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

Wendy, appreciate you joining us today. 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

The idea came from trying a sugar body scrub for the first time. Blown away by how amazing the coconut oil and sugar felt on my body. From there I decided to take steps everyday to move forward and create my business. The first thing I did was source the packaging which was me going to Walmart and finding a cool glass jar with a clamp lid. Then, I designed a logo- honestly not even sure how I did it- but it was really good so I had stickers made to stick on top of the jars. From there I decided to gift friends and family my creations. That was 2019. In 2020 I got serious. I figured out how to use Alibaba and I texted with a young woman in China many many nights- it’s 12 hours ahead there. I then placed an order for 4,000 glass jars. I had to learn about customs, duties, a customs broker and of course how ocean shipping works. Then- I had to get to get product. At this stage I had no idea that I had the talent or knowledge to formulate my own products so I went searching for a manufacturer to make the product for me. That took at least 8 months to find the right company. In August of 2021 I received my shipment of Wendala’s LowCountry Sugar Scrub. The product was beautiful but it had two major glitches- it melted easily (75 degrees) and it was too greasy and the sugar didn’t always melt on the skin. Luckily a ladies group asked for my product to be featured at an event. They requested a “Hand Scrub”. that could take away cooking smells- like garlic or onion. I contacted the manufacturer as I still didn’t realize I I had the know-how to make them myself. The manufacturer basically waved me off because I didn’t want a large enough order. So this is where it all really begins. Even though I officially registered my company as an LLC in August of 2020- I did not launch my now very popular Hand Scrubs until November of 2021. Everyday I seek knowledge so that I can be the best I can be.

Wendy, 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?

When I graduated college I moved to NYC to pursue an acting career. I did a few movies here and there but certainly was not making a living. Not even close. I then decided to become a stand up comedian so that I could actually work my craft every day. I learned a lot about grit, fortitude and bravery during the 7 years I stood in front of audiences- bombing more times than killing. When push can to shove I needed to be there for my kids so I gave up the comedy and waited tables. A lot of tables This led me into learning about wine & spirits and I became a sales rep for a large distributor.
When I look back on all the skills I learned in my previous careers I am grateful. My nose is is so sensitive to smell thanks to wine training. Stand up comedy made me grow very large balls of steel ( can I say balls😂😂).Lastly-waiting tables and selling. Let’s just say my sales skills are top notch.

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

Temper tantrums won’t get you anywhere. There are many problems that arise on a daily basis. This could mean your printer breaks down, the sugar scrub melts, your first batch of labels don’t fit the jars, etc. I had to learn to CALMLY tackle problems. I also had to learn that getting upset and throwing fit is not helping. A huge part of entrepreneurship is solving problems.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

After I had already ordered and paid for the 4,000 jars I learned that there was a possibility that a huge duty tax ($250%) could be coming into effect. It was called an anti- dumping tax, and if the bill was passed I would be SOL. I had to quickly read very complicated documents put out by several government agencies. I had to research experts in the field and figure out how to contact them so I could really understand what could happen. It was a super stressful time but lucky the bill was rejected.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wendalas.com/
• Instagram: @wendalaslowcountrysugarscrub
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/100063524380653/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lowcountrysugarscrub
• Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/kushelwendala
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@wendalas5124

Image Credits
Wendy KUSHEL Katie Silva