Jyoti Lohman continues to tell us her business journey creating The Beauty Way experience and why it is important. Listen to part 1 first.
Dave Young:
Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and storyteller. I’m Stephen’s sidekick and business partner, Dave Young. Before we get into today’s episode, a word from our sponsor, which is, well, it’s us, but we’re highlighting ads we’ve written and produced for our clients. So here’s one of those.
[Handyside Ad]
Gary:
Told you, Brian.
Brian:
Told me what?
Gary:
This is part two of last week’s episode.
Brian:
Oh yeah, and it was getting good.
Gary:
If you missed it, go back and listen to part one first. Take it away, fellas.
Stephen Semple:
So tell me about getting this out the gate, what were some of the challenges that you faced getting this rolling?
Jyoti Lohman:
Well, again, no business degree.
Stephen Semple:
Yeah, [inaudible 00:01:55]
Jyoti Lohman:
No business degree, no chemistry background, no beauty background. I had a really successful career in fashion. I studied fashion marketing and went to school in Paris and did trend forecasting and fashion styling. And worked in Los Angeles for years in more visual direction and sort of the aesthetic side of fashion.
We moved from California to Austin when I was six months pregnant. I had my now eight-year-old and I have a five-year-old, so I was a stay-at-home mom for years and years. And it was an absolute intentional choice to be home with them. And when my daughter was about one, I went, “This is awesome and I’m a creative.”
And so I just started, there’s a little tiny backstory, where I actually had a clean beauty company 13 years ago, never got off the ground. I was in LA, I was selling out of my house quite literally, three products, very, very small. But it was before the clean beauty revolution was even a thing, so I was ahead of the game. People didn’t understand the toxins, they didn’t understand why it would be more expensive.
I ended up meeting my husband. We decided to get married on our third date. Whirlwind, traveled the world, did lots of research at spas in Bali and Morocco. And brought some of those products home that I ended up or ingredients that I ended up putting in some of my formulas.
This has been brewing for years and years. And when my daughter was about one, it was time. And so I just like kind of the audacity of like I’m a stay-at-home mom and I’m going to create this beauty empire. Sure. And people are like, “Is this ever going to launch? What are you doing?” And I knew what I was doing or actually didn’t know what I was doing, but I believe in the message and the purpose and the products and the time and intention I put into it.
So I launched and I have, again, not really … I couldn’t afford agencies or marketing or coaches or any of that, and so I just started getting out there and showing up.
Stephen Semple:
Right. And this is the interesting part is, what did you do? When you say get out there and showing up, tell me specifically what you did?
Jyoti Lohman:
In person events. I brought that six-foot table and tablecloth and products to everything I could. I went to every single event that I was asked to be at. And again, because that’s where you’re connecting with people one-on-one.
And I do an activation. So I pour water over your hands, you get to use the polish, you get to use the cream, you get to smell it. We talk about the affirmations. And I have you for a few minutes because you’re doing this and I can talk about the story and help you fall in love with the brand. So that’s what I mean showing up. Quite literally lugging around a table and products and getting out there. And going to stores. Is your buyer here? Is your owner here? Never taking no for an answer.
Stephen Semple:
Right. And when you’ve done that, beyond making the sale, what are the things that you’ve learned when you’ve done that?
Jyoti Lohman:
This has been a huge part. It’s such a great question. And I think it’s something that people miss out on a lot. Because you can get that sale, but if they’re not reordering and it’s not selling, who cares? Now you’ve wasted all this time getting a sale.
Stephen Semple:
Correct. Yeah.
Jyoti Lohman:
I offer 100% support. So you are ordering it, if I can, I am hand delivering it, I am helping with merchandising and I am showing up to every event. I have an event today at 12 o’clock with a new account. And we’re doing a lunch and learn and they put an invite out to all their VIPs and they’re coming to meet me. And they’re going to feel the product and touch the product. And again, I get them there to talk about the story and they get to feel the results and smell it.
So really it’s that post-purchase support. And I don’t mean sending emails, I mean showing up, supporting their events, creating events with them. And in the cases of these spas and resorts, meeting with the lead therapist, creating these treatments. We just worked on a Spotify playlist that connects back in with the treatment.
So I think, again, it’s not really about the sale, it’s about that post-purchase support, it’s about checking in and it’s about being available. So again, it’s like that showing up for these customers. And I’ll drive, I mean, I’ve driven hours to show up for accounts. And they’re successful because they’re now tied to the story and they’re … I meet with the salespeople, I talk to every single person that’s there. It’s really like good old-fashioned educating them on the product, connecting with the people that are actually selling it.
It’s great to have a conversation with the spa director, but they’re back in an office. So who’s selling the product? How are they connected to it? Why are they referring it? Why are they suggesting it? Do they know about it? Do they know what’s special about it? Do they know who’s created it? They do, because it’s me and we’re connecting.
Stephen Semple:
It’s funny. I’m trying to think the name of the company, but it was one where part of what they ended up doing is they ended up getting their product into Nordstrom’s, which was a big deal.
Jyoti Lohman:
Huge.
Stephen Semple:
She would go and visit Nordstrom’s and make sure that the product was well displayed and also that it was in stock. And she referred to how she did reverse shoplifting where she would show up with product and restock the shelf and not charge them or anything. It was more important in those early days to make sure that the product was supported and the product was on the shelf. And not only that, that sales were being made at Nordstrom’s because what she knew is it’s one thing to get into the place-
Jyoti Lohman:
To stay there.
Stephen Semple:
… it’s another thing to stay there. And the only way you stay there is the product has to sell through. And it just is bothering me that I can’t think of who this woman was because it was an amazing story. But I’m finding, especially today, I get meetings with a lot of startup entrepreneurs and they don’t want to go out and talk to customers.
Jyoti Lohman:
Which blows my mind.
Stephen Semple:
They want to sit and go, “Well, I want to do emails and I want to do this posting and this posting.” I’m like, “No.” Especially in the early days. In the early days, you have to get out there and you have to meet them and you have to talk to them and you have to learn about them. Because here’s what I’m going to guess, this whole idea of creating a specific thing for a resort, you would have never figured out unless you had a conversation with somebody.
Jyoti Lohman:
100%. That’s why I said it’s like … it’s really like out there pounding the pavement. And I can tell you story after story of … Something I do is I’ll send an email. You want to get some familiarity with the brand. But who isn’t bombarded with email? So you get some familiarity. I always follow them on Instagram. I always send a message. I’ve gotten a couple accounts this way. “Hey, I love what you’re doing.” And again, this is all people that I’m aligned with that I authentically love what they’re doing and want to be a part of it and think we can align. But I’ll say, “Hey, I’m going to come in and I’m going to support you, I’m going to …” I don’t say support you. I say, “I’m going to come in and get a treatment.” I’m thinking of a company specifically here in Austin that I wanted to align with.
And so I’m going to come in, I’m going to get a treatment there. “I’d love to meet you. I’d love to connect.” I don’t hear from them, but I go in, I get my treatment and I say, “Hey, I reached out. Is such and such here?” And they’re like, “Oh yeah, I remember seeing your name in Instagram.”
And now they’ve gotten the email, they’ve gotten the message on Instagram. And now they’re seeing me in person. It’s not a cold call. “I’ve been trying to connect with you. I’m on LinkedIn.” Now they’ve sort of seen the brand, so when I do ask to connect with them, they’re not like, “Who’s this person just out of the blue?”
So that’s just like, again, it’s kind of warming them up. And look, I’m coming to support you also. I’ve gotten so many people where they’re like, they want stuff from me, but they’re not even following me on Instagram or supporting the business. And I think we need to support each other. I mean, and that shows to me that you’re serious and you want to connect.
Another thing is I just, more than once people have said, “I appreciate your diligence.” And what that means is pounding the pavement and the squeaky wheel gets the grease. And it’s old school and it’s something my dad said, but it’s really true.
And I had another experience with a current account that emailed twice and said, “We have a very small retail assortment, we’re not looking for anything on the spa treatment, we’re good.” I picked up the phone, we had a conversation. She said, “Let’s meet. I really like you. This has been a great conversation.” I met with her and I just said, “Yeah, let me just come meet with you. No commitment, try the products, let’s meet.” I walked out of there with a signature treatment, retail and quarterly events.
So keep going, keep showing up. Yes.
Dave Young:
Stay tuned. We’re going to wrap up this story and tell you how to apply this lesson to your business right after this.
[Using Stories To Sell]
Dave Young:
Let’s pick up our story where we left off. And trust me, you haven’t missed a thing.
Stephen Semple:
I think this is the big thing, especially in the early days. Look, if you don’t have money to spend towards promotion and marketing and things along that lines, you then need to put in shoe leather, blood, sweat, tears, shoe leather.
Jyoti Lohman:
Lots of tears.
Stephen Semple:
The whole idea of being able to say … Yeah. And I’m even going to argue that even if you have budget, in the early days you need to do one-on-one because that’s how you learn about your market and what it really, really wants. And I’m sure there’s lots of things that you’ve also learned to change in your messaging as you’ve had talking to people, you start learning what it is that they want, they like, they desire, what the problems are.
Jyoti Lohman:
You got to do the research on the people that you’re talking to so that you understand how you align. Because there’s different … I’m in med spas, which is … I was like, I had no idea I would be in med spas, but I have actives, I have vitamin C, I have niacinamides.
Stephen Semple:
But the research is not asking ChatGPT what do these people want. The research is-
Jyoti Lohman:
No. This is going into the business-
Stephen Semple:
This is the point. Yeah. Yes. Your research is the conversation-
Jyoti Lohman:
The research is not ChatGPT. I mean, it’s a great tool. We talked about this at one point. We’re getting so AI and so ChatGPT that the in-person and the authenticity and the connection of someone really doing the work is more valuable than ever.
And you find how you guys align because I’m going to align with different … The resorts, they’re going to tap in more to the affirmations and the connection there. And the med spas are going to tap in more to the ingredients and what’s the vitamin C percentage and how is this going to be a treatment body care?
So it’s doing the research and finding where you align. And then showing up over and over and over and over. And even though you’ve had an account for a year, you still do their event support.
I would say the same thing as you with, even if you have a lot of money to do that, you still have to get people to love and buy into what you’re selling. And there’s plenty of brands that have had a lot of money that didn’t survive because that’s not …
I always go to the about page when I look at stuff. I want to know who the people are behind this, what their purpose is. And then if the product’s fantastic, then we’ve got a winner. And that’s the important piece of it.
Stephen Semple:
Yeah. We know from looking at analytics that a lot of people are like that. But there’s two things that I think I would like people to take back on this. Is that, one, and I kind of just want to reframe this because people hear research and I think they go down, and really I think what you’re doing is you’re asking questions. You’re meeting with a person and you’re asking them questions and you’re learning about them and that’s the way you’re doing research. And that’s what impressed me when we were talking, because this is what people need to do. And then the other thing is is you’re not taking for granted, the moment you’re in there-
Jyoti Lohman:
It just starts.
Stephen Semple:
… the job isn’t done. In fact, bingo, it has really just started. Because you now got to stay there and you got to support it and you’ve got to continue to nurture it.
I met with somebody a while ago who was like, “Oh, I don’t think I’m going to need anything because we got our product on Costco.” I’m like, “You’ve only just started.” Because you’ve got to now support all of that. And if it’s not successful, you’re out again.
This has been a great conversation. I know you have another event you need to go to. And what I want to point out to people, who will absolutely want to learn more about your product, the best place to go is thebeautywayco.com, is where to go to learn about your products. And they can purchase your products online?
Jyoti Lohman:
You can purchase my products online. I think my IG is also at thebeautyway_co, and that’s a lot of where my storytelling and that’s a great resource to just find out what we’re doing.
Stephen Semple:
Okay. Cool.
Jyoti Lohman:
Yeah, you can absolutely purchase online. I have a store locator on there.
Stephen Semple:
Oh, so even store locators, if they want to go in and buy it at a retail location, they can seek that out and do it that way as well or a spa or whatever.
Jyoti Lohman:
Yeah.
Stephen Semple:
Okay, awesome. What final thought do you want to leave, especially aspiring other entrepreneurs on their journey, what sort of thought or advice or insight do you want to share that you want to leave them with?
Jyoti Lohman:
Another great question. And I would say that a lot of people ask me, why have I been successful? How did I go from a stay-at-home mom with no experience in business or entrepreneurship or beauty, how have I gotten into these huge resorts?
And I want to say the very, very first thing that has to happen before any of it, find what you love. I’m obsessed. I’m obsessed.
Stephen Semple:
Thank you.
Jyoti Lohman:
I can talk about this every day, all day. I mean, I have to be like, “Okay, let’s talk about something else.” I wake up in the morning and the first thing I want to do is think about, work on, strategize, ideas. I’m in the shower, I think about people I want to connect with and products … I have two products launching very soon and that part of the business is something I love.
So my first advice is, yes, we want to make money, but I think if you really want to be successful, find something you’re obsessed with. Because my dad said to me when I was a little girl, “Follow your bliss and you’ll never work a day in your life.” And I am in my bliss and I don’t feel like I’m working, I feel like the luckiest woman alive to share what I love and to share the purpose behind it and for you to have beautiful glowing skin. I love it. So find what you love.
Stephen Semple:
What’s really interesting, we just recorded episode 260-
Jyoti Lohman:
Congratulations.
Stephen Semple:
… of my podcast. And 259 of them all have something in common. There’s literally one exception. And it was one that I recorded very recently where the person started with the objective of, I want to build a national business in this particular space. Every other story has been a person has solved a problem that has turned into a business, had a passion that they turned into a business. They haven’t started with, “Oh, I want to build this one.” Most successful businesses that we see have started with that internal entrepreneurial need, “This frustrates me, shouldn’t be done this way, there’s a better way to do it.” Or, “Man, I really love this and the world should know about it.” It’s like it’s one of the two, that’s it.
Jyoti Lohman:
Here’s the second thing, 100%, here’s the second thing. You have to have a tiny bit of delusion about yourself and what you can do in this world.
Stephen Semple:
Oh good God, yeah.
Jyoti Lohman:
Because I was like, “Of course I can share this and bring this nationwide if I wanted to and do treatments in the Miraval and get in the Fairmont. Of course I can do that in a year and a half.” Okay. Delulu.
Stephen Semple:
Yeah. Just about everybody on the planet, they underestimate where they can be in 10 years and they overestimate where they’re going to be in a year. I cannot tell you the number of business plans that I’ve seen where people, their projection is we’re doing a million in sales in the first year.
Jyoti Lohman:
You got to have a delusion to keep yourself going. You got to be delusional. You got to be a little delusional. I remember thinking something similar, and now looking back, I’m like, “Okay, well, your friends and family are going to know about you and then …” But yeah, it’s finding something you love, having a healthy amount of delusion and then saying yes and getting out of your house.
Stephen Semple:
And then going out in the world, yeah, getting out of your house. Thank you. Thank you very much. This has been awesome. Thank you very, very much for giving your time today and sharing with everyone. What’s your Instagram again?
Jyoti Lohman:
It is thebeautyway_co, and my website is thebeautywayco.com.
Stephen Semple:
Awesome.
Jyoti Lohman:
Awesome.
Stephen Semple:
People should go check this stuff out.
Jyoti Lohman:
This was great, Stephen. Thank you so much.
Stephen Semple:
Thank you very much.
Dave Young:
Thanks for listening to the podcast. Please share us, subscribe on your favorite podcast app and leave us a big fat, juicy five star rating and review at Apple Podcasts. And if you’d like to schedule your own 90-minute Empire Building session, you can do it at empirebuildingprogram.com.
