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

Thea, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

My work as The Artist’s Concierge is a culmination of many varied experiences in the arts. I put myself in the role of my clients to determine what their needs are. This was one of those situations where I created a role that fit me and my experiences and interests, rather than trying to insert myself into a position where I wasn’t able to fully utilize my talents and education. The process was simple— get the first client at the table to listen to their needs and then ask what they need my assistance with. After the first handful clients had 1:1 consultations with me, it was clear that I would have some involvement in websites since that is a key way that many artists are exercising their marketing communication and content. I started to learn everything I could about GoDaddy’s website platform, becoming a client myself and working from there. The website piece fit nicely into the consulting and other services and I soon became a “one stop shopping” point for my clients. My first year took off quickly and I was working with dozens of clients in numerous ways. Within months I was learning what parts of my business needed to be systemized and automated while also balancing the aspect of personalization and customization that my clients have come to know and appreciate from me. I added online booking and services from an e-commerce platform and over time I have also determined how to have a farther reach across the U.S. and even into Europe.

As the Owner and cosmetics creator for Greeki Tiki, I took much of what I learned about marketing for The Artist’s Concierge business and applied it. That business took virtually no time to setup and take off. The majority of my time in this business is spent researching and perfecting formulas for the products. At first I thought I would make only solid shampoo bars, but that very quickly developed into a wide range of products from soap, bath salts, skin creams, and even spa accessories. That business is growing very quickly. It’s approaching just 1 year from conception and I’ll be opening inside a brick & mortar business this Summer of 2023.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Greeki Tiki is inspired by reducing single-use plastics and unnecessary packaging and carbon emissions, while also focusing on naturally-derived ingredients without artificial colorants and fragrances. Once again, I put myself in my consumer’s position and make products that I love and want. Working to solve some problems that many consumers overlook or don’t realize is important to me in caring for the planet and our health. My products are naturally crafted while also offering luxurious ingredients. The cosmetic industry is changing, slowly, but still has a long way to go, and many consumers believe that luxury cosmetics aren’t synonymous with environmentally friendly, earth-conscious packaging and beliefs. Many products on the market are larger in volume because of both unnecessary ingredients, (like added water), extra packaging, and weight. In transport, these generate harmful carbon emissions for the planet and added costs to the consumer. By condensing and exacting better ingredients, I’m able to reduce the size of the product, making it last just as long or even longer than other products on the market. This reduces waste and cost and results in better ingredients. I currently offer free door delivery in my zip code area (27613) and hope to expand that as people become more familiar with my products. I want to encourage consumers to choose smart, plastic-free, reusable packaging. I currently have introduced the idea of refills of my products such as with refill bars of my solid shampoo that comes in our signature golden tin. I choose packaging that can be reused by the consumer, such as glass bottles and jars, so refill programs are coming soon for those products as well.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn being motivated by other people’s ideas and wants and focus on what I want. That sounds counter-intuitive for a person serving others with products and services across two different businesses, but it’s the best advice because anyone that can understand the problem that their business solves in a first-hand way, such as the problem being their own, is going to be better positioned to make authentic moves. I don’t do a lot of “what do you want to see next?” type polling but I am always listening and observing and also being part of my clients world. Authentic businesses start with “me” and “I” and then look for the “us” to speak to and serve but should always be driven by the self-governing wants and creativity. You can’t be “wrong” when you intimately know something and originate your business from that point. It shows up in your business in a way that is uniquely yours and people will gravitate toward that, they’ll find themselves in it because it’s believable. The backstory of how I came to this position or level of understanding was learned from letting others control the narrative and how uncomfortable that can be. I only make and say what I want to now.

How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.

I only use GoDaddy’s Website Builder product for my businesses’ websites and for my clients as The Artist’s Concierge. I have an ecommerce site for Greeki Tiki and also one for The Artist’s Concierge. I’m a GoDaddy Pro Designer, which means that I’m given some tools and resources for helping to create my clients websites. I have developed a very large number of websites using this product over the years and I know it very well. Website Builder is very robust, with features like email marketing, integrated social media, content creation tools, reporting, and contact management, whether you choose an ecommerce or non-ecommerce version. One thing I hear from my clients often is how intuitive it is to use, much more so than other platforms they tried and tested. Features are expanding regularly with GoDaddy– the value for all the tools included is really amazing and is there to help the business owner thrive in what they do and promote. GoDaddy also now has GoDaddy payments, and payment devices, and it offers the lowest processing rates and transaction fees available.

I currently do not use other platforms to sell my products and services, but integration with some of the major platforms is available via GoDaddy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://theartistsconcierge.com https://greekitiki.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartistsconcierge https://www.instagram.com/greekitiki
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theartistsconcierge https://www.facebook.com/greekitiki