Many entrepreneurs begin by constructing a enterprise round a favourite interest. This was the case for the couple behind Simply Bee Cosmetics, who acquired into beekeeping and finally used it to create varied pure merchandise. Be taught extra concerning the firm and its distinctive journey on this week’s Small Enterprise Highlight.
What the Enterprise Does
Affords magnificence and residential merchandise constructed from pure supplies.
Founders Ben and Sarah Mitzelfelt instructed Small Enterprise Tendencies, “We promote candles, small area diffusers, pure dish bar cleaning soap, lotion bars, pure lip balm, and different pure pores and skin merchandise.”
Enterprise Area of interest
Creating distinctive formulation for each product.
Mitzelfelt says, “Our journey started with a ardour for beekeeping, igniting the creation of our flagship product, the Simply Bee lip balm. By means of numerous experimentation, we curated a novel formulation that units our lip balm aside, delivering a thicker, extra protecting balm than every other in the marketplace. This led us to develop our model to incorporate varied nature-focused magnificence and residential merchandise.
“At Simply Bee, we delight ourselves on crafting clear, even-burning candles with aesthetically designed nature-focused labels. Every of our scent blends is made with pure soy wax, natural coconut oil, naturally gathered beeswax, 100% pure cotton wicks, perfume, and important oils. Complementing our candles are our progressive small-space diffusers, excellent for infusing your environment with luxurious on the go. Our product line options an array of skincare necessities, from bathtub soaps and oils to nourishing lotion bars, all crafted with the identical dedication to pure elements and impeccable high quality.”
How the Enterprise Acquired Began
Due to a ardour for beekeeping.
Mitzelfelt explains, “We based Simply Bee in 2011, a yr after Ben, following within the footsteps of his great-grandfather, began bee-keeping. After his first season, Sarah used our beeswax and different natural elements to make our first product – the Simply Bee lip balm. Experimenting and perfecting the formulations, Sarah developed a novel mix that was thicker and extra protecting than different lip balms in the marketplace. After sharing our creations with our household and pals, we began promoting our lip balms in small, native companies. We steadily grew, including different pure skincare merchandise after which launching candles in late 2019.”
Largest Win
Increasing their product line to incorporate candles.
Mitzelfelt provides, “With our established gross sales of lip balms, we might dedicate ample time to perfecting the candle line. Leveraging our present channel entry from lip balm gross sales, we accelerated our growth into candles. This strategic transfer not solely broadened our product vary but additionally enhanced the model picture of Simply Bee. It demonstrated our dedication to offering high-quality, pure merchandise that resonate with our prospects whereas additionally fostering stronger connections with our loyal buyer base.”
Largest Danger
Making an attempt one thing new at a tradeshow.
Mitzelfelt says, “About 6 years in the past we took an enormous swing at a tradeshow that didn’t work out. This set us again and compelled a big quantity of self-reflection that, whereas painful on the time, trying again was an enormous present. Due to this setback, we have been prepared to strive issues that earlier than may need appeared out of our scope. This drove us to strive candles and put us in partnership with Faire.com as our foremost wholesale channel. Each choices have been an inflection level in our enterprise.”
Lesson Realized
Don’t be afraid to strive new issues.
Mitzelfelt explains, “Rejection out there is troublesome to take, however it’s crucial for fulfillment. We didn’t launch/didn’t end the event of many concepts as a result of we have been scared. Our enterprise has considerably modified once we turned extra certain of ourselves and fewer delicate to rejection.”
How They’d Spend an Further $100,000
Testing new concepts.
Mitzelfelt provides, “Whereas monetary limitations have an exquisite approach of focusing your consideration this will also be limiting. Constructing in further funds to simply strive issues has been a recreation changer for us and extra funding within the space we really feel would repay.”
What Units the Enterprise Aside
Being a real household enterprise.
Mitzelfelt says, “Our youngsters (Presently 13 and 9) are a part of the ideation and manufacturing of merchandise and the route of the corporate.”
Favourite Quote
“If it was straightforward, everybody would do it” quoted by Tom Hanks in A League of Their Personal.
Mitzelfelt provides, “In all probability not the primary to say it, however the place it resonated with us. We like this as a result of it reframes the battle into a bonus.”
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Photographs: Simply Bee Cosmetics, Sarah and Ben Mitzelfelt
Picture: store.justbee.us
