January 31, 2022
Hello you beautiful people!
WHEW have I got updates for you!
We've raised $12,660 so far via 135 unique funders on the IFundWomen campaign page & I've also raised an additional $10k privately from my first "Happy $$$" Funders! THANK YOU!!
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Here are the top 3 updates of what's been happening the last few months:
UPDATE #1:
After 3 months together, I have officially finished working with an FDA Compliance Consultant to ensure the primary (bottle labels) & secondary (boxes) packaging for Candy Ass is 100% compliant with FDA regulations.
This was a PROJECT. Not only are there extremely particular guidelines for multiple font sizes based on package size, spacing, layout, etc, there are a HOST of rules around the exact information that's included, the order of info, proving claims that are made, etc.
To this end, researching each individual oil I've formulated with to know what product/marketing claims I can make (vegan, gluten free, phthalate free, alcohol free, etc) has been a WILD ride. Discerning chemical compounds is not for the faint of heart!
This also means we are THAT MUCH closer to being able to confidently (& compliantly!) go to print with the packaging!
Onto update #2!
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UPDATE #2:
Upon deeply researching my oils & the 3 companies I buy from, I discovered that two of the oils (from the same company) in one of my newest blends have phthalates. Boo! Hiss!
I made this finding public a couple months ago & a friend from my college Christian fellowship reached out to me privately. Turns out, he now works for a MAJOR perfume oil manufacturing player in the industry.
This company's products are free of EVERYTHING I want to make claims about for the sake of my customers’ health + to kick ass in bringing a product to market that stands heads & hair flips above current market options.
They have a world class lab & are able to actually REPLICATE my scents.
If you've heard of companies who are able to make identical knockoffs of designer scents like Tom Ford or Chanel, this is the same kind of technology — but with all clean oils & with MY fragrances!
I plan to send my blends to them this week (first week of Feb) & pray to God their fancy ass machines & cosmetic chemists can replicate my line exactly — with scent, sillage, & projection. Or heck — make it even better!
If this partnership works out, this means a whole BUNCH of important things:
#1. The ability to make beautiful claims for days
#2. The ability to scale in a HUGE way
#3. The ability to work with ONE company to craft my blends — rather than buying my oils from 3 separate companies & needing to nail down a manufacturer to blend the fragrance cocktails (this also removes multiple extra shipping costs!)
#4. The ability to lean on their expertise & industry partnerships
#5. The ability to apply for my licensing of the PETA vegan & cruelty free logos for all my packaging with total peace of mind!
P.S. If you're the praying (or manifesting!) type, please pray/faith/manifest/thank-in-advance one big fat HALLELUJAH HELL YES over this company's capabilities & our partnership!
Onto update #3!
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UPDATE #3:
A solid portion of my time/brain space is currently invested in a live group course/program called Your Profit Playbook with Marguerite Pressley Davis, a business finance expert, former Wall Street senior analyst, financial strategist, ed-tech/fin-tech founder, & accredited angel investor — who ALSO happens to be a consultant for Rebecca Minkoff, one of my FAVORITE fashion designers! NBD!!
We are getting EVERY SINGLE FINANCIAL DUCK in a row.
I'm being guided through how to make real projections for how much money I need to raise (spoiler: it's not $150k like on the IFundWomen campaign, it's more like $2M+), price my products, create a sustainable business model, & set sales volume expectations, financial projections, growth strategies, spending plans, the list goes on.
Marguerite is the ACTUAL MVP & is preparing me to not only have a model & plan for this company, but to speak with MASSIVE confidence to potential investors who will absolutely want to talk numbers before choosing to partner with me!
To this end, I am gearing up to pitch both Happy $$$ Funders (folks who want to give $5k+ just to give — like my private $10k funders did) & angel investors (folks who'll partner with me in exchange for a stake in my company).
P.S. If you're the praying (or manifesting!) type, please pray/faith/manifest/thank-in-advance INCREDIBLE partnerships with the RIGHT Happy $$$ Funders & angel investors. That my vision for this company will excite & inspire these beautiful humans & that these relationships will be founded on integrity, joy, business savvy, & a desire to make a real change in people's lives. When I pitch for meetings, that the YESES (+ GORGEOUS negotiations, signed contracts, & wires!) come FAST & that I am READY to lead & lead WELL.
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WHEW! Told you I had updates!
I'll write again soon to share the VISION that's unfolded for JOY RIOT! (that is not on the campaign page!).
Re: WHEN Candy Ass will officially drop to market & JOY RIOT! will officially launch, I can promise you this —
BABY, IT'S COMING. And it's going to be GOOD. Your patience & partnership in this means everything to me. I am going to deliver the brand & fragrances of your (& my!!) friggin DREAMS & nothing less!
This has been such a labor of love over the years to get to where we are today & where we're headed in 2022. Your belief in me & the process is a HUGE part of what keeps me going & thrilled out of my MIND!!
Thank you each AGAIN for backing the JOY RIOT! capital campaign on IFundWomen!
Here's the link again if you're feeling moved to back a second (or third, some of you!) time OR to share the campaign with your friends: https://ifundwomen.com/projects/joy-riot
Please feel free to reply to this email with:
#1. Questions (happy to do a Q&A email for everyone's benefit!)
#2. JOY RIOT! LEVEL RAGING ENCOURAGEMENT!!
#3. Chats about becoming a Happy $$$ Funder ($5k+) OR an angel investor (JOY RIOT! is an LLC & you are welcomed to partner privately rather than through the IFW campaign if you prefer!)
We've come a LONG way from bottling oils in living rooms & bedrooms.
LET'S GO!!!!!
Heather