Indie Beauty Business :: Leading the Way

It has been said that word of mouth advertising is one of the best and most elusive form of advertising. Word of mouth advertising requires that the person spreading highly about a company put their own reputation on the line every time they make a recommendation.  There is no other business leader that I would more gladly put my reputation on the line for than Donna Maria Coles Johnson of the Indie Beauty Network.   

       

Through years of experience working with Donna Maria, I know that each and every person I recommend to her will be treated with honesty and transparency.  She will freely share her vast collection of valuable tools, ever growing knowledge base, and wealth of resources to help them build their businesses.  

Donna Maria was a complete stranger to me when she showed up to speak at an Essential Wholesale customer appreciation event many years ago.  I made all the products back then, and was very much behind the scene at Essential Wholesale.  Dennis and Donna Maria formed a business relationship that was filled with laughter, knowledge exchange, and respect.  

       

Over the years, Donna Maria has become one of my most trusted friends, mentors, cohorts in fun (like our Soaprah skit where we played first-time soapers -- including ear phones to protect our ears from lye fumes), legislation, and business.  I know I can depend on Donna Maria for accurate information, to speak the truth to me if I need redirecting, and she will be my cheerleader when I need it.  What is awesome is that I know she will do the same for all of her IBN members.

I never expected our business relationship to run so deep and that she would become such a dear friend, but sometimes you find life-lines in the most unexpected places.  I recently interviewed Donna Maria so that I could introduce her to anyone who hasn’t met her yet, and to share with those who have a deeper understanding of the woman behind the Indie Beauty brand.  

1. You are always on the cutting edge of technology, social media and creating connections.  What drives you to constantly be learning new things and providing new services?

First, I am not a fan of the term, "social media." I use it because people know what I mean when I do -- you know, Twitter, FaceBook, LinkedIn, etc.   But the truth is that social media are just a type of technology, and my main point to everyone I teach is to use technology.

If social media works for you -- and I believe some aspects of it can work for everyone -- go for it!  If not, don't panic.

Whether or not you use social media, the same fundamental rules of business and marketing apply. But what drives me to share the benefits of using technology (social media included) to comply with those rules is that it is the lowest cost way for small businesses to serve their customers and increase their bottom line.

And isn't that what business is all about? Serving people and making a fair profit while you do it.

That's what technology can help you do, and that's what drives me -- To teach small business owners how to use technology to achieve their goals.

2. What are the top services that you Indie provides that you believe give your members the biggest boast in their businesses?

IBN provides four types of services: discounts, social, promotional and educational.  Here is an overview.

--> Discounts on Products and Services  - IBN offers a variety of discounted services through our partners. Some of the most popular are products liability insurance at up to 60% to 75% off the market rate. We also offer discounts on consultants who provide services to small businesses, along with discount merchant processing services, discounts my services, discounts on industry publications, ingredients and more.

--> Social -- Through our social networking site, we connect over 7,300 passionate business owners in the health, beauty and lifestyle fields. The social site is open to the public, and is free to join. Come learn and share with us!

--> Promotional - IBN promotes its members across multiple media channels including the Indie Experience, a weekly newsletter published since 2000, the weekly Indie Business Podcast (which I have hosted since 2005), and our Twitter, FaceBook and other social accounts. The reach is well over 40,000 weekly and we use every bit of it we can to help our members spread the word about their passions and their products -- and to generate consistent awareness, which leads to new sales leads.

--> Educational and Advocacy - since education is the key to success in any field, IBN invests most of its resources educating its members. Our members have access to over a decade of content to help them to do everything from comply with FDA laws to issue press releases that get results. Members can learn on their own time, from credible teachers, and they are free to download and listen to the materials as many times as they want. Our private forum provides an easy option for members to discuss sensitive business matters they may not wish to share at the public social networking site. We also work with members to participate in state and federal lawmaking proceedings (both statutory and regulatory). This puts my training as an attorney to work for every single member. It is vital that small businesses, even those without any legal or public policy experience, learn how to interact with and positively influence elected and appointed government officials.

3. What new services are you dreaming up or recently launched?

I recently launched my Indie Protege Network, my entry level program for people who are not quite ready for full IBN membership and products liability insurance, but who need credible information to help them start and manage their businesses successfully.

I have more up my sleeve, but I can't tell you yet. (Tee-hee!)

4. You and I have fought side by side since 2007 against legislation that would negatively impact small businesses.  Your background as a lawyer and business woman gives us an unparalleled advantage in the fight – what drives you to give so much of your time and energy to this nonprofit side of your business?

My members (including you, Dennis and the Essential Wholesale team) drive me. You and all IBN members work hard to make a living by producing products that enhance people's lives.

My life mission is the same as my business mission: to empower and encourage women and their families to maximize their potential through small business ownership.

I personally favor regulations that serve the public well. On the other hand, I do not favor regulations that are not necessary to protect and serve the public. Whenever I see a new law proposed that would burden small businesses without any corresponding benefit to consumers and the public, I scrutinize it closely and let my members know about it so we can discuss how to proceed as a trade organization.

I serve at my members's pleasure, and I always remember that. I consult my members every step of the way, seeking to be a valuable resource, and a partner in their success.

5. You have been extremely transparent with your members every step of the way – what do you feel is the advantage and disadvantage of your transparent leadership style?

Call it transparency if you must. To me, it's just plain old honesty. There are no disadvantages to being honest. There are sometimes challenging consequences associated with it, but the long-term consequences of being dishonest are far more troublesome, and I prefer to avoid them.

I expect honesty from my members. How can I give them anything less?

Together, we challenge each other to be stronger, and as we become stronger, our businesses become stronger.

Thanks for sharing my vision and work at your blog, Kayla. If your readers have any questions, I hope they won't hesitate to ask me in the comments.

Comments

[Ann Belonger]

Great interview Kayla, Donna Maria is a true inspiration. Her presence is a breath of fresh air in this tidal wave of uncertainty for small business owners. Cheers to you both!

[Lela Barker]

I can only add a resounding "Amen!" to this post. Just renewed my IBN membership last week and it's some of the best money I spend each year on my business. I think I'm on year #5 now and I am continually impressed with DM's knowledge and passion.

[Donna Maria Coles Johnson]

Hi Kayla! What an honor to be included in your blog. Thank you for giving me an opportunity to share my passion for my members and for small business owners in general. I'm excited to meet more of your friends and colleagues through your blog. Thank you!