Welcome to Episode 84 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Indie Story introduces you to Patty Liu of Free Flow Botanicals, in Santa Cruz, California. As an educated herbalist and product formulator, Patty believes in offering a product line that helps people tend to their bodies from the inside out. In addition to a line of skincare, she also offers holistic coaching services and distance Reiki sessions to assist her clients in maintaining maximum well-being.
Managing multiple income streams requires consistent self-care, and Patty dives into her personal self-care rituals in this episode. Her brand relies heavily on the ancient practices of her Asian women ancestors, and in this episode, Patty describes how this very personal connection is integrated into every product she makes. Enjoy my interview with Patty NOW!
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Episode Show Notes
Here are the topics discussed in this episode, with time stamps to help you find the information that interests you most:
- Patty's professional and familial herbal and biochemical background and training (starting at 2:12)
- How Patty selected her brand name. (starting at 8:34)
- Patty's income streams: products, classes and services (starting at 9:39)
- How Patty stays organized, in particular based on her energy flows, and how you can organize your activities based on your energy flows. (starting at 12:16)
- Daily morning and evening rituals. (starting at 15:00)
- Patty on maintaining momentum. (starting at 19:28)
- Impact on Patty's business of Asian culture. (starting 21:27)
- Some of Patty's products and services, including courses, consulting, Reiki, etc. (starting at 27:58)
- Patty on Instagram. (starting at 35:37)
- How Patty gets help in her business. (starting at 42:55)
- What is on the horizon for Free Flow Botanicals. (starting at 44:30)
- Patty's startup tips. (starting at 46:06)
Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode
In this episode, Patty and I mentioned the following resources.
- Free Flow Botanicals website
- Free Flow Botanicals on Facebook
- Free Flow Botanicals on Instagram
- 3-year clinical herbalism training program: Berkeley Herbal Center
- Versatile design tool: Canva
- Video and photo: InShot
- Social media planning tool: Later
- Hiring tool: Hubstaff Talent
Important entrepreneurial insights from Patty
Let's unpack some of the most significant business insights Patty and I discussed in this episode.
1. The power of a morning ritual
Patty gave us an in-depth look at her morning ritual, including how she uses it to focus and prepare herself for the day. She credits her morning routine for sustaining her energy level throughout every day and into the evening. Patty also emphasized the importance of coordinating business tasks with different energy levels. For example, she does not like to sit after eating so the hours after dinner are perfect for packing orders, which requires her to be standing and moving around a bit, but which doesn't require a lot of brain power.
2. Repurpose that content, y'all
While the Free Flow Botanicals Instagram page, including the feed, stories, Reels, IGTV and highlights may seem complicated and difficult to maintain, Patty said she is constantly repurposing existing content. She reminded us that the fact that our customers are inundated with content all day long means that we must often share the same content in multiple formats in order to attract their attention. It's a great reminder that we can successfully use content in more than one place, and at different times, so that we are not always having to reinvent the wheel from scratch every time we post.
3. Invest in a business coach
Patty reminded us that one of the most important things we can do as entrepreneurs is to invest in a coach who has already done what we want to do. You and your business are worth it!
Win a Maskne Skincare Set!
Want to enter to win a Free Flow Botanicals Keep it Clear Maskne Skincare Set? Of course you do!
Check out our Instagram for instructions on how to enter to win!
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