social media and sending out an e-newsletter to subscribers. I also incorporated a lifestyle blog (www.thebeautifulhumanblog.com) to share tips and insights on beauty and living well. What motivates me is being able to provide products that are clean, safe and effective. They are made with love and I know they work. I am proud to be able to offer these amazing products to others. I create The Beautiful products with my own hands and heart – that makes a difference.

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 have been a communications professional for my entire career. I have worked on communications and employer brand initiatives for some of the most well known brands, like HBO, Scholastic and Conde Nast. I have also been a lifelong fan of many of the brands and companies that I have worked for. Being in the entertainment and publishing fields allowed me to be creative and have fun with my work. Even so, I always gravitated toward beauty. I am that person that will invest in quality products. I have believed that pampering one’s self is a healthy form of self love. It’s so important to take care of yourself and to be in love with you. But I would equate the high cost of a product with the quality of a product, and that just wasn’t true. Many high priced products are notmade with the best ingredients but we pay for the name or the packaging. I also realized that what we put on our skin can be extremely damaging and unhealthy. Our skin is our largest organ and the most beautiful part of each of us. We should cherish it and nourish it whenever we can.

I provide natural products that nourish the skin and promote wellness and self-care. My line of products includes body butters, bath salts, scrubs, body washes, lip balms, body sticks and soaps. Through my products, e-commerce site and lifestyle blog, I educate about living well and seeing the beauty in life.

My site also serves as an opportunity to educate women about living well and seeing the beauty in themselves. I want women and men to see the correlation between purchasing quality products and treating themselves well. There are many companies that create products, but I truly believe that there is an opportunity in presenting a colorful,beautiful, joyful lifestyle through products and education. Having quality products is a worthy indulgence that is within everyone’s reach. Creating a spa experience daily doesn’t have to be expensive.

What sets me apart is that I am committed to the quality of my products, and I will not compromise on the promise I made when I started my company and the promises I have made to the people that loyally support my business. My products are natural, and they work.

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

I created my e-commerce site using a platform called TailorBrands that is kind of a one stop shop that allows you to create your logo, build your site, apply for your EIN, your LLC and your trademark if you want to pursue that. The wonderful thing about my platform is that I can reach out for help whenever I need it (although it could take a day to get everything fixed because of the global staff that Tailor Brands has). I love being able to share my site with people and seeing their expressions. I think people assume that a sole proprietor will not have a nice e-commerce site. The interesting thing about the way the universe works – I was in a position where I was overseeing a website, and I thought I was beyond that type of work at my level and at that point in my career. What the role did was prepare me to build my own site. I am so thankful now for what I learned in that position.

Another good thing about having my own e-commerce site is that I really enjoy being able to pocket all of my profits, and being able to see the back end of the site,which include the metrics. My site is a work in progress. I want it to continue to grow and evolve. I just really love that it is mine. I advise other business owners to do the same – it’s worth the expense and the time it takes to build it. It is not as hard as it seems. It’s not easy, but you can do it.

As for cons, there is a lot to learn and it can be very time-consuming. The Beautiful is a lifestyle brand, and not only do I have my e-commerce site, I also have a lifestyle blog where I promote living well and embracing joy in life (as tough as that can be for a Black woman). That image is rarely shared as part of a Black woman’s experience and I want to show that joy and beauty are big parts of our lives as well – and that it should be amplified and celebrated, My lifestyle blog, The Beautiful Human, is linked from my e-commerce site and it is built in WordPress. I love it – it’s beautiful, but a lot of work and this year I’ve been really behind on my writing but I lose myself in joy when I do.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I am actively trying to build my presence on social media. Please follow me on Instagram (@thebeautifulbodybutter). I am not nearly as consistent as I should be but this is an area that I am committed to being better at. My life is so busy and social media requires commitment when you are a business owner. I ended up hiring a fresh out of college student to create me a plan and to give me some pointers. I’m still implementing many of the things she suggested. I have yet to join TikTok but it is on my list to do. I see how critical social media can be to a business (I oversee employer brand at my corporate job) so it’s something that I understand. I am working on it. My advice for anyone starting out is to get help and to be consistent. Be authentic and original. Have fun with it (I’ll take my own advice!).

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thebeautifulbodybutter.com/
• Instagram: @thebeautifulbodybutter
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shondacuberson/
• Other: https://thebeautifulhumanblog.com/