As Posted in Indie Business Weekly Newsletter (September 15, 2008):
5. Indie Candy: Regina Mowrer :: Dr. Flower's Essentials :: Georgia
I am so not addicted to Twitter. Or at least I was working on breaking the addiction when I met Regina Mowrer of Dr. Flower's Essentials. Regina is a 38-year old wife and mother of a 5-year old daughter. She and her family's body parts live in Georgia, but their hearts are in Alaska where they hope to move someday. In fact, many of the profits from Dr. Flower go into an Alaska savings account, which they hope to use to make their dream come true. Here's more.
When did you start your business and what was the inspiration for it?
Dr. Flower's Essentials, Inc. was started March 2008, though my plans to have a soapmaking business have been brewing before I got pregnant in 2002. I went to a soapmaking class in Dec 2001 and was considering starting a business. I got pregnant the very next month and priorities shifted. My daughter was born Oct 13, 2002. I kept making soap, but put the business on hold until Sarah was ready for Kindergarten.
My previous job was working with my parents in law's small business. I learned a lot about the ins and outs of small business that I did not get working for NCR or SunTrust Service Corporation as an industrial engineer. My husband is a huge supporter and team player. He's had a small business of his own on the side since he was 18. The idea of working really hard and reaping the benefits of your work directly are really the reasons I wanted to own my own business are points toward owning your own business. My husband's parents had no choice but to start a business of their own after his father was laid off from a company after 20+ years at the age of 50. Who wants to live in fear of that ever happening again? Not us! So here we are.
Is Dr. Flower your full-time professional career?
It's full-time while kid is at school ;-) My husband's job pays the household bills at the moment.
How did you discover soapmaking and what excites you about it?
I was in between jobs at the time. I had just finished working at my parents in law's small business. They decided to sell it and retire. I became very interested in all things that were back to basics. How to make bread, grow organic food, care for your family in a more pioneer style. I didn't swap my washing machine for a wash board mind you, but I did learn how to cook and could make a mean homemade ginger snap cookie and homemade rosemary foccacia bread. Yum.
A few years ago, a friend taught me how to bake pies from scratch, and while tooling around the kitchen, we decided to attend a local soapmaking class. At the class, we made a batch of basic peppermint soap. Fresh rosemary blooms and blue green algae were used. I was hooked, even though my business dreams were delayed a bit by the birth of my child.
When my daughter, Sarah, turned 5, she started half-day preschool, which freed up some of my time to spend on soapmaking again. So I started slowly, got my paperwork in order, and began attending soap making meetings to learn and get an idea of good vendors.
What makes your products special? What's your niche?
What is special about my products is that they are all natural with very few exceptions. I have paraffin candles and one phthalate free fragrant soap. Everything else is all natural. The environmental side is a bit of a passion for me and my husband. When we met, he was an Alaskan mountain climber and a card carrying member of the Sierra Club. We spent our honeymoon in Alaska at a homestead owned by a couple of fellow climbers. These experiences shape who I am today. They also will help shape the products that I wish to bring to my community. (Our goal is to return to Alaska and make it our home!)
What new and exciting plans to you have for your business?
I am very happy with the experience of starting up! I've met wonderful people along the way, learned new things and most of all, I've learned a lot about myself. I'm working on new products, keeping up inventory of current products and most of all, learning how to market them. My products are not widely featured yet, but I'm working on that this year. My business plan is still a work in progress and so is my niche. I know that whatever my niche ends up being, it will be based on natural products that don't contain harmful chemicals and/or fragrances. I have done some sample marketing to runners that participated in a church fun run. It was good exposure but has not yet materialized orders.
How do you market your products?
Online is my predominate marketing so far. We signed up with Network Solutions SEO package and went through some interesting steps on what makes a site rank high on search engines. I've since moved on and built additional internet marketing techniques such as the social networking and blogging. I did do a short stint with the mom's "party" circuit with Tupperware. I found that sales party marketing takes too much of my energy to be worth the effort. I have since moved away from that one and plan to sign up with a few events per year.
What is a good business or professional book you have used lately and how has it been helpful you in your business?
There are so many, but here are a few. First, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver. The eating local and seasonal goals outlined in this book are amazing! It's tricky to balance being a mom, wife, and business owner and grow your own food! It has made increased my consciousness of the foods we eat, and it's quite inspiring to eat healthier and move toward an organic lifestyle.
The Big Green Purse by Diane MacEachern shares the message that where you put your purse makes a difference! There are many ideas in this book that really need more proof than the author gives. It will be fun to take each question and discuss it on my blog while educating my customers and audience on the impact of their "purse". This same thing applies to the buy homemade pledge or supporting Indie businesses with your "big green purse".
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill - This book was recommended by IBN member Anne-Marie Faiola of Brambleberry at the Alabama Soap Meeting. I had a group of girls in mind to discuss the possibility of starting a Mastermind group with and one of them produced the book in ebook form for FREE! Gotta love that!
What tips can you offer others who are thinking about starting a business?
Make sure your business name domain is available and purchase it right away! I wanted drflower.com but it was purchased a week after I looked for and found it available. I ended up putting a dash in as a compromise.
This was one mentioned to me by several sources: Be sure to tell your story and why you are in business selling your product. People like stories!
What's your typical day like?
It's not easy to balance being a wife, mom and CEO but I'm having fun trying. My self confidence is higher now than it has been in years. Taking breaks when frustrated and prioritizing tasks are the first things I've found helpful. A set schedule that can bend as life events change it seems to work too. Knowing that I'm not alone and that other women are in the same or even tougher position also helps immensely!
What is the biggest challenge you face as an Indie and how do you overcome it?
Delegation will be an issue of the future. Marketing is the biggest current hurdle with prioritizing tasks behind that. Many hats can fluster a person. Good thing I've seen a small business in action. I realize when I'm flustered that I should draw on what I know.
When you're not working, what can we find you doing?
In the woods backpacking, at the beach, or at a live show of local singer song-writer music.
This is Indie Candy, so if you were a brand of candy, what would you be and why?
Nature's candy of course: a cross between a wild blueberry and a wild blackberry from the mountains of NC with all the antioxidants and sweet sugar of nature.
How did you find the Indie Beauty Network and what do you think of it so far?
I found IBN from my circle on Twitter where I'm @drflower, I discovered the Indie Beauty Network. I saw other soap selling sites that had the member certificate and went to the IBN home page to see what it all was about. I joined and have learned a whole lot about marketing, networking, as well as tips and tricks on how to stay sane and happy running an Indie business. Other ways I'd like to benefit from membership start with marketing and smart ways to conduct business. From what I've seen so far, I won't be disappointed in the slightest!
What do you love about being Indie? The lifestyle? The money? Both?
Yes and yes! The idea is to make a buck while being available for my kid when she needs me.
What are your annual gross revenues, or since your business is so new, what are you planning for?
I would like my first goal achieved by next year to have the funds to buy land in the great state of Alaska.
What do you think of the FDA Globalization Act of 2008?
I understand the basic goal of providing safety to the public, but believe that major revisions are in order for independent businesses to thrive. We can accomplish the goal without alienating small business owners. It'll take a lot of work but the company of folks working on it are competent and honorable and I believe will accomplish the challenging goals.
What types of social networking and media are you involved in and why?
I am a member of the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild and the Indie Beauty Network. I also spend a good bit of time writing on my own blog as well as tracking and commenting on host of other blogs from suppliers to friends to potential customers. I'm on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter and try to integrate my posts between all 3 which is a challenge. Some of the folks that I'm connected with I've met at local soap meetings and the list has expanded from there.
Georgia Peach Soap
I really like the idea of natural colorants in soap and bath and body products. I’ve been playing around with some of my own but have yet to perfect it. That’s why I wanted to write about this Georgia Peach bar from DR Flower that gets it’s color solely from paprika. It’s simple and beautiful and filled to the brim with wonderful oils like Sunflower, Soy and Sweet Almond.
Regina also makes a Rosemary essential oil soap that utilizes green parsley for colorant. She makes matching Rosemary essential oil candles too and I can only imagine how wonderful the two smell together in the bath.
For more information about Regina’s soaps and candles, visit the DR FLower website and blog.
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![Rosemary Rich Handmade Soap Bar [3pk]](images/rosemary-soapbar.png "Rosemary Rich Handmade Soap Bar [3pk]")
Dr. Flower's Essentials, Inc. is UpFront
Boathead Says:
My particular favorite soap is the Rosemary Clay but find all of Reggie’s soaps to be wonderful.
Try the Bees Wax candles! They are also phenomenal.
Boathead
Posted on September 9th, 2008 at 11:11 am
Bonnie Says:
That soap looks beautiful!
Posted on September 11th, 2008 at 5:10 pm