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!
The Power of Patience
Can you think back on a time that you said something without really listening to what the person was saying? Or what about launching a program or offer from your business only to realize you weren't ready to manage it or scale it? Or rushed through an Instagram post just to get content out there? Have you ever bought a piece of home decor just to have something rather than waiting for the thing you REALLY wanted? I've been all of the above. I've spoken thoughtlessly, launched too quickly, bought way too many fake plants, posted, edited, reposted, and then deleted because I moved too quickly. Something I've been working on in my own life is slowing down before making decisions. It seems as if learning patience is a common theme for most entrepreneurs as Allison Katz of Gift Spawt explains that it took time to understand how to even get started as a business owner and then to officially launch their brand.
I find it ironic that the theme of this week’s founder series is patience and when I was writing this I had almost zero. Rushing around, yelling at cars, eating too fast just to get shit done because I’m up against a big deadline. I had planned a bunch of stuff prior to knowing about this deadline so of course life likes to load ya up all at one time! The funny thing about this is that I think that yelling at the cars to move faster or half heartily throwing a post together then the more I’ll be able to pack into the day. But, because I haven’t taken the time to slow down and be mindful I end up doing more work. There are more mistakes in my grammar, more projects that are started and unfinished (like the dishes in the sink and laundry on the bed), and the less present I am in general. Also- side note- when you slow down and have patience you’ll notice how NOT a big deal the things you’re stressing about truly are.
Can you think back on a time that you said something without really listening to what the person was saying? Or what about launching a program or offer from your business only to realize you weren't ready to manage it or scale it? Or rushed through an Instagram post just to get content out there? Have you ever bought a piece of home decor just to have something rather than waiting for the thing you REALLY wanted?
I've been all of the above. I've spoken thoughtlessly, launched too quickly, bought way too many fake plants, posted, edited, reposted, and then deleted because I moved too quickly. Something I've been working on in my own life is slowing down before making decisions. Now, I'm a huge researcher of all things, so in many ways, I do educate myself before I decide to move forward, BUT I often tend to make moves without thinking it through.
It seems as if learning patience is a common theme for most entrepreneurs as Allison Katz of Gift Spawt explains that it took time to understand how to even get started as a business owner and then to officially launch their brand.
She does a great job sharing how patience in her business was a key element of success! Allison and her co-founder Mariana created, Gift Spawt, a one-stop-shop for sending gifts and puppy care packages to dog friends near and far. With snuggly stuffed toys, stylish accessories, dog gift sets, and greeting cards, they’ve got something special for every pup and occasion. They love supporting their dog parent community and spreading joy to people everyday.
Allison describes what steps they took as a brand to launch their online business efficiently and effectively. In our interview, she also provides insight to those who are looking to get started and some mindset tips to keep your eye on the ball!
I originally worked with Allison and Mariana many moons ago for my 10k milestone giveaway on @paxthedood. The two of them created @dogswithstuffedanimals which is an instagram account that highlights adorable dogs with stuffed animals. That specific account is very successful and it seems only natural for them to start selling products themselves!
If you are interested in collaborating as an influencer or sending a package to a friend please contact Allison at info@giftspawt.com. Make sure to check out their website and buy your pup some fun and adorable goodies. Giftspawt packages each gift which makes it personalized and unique for each recipient. You can also follow them on Instagram at @giftspawt or on their Facebook page which you can reach by clicking here.
Without further ado, Allison Katz, everyone!
Allison with some of their ambassadors in LA
Please tell us a bit about your background both personally and professionally.
I am originally from Charlotte, North Carolina and went to school at UNC-Chapel Hill (Go Heels!). After graduating from college, I wanted to explore life outside of NC and moved to NYC with some friends. While I started off working in entertainment PR, I later transitioned to the healthcare field and headed to DC for graduate school.
Although city living was fun and exciting, it was also stressful and lonely at times. One of my coworkers suggested that I should get a dog and even came with me to bring Riley home in 2012. Since day one, he's been a total mama's boy (and I mean that in the best way possible) and the center of my world. Little did I know that when I started an Instagram account for him in 2015, that it would be a turning point in my life personally and professionally.
It was through IG that I became friends with Mariana, my now business partner, who also happened to have a cockapoo named Riley. We decided to start @dogswithstuffedanimals together, which gave me a creative outlet that I didn't have in my day job. I also felt a sense of empowerment turning an idea into a reality and taking on a leadership role.
At the same time, I was missing my family and friends in North Carolina and decided that I wanted to move closer to home. For the past 1.5 years, I have been living in Chapel Hill, NC, working in digital marketing for medical practices, and growing Gift Spawt. Although it was a risk leaving my life in DC and a job I had for 9 years, I am so glad that I took a leap of faith and allowed myself to try something new!
Co-Founder Mariana & her dog Walter
How did you get your idea or concept for the brand?
Mariana and I had been exchanging gifts for our dogs for holidays and birthdays. While the presents were small (a toy, treat, or card), it was so fun receiving a package from a friend and surprising Riley with his pawmail.
We noticed that other dogs on Instagram were sending their friends gifts as well and how happy it made everyone. From there, we decided to create a site for the dog community that promoted friendship and celebrating special occasions -even when you can't be there in person.
Looking back would you do any thing different?
Not at all. In the past year, I've learned so much, and challenges and missteps have always guided me in a better direction.
What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?
The ability to create opportunities for myself and taking personal responsibility for my decisions. I'm also able to maintain a fairly flexible schedule, which allows me to have a good work-life balance.
Allison & her dog Riley
Share your favorite moment or moments while growing your business.
Seeing the messages that friends write for the gift cards has been awesome! You can tell that so many humans and pups have formed genuine relationships with one another, and it really reinforces the power of the dog community.
I also loved meeting-up with some of our IG friends, while traveling this past year.
What are some of the challenges of being an entrepreneur?
Because so much of what we do is tied to social media, email, and being online, I often find it difficult to unplug and be away from my phone or computer. But I have started to set aside device-free time each night, so that I can truly decompress and be more engaged in my relationships and experiences.
Advice for other entrepreneurs or those looking to get started?
Patience, planning, and research are essential to executing an idea. When we decided to start Gift Spawt, I bought a 2000 page book on Amazon about creating and running a small business. There were so many steps to take before we could even begin developing the website, and I just gave myself the time and space to get organized, ask friends and family for help, contact support teams (especially with tech questions), and search for answers online.
How do you advertise your brand?
Currently, we only promote Gift Spawt on social media (Instagram and Facebook). We owe so much to our amazing brand ambassadors, who have supported us since the very beginning!