Supporting Small Beauty Businesses
Never Lifting the Ladder Up Behind Us
In 2007 I was with a group of women entrepreneurs in Washington D.C. to make our voices heard about a proposed piece of legislation that would have crippled small beauty businesses. It was the first trip of what would become many. We had all paid our own way to D.C. and no one was sponsoring the trip. We all knew each other from business and the Indie Business Network  but not as well as we would get to know each other over the years of small business advocacy. The first trip included me, Donna Maria of Indie Business Network, Anne-Marie Faiola of Bramble Berry (at the time my competitor), and at the time Lela Barker owned Bella Lucce and Jamila White owned Ecommerce Diva.Â
As we sweated our way across Washington D.C. I started to ask the other women what had inspired them to be there. Lela Barker, who now owns Lucky Break Consulting, said to me, “I don’t want to lift the ladder up behind me.” Those ten words captured not only why I was there, but the entire foundation of why I was in business. And that statement cemented my admiration for Lela Barker that over the years has grown into a lifelong friendship.Â
I have failed and succeeded in business. I am best known for the huge success of starting Essential Wholesale in my kitchen for $50 and helping turn it into a multi-million dollar business. How did I do that? By never lifting the ladder up behind me. By reaching out to help others climb the ladder with me. My heart’s desire is to reach out to help the people who are about to step onto the ladder, are stuck somewhere along the way on the ladder, or who are working their way up the ladder at any pace.Â
When me, Haleigh, and Keegan started Ology Essentials in 2017 we set out to make an even easier entry into business for those joining the hemp and beauty industry. We decided to set our minimum order quantities (MOQ) for white label to 25 pieces and private label to 50 pieces which is unheard of in the beauty industry. We set low prices and minimums for wholesale accounts and our custom formulation fees. And to ensure ease of entry we eliminated all the excessively long research and development waiting periods that are common in the contract manufacturing industry.Â
Our hearts desire is to support your climb up whatever ladder you set your mind on in the hemp, beauty, and personal care industry. We want to make it possible for you to focus on building your dreams while we do the heavy lifting quietly in the background for you.
Let’s start creating your dream product line! Learn more about our contract manufacturing services HERE.
Thank you for the inspiration to help others along the way.