Continuing with The Pay It Forward series, I’m honored to
share this next small business with you, not only because of the great products
they put out, but because the friendship I now have with a woman that I look up
to both personally and professionally. I’ve witnessed this next small business
build from the ground up, watching an idea, turn into a flourishing bath and
body company, in what is now known as The Lady Sailor!!!
The Lady Sailor offers bath and body products, designed not
only to make you smell great, but feel great too. Soaps, bath salts, sugar
scrubs, bath oils, lotion bars, bubble bath, body sprays, bath bombs, suntan lotions! You name it, The Lady
Sailor’s got it and not just for adults, but for kids too! Plus, if you’re
already a fan of The Lady Sailor on Facebook, then you already know that new
bath and body products are always coming out in what seems like a weekly
pattern.
How I Met The Owner
of The Lady Sailor!
Before I tell you who the owner is, let me tell you how I met her. I had no
idea about the soap and wax world that was out there just waiting to be
discovered. My first experience with a piece of this world was with Diamond Candles.
Being uneducated at this point, I had assumed this was the only company that
was doing something like this – putting jewelry in candles. I had done a quick
google search on jewelry candle giveaways and came across the blog I
Love Candles: Jewelry Candle Reveals, Reviews & Giveaways! This was the day my
life changed. I had entered a giveaway on this blog, which I ended up winning a
few weeks later, but that’s not why my life changed. One of the entries to the
giveaway was to join a wax group on Facebook, and so, wanting to win the
giveaway, I did. This is where I discovered this world of wax and soap that I
never knew existed. I can’t begin to describe the fun I had every day, the
friends I met, and the hours I spent just looking at people’s purchases.
But still, this is not why my life changed. The Facebook group had a few admins, who ran the group with a positive attitude and no tolerance for anything but fun! One of the admins I saw posting almost every hour of every day was a woman named Lauren, and she, little did I know at the time, was the reason my life changed. I learned all about wax, candles and soap companies from her. I entered every one of her giveaways that she worked very hard on. I watched her start conversations with the group, for no other reason than to just have fun. So when I had questions, concerns, helpful ideas and anything else, Lauren, was the one I felt most comfortable talking to. Over the past few months, our conversations have grown from sending her a message every few weeks to talking almost every day. She is a southern sweetheart who’s been there for me through personal hardships and personal joys. She’s given me some of the best advice I’ve heard in my almost 29 years of existence and is the perfect example of how powerful and confident you can be as a woman, a mother and a business owner.
Shut Up and Tell Us Who
Owns The Lady Sailor Already!
Lauren Waterson, the owner of The Lady Sailor not only runs the business,
but everything that goes along with it. She is constantly interacting with fans and finding out what they're interested in. She knows that in order to make it in this tough and competitive business, you need to be involved with everything and that includes social media and her fans. I could go on and on and on, but I wanted to let you hear from the owner in her own words. Below, you'll find a Q & A with Lauren Waterson of The Lady Sailor!
Q: Why the name - The
Lady Sailor? What were your inspirations behind it?
A: I have an obsession
with Ladybugs, I have ever since I was a little girl, but I am also extremely
proud of my husband, Michael, a member of the U.S. Navy. Before I started The
Lady Sailor, I sent goodie bags and cupcakes to his squad, a group of over
twenty-five (25) people, on every major holiday because I wanted to show my
support in any way I could. So when it came time to finally come up with a name
for my company I was stuck. Did I want Ladybugs or did I want Nautical/Navy
themes? Finally, after an hour of trying to choose, it came to me! Why not
both? And so, I took LADY from LADYbug and made them my logo, along with
Anchors for the Nautical/Naval themes, and combined it with Sailor! Thus, The
Lady Sailor was born! Funny little fact, my business partner, Samantha Golden
AKA Skye, HATES Ladybugs, she is terrified of them, and she never misses a
chance to poke fun at my obsession!
Q: What sets you apart
from the rest?
A: All of my products
are completely handmade and each product is tested before it is even released
for purchase. Each of our scents are given a Ladybug or Nautical/Naval themed
name that many customers find fun and unique. I never stop coming up with new
scents, combinations and products. I am always doing extensive research for new
scents, products, innovations and items that customers would find the most
appealing.
Q: How do you balance
work/home life?
A: This is a very
tough line to walk, actually. My son, Magnus, is ten (10) months old and
already walking. This makes watching him and being elbow deep in soap at the
same time very difficult. This is where my best friend and partner, Skye, comes
in. She is regularly over to help me with everything from brainstorming and
ordering supplies to making the products, packing the orders and getting them
out the door all while balancing her own 5 year old son, Sebastian, as
well.
Q: What are your must
have scents?
A: It depends on who
you ask! If you ask me, I say the must haves are "Ladybug Nectar",
"Sailor Taylor's Double Scoop" and "Navy Brat". Skye on the
other had would tell you that he must haves are "Ladybug Nest", "Ginger
Port" and "Dark Skyes"! This is why she and I work so well
together, I am the bright, fruity, foodie scent lover while she loves the
scents of musk, earthy tones and perfumes.
Q: Any special
products coming up in the future that fans should look for?
A: Definitely be on
the look out for Lotions, Sunscreens and Perfumes in a large variety of scents!
Q: What are your hopes
for The Lady Sailor? Where do you see it in a year? 5 years?
A: I want it to be
something that I can look at and be proud of it and have my family see me doing
what I love and be proud of! In a year, I hope to see that it has come a long
way from where we are now! We are already off to an amazing start so hopefully
that dream will become a reality. In five years, I hope to have such a large
customer base that I actually have to hire more people and focus on more ideas
and expanding the business even further.
Q: As both an owner of
a business and a supporter of soap vendors, what do you feel is the most
important part of your business? In other words, customer service, tat, coming
up with new products often, etc.
A: Honestly. all of
it! Customer Service, Reasonable TAT's and New Products are all extremely
important, a business simply cannot survive and thrive without them! Other
important elements are love and passion for what you do, understanding your
customers and listening to what they have to say, be it positive or negative
and learning from it!
Q: What are some of
your favorite product lines that you offer from The Lady Sailor?
A: My favorite product
lines are definitely my Bath Oils!!! They are my absolute favorite product that
I make and I often have to wrestle with not keeping a batch to myself!!
Q: What's your current
TAT?
A: My current TAT is
5-7 business days, which doesn't include weekends and holidays.
Q: What are the ways
people can follow you?
A: People can follow
The Lady Sailor in our Facebook Group, "The Lady Sailor" and in our
Youtube Channel, "The Lady Sailor" or they can even contact me
personally through email, the Facebook Group or YouTube!
Q: What are some
bath/body companies you look up to?
A: Definitely Bath
& Bodyworks and Lush! I love their products and scents and they do such an
amazing job with new products and quality!
Q: What's Skye Line on
your scent page?
A: The Skye Line is an
entire line of scents comprised solely of only the most popular and
discontinued scents from Bath & Bodyworks scents in honor of my business
partner, Samantha Golden (Skye). She asked me one day to make her a soap in the
discontinued Black Amethyst scent from BBW and was so ecstatic over it
and so many people were so excited at the prospect of it that she became my
inspiration for the entire Skye Line!
NEXT UP: Want to find out what products I reviewed from The Lady Sailor? Want to know what scents and product lines The Lady Sailor offers? Want to know how you can get your hands on some beautiful and creative bath and body products? Want to know how you can make bath time fun again for both kids and adults? Then you'll want to check out The Lady Sailor Review Part 2: Up Close and Personal With The Lucky Lady Products
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