One of the best ways to be inspired to make yourself and your business the best they can be is to learn from the success of others. That’s why we love to spotlight our members here at the blog. Today, you’ll meet Maia Singletary, founder of Astrida Naturals in Chicago, Illinois. This collage features Maia and some of her products.
Maia has been a member of the Indie Business Network since February 2013. I asked her to share a bit about her life and the Astrida Naturals line. Here's a little of what she said:
Q1 TELL US ABOUT ASTRIDA NATURALS
I started making products as Astrida Naturals as a sideline project for the bookstore I opened with my father. At the time, Azizi Books had a niche in the African American book category, so I created jars of West African shea butter scented with essential oils. I never expected that it would turn into anything more than a hobby, but as we sold more and more jars of my product, and people began asking for more, I began to experiment and branch out. Today, I make a variety of scented body and skin care products. Shea butter is still our staple ingredient, and we use it in almost everything we make.
Q2 WHAT ARE YOUR BEST SELLING PRODUCTS?
Our best selling products are our Shea Butter Body Lotions. They are also my favorite products to make! Our lotions are handmade with nourishing shea butter, sweet almond oil and apricot kernel oils, calendula flower extracts and hydrolyzed proteins. They make a great, long lasting body moisturizer. Our Shea Butter Solid Perfume Fragrances are a close second bestseller. The biggest selling fragrances are Sandalwood Vanilla and Lemon Verbena.
Q3 WHAT SORTS OF THINGS DO YOU LIKE TO DO WHEN YOU'RE NOT WORKING?
When I'm not working, I'm spending time with my family and taking our son all around the sights in Chicago. When I have a minute to myself, I love to read and draw.
Q4 WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT BEING A MEMBER OF THE INDIE BUSINESS NETWORK?
I love the community of IBN, I have met some truly amazing and inspiring business owners here who I'll be friends with for years. I love that we are all each other's cheerleaders! There are amazing resources here too. I love the success calls. Those have always been extremely helpful.
One of my favorite Success Calls was the one about redefining the family business. It really resonated with me. I'm a wife and a mother, and I also have another full time job. Fitting everything in can be a stretch, and that can cause friction. After listening to the Success Call with Donna Maria and her husband, not only did I learn that I'm not alone but I also learned some strategies I can use to continue to find balance.
You can learn more about Indie Business Network membership and the benefits we offer (including affordable product liability insurance, coaching, and mentoring) at this link.
LEARN MORE ABOUT ASTRIDA NATURALS
Check out Azizi Books on Facebook.
