Transcript
You're going to hear from Monique Mendes's, the co-founder of Iota, an award winning beauty company dubbed The Best of Clean Beauty by Allure and the best new body care brand by Cosmopolitan. You're going to find out why she launched and how that related to her fertility struggles and a health scare. She talks about bootstrapping the company along with her husband, what Work-Life Balance looks for her with her seven year old kid and her best social media marketing tips. Welcome to the exit interview with Kim Richburg, do you work for yourself and want to supercharge your business while still having fun? Well, this is your go to podcast, part MBA, part cheer squad. Every week, I'll be joined by top business owners who share the secrets to their success after I found myself working during childbirth. True story ! I quit my executive media job to bet on myself fighting the fear and imposter syndrome to eventually on six awards, an in-demand speaking career and features in Fast Company and Business Insider. Now I'm here to celebrate all you rock stars betting on yourself, and I want to help you win. Tune in every Wednesday to hear from remarkable founders. And don't miss our solo Friday episodes. A treasure trove of video and podcasting mini masterclasses with me. Exit the grind. Enter success on your own terms. Don't forget to subscribe today and grab my free video tips at my website. Kim Dotcom. I'm excited for you to hear from Monique Mendes's, the co-founder of Zero, she gets real about what it's like to launch the business, how she's decided, which products to make, which products not to make, how she listens to customer feedback, the good, the bad and the ugly of entrepreneurship. But the excitement and passion she brings to that business is just contagious. And we also talk a little bit about social media marketing for her business. And if you're interested in marketing your business or yourself, whether you're a service or product based business, my video bootcamp is launching in just a few weeks, so make sure to message me on Instagram or LinkedIn before it closes. I only run it twice a year and spots are limited. It is a live coaching course, so if you're a real estate agent, a consultant, a coach or a business owner and you're looking to use social media and video to grow your business and you want to make content that attracts and engages your ideal client, we are talking about clients around the country. Students around the country have taken video bootcamp. They're bringing in multi five figure commissions, they're closing huge deals and they're selling more products than ever. I hope you show up with confidence. Remove the overwhelm of how to actually make videos and really honing in on your message to your target. Client knows likes and trusts you and works with you. So message me on Instagram or LinkedIn. If you're interested in that, I'll be linking it out in the show notes. Without further ado, let's get to Monique. Monique Mendez's is nearly two decades of experience in the beauty industry. She served as the beauty editor for US Weekly for seven years and helped develop their digital style platform. She also served as PR and marketing director for L.A. based agency Domain, founding the New York office and managing the Volkswagen and Tag Group brands before co-founding a unit. She served key consulting roles in digital and social strategy, development and implementation for industry leading indie Josue and peach emoji. She has an ad from Brown University, this mom to seven year old Genevieve Monique. I am so excited to have you here. Hi, Kim, I'm so excited to be here. Thank you for having me. So for the listeners, Monique and I worked together when I was the head of video at US Weekly, and she was the person who knew everything about everything, beauty and also style. So I'd be like, Hey, what should I use for this? Like, what should I use for that? What's the good? So not only do I know that music is like such a legit expert, she's also a really great, wonderful person. She's just a fantastic person, and I've been excited to have her on the show. I've been like, When am I getting on the podcast? When are you going on the podcast? So now she's here. And additionally, our kids are the same age, so I feel like we've gone through the same joys and struggles around the same time. Monique runs Iota Beauty, and I have one of the lotions and it is so light. I hate goopy lotions and it's so light and like my skin feels so good after it. But I don't feel it on my skin, which is what I love about it. So anyway, Monique, thank you for joining us. Thank you. So happy to be here. So talk to me about what made you decide to launch your own business. Why did you want to leave corporate and marketing and style and beauty in terms of the editor side to actually launch this business? Yeah. So the idea for Geotech first came about when I was a beauty editor and I had hundreds of products that came across my desk that I share that I'm sure you saw sitting right across from me, but I found it super confusing as a beauty editor having to wade through all these products. And I thought, if I'm confused, how is the average consumer not getting confused? Everything that was coming across my desk, especially for personal care during the day, was very much after the fact solutions. It's I have a breakout. What do I do about it? I feel like I smell bad. How do I conceal that? Nothing was really getting to the root of skin health, which is our skin microbiome, but it was really a series of health scares that I experienced before, during and after my pregnancy that really was, you know, the trigger of where I was like, I've got to do this, I've got to bring this into the world. And the timing is now. So it took up my husband and I years to get pregnant, right? We were diagnosed with infertility for reasons unknown. Finally, did get pregnant after a few rounds of IVF. And during my second trimester, doctors found a tumor the size of a tennis ball on the tip of my pancreas, but they couldn't run any of the tests. I was going to multiple cancer specialists in New York, and the same answer. They're like, We can't tell you whether it's malignant or benign. You're just going to have to see your pregnancy through and go immediately back into surgery, and we'll be able to tell you that in there. But for now, it's entirely up to you, whether you want to terminate the pregnancy or move on. I still get chills talking about to this day. So decided to proceed. Luckily, everything went well. I have a beautiful, healthy girl who's now seven. It's crazy that she's already seven, had an emergency C-section and then right after the emergency C-section a month later went back into surgery. My stomach's a mess. It's like crazy, but they were able to successfully remove the tumor. Luckily, it was benign, but apparently it had been growing in me since my teens, and then I was diagnosed with high blood pressure. For reasons unknown, I felt like I was an otherwise healthy person, and that was just led me straight down a rabbit hole of what was I doing every single day over the past few decades where sure, I. I like I was eating right, getting enough movement, generally living a life like not too extreme, but that was having this cumulative effect on my health. Was it the feminine hygiene products I was using? Was it the body wash I was putting on every day that had the parabens, phthalates, you name it? Before we even knew those things were bad for us, even things as simple as a body lotion that were sitting on my skin daily, what and how were they impacting my health and when? This really was the reason that Iota exists and the reason we decided to launch Iota and we meaning my husband and I, we are a husband and wife team. So that really is why we exist. We're really talking about skin health as part of the whole conversation around health, and we really want it to be in the same way we talk about sleep, movement, nutrition. Using that same language and thought to discuss health. And how's it going? What year are you in? Talk to us about the evolution of the company. So we're actually in a few days going to be celebrating year number two, which is crazy since launch. I mean, my husband and I had been working on this years before we both started during the pandemic, left our jobs and devoted ourselves full time to this. Working hand-in-hand with our scientific advisory board to formulate bring the product to market, really understand our customer by speaking to those who were interested in buying the product and those who had tried the product learning about what they liked and disliked about it. But yeah, it's it's year two now, which is crazy. OK, so how's it going? Like, how do you feel like? I think it's it's the launch. Is this whole, like you said earlier, just craziness of like launching the business. I think maybe I had seen you. I know I'd seen you, I'd seen you at the time, and it's just this crazy like rush. I love it when we're whenever I interview in New York or I'm hearing horns and I'm like, Are those the sirens outside your window or mine anyway? How does it feel different? Like now that you're you're kind of like, you're not in launch, you're now launching new products that the company exists is out there. You know, how does it feel now that you're in this stage? I think it still feels new and fresh. We really use the past year to understand our customer, and I think that it's super important for any brand that starts out to do so. Instead of launching with a million different products and a large team, start small and get to know your customers. You know you're going to be customer service, you're going to be answering their questions, finding out what they like and what they don't like about the product. Any suggestions that they have for product innovation down the line? A lot of what we have developed since our initial capsule collection and what we're going to be developing and launching the future are inspired by conversations we've had with our customers and addressing their specific needs. I mean, how have things changed? It's still exciting. It's still challenging. I don't think that that's ever going to go away because we're still in the early stages. And yeah, everything still feels very fresh and now. Talk to me about, first of all, I feel like I I remember every iota won all these awards. Talk to me about, Am I right? I feel like I go to one of these beauty awards. We've won 16 industry awards, which has been really humbling and really exciting, and it's still crazy to even say that. And I think what's been even more exciting than being recognized by our peers is also being recognized as more than just a beauty brand. We won glossies best breakthrough wellness brand, and to be recognized is not just personal care, a company that makes body wash body lotions, but truly as a brand that's filling that white space between personal care and wellness, and is being recognized and talked about in the same breath as like supplements like vitamins. Real things that truly impact a person's overall well-being is exciting and is a trend that I see the beauty industry going towards. It's currently a trend, but it's going to be like a lasting trend because it really is about longevity, right? Like, how do we extend a person's lifespan, skin span all of it? So is it called a beauty company or is it called something else? Like what category like? Monique Minutes is a co-founder of Iota Iota Beauty, a body. An award winning beauty is a beauty company skincare company like sure, I think beauty is like, what's what will easily be recognized by? It can also be considered wellness Jaco. I always say, like, I'm one of those people. I'm like a dabbler, you know, like I'm a dabbler and appreciator question for you about in terms of as you're going through the process, what has been the hardest part of this all? That's a really good question. I think having two, there are a lot of things, but I. I think having to quickly problem solve in real time because we are a bootstrapped brand. You know, it's my husband and I. We took our family's savings and we invested in this company. So a lot of a lot is riding on making this company successful. So having to not only within the 24 hour timeframe, we have obviously setting aside some time for sleep and being present as parents for our daughter, be marketers, you know, trying to figure out how to navigate Facebook and ads and also figuring out social media and influencer strategy and the whole nine yards in customer service where it's needed, when issues, whether it's production issues that may come up, small bag, you name it, having to quickly problem solve like 30 minutes, but making sure they're the right decisions you're making that could impact the future of the company. I think that is is a real challenge, but something you just kind of get used to. And it's interesting, you know, because you do have the beauty background, but you also have the marketing background. So I I think in general, it's so hard to launch your own business because you have to do so many different things like I think about for my business, like the whole accounting piece of it and the finance piece of it is so foreign to me. But of course, marketing my own business is like much more natural to me. We all have those things that we don't like as much, but I do. You know, I think you're out a little bit, not a little bit. You definitely come to it with an advantage because you have all the beauty knowledge and then also you have that marketing knowledge. So I do think that you come so prepared to be in this role, not that it makes it easier now that it makes it easier. But I do think you have those really great skill sets. So talk to me about marketing the product. What have you found like? What are some marketing lessons you've learned from launching? One thing that really separates us from other personal care brands and really is that, like the core of our storytelling is that microbiome focus, right? So when we first launched. And part of the storytelling too, and the reason we launched now and why we think now is such a good time is if you look at, you know, the consumer space within about food and beverage, there are brands and I'm sure you're familiar with your listeners are familiar with like seed and poppy and lollipop that have really made the gut microbiome exciting and interesting and not just crunchy granola or scary science. And people talk about gut health now in the microbiome like they do, you know, drinking like a fizzy soda. It's that easy and it goes hand in hand, and being healthy is just fun and accessible and easy. And that's kind of what we want to do with iota and the skin microbiome and because they have sort of set the stage and the precedent for that conversation. We thought the timing was right to come in now and even prior to that, when we were researching and trying to figure out the best messaging to enter the skin microbiome space, we struggled honestly with with the messaging and trying to find the exact tone and how to communicate the microbiome to the customer. And what we've realized is that, yes, most people want to know that that stuff, all the vitamins, all the good stuff in their pre and post biotics are in there and they benefit their skin. But they also want to be romanced, right with a beautiful sensorial textures scents that are from Italy and France and also exotic ingredients, which we really hear went on, as evidenced by our latest launch that Sichuan Pepper and the Super Chili Body Mask. But it's a combination of all those things and not just we are the skin microbiome brand, and we're going to give you a science lecture that has been a journey and we we were trying to figure out in the beginning. And I think over the past few years, we have really found our voice and found a way to communicate that in an exciting and interesting and educational way to our customer. It's great. I love how you sort of problem solve with that because it's kind of like lab coats, but make it sexy. Like you can't just come out with fillers. These doctors and labs here take their lotion. You're right, though at the end of the day, they're making a choice and they have to want your product and not just feel like, Oh hi, should you know? And so I love how it's the sort of focus on the touch, the feel, the look. And yes, it is good for you. But telling people this is good for you is not always going to necessarily get them to buy. So I feel like that's a great, a great message of what is your customer need to hear to then connect with it, to try it and then fall in love with it, right? It's science, but sexy? Yes. Yeah, we do have like a scientific advisory board. I mean, not fairly. Ray and I are not microbiologists, dermatologists. We have the idea. You didn't know that, but we have a board certified dermatologist and a cosmetic chemist and then a microbiologist to really help from the ground up work with us hand in hand to perfect every single one of our formulations because science is really. And, you know, a core pillar of who we are. And speaking of lessons that you've learned. I like to have takeaways from our guest. Tell me the three top takeaways that you have from being a business owner. This is a really good one that actually another founder that I spoke to told me about during a podcast that I had with him. And it was a quote from the Spanish explorer when he first set sights on a new land, his troops disembarked from the ship and he told all of them burned the ships because we are never going back and that is always stuck with me because, you know, starting the business, as you know, starting any business is not for the faint of heart. And I think a lot of people, for a variety of reasons, try and straddle two different worlds, right? It's I have my full time job, but I have this thing I'm super passionate about. I'm trying to do both. I'm going to do 60 percent full time job, 40 percent, you know, in the wee hours of the morning. Try to make this passion project grow and flourish. And if you can, and if it's possible and if the choice is there, I would say. And the ship, which is the full time job, goes straight into your passion project because it takes so much out of you. It deserves and it needs your full time attention and care and love to flourish. Because otherwise, what's the point? You know, one of my really good friends was had this amazing idea for this kids line that she's been wanting to do for years. And, you know, but she's always stuck between a rock and a hard place, and she's like, I don't have the time to fully do this, and I know that it's a great idea, but I just don't have the time. And it's because their other job is taking up all of our time and energy. And if she could devote that to what she's truly passionate about, it could really see the light of day. And she's been saying this for three to four years, and she just needs to pull the trigger. And so I'm just like, what? The top quit the job and do what you're meant to do. I mean, I know it's a lot easier said than done, and it's scary as hell, but you got to burn the ships. And I like earlier, earlier, you were telling me about listening to the customer input and accepting that it's a roller coaster ride. Yes. You know, listen to your customers. Your customers are key. A lot of founders and you know, I'm not going to count myself out of this because there are moments where I took it, like sucked into the whole magic of like founding a company and like, you just have to distance yourself and say, OK, we are creating this company. Yes, with a vision, but separate than that from like your needs and your wants as a founder and really tune in and listen to what your customers are saying. You know, for example, I, you know, if no one wants a body oil, every single one of the customers I've talked to have been no body oil. To me, it's like the last thing that I want, but I have it in my mind that like, I'm going to make you know, we can only go into like five new body oil SKUs because I think it's cool. And I this is what I envision for the company that clearly is not the right direction, but meet them with it where they are, you know, pick up the phone, talk to them, have conversations over email, over social, even on even on ads. I think there are a lot of interesting conversations happening on ads that founders either have agencies to oversee or have like a social team to oversee. But you need to get in there not. I don't want to call it the dirt, but you have to go and and try and dedicate at least 30 minutes to an hour, just hearing what your customers are saying, what their likes are, what their dislikes are, where they envision your company going, what they want from you, what they expect. And yeah, so I think that that's super important to do. And then getting that feedback from wherever. So just emails, direct messages, what do you think of the product? What would you like to see that sort of open ended question? Yeah, I think that, you know, I've gotten to know through emails and through even DMs. I've gotten to know my customers on a personal level, which I think is wonderful. Some of them have regular skin, are dealing with sensitive skin, but others have very extreme skin care conditions, whether it is psoriasis or, like extreme forms of eczema. There are some that are going through health conditions, like their first round of chemotherapy or like they're trying to deal with breast cancer that are just looking for ways that are small but intentional to help improve their health, right? They're not looking for overnight gains, either. Bodies are going through so much, whether it's like sore, small self-care practices. It's like a bath or just like a very luxurious feeling lotion that just makes their skin feel good. It's been truly wonderful to see the community that we're building that's really leaned into health. I love that. Talk to me about how did you decide to launch this business with your husband? Get that question from our friends. I mean, when I tell you, I first, when he first told our friends that we were launching this business is like a husband and wife team there. Their first question wasn't. Oh, my God, so tell me about the idea. What are you guys going to do? It was? Wait, wait, you're marching. You guys are launching together. Is this a good idea? Is the marriage going to survive? And you know, my husband and I listen to podcasts and there are a lot of husband and wife founders are out there, and I have to say they really paint a very rose-colored picture. Very rarely do I hear, Oh, you know, it's tough. It's, you know, we have different work personalities. It's very much OK. We're each other's rock and like everything is amazing and we're able to put aside like a Friday every night for date night. I'm like, This is not real. This cannot be real. While, yes, there are elements of that that are true and that you bring out each other's space and you each have they like the best partners, honestly, it's difficult. It's it's hard. I think that, you know, a lot of people experienced this during coalbed right when partners who were working in two different places had to start working from home. And you're like, Oh, OK, this is like a lot of time together. I didn't know I needed. But when you're working together, I think it really is understanding work personalities, ways of communication and knowing that that Friday night, date night. It's like a myth. It's a fantasy. And then when you do that, even if you do go out for dinner, you are not talking about other things. You're talking about work. If you're not talking about your kids, you're talking about work because that is our life. And I think as soon as you embrace that and this is reality, the better. The best conversations have happened when we're out of our element, right? When we're not just like in the daily grind of like the Monday to Friday. Sometimes when we're out on a walk, just like a quick little 30 minute walk that we do or at dinner, it's fresh. It like freshens the environment. It's like it helps spur creativity when you're not just so mired in the minutia. But I, you know, I thought I knew everything about Ray. Having been married to him for like a decade. But there are so many amazing things working with him that I found, like his skill set. No, I was like, OK, he comes from the world of finance, and he just great at the numbers that like just x ray. And I feel like people usually stereotype when they see us as husband and wife team and me having come from that editorial creative side, the guy I'm going to use the creative and like, raise the finance. But like, no, like he and his creative prowess is like, I have to say, flawed, impressed all of the above. I love that. So you have a new appreciation for the things that he brings. I do. I do. It's funny because sometimes I have. My husband will look over something I wrote and he'll edit and I'm like. He's such a good writer. You know, it's like he's actually a math person, but then sometimes I'll write something and I'm like, You're a really good writer and I think of it. I write, I'm more. I'm a very good writer for video for TV. Like a long article or like a book is like, just takes me a longer time. But it's funny. Like, I'm like, Oh, that's cool, that you could do all these things and you don't get to be your husband's colleague, you know, for years, he surround himself with other people who got to know him in that way, and now you're getting to know him in that way. What does Work-Life Balance look for you? I'm going to I'm going to retract that question and say, I know what Work-Life Balance looks like one time for me, and only because we went to a playground and brought little cans of boxed wine with us by the sides. Our our trip to the playground with the Bucks don't talk to me about what Work-Life Balance looks like for you. Such a good question and something that I struggle with every single day as a mom. First few years, there was no Work-Life Balance, right? I think that it was really hard. It was really hard. A lot of late nights, many sleep like going about at 3:00 in the morning, getting up, getting up at like six to like prepare the breakfast and like the day for school and all that. And even weekends were bleeding into the weeks. And while the intensity hasn't changed, I think just like the time management and areas of focus and starting to like get into the groove has been a little bit better in the past. I would say 12 months or so, but I think routine, right? It's crazy that the startup life is insane and crazy. The hours are long because you're giving your all the weekends, blend into the weeks, you're always on, always working. But there are pockets of time where I think it is important for any founder to find to recenter, and it doesn't need to be a long period of time, honestly for me during the week. It's the 30 minutes from when I dropped my daughter off to when I walked back home. There's those 30 minutes where I grab a coffee. I could just sit with myself not looking at my phone, thinking whether it's work, whether it's other things I'm thinking of, it's just time for me to just step back and breathe. And it was a pure luxury. Let me tell you, it's like a five star hotel right now. I've been doing that. I feel like I'm an oven. And also the routine of every Saturday. My daughter and I go to the same place we've we've gone to for the past few years. It's our favorite place for pancakes in the city, and we have our mommy daughter time again, like I put the phone away. I'm not like checking our socials like, you know, commenting on things or like looking through emails, responding it's just dedicated, hyper focused time with her to just catch up on the week, hear what she has to say, draw with her. They have like these crayons like that she gets to draw with on the on the table. And that's it. You know, it's those moments. And I think that, you know, with each year, I'll just keep on building on that routine, hopefully with like a little bit more free time. But you know what it is, it is what it is right now. So I just have to like, find pockets of routine. Do you find that the same for you? Yeah. I find it hard to be super consistent. I'm also not hyper disciplined person. I'm organized a focused enough to like do what I need to do. But I'm not one of those. Like, every morning at six a.m., I go for a run. I'm not that person, but I do find the one on one time with each kid and naming it's something. I think I got that advice a long time ago, putting a name to it. So like mommy daughter pancake time. So like we do mommy, Lily, Mommy, Lily Night once a year, mommy Nate eight. Once a year we go somewhere and we just like basically whatever they want to do, which is like, you know, toy store and candy just getting sort of back. But anyway, we go somewhere in addition to that, but it's just really free. Less scheduled and it's just about being together. But it having a name. And even if you can't do a whole overnight, and even if you could do two hours calling it something, putting your phone away and being checked in, it means a lot to them. It does. It's meaningful. So I think that that and then I agree with you any time I could be a not on calls, without my phone, without my family. No offense is luxury. At 45 minutes with me and a cappuccino, walking around Brooklyn by myself is luxury until I take things for what they are, you know, so especially in the better weather as well. Yes, I agree with you. I think that it's about isolating time. It's about calling it something. So it feels official instead of just like, What do you want to do? I don't know. What do you want to do? Well, that could be quality time. If you just say, right now we're having quality time, let's do something fun, you know, and it doesn't have to be go to a Broadway show or spend a lot of money, it could just be, let's go get a baby chino like frothed milk together and walk around. You know, so depends on different ages what they're interested in, but I agree with that. I was going to say it's been really exciting to see my daughter kind of get involved. Genevieve will say, You know, Genevieve to get kind of involved in the process, like when we're picking up fragrances, she like, Be right there with us. They're like five. We'll get her opinion. I know she goes and tells her teacher that when they ask her out, What do mom and dad do for a living? She says, make body wash, which I think is hilarious. But at the same time, she I can see as she's getting older, she is getting more interested and what we're. She has like an opinion on color choices that we have. And she's like, you know, this summer one of her biggest goals, we weren't able to do it, but she was like, I am going to start a business and start a friendship bracelet making business. And this is what I want to do. And it's just exciting to see that at such a young age, I certainly didn't have this like burning entrepreneurial spirit at the age of seven. But seeing that in her and seeing, you know, she's seeing that that ring or creating something, and hopefully it inspires her to attempt to figure out her own passion. Yeah, I agree with that. My kids will see what I'm doing for, you know, obviously, I work on a lot of videos when I was at a company, I didn't ever really. But now that I do my own social media marketing, I'll be editing videos on my laptop, on my laptop with like video editing software. And I taught my kids how to edit a little bit, and I'll let Lily, who's nine now, kind of make some decisions. I'll be like, OK, where do you think we should cut this moment? Like, you slice it, you slice that now, you hit trash can that makes it go away. And just just even her understanding, like we're creating a story in a video. And last year I went in and I talked to her third grade cla*s. I gave them a public speaking seminar. Oh, I love that you have to like, keep it really moving. You know, you got to keep keep those kids on their toes or they're going to zone out and space out. But it was really fun and it was so cool because she could see what I help people do. I think it's always hard. Like basically, even if you're good at what your kid needs to work on, even if you're trying to support them, they don't want to learn from you. But she knows that I do teach people how to do public speaking. That is a part of my business. And so when she wants to do things like that, I'll be like, Oh, did you? You know, did you use any of my tips? Was it helpful, you know? And so I think it was helpful for her to see mommy is doing something that she likes, that she's passionate about, that you can have a business or a career that's creative. And I have heard her just like, say, like, Oh, like, mommy makes a podcast every week and like, Mommy just spoke on a stage, you know? And she's very proud of me and I'm and I'm proud of myself, too. She's very proud of me, and I think it's really good to bring our kids into it, to see all the hard work that goes into it. Like I always say this picture of me standing in front of 200 people speaking. Guess how I felt before mommy felt really nervous? You know, mommy felt nervous, too, but this is what I did to handle it. So I like to bring them into the business part, but also into the personal growth part of it, because I do think that growth mindset is something that you know, kids need to work on, and it's something that we need to work on, too. But taking them into our struggles and our journeys and not just look at this amazing thing I did, but rather this was hard and I stuck with it. I was scared and I overcame it. And I don't know that those are the sort of things I I think about more now that I'm I mean, I'm in year five of my business, which is crazy. But you know, so that's kind of what I think about as the kids get bigger and my company gets older and wiser. Monique, what is success mean to you? That is a great question. One that I was not anticipating. I think it's making an impact, whether big or small in some way or fashion in someone's life. On the hardest of days as an entrepreneur, when you are like, oh my gosh, how can we go on being dramatic? But it's just tough when you get an email or a message from a customer, and I'll give you one example of someone who started out as a very as one of our very first customers and has stayed with us since. But she emailed, saying that she had been diagnosed with extremely severe eczema at the age of three and the one thing that scared her the most every single day literally terrified her was taking a shower. And to you and I, you know, it's just routine. We don't really think about it. That would just give her. Crazy anxiety every single day, the thought of taking a shower because of how her skin would feel after it would be itching and burning and rashes, and she would just have to deal with that for hours before it went away. But she said ever since using her body wash, it has helped mitigate all of that. I don't feel the burning and itching and the anxiety. And most importantly, she said it was the feeling it's not having to approach taking a shower with fear anymore. And it really has like changed my life in the way that I look at just a simple act of taking a shower. And I remember cheering and just feeling very emotional that day, and I turned to Ray and I was like, This is what makes it all worth it. The hardest day's work at birth. This is why we do what we do, and that still resonates with me and still resonates with him and with the company. And I think that's true success. Now, I love that as you were speaking, I was just thinking about the fact that like, I started working for myself, mostly because I wanted to be in control of my schedule like that was really my wife. And just because as I had made actually like seven years ago, I just felt totally out of control with my schedule. I couldn't really envision a path where I could give both my kids the time that I wanted to give them. So I launched the business. But actually, as I've been working more and more with individual people and nonprofits, I have the clients being like Kim. Like I just made like X amount of money and commissions or contracts closed because of what you taught me. And I'm like, Oh my God. I think that that is now my way. But it wasn't when I started, and it's just been crazy. I'm like, I'm actually helping people, you know, I'm not. I don't think of myself as like, I'm a I'm a philanthropist, but I'm helping my clients. And I hadn't thought about that when I first launched my business, but it's been really rewarding my clients. First of all, they're nice and I am on their team and I'm like, You deserve more people to know who you are. You deserve to have more clients. You deserve to have a life. But most of them, I'm helping them be in control of their life in the way that I work. So to be in control of mine, so we're all in it to have this just a life that we are. The captain of our ship. And so we're all kind of helping each other. And so that's been something I thought was interesting is now my wife has definitely evolved from being like, I just want to see my kids a little more to being like, No, this is really cool. I'm helping people. This is awesome. So that your comment just made me think about that. I know I see that on your socials as well. I see people like reaching out to you, talking to you and like comments about how you've helped increase like that. Like just the tips that you're giving them, just help with their business. So much so that's been great to see. Amazing. And then before we hang up, I forgot you are so great at social media marketing. The social housing for everybody are amazing. Any tips for people who are promoting their own business on social? Like Are there rules you live by? Are there ways that you think about creating content in, you know, either on a small budget or to make it easier? Like what? What are some advice maybe you've given you've give because you have a really great marketing presence? That's a great question. And one too, that, like I said as a brand that we struggle with because I think that for a lot of brands, so much is about like promoting the product, right? Like, you feel like every single post you need to do is about the product. I would say don't feel confined to doing that almost like treat your account the way, like what would please you to see what would entertain you? Would you want to be shown the same product from a brand every single day and like different settings with different, you know, whether it's a bathrobe, whether it's, you know, like try to put yourself in the mind of the customer? And also, what is your message, right? Like, you are more like more than a beauty product for us. Our message is help. So we try and create content that really ladders up to that messaging. And it's broad and there are different approaches that we can take and different tips that we can make actionable to a person's life. And so you'll see in our content, it's not only the serum, the lotion, the body wash on repeat every single day, seven days a week, we vary it up. And I think that brand shared. Take liberties like that, don't don't feel like. Unleash the shackles of that, right? I love that can take a creator mindset to it and not be so brand brand. If you're selling, you're losing, like if you're in advance, you're always selling, you're never going to be able to keep followers. Exactly. Monique, this was fantastic. Tell people where they can find tests by iota and to tell us more about how people can connect with you. Yeah, you can purchase online at Iota Bodycon. Find us on Instagram, Facebook at A02 Body and come join our community. Excited to to meet you. Thanks so much. Thank you for joining us. Don't forget to exit the grind and enter success on your own terms. This is the exit interview with Kim Richard. Don't forget to grab my free download. How to grow your business with amazing video at Kim Dotcom and linked out in the show notes I love to hear your feedback. Make sure to submit to me what you learn from the show and how you're crushing it on your own terms. Connect with me on Instagram or LinkedIn at Kim Rickford, our ITV RG. And this show is edited by Gillian Grover and produced by Henry Street Media. I'm your host and executive producer Kim Richburg.
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