Why Consistency is the Most Important Discipline to Have
Wake up. Kick Butt. Repeat. There is NO easy way to grow a business. All you can do is work hard, do your best, ask for help, and do it again tomorrow. Consistency is the most important factor in growing your business. Genie Reese of Red Aspen not only has the work ethic but the spirit to keep momentum and energy up while growing her business with her co-founders.
Wake up. Kick Butt. Repeat.
This is a direct quote from my interview with Genie Reese, who is a co-founder of the beauty company Red Aspen. It’s been like a mantra in my head since I read it a few weeks ago.
I was reminded of it last night when my husband shared some advice about not giving up. He said, “just because something doesn’t work out or if you slip up, you can try again tomorrow.” I think that’s where a lot of us struggle.
When things don’t work, we give up rather than looking at tomorrow as a fresh start. We have another chance to start again, to try again, and to stay at it.
As I read through Genie’s interview, she used words such as consistency & persistence. Which told me that she’s dedicated herself to this mantra of wake up, kick butt and repeat in her own professional and personal life. While reading through it I was reminded of Allison Katz’s feature about patience and the time it took to both launch her business but the steps it took to grow it. Having patience and staying the course even when it gets challenging or lonely is key to your success.
Anything worthwhile in life takes time, takes dedication, takes consistency. If you are just getting started on your journey, DO NOT GIVE UP when it gets hard, or when you hit a stop sign, or you get a no. KEEP TRYING. Pivot, take another chance, give it all you got. We all have to start somewhere and the beginning can be such a great process if we let it. I learned through Angela Buckner’s feature that allowing ourselves grace during the entrepreneurial process is vital for us to keep going!
That’s precisely what Genie and her co-founders did when creating Red Aspen. This social selling beauty company launched a line of false lashes, and have since expanded into pop on nails and a full-color cosmetics line! Crushing it! Their mission is to inspire women to stand up, stand out, and stand together by uniting passion + purpose.
SO MANY JUICY TAKEAWAYS from my interview with Genie. I can’t wait for you to dive in.
If you are looking to connect with Genie or her team at Red Aspen you can reach them through email, hello@redaspen.com, their website, or on their instagram page.
What is YOUR story!? Tell us a bit about your background both personally and professionally.
I am originally from Boise, Idaho, and moved back to the area after 10 years in Denver. I attended the University of Denver for undergrad and the University of Colorado for grad school. I previously worked in healthcare, first as a business analyst for DaVita and later as a Sales Rep for Stryker. I quit my job, moved to Boise, and cofounded Red Aspen, a social selling beauty company, in October of 2017 and never looked back!
How did you get your idea or concept for your business?
My business partner and sister (Jesse McKinney) had been considering starting her own business, and I ended up spending Christmas of 2016 with her and her family in Boise. It was during that time that the concept of Red Aspen started to come to fruition. She had been on the corporate side of another direct sales company for a decade, and knew this was the business model she wanted to emulate. We ended up dreaming up Red Aspen, and 4 months later I quit my job and moved to Boise to begin working on the business!
Tell us more about your business and what you do!
Red Aspen is a social selling beauty company. Our mission is to inspire women to stand up, stand out and stand together by uniting passion + purpose. Our Brand Ambassadors are independent business owners, selling Red Aspen beauty products and sharing the Red Aspen mission. We combine e-commerce, social networks and social selling with playful, fun and imaginative products and marketing. We launched with a line of false lashes, and have since expanded into pop on nails and a full color cosmetics line.
Looking back would you do anything different?
I wouldn't have listened so much to advice from others who had never been in a startup environment before, and trusted my gut a little bit more! I also would have waited to expand the product line until we had a little more market research.
What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?
I love coming up with and testing ideas, and being able to quickly take an idea from inception to execution.
Share your favorite moment or moments while growing your business.
So many! The day we launched, we all sat in our first office (which doubled as my apartment, it was a work-live space) and had to manually enroll our Brand Ambassadors over the phone because the IT platform wasn't working as anticipated. We had 80 people enroll on the first day, and over 500 in the first 6 weeks. It was such a surreal experience, recognizing that this might actually work! I also loved our first event, where we got to meet 40 of our top leaders in person on a leadership retreat. Hearing why they decided to become a Red Aspen Brand Ambassador, how much they believed in our mission and in Jesse, Amanda and myself was so humbling. A top moment was also the first time I paid out commissions to the field - the outpouring of thank-you's and love from the field definitely made all the hard work worth it.
What are some of the challenges of being an entrepreneur?
Never-ending work, having to know a little bit about EVERYTHING, learning entirely new skill sets, transitioning from doing all the work to building systems and departments to managing employees
What about some of the challenges you face as a female entrepreneur?
Work-life balance has been one of the biggest challenges, especially in our first year. Two of our cofounders are moms to small children, and being able to spend quality time with them was so challenging. Luckily, both have incredibly supportive husbands - but the reality is, there is no way we could have done this without that support.
Advice for other other female entrepreneurs or those looking to get started?
Never be afraid to be smart.
Surround yourself with people that inspire you.
Participate in life.
Make your own luck.
Know that girl power is about teamwork, not competition.
When someone says "you can't" the best response is "watch me."
And finally- wake up, kick butt, repeat.
What is your favorite quote?
"I don't have experience on my side, but I have persistence." - Ty Haney, Founder and CEO of Outdoor Voices
How do you avoid burnout?
Staying consistent at the gym, fitting in a few hours for friends and family every week, listening to podcasts, talking to the field and reading books to continue getting creative ideas
We know all entrepreneurs work differently. How do you schedule your day?
I run errands and get my workout in the morning. I know I'll most likely end up staying at the office until 8 or 9pm some nights, or traveling, and if I don't fit these things in first thing they won't happen!
What are your MUST have tools?! (things like organization, calendars, social media, payment platforms, business development sources...etc.)
social media, committed IT partners/platform, Google Drive, Squarespace, QuickBooks, a flexible merchant account, an incredible marketing and customer service team, external creative vendors (Photography, packaging design, web design)
How do you advertise your brand?
social media, word of mouth
Is there anything else you'd like for us to know?
Red Aspen is the best decision I ever made - I can't imagine anything more rewarding or fulfilling!
Thank you for sharing your incredible insight Genie. Your inspirational words empowered me to keep going especially when it feels overwhelming.
Do you have inspirational words to share to the LOTP community? We’d love to hear them! Drop us a line and comment below!
A Reminder To Be Creative And Live Boldly
We often live in the grey, black, or white of our lives. Not taking chances and staying safe. Raechel Campbell paints portraits full of life. She reminds us to live creatively and boldly every single day.
I heard a plane go overhead this morning and I thought planes don’t just idle above us they take off and move toward their destination. Imagine if they were all parked above our houses!! No one would be able to take off.
Let’s celebrate those who have had the courage to launch themselves into the sky- it takes guts. And remember if they can- you can. Stop comparing- get out of idle- and go.
Today we are celebrating female founder Raechel Campbell of RC Arts! This gal has an undeniable gift of capturing energy and emotion and vividly putting them on a piece of paper. Raechel creates colorful portraits of animals using different types of media like watercolor, colored pencils, acrylic and pens.
Raechel’s biggest struggle as an entrepreneur is believing in herself (I would say most of us feel the same way) and she shares in our interview that in order to combat those doubtful feelings you gotta look in the mirror everyday and tell yourself that you love yourself.
Raechel also shares that one of the struggles of being a female entrepreneur is our period cycle. Some of us may struggle with PMS and the time of the month worse than others but impacts us all. Kate Northrup’s work on productivity and the female cycle has been extremely valuable as I have been building my business. I had no idea we had 4 different cycles within the month and once I realized this and reflected on my moods and attitude during those times I was able to be a lot more physically and mentally productive. If you haven’t heard of Kate, make sure to check out her book, Do less + Money: A Love Story Entrepreneur, and her instagram page to learn more. .
I was gifted painting of Pax from Raechel. It sits right above my desk and reminds me to be creative and live boldly. Every. Single. Day.
If you’d like to collaborate with Raechel or purchase your own incredible painting you can reach her through her instagram.
Without further ado, Raechel Campbell, everyone!
What is your story? Please tell us about yourself both personally and professionally!
Personally, I am from Ohio, been living in SD for about 8 years now. Most of my family is still in Ohio. I am single, and learning to love myself again. I would love to be married with children at some point in my life, and my ultimate goal is to own and run a rescue farm in Hawaii with my family. Professionally, I have been in sales since graduating college in 2007, aside from my 3 years as a biz coach at FortuneBuilders.
How did you get the concept for your brand/business?
oh wow, well long story short, I have always been into art since as far back as I can remember, but lost my drive to draw and create over the last 7ish years. I picked it back up to stay out of trouble at work, and decided to start drawing portraits of dogs, and here I am.
Tell us more about your brand and what you do!
Its pretty straight forward, I create colorful portraits of animals using all different types of medias like watercolor, colored pencil, acrylic, pens, etc. I have also recently started doing silhouettes, which has been a nice change and fun too.
Looking back would you do anything different?
Not a single thing.
What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?
The joy that my portraits bring to people.
Share your favorite moment or moments while growing your business.
the love that I have witnessed by people gifting portraits to other people. lots of kind people out there :)
What are some of the challenges of being an entrepreneur?
Getting out of my own head. believing in myself.
What about some of the challenges you face as a female entrepreneur?
Periods.
Advice for other other female entrepreneurs or those looking to get started?
Look at yourself in the mirror every day and tell yourself that you love yourself.
What is your favorite quote?
"im not a player i just fuck a lot"
How do you avoid burnout?
i wake up around 6 am every day. get coffee, and sit down and start drawing, painting. take a break, do a workout, get back to it. take a break, walk my dogs, hang out with friends, and in the evenings is really when I'm feeling the most creative.
What are your MUST have tools?! (things like organization, calendars, social media, payment platforms, business development sources...etc.)
Chalk board- google calendar- instagram, Facebook ,venmo , PayPal, podcasts
How do you advertise your brand?
facebook, instagram, biz cards. recently did a "wag wednesday" at a local bar/ restaurant "Mavericks" in Pacific Beach.
Thank you Raechel! The LOTP community thanks you for your contribution to the Female Founder series. I specifically appreciate that you shared your schedule and that you allow yourself BREAKS!! How many of us just keep driving ahead because we think we “don’t deserve” a break yet. Breaks are where we can reflect and come back refreshed!
Interested in getting involved in the female founders series- drop us a line below and someone will get back to you shortly!
How Hitting Rock Bottom Can Inspire Your Creativity
We all have a story, a story that has brought us to this exact moment in time. For Jennifer Nyguen it was a mix of different experiences that designed her current situation. Jennifer states that one of the biggest experiences that has shaped her current moment was one that stemmed from tragedy and blossomed into something beautiful!
I’ve found a theme with all the women that I’ve interviewed so far. Their dogs have all been pivotal in moving forward into the next phase of their life. Their dogs have instilled courage, patience, and confidence in taking the leap into their passions and interests.
Dogs teach us every day to be present. They teach us that life is short, so enjoy it to the fullest. They teach us to lean into what drives us and what fills us up. For me, Pax invited me to spend more time in my creativity something that I had put away since my childhood. Jennifer’s story is very similar. With the support of her family, friends, boyfriend, and of course Bear- she has been able to take her passion to a whole new level! Without further ado- I am so excited to share the launch of Good Boy Bear! If you’d like to learn more about her brand please reach out to her via instagram at @goodboybear or through her website https://www.thegoodboybear.com/ . Jennifer can also be reached through email hello@goodboybear.com or on Bear’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/thegoodboybear/
Additionally, I originally planned to have my last female founder blog post a few weeks ago. However, I received such interest that we will be continuing the series indefinitely- if you are interested in being featured please drop a message in the contact form below! ENJOY!
Tell us a little about yourself personally & professionally.
I am 30 years old, born and raised in Dallas, Texas! I went to the same all-girl school my entire childhood, so I marinated in a close-knit community of bright and creative girls. But I was very ready to get out of the bubble and explore the world on my own by the end of high school. My parents were both dentists (they escaped from Vietnam during the war and came to America with nothing), and my brother was finishing up dental school in California, which is what inspired me to move there for college. I went to USC and got my BA in Neuroscience with an arts minor in Communication Design, and went straight into dental school there after that! Photography and graphic/website design were hobbies of mine throughout high school and college, so that came in really useful for building Bear's brand. I learned and grew so much living on my own in LA, but I knew it would be best for me financially to move back to Dallas after I graduated, to be near my family again too. So I packed up and moved home in 2015 and joined the family practice. Those couple years after moving were a dark and difficult time. I missed my friends, California, I had just gotten out of a terrible relationship, my student loan debt was (and still is) unimaginable, late 20s and living with my parents, and dentistry was a whole different level of stress I'd never experienced. Thankfully my best friend moved here with me, and I had my family to teach me all the ins and outs of running the business. I slowly picked myself up, moved into my own place.
After many failed dating attempts, I met someone special, but he tragically passed away about 5 months into our relationship. It was rock bottom for me. I don't even know what drove me to start looking for a puppy (probably Instagram)! because I barely had time to even take care of myself, but I did months of research and finally took the plunge. It was the best decision I ever made. Bear is my healing and guiding light, he teaches me so much about the world everyday, how to slow down, appreciate the little things, wake up and see all the good in the world, no matter how dreary it is, give unconditional love to everyone, including myself and those who may not deserve it. After he started gaining a following on Instagram, I realized how special he was, and wanted to spread his goofy, loving energy as far and wide as I could. It grew into this incredible creative outlet. I am so grateful to be in a great place today, mentally and physically, with Bear and my overwhelmingly supportive boyfriend, friends, and family!
How did you get your idea or concept for the brand?
Bear's brand was something that I envisioned pretty early on, but had ZERO knowledge about where to even begin. Seeing all the comments on his instagram about how happy he makes people made me want to create products that they could have in person as continued reminders. He's such a cartoon character in real life, so I just wanted to be able to embody that.
Tell us more about your brand and what you do!
His brand is all about the simple things, the simple pleasures in life. A soft, cozy piece of clothing to relax in, a sip of hot coffee on a chilly Sunday morning, a smile on someone's face. It's been so fun doing the research, product design, being creative with his content, and communicating and networking with amazing people (like Nikki)!! Momager life takes up a lot of time, but it is extremely rewarding :) On top of that, we're so happy to be able to give back some of the profits to animal welfare organizations.
Looking back would you do any thing different?
Nothing at all, I find so much value in making mistakes and learning from them.
What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?
Being able to make and be fully accountable for all my decisions. And between running my practices, and running Bear's business, I am still able to have a pretty flexible schedule where I can carve out time for myself and my loved ones.
Share your favorite moment or moments while growing your business.
Going out and exploring new places while shooting content with Bear has been so fun. And the amount of support and love he receives from people around the world is unbelievable. I try my best to transmit and convey all that love to him.. if he only knew!
What are some of the challenges of being an entrepreneur?
As an introvert, it was difficult at first to open up and start communicating with others openly and directly (strangers on the internet that you're emailing with back and forth, collaborating, negotiating, etc.)- but it definitely became easier over time. Showing myself on his Instagram is a daunting thought, and even launching the brand-- it was scary! Wondering what people are going to think, the possibility of receiving criticism on something you put so much of your heart into, but at the end of the day, I just try to remember that being vulnerable isn't a bad thing.
Advice for other entrepreneurs or those looking to get started?
Research, research, research! I spent hundreds of hours googling answers to the million of questions I had because I didn't personally know anyone with experience in producing merchandise, especially in this kind of space. I remember going to a coffee shop in late January with a pen and paper, blank google doc open, and I just started making a list of every single question I had, a rough outline of what I wanted to accomplish, how much money I had available to put into this, a timeline of when I wanted to complete each step, all the permits and licenses required, and went from there! Staying organized and having all of my information and research in one place helped me stay on track. I still have so many questions, but am just learning along the way.
Thank you Jennifer & Bear for your time and energy! I know I learned a ton from your interview whether that was about yourself and how you launched Bear’s merchandise line or what to do when I start my own! Are you interested in being featured on LOTP? Drop us a line below and let us know! Can’t wait to hear from you.
xo, Nikki
One woman's success does not detract from your own...if anything it inspires others to start living the life they always imagined!
Rounding out my final female founder interview series is Lea Mayer. Lea (pronounced Leah not Lee hah!), is the creator, owner, designer, customer service rep, and production line for Lulu and Lea. She has a degree in Textile design and a background working in apparel design.
When I first starter Pax’s account I was asked to be in my first collaborative giveaway and I was invited by Lea! I had no idea what I was doing and kept ask her questions about what to do and if I was doing everything right. She was always so sweet to answer and it ended up being a great experience for everyone!
When starting new things it can be really overwhelming because there is just so much information out there and things to do. It’s such a joy to be able to have such a strong community of like minded people! In our interview Lea mentions that just diving in is really the solution to the overwhelm and that overthinking can delay one from living their most fulfilling life! Thank you so much Lea for your time - it was such a blast to learn more about Lulu and Lea!
Make sure you follow @shopluluandlea and give your pup a beautiful gift!
Please tell us a bit about your background both personally and professionally.
I have lived in the Philadelphia area most of my life. I grew up outside of the city in Southern NJ. Growing up I always had a passion to be in the design world. As a little girl I would watch HGTV and always thought I would be an interior designer. I later really learned to love fashion design as well. When looking at colleges, design programs were my focus. I landed at Philadelphia University (now Jefferson University) in their Interior Design program. The first year was whirl wind of architecture classes and as much as I found it interesting and certainly challenging, it didn't feel like what I really had a passion for. I switched to textile design and fell in love. I absolutely loved not only the design aspect but the technical as well. After graduating I worked as a CAD designer for Bed Bath and Beyond, then moved to their subsidiary Harbor Linen as their first in house designer working on contract custom bedding and drapery. I really enjoyed it but again didn't feel a strong passion for it. That lead me back to fashion to try to find a career I could love. I worked for a well known apparel brand in Philadelphia working in their design department. It felt like I landed the dream job and I was so excited to dive in. After three years of giving that job literally everything I could possibly put into, and admittedly letting it affect me in ways I won't get into I decided it was time for a serious change. I left without a plan but knowing I really needed a positive change and inspiring work environment. At the time I had an instagram for Lulu, my puppy, and loved the community that I had never expected to find there. I also could never find accessories for her that were my taste or quality that blew me away so I decided with my new found freedom to start Lulu and Lea based off this idea.
How did you get your idea or concept for the brand?
Just as above in my background it just felt like a void in the market. I am willing to pay a higher than average price point to get high quality well designed products for nearly anything so why not dog accessories! I really wanted to create something special that no one else was doing.
Tell us more about your brand and what you do!
I have taken my background in textile design and really made my knowledge and love of textiles what makes my brand special. Lulu and Lea products are always made of high quality fabrics that are sometimes a little unexpected, like when I did velvet or our new eyelet or embroidered styles for spring. I really like to take really special fabrics and allow them to be what elevates my fairly simple designs.
Looking back would you do any thing different?
Hmmm! I don't know I'd do anything different. I am a firm believer in everything happens for a reason and I think although the path has not been easy I have learned so much about the business, and myself, along the way.
What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?
I love the creative freedom and the ability to take risks. Designing for corporate companies always felt restrictive to me. There was always someone there to tell you that it wasn't good enough, a good design, idea, etc. With being an entrepreneur I love having the freedom to try. The person saying no may have been right but I think there is something really valuable about learning for yourself.
Share your favorite moment or moments while growing your business.
Oh gosh, that's hard because I've had many! One, I find it so rewarding as I grow and continue to succeed, especially when so many people in the beginning couldn't see my vision. Second, and more importantly, I have to go back to the connections I've made. Instagram is where I built my business from and the people I have made connections with there is invaluable. People, most people, are so wonderful and want to support you and help build your dream. I love when a customer tags me and they are just in love with the styles they've just received. Thats the best moment.
What are some of the challenges of being an entrepreneur?
I think balance. Balancing life and owning a business can be a struggle... Especially a very small business, my staff is myself and I just hired a part time assistant. So it can be hard to put down the work and separate that from my personal life. Especially in a world where everyone is used to Amazon prime and such immediacy. It feels like you need to be present 100% of the time.
Advice for other entrepreneurs or those looking to get started?
Just dive in! I think we can be our own worse enemies and the more you sit around and think about what you want to create the less likely you are to just do it. Diving in can be scary but you learn so much along the way.
Is there anything else you'd like for us to know?
As I'm filling this out its International Women's Day and I just think women need to support each other more! It's easy to feel competitive and protective of your work but I think everyone has something valuable to bring to the table. I heard recently, and I cannot remember where, that one women's success does not detract from your own and that really resinated with me.