Today we’d like to introduce you to Kiara Smith. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Smitty Wellness Shop officially started in April 2021 by Kiara Smith, Renard Smith, Renard Smith Jr, and Khalia Smith. Our business focuses on using handcrafted products such as candles, bath bombs/mixes, scrubs, etc; to enhance individual’s overall mood and well-being. We use a combination of herbs and essential oils to create a specific purpose for each product. Due to our company being new, our focus is currently on growing awareness of our company. We have been fortunate to participate in two Small Business Expos and network with other local businesses.
Our Wellness Shop started as a way to teach our children about entrepreneurship and to help us change our other business (Smitty Family Adventures) into a non-profit. Our goal is to use some of our profits to help create a family resource center and family entrepreneurship program. The resource center will focus on family bonding and creating opportunity/events to help families learn the significance of bonding on their overall well-being. We also use some of our profits to give back to the community. Currently, we have donated toiletries back to school supplies and hosted a free family cookie decorating event.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road, but the bumps have helped us to become more creative in learning how to run a business. At this time, because we do not have additional employees, we currently handle all aspects of the business. We are still learning how to better handle all of the different aspects that go into running a business. Using a calendar to organize tasks has been a huge help in regards to managing everything, but there is still so much to learn. Also, using social media consistently as a way to build our brand has also been a struggle. Tik Tok and Instagram have been lifesavers in regards to helping us create content and saving money while creating content. Our local libraries have also been a huge help in battling our struggles. We have been using their entrepreneur classes to help us learn about creating/managing business documents, bookkeeping programs, and funding opportunities.
It’s also hard when sales are not consistent. One month you may have 10+ orders and the next month, you may only have 1 or 2. During our slower months, we have used this time to experiment with new product ideas and take more business classes,
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Our products are all natural and are intended with the purpose of helping individuals indulge in daily self-care. Each product is created with a specific purpose in mind. Our candles are created to help individuals relax, uplift their moods, and assist with practices such as mediation, yoga, prayer, etc. Our bath mixes/bombs/and body scrubs use a combination of salts, essential oils, and herbs to provide a variety of skincare benefits and assist with sore muscles. All of the blends are made and named by us. We take pride in researching each benefit of the specific oil that will go into a blend. This is also what helps us to determine what purpose the product will serve.
We are most proud of the fact that we are achieving our dreams of being entrepreneurs and being role models to our children. We are not only creating a family legacy, but because we want to serve our community, we are hoping to empower other families and our community.
How do you think about luck?
I think the universe/God has been working with us and making divine connections. These connections have allowed us to keep pushing through, even in moments where we have questioned if we’re on the right path. We see this both in our personal life and in our business. This has been especially helpful in pointing us in the right direction of resources/learning tools. Due to not having previous experience in running a business, the universe/God has been gracious with connecting us to other business owners who have provided us with tips and resources.
Pricing:
- Standard Candles $6, Holiday candles $10
- Bath Mixes $3.50
- Bath Bombs small 2 for $6/ Large 2 for $9
- Body Butter $6
- Body Scrubs $4
Contact Info:
- Email: smittyfamilyadventures@gmail.com
- Website: https://smitty-wellness-shop.myshopify.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smitty_wellness_shop/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Smitty_Wellness_Shop-100167628472402
