Love List: Crazy Sexy Biz

Love Listers,

Over the past decade, I’ve experienced the power of health, spiritual wealth and happiness. This journey sparked my entrepreneurial fireworks and led me to create my own wellness company. I’ve learned that it’s not easy being a business maven, but if you’ve got a passion and you want to share it with the world, you need to stock your entrepreneurial toolbox with knowledge and courage (and be prepared to make a lot of mistakes!). This year, I’ve discovered some of the most powerful ladies in biz today and they are rocking my world, which is why I’d like to dedicate my love list to them this week. Enjoy!

1. Marie Forleo’s B-School

Marie Forleo is my new BFF–the soul sista from a past life who I finally reunited with! She blows my doors off every time we get together, Skype, or brainstorm about business-savvy web magic! If you have a business that is making money, but not fully leveraged through online marketing and you want to monetize the heck out of what you do, then this program was made for you. Rich, Happy & Hot Marie Forleo has created an eight week online program for women (and men!) business owners (online or offline) looking to take off on the web and make their companies soar. This is an intense program made for entrepreneurs who already know what they want for their biz, but need help harnessing the power of the internet! Sound like you? Learn more (registration ends August 16th)!

2. Danielle LaPorte’s Fire Starter Sessions

Danielle’s no nonsense, spirit-packed approach to business resonated with me from the first time I heard her voice! Her Fire Starter Sessions virtual experience lit my entrepreneurial fire. I found myself saying, “Yes!” out loud as I read through FSS and watched her inspiring videos. If you’re looking to pinpoint your passion or launch the idea that’s been brewing for years (maybe decades!), Danielle is here to help you see the journey through. Want more one-on-one attention? Danielle offers phone consultations, but I have to warn you, buckle your seat belt and be prepared to take notes like the wind before you get on the horn with her!

3. Amanda Steinberg & Gabrielle Bernstein’s Know~ing Your Worth Teleclass

Want to get your wallet in order while fine-tuning your personal connection to cash?  Amanda Steinberg of DailyWorth has teamed up with Gabrielle Bernstein to create the Know~ing Your Worth teleclass. These four teleseminars will help you make the connection between your well being and your financial health. Amanda and Gabrielle will get you on the road toward healing your inner and outer relationship with money while you learn how to move toward financial success! Check out their website and learn more during their free introductory call on August 11th.

4. CrazySexylife.com Nominated for a Veggie Award!

And speaking of business…why don’t I give my own company a little love? CrazySexyLife.com was nominated for “Best Website” in VegNews’ 2010 Veggie Awards. Cast your vote today!

Peace & moo-lah,
Kris Carr

Photo Credit (cash register): plain_jane53177

Photo Credit (Danielle LaPorte): Anastasia Photography

Being a Mother and Entrepreneur

After two years of working full time on my company in the midst of giving birth to my daughter and raising my son, I finally launched Babo Botanicals in February 2010! The Babo brand is an organic hair, scalp, and skincare line for babies and children, made on an organic farm in upstate New York.

My Business Principles

The idea for developing Babo was motivated by a number of elements that are sacred to me. First and foremost, from the onset of starting a business, I wanted to incorporate my children into my work and business plan. They are my idea generators. The name and bunny logo are inspired by my son’s security bunny that he calls “Babo.”

Another principle in my creation of Babo is my belief in healthy and safe personal choices for parents. When I read that my Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) was advocating a bill – the Safe Baby Products Act of 2009 – to ensure safer personal care products for children, my belief was reinforced that mothers like me need alternatives for our kids. I grew up using common drugstore baby brands like many of us, and I seem to be fine (so far), but I wanted better care for my children. I wanted to create a line of hair, scalp, and skincare products for babies and children to help protect them from all of the toxic chemicals they are exposed to these days.

I am also passionate about community involvement and wanted my business to reflect that. The two years I spent in Paraguay as part of the Peace Corps immersed me in a unique cultural experience that elicited my passion for nature, the environment, and organic farming. Currently, I have aligned myself with two community centers which are part of The Educational Alliance, a non-profit in downtown New York City. This year, we will implement some youth programs which turn their community center rooftops into gardens. The children will learn to grow their own vegetables and about their nutritional value. A portion of the proceeds from all Babo Botanicals’ newborn gift sets help fund this wonderful project, because for every birth, a new seed should be planted.

Start-Up Concerns

From the start, some family members tried to dissuade me – and believe me, they were acting out of interest for my wellbeing! How was I to manage starting a company while raising two small children? How would I establish a competitive advantage in a category dominated by some very heavy hitters? I was repeatedly advised to stay at my current job, encouraged to execute my vision in a more structured, secure environment. But as any entrepreneur will tell you, the desire to be independent and realize your vision can be all-consuming.

I knew it would take years and many late nights to bring the project to fruition, but time flies when it’s a labor of love. I tapped all of my resources from my years in the beauty industry. Having a mother who is delighted to babysit her grandchildren each week helped with time management.

I called on the far reaches of my professional network, swallowing my pride and asking for favors. Many people were skeptical of my vision. Those I ended up working with contributed ideas, support, and services at a percentage of their usual fee because they were as passionate about the project as I was.

The Launch Process

Mothers have been a cornerstone of my brand development. The target audience for my line has always been parent and child, but I never would have guessed to what degree mothers would become my network of support, ideation, and product evolution. At the concept stage for my brand, I sent questionnaires to moms soliciting feedback on product names, ingredient call outs, and packaging design. Later, I tapped my network to have over 100 families test the products on their own kids. I also did focus groups with children – asking families at the park what they thought of the packaging and fragrance. I had fun meeting new people, and still today I get daily inquiries about my project and progress – and I can actually show them how they influenced it!

Business Operations – The Reality

The demands on my time have increased exponentially. With entrepreneurism comes the freedom I craved but also entrapment to perfection. And with two small children (1 1/2 and 3 years old), I probably get even less sleep because my third baby, Babo, keeps me up most of the night.

My main working hours are after the kids are asleep. That is the only time I can find absolute peace and quiet (and when most work with my team occurs). Incidentally, an important lesson I learned has been to hire moms who have worked in the corporate world. They are expert – reliable and talented. But they also understand when your child is screaming in the background or you show up to a meeting with throw-up on your shoulder. We all get that professionalism is inseparable from certain “mommyisms.” We are Mommy Professionals.

I’ve learned to stay true to my vision in the face of rejection. If someone doesn’t believe in what you’re doing, take their advice and move on. Even those that don’t have faith can be valuable sources of feedback and insight. I’m eternally grateful for the bright spots of support I gained from those that encouraged me and bought into my vision. Moms have natural perseverance. Maybe it’s our maternal instinct. Passion is what has driven me in spite of the pitfalls I encountered along the way.

I feel blessed to be able to work from home, and that my craft revolves around my biggest priorities today – my children. But as demand grows, it will be a challenge to find a work/home balance again because, as any entrepreneur will tell you, your business takes on a life of its own and requires that you be there every second to love and nurture it – whether or not you’re a mommy.

Kate Solomon is the founder of Babo Botanicals, a line of the highest quality, purest hair, scalp, and skincare products for babies and kids; and a mother to Rush and Seka. Kate is an avid supporter of local New York City urban greenmarkets and community centers, which are part of downtown non-profit The Educational Alliance.

5 Lessons for the Aspiring Entrepreneur

By Ayinde Howell

In 1999, when I was barely in my 20s, I opened my first café in Seattle called Hillside Quickies Vegan Sandwich Shop. My thinking was that this was exactly what Seattle needed–a place to get hot fresh vegan sandwiches. The only problem was that I was the only one who thought that. Since I had worked in my parents’ business from the age of 13 (delivering cold sandwiches to stores in the surrounding area), I thought opening a café/restaurant would be a no brainer, right?

The first day I opened Hillside Quickies, I thought all the groundwork had been laid. A strong following in the area and brand loyalty would translate to “boucoup dollas!” (as my friend Lisa would say). However, the reality was that I sat behind a counter with my one-page menu and waited. And waited. And finally someone came in! They asked, “Oh, this is a new place now?” I said, “Yes! We are all vegan. Would you like to see…” At that point, they were already out the door. This happened about two more times, and then 12 hours later I closed and went home.

I cried a little and thought of a few things I could have done better. I thought I’d work on the atmosphere and perhaps have a cute college student greet people. But I was spent. I only had enough money to get in and get my return on investment ASAP. So I showed up every day and made small improvements to the look and service of the café. I was definitely learning as I went along, including what not to do. Like opening late and not be prepared for success: I was afraid to have a lot of prepared salads and side dishes in my cold case because I was afraid they would go bad and I would lose money. Here’s what else I learned.

Be fearless. It really does take money to make money and the thing we fear most is bankruptcy! Accept that as a possibility, and then forget it every day. Choose abundance.

Let the creativity flow. Once the fear is out of the way, the creativity can flow. I would play hip hop music very loudly in the morning to get in my groove and cook soup. It was during this period that I created the Crazy Jamaican Burger and the Flaming BBQ Burger. Learning flavor combinations and considering texture are things I learned by using my own palate. It’s as simple as asking, “What do I like?” A lot of people share my tastes and some don’t. You will never impress them all, but those who identify with you are gold.

You’re selling you! In the beginning, I partnered with my father to get the lease and business. To this day, I can count on one hand the number of times he has been in the establishment. I was the face and personality of the café. I was there everyday as the manager, cook, plumber and cashier. After a couple of years, the customer base grew and I was able to delegate one of my many hats. My oldest sister, Afi, moved back home and needed to make some extra cash so I hired her (bringing my employee total to 2). She became the pastry chef, effectively establishing a new department and position that paid for itself.

We reached the 2-year mark and everything was going well. Sandwiches were selling. Sweets were flying out the door. And then something happened–9/11. The whole country went into mourning. People stopped going out to eat. For a long time they turned to comfort food and away from new vegan ideas. Eventually we moved past that, and business began to pick up. But then a little cultural phenomenon called the Atkins diet happened. Yep, I was specializing in sandwiches, and the entire population saw bread as the devil, which brings me to my next lesson.

You’ll need stamina. I watched my till go down further and further day by day. My first thought was to ride it out. Bad idea. The tie in of healthy and vegan was not as publicized at the time. So we diversified wraps, created breadless sandwiches and more sides. We were doing research and development while open for business. I pushed my days to 16-18+ hours. After riding out multiple storms, a funny thing happened: every dish began to have it’s own following. The patrons began to bring their friend to try their favorite wrap or burger or cookie.

And now the most important lesson.

Apply what you’ve learned. At the time I had no idea I was acquiring all this knowledge of how to survive the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur. I learned to manage the business better by using past patterns. I learned when slow season was, how much inventory I used and how many employees I could have and still make a profit.

At the time, what almost didn’t register was that I was being an artist and a free spirit. I decided after the 5th year to turn over my half of the cafe to my sister. I moved to NYC and after a few years of making indie films, CD’s, touring and acting school, the recession happened. I took shelter in a familiar place–the kitchen; this time at my yoga center, Jivamukti. They had a fledgling cafe with good-hearted folks, but lacked experience.

I refused the position of executive chef at Jivamukti several times but eventually saw that the community wanted and needed a source for good vegan food. So I accepted the position and its challenges. The new players were a Manhattan-sized budget, 14-person staff, and no firepower in the kitchen to the pot (pun intended). But with my earlier foundation, I was able to take a large headache out of the equation. As a famous poet once said, “Mo’ money mo’ problems”…and more fearlessness.

A lifelong vegan and health advocate, Ayinde Howell is committed to his craft and his community. As a green entrepreneur, he has served as executive chef, restaurateur and blogger. He tries to reach as many as he can with his message of greener, kinder living. His latest venture is http://www.ieatgrass.com/ — a vegan lifestyle site.

Entrepreneurial Mama

How do I juggle my life as an entrepreneur and full-time mom and still find time to feed my kids a healthy diet? The truth is that it is almost impossible to build a business, raise two small babies, feed them well and dress them right 100% of the time. But, there are a few tricks to do your best and do it right 90% of the time.

First, ask yourself: do you have to work, or do you just want to work? These are two very different things.

I started a business and decided that I wanted to see it through (kids or no kids), but I didn’t want to use daycare or even a full-time nanny. I wanted to hold onto my company and work toward my goals slowly (a lot more slowly than I had originally planned!). Typically, I am okay with this decision. But every so often, usually when a stressful event arises, I break down like the best of us. I either (a) threaten that I am throwing in the towel or (b) get mad that my company is not growing quickly enough. Then, I decide to work even harder.

However, having the “I can do it all” mentality often means that somebody is going to suffer. Whether it is your business, your free time, your relationship, or your kids—it is going to happen. And if it hasn’t yet, it will!

Establish daily goals and spend quality time with your kids!

My main daily goal is to be with my kids as much as possible when they aren’t napping. That means NO television, no internet, no texting (okay, maybe just a little texting) and so on when we’re together. I give them 100% of my attention and we play, we learn, we go to the park, we walk and we talk. I do not half-ass it. But, come naptime at 11am, it’s on! I’m all over the internet, making calls, multi-tasking, emailing, writing, designing, etc. I get as much done as I possibly can.

Do you want a nanny or babysitter? How does daycare sound?

Two days a week, I have a babysitter come and help out. She helps clean the house, get the babies up and change them, and maybe even feed them the food I’ve made. I can then use that time to prepare meals, do some extra work, have a green drink, go grocery shopping, and so on. One of those two days is spent driving to my “real” office and accomplishing, again, massive amounts of work in a short amount of time.

Evenings can be spent by going out as a family to a cool restaurant, Mom and Dad going out on a date, or heading to Grandma’s house for a meal (this is very helpful—somebody to help play with the kids and allow me time to relax).

I typically stop working at 5pm, no matter what, to just chill and eat and play with the boys. I rarely work at night, but when there are deadlines to meet or blog posts to finish, I put the babies to bed and work until around 10pm before hitting the sack. I’m an early bird.

Making time for Healthy Meals.

As far as healthy food goes, my job revolves around food. So it’s easier for me to make food than it might be for somebody else. I’ve become very fast and very good at it. It also helps that I am working on recipes for my blog and a cookbook in the works. This keeps me creative and cutting-edge. I have two little boys to practice on; what could be better?

I must say, though, that making dinner is NOT usually a fun thing for me to do. It’s not like the old days when cooking was my daily “meditation,” escape, and creative outlet. Now, it’s often a hurried process with screaming babies in the background demanding “apple juice, mama” or “hold me, mama” or just yelling nonsense like “dada baba, mama, dada” over and over again! I throw in a smile and a laugh here and there, but I am typically racing around the kitchen while pulling my hair out, trying to buy myself some “quiet” time by feeding babies bananas or giving in and pouring a tall glass of apple juice.

Still, it is important that you do give your children healthy meals, both to calm them and give them sustained energy. Healthy meals help them avoid the crashes that can cause temper tantrums. A friend of mine recently wrote this on her Facebook page:

“My kids amaze me. I made Juli Novotny’s Green Juice today and Zoe (2 years old) drank an entire cup! And when it was done, she declared “There’s a party in my tummy! So yummy! So yummy”. Srsly…I just didn’t think either of my kids would touch it with a 10 ft pole. Esp since it didn’t come in a box with Dora or a Princess on it. I was shocked. I thought she was going to throw it at me…”

My midwife once gave me a great piece of advice: “Just because you don’t like it, doesn’t mean your kid won’t.” (e.g., I hate when my ears get wet, so I always plug my son’s ears when I wash his hair). Our children ARE NOT US! They are their own individual beings. So give them what’s best for them—they will eat it! And they just might thank you for it, too.

Time for Yourself!

This is a must, and right now, in my life, it is lacking. I need it more than anything. Luckily, my “work” is my passion. I’m blessed in that way. I love doing it; so in a sense, it is my time away as well as my “day job!”

But I do hit walls. And when I do, my body/gut is very good at telling me what it needs. I get these little voices in my head that say “you’re thirsty” or “you’re tired” or “you need to relax and get a massage.” It sounds weird, but I am pretty tuned in to those voices. And if I ignore them, I become sick, over-tired, or rundown.

When I do hit this wall, I get a hot stone massage, an awesome pedicure, or I splurge on a great facial here in town. This hour forces me to sit down, read magazines, and forget about the work and baby world. It also serves to balance my workaholic personality with grounding greens and omegas. I drink tons of coconut water and green drinks. I enjoy an occasional glass of red wine and sometimes a good movie, too!

Try to exercise. I haven’t done this in awhile, but it’s a major piece of advice that I will give everybody—and what I mean by exercise is a good sweat. So whatever that means to you, do it. Hopefully it includes some fresh air (as opposed to a yoga studio or a gym). Get outside.
That’s my life! One big juggling match. Even if it’s not 100% perfect, I love it.

The Heart of Scandal

Ari Solomon, President of A Scent of Scandal

It all started four years ago. I was home for the holidays with my husband. We decided to go to the mall with my sister to pick up some last minute gifts, when we ended up in a candle store. Now, I’m from a loud family in New Jersey where literally everything is discussed and a sick sense of humor prevails. My sister came across a candle called “Juicy Cherry” and nearly fainted. “Ugh, that’s nasty… imagine if the scent was juicy cherry but the candle was called something like “My Freshman Year.” We all laughed but then a light bulb went off in my head. “Heather… I think you’re onto something.” We went to lunch and during the meal we brainstormed and cracked up thinking of other scandalous name/scent associations.

When I got back to Los Angeles, instead of letting this idea go in one ear and out the other, I decided to go for it. How difficult could it be to make a candle? I also knew I wanted to put a product out there that was environmentally conscious, so I decided on 100% soy wax for the candle base. After some experimentation, I made my first candle. My husband, who is sort of a wiz with graphic design, came up with our packaging. We then decided on a name for the line, A Scent of Scandal. We were off!

Now, I knew zilch about starting a business, but I believed in what I was selling. So I packed up my samples and took to the streets. After a couple weeks of pounding pavement, I got a few boutiques to take on the line. Then the big break came when Kitson, the uber-fabulous LA store, decided to carry us. Before long, we had a celebrity clientele and were being covered in national magazines from Entertainment Weekly to People. A snowball-effect started, and then the mother lode — Whole Foods placed their first order: 1,000 candles for Valentine’s Day. The only problem was, I was still doing everything out of our house. Soon, literally every surface was covered with drying candles! Things came to a head when my husband, a former coffee addict, tried to make a pot and I denied him because the kitchen counters were off limits. Needless to say, Scandal had its own studio space by the end of the week.

We continued to rack up accounts and things were looking good for the Scandal makers. But then in the spring of 2007, a truly life-changing moment occurred. I was watching The View when Alicia Silverstone came on as a guest. She said she was a vegan. How nice for her, I thought. Then came a moment that brought everything to a halt. Rosie asked Alicia why… why was she vegan? “Well,” Alicia began, “I love my dogs. And one day I was with my dogs and thought: if I’m going to eat animals, why don’t I just eat them?” Say what, Alicia?? I love my cats and the thought of eating them — are you kidding me girl? But then again, what really is the difference between a cat and a dog from a cow or a pig or a chicken? Why is it OK to love and cherish one species and slaughter another?

After the show, I went to my computer and Googled Alicia Silverstone and animals. I was lead to a host of information detailing the horrors of factory farms (I had heard the term but had no idea what it really meant) and where exactly our meat, dairy, and eggs come from. How could I have been ignorant all this time to the suffering involved and the hideous environmental impact of animal agriculture? For two hours I poured over the videos, undercover investigations, etc. My husband finally came to find me and asked what was going on. I looked up and simply said, “I’m done.” No more animal foods for this gay man! After watching a PETA video, my hubby was on team vegan too.

A couple months went by and we were happily living our lives as new veganistas. I had even donated all my leather, wool, and down to Out Of The Closet. But now my thoughts turned to my business… was A Scent of Scandal vegan?

You may wonder: what makes a candle vegan? It’s not like they kill animals for candle wax or aromatherapy concoctions, right? Actually, they do. Beeswax is a common ingredient and additive in candle wax, and beehives – along with their inhabitants – are often burned once productivity declines. Additionally, many companies test chemical fragrances on animals, and many perfumes contain dissolved animal fats. The problem is, that’s not exactly advertised, so the only way to be sure is to call the manufacturers directly.

So I did. Thankfully, to my relief, I learned that all the materials I was using were already cruelty-free. Having partnered with green fragrance makers, I found that concern for the environment often goes hand in hand with concern for the animals. None of my suppliers used animal ingredients or tested their products on animals. We proudly began labeling and marketing A Scent of Scandal as vegan and cruelty-free.

I also felt compelled to kick things up a notch and give back to the organizations that helped me on my journey to living this new joyful lifestyle and also helped the animals. So, I began to use my business to support amazing organizations such as PETA, Farm Sanctuary and Sea Shepherd. These days, we have a special line of candles called Candles For A Cause, which directly benefit these incredible groups by donating a percentage of our sales.

Owning a business and being your own boss is pretty damn fantastic, but it means so much more when there is something bigger than you driving the engine. I’m ecstatic that people enjoy our product, but what’s even more rewarding is that our candles are helping to raise consciousness and in their own way, make the world just a little bit kinder.

Ari Solomon is the President and co-creator of the celebrated vegan candle line A Scent of Scandal®. After graduating from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Ari first worked as an actor in New York and Los Angeles, and later hosted the wildly popular ARI’S HOLLYWOOD UPDATE on Miami’s Y-100FM. Now a prolific activist and writer for animal and human rights, Ari’s letters have appeared in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Miami Herald, and The Advocate.

Get 15% off while shopping at A Scent of Scandal with the promo code “crazysexy”! Thanks Ari!