Welcome to Episode 99 of the Indie Business Podcast! On this episode, you'll meet Robbin Turner of Violet Botanical Skincare in Los Angeles, CA. One of the first things you might notice about the Violet Botanical brand is the gorgeous violet blue bottles in which each product is carefully packaged. The bottles are not only beautiful, but they are also reflective of Robbin's deep Gullah cultural heritage. Listen out in this episode for the connection between the package and the product — just one of the many points that make the Violet Botanicals brand unique.
On this episode, we take a deep dive into Robbin's extreme focus on the customer journey. Whether it's in person, at a show or market or online on her popular YouTube channel, Robbin allows the people who buy her products to guide and direct her product development and launch efforts. She is so fully immersed in their lives, wants and needs that she barely has to think about what to do next. This makes it easier and more fun to lead her business effectively and efficiently. You'll want to listen for strategies you can apply to your business starting right now, today.
Sit back, relax and enjoy my interview with Robbin NOW!
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Important entrepreneurial and content creation insights from Robbin
Let's unpack some of the most significant business and content creation insights Robbin and I discussed in this episode.
1. Let your customers tell you what to do
Robbin says that you never really arrive at a final destination in terms of knowing what your customers want. Instead, you continuously talk to them and listen to their stories. She maintains a mindset of curiosity about what matters most to them. This arms her with the information she needs to move her business forward. Her customers tell their stories and she listens to them, getting everything she needs to know exactly what to do next in her business.
Robbin sums it up this way: “Stop thinking like a founder, and start thinking like a customer.”
2. Build your community
Your community, your fans, your followers — these are the people who will become your marketers, your ambassadors, your sales people — basically, your everything. Robbin points out that part of what she has learned by being a part of the Indie Business Network is the importance of building a community and providing them with quality information backed by research and truth. As she says, business is not about being out here just trying to sell a person something, and then moving onto the next person. Instead, it's about educating and empowering your community and enhancing their lives. All you need to get started is 1,000 true fans.
3. Put a video camera in your hand
Robbin talked about how she uses her YouTube channel to educate and share behind-the-scenes snippets with her community. Showing people what she actually does to create the products they love so much engages them in unique ways that even the most beautiful product photos cannot. Robbin credits Indie Business Network workshops with planting so many of the seeds that have helped her to become more comfortable on camera.
Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode
In this episode, Robbin and I mentioned the following resources.
- Learn more about Violet Botanical Skincare
- Follow Violet Botanical Skincare on Instagram
- Robbin's YouTube show: Work With Me Wednesday
- Article: 1,000 True Fans by Kevin Kelly
- Article: Community is King by Donna Maria
- Learn about the benefits of the Indie Business Network – for American makers and artisan entrepreneurs and join today!
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