 By Lajeune Hollis There is an old proverb that says: “Necessity is the mother of invention.” This means that creative solutions are often birthed out of hardship. Five years ago, at the onset of the Pandemic, Altheda Bastien was looking for a new place for her and her daughters to live. She had heard that Connecticut schools had good educational opportunities for her youngest daughter as well as housing that was more suitable for her family. So, she packed up and moved her family from Spring Valley, New York to Connecticut and quickly found a full-time job in sales. But it was what she did after her day job that had become an instant hit! Altheda worked right from her kitchen table using her blender to create natural body butters. Her co-workers loved what she created and soon her home business was on its way! Altheda grew her social media platforms with the goal of building a website to have an online shop. Nailah’s Naturals, named after Altheda’s daughter Nailah, was created to “provide personal skin care products that are affordable, free of harsh ingredients and with an all-natural ingredient base.” And they are easily accessible by being purchased via her website or at pop-up shops. Altheda may be busy during her “9-5” day job, but her “6-10” job building Nailah’s Naturals is motivated by her fan base and the ability to leave a legacy for her family. She also credits the people who have taken to this brand, positive customer feedback, and encouragement from friends and family. Building a business is challenging for Altheda, a self-proclaimed “perfectionist” because she is constantly thinking of ways to add new products, grow her content and research ingredients. She is currently working on something that she calls a “big deal”--which she is aiming to launch in the fall of 2025. Altheda also shared how it can be concerning when online sales dip or when website traffic does not convert to sales, especially when it is time consuming to create new products and content. But Altheda never gives up! One example of this is her men’s products. Nailah’s Naturals offers beard oil but is looking to expand to include body butter and body wash. She expects it to sell well because of the increase in interest in men’s skin care. When Altheda is not busy working full time and building her business, she likes to try new restaurants–especially for brunch - travel and spend time with her family. As far as advice she offers to anyone looking to start a brand or business, she says: “Do your research. Do not let the fact that you do not know everything stop you. Just do it! Start out little by little, do not over-invest. Make one or two products to see how they sell and see how customers react and feel about it, then invest in what works based on those factors while slowly expanding the product line over time. Remember Rome was not built in a day!” Nailah’s Naturals continues to grow and expand in new and exciting ways! Next up are DIY (Do It Yourself) Scrub and Sip Parties, where groups of adults can gather and learn how to make their own body butter or scrub while enjoying champagne or wine. Participants take home their creations at the end of the party. Follow Nailah’s Naturals online at www.nailahsnaturals.shop or on social media: Instagram: www.instagram.com/nailahsnaturals Facebook: www.facebook.com/nailahsnaturals2020 TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@nailahsnaturals
 BROWSE THE SHOPBLACKCT DIRECTORY:
1 Comment
|
RSS Feed