Welcome to Episode 62 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Maker Story introduces you to Valerie Reed of Valana Minerals in Pahoa, Hawaii and San Diego, California. Valerie is the founder, CEO, and lead formulator at Valana Minerals where she creates vegan mineral makeup specifically for women of color.
In addition to leading her business, Valerie is also a sociology professor at a California community college, plus she is the host of the newly introduced Unapologetic Rejuvenation retreat which she will host in July 2018. This episode builds upon our previous interview with Valerie from nearly four years ago where she shares how she started her business. If you have not listened to that, you might want to do so before diving into this one. In this episode, you'll hear how Valerie has expanded her business over the past four years. Enjoy my interview with Valerie NOW!
Click the Arrow to Enjoy the Indie Business Podcast
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 55:47 — 51.1MB) | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | RSS
Episode Show Notes
Here are the topics discussed in this episode, with time stamps to help you find the information that most interests you:
- Valerie shares how where she lives positively impacts her overall personality and how she expresses herself. (starting at 2:50)
- Valerie brings us up to date on how she has expanded her business, including how she overcame the depression and “exhaustion to her soul” that resulted from overwhelm and the temptation to close her business. (starting at 7:30)
- A bit about the process Valerie used to release the stronghold of depression, including rediscovering her artistic side, and emerge with a new enthusiasm for her business. (starting at 9:48)
- The gradual process Valerie went through to recapture herself, including delegating more, and how she ultimately decided not to close Valana Minerals. (starting at 13:34)
- The birth of Valerie's business and life coaching services. (starting at 15:24)
- A bit about how Valerie runs her business, including employees and contractors who help her make her products and how she divides her time between Valana Minerals and her job as a college professor. (starting at 18:24)
- Valerie's advice for entrepreneurs who want to maintain their businesses and their traditional jobs.(starting at 21:39)
- A bit about the Unapologetic Rejuvenation Retreat. (starting at 26:00)
Valerie Reed, Valana Minerals
Episode 62: Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode
In this episode, Valerie and I mentioned the following resources.
- Valerie's website: Valana Minerals
- Retreat: Unapologetic Rejuvenation Retreat
- Social media: Valana Minerals on Persicope
- Valerie's business coaching certification: Dr. Steve G. Jones, Ed.D Master business coaching certification
- Valerie's life coaching certification: Dr. Steve G. Jones, Ed.D Master Life Coaching Certification
Review of a few of the important entrepreneurial lessons Valerie shared in this episode
- Give yourself the freedom to evolve.
Valerie's journey stresses how important it is to pay attention to your life and your business in ways that advance both without tearing yourself down personally. She talked about her husband's illness and how she had to change the way she handled circumstances in her full-time job so she could assess whether her life had space for her business any longer. When she decided that it did, it was only because she made some tough decisions. And that leads us to …
- Make required changes without adversely impacting relationships.
Valerie shared the importance of becoming skilled at saying “no,” in ways that promote clarity without doing unnecessary damage to existing relationships. The example she gave in the interview was great, and you can edit that for your particular purposes.
Binge on all of my Indie Business Podcast Episodes
If you want to binge listen to previous episodes, you can do that here.
Subscribe to Indie Business Podcast
If you enjoy the Indie Business Podcast, please subscribe so you can get each episodes as it is released. You can subscribe on iTunes (on iPhone) or Stitcher (via Google Play or via iTunes).
Rate Indie Business Podcast, Tell Your Friends and Comment
If you enjoy the Indie Business Podcast, please rate my show on iTunes, and be sure to subscribe there to receive automatic episodes as they are released.
If this podcast has inspired you to break all the rules, build your own corporate ladder, and create the life you love, please share on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
