IAM007 – Entrepreneur Builds Her Skin Care Line Focusing on Quality Products

After booking numerous modeling jobs for billion-dollar companies such as Merz, Best Buy and Pfizer, Zondra Wilson decided to launch a USDA certified organic skin care line. “Blu” manufacturers the only American-made USDA certified organic powdered facial cleanser sold in the United States. Zondra is also the only female, African American owner, manufacturer & distributor of a skin care company with USDA certified organic accreditation in the United States.

• CEO Hack: Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, Faith Into Abundance: 30 Stories of Faith From Successful Christian Entrepreneurs and How I Built This Podcast
• CEO Nugget: Go out and just do it – Nike,
• CEO Defined: About customers and team

Website: https://www.bluskincare.info/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/bluskincare
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bluskincare
Instagram: http://instagram.com/bluskincare
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/zondrawilson

Transcription: 

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Intro 0:02

Do you want to learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales and grow your business from successful entrepreneurs, startups, and CEOs without listening to a long, long long interview? If so, you've come to the right place, Gresham Harkless values your time and is ready to share with you precisely the information you're in search of. This is the IAMCEO podcast.

Gresham Harkless 0:26

Hello, hello. Hello, this is Gresh from the IAMCEO podcast and I have a special guest on the show today. Have Zondra Wilson from Blue Skincare Zondra is awesome to have you on the show today.

Zondra Wilson 0:38

I'm so happy to be here. Hey Gresh

Gresham Harkless 0:41

Awesome, awesome, awesome. Well, Zondra Wilson after booking numerous modeling jobs for billion-dollar companies such as Mertz, Best Buy, and Pfizer, Zondra Wilson decided to launch a USDA-certified organic skincare line that manufactures the only American made USDA certified organic powdered facial cleanser sold in the United States. Now Zondra is also the only female African American owner, manufacturer, and distributor of a skincare company with a USDA-certified organic accreditation in the United States. Yes, Zondra awesome to have you on the show. Are you ready to speak to the IAMCEO Community?

Zondra Wilson 1:23

Yes, I am. Thank you for having me today.

Gresham Harkless 1:26

Awesome, awesome, awesome. Well, if you can tell us a little bit about your CEO story, what led you to start your business?

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Zondra Wilson 1:32

Thank you so much for having me today. You know what I've been modeling for years. And I would always use organic products, things from the farm that my parents used to use back in the days in Alabama, of course, I got a little bougie. So I would go out and buy, you know, my clinique and all of my store-brand products because I couldn't, initially I couldn't just get used to using oatmeals, you know, stuff that you're eating actually on your face.

So I went through a period where I couldn't afford the products anymore. And so my mom was like I told you, you can use coconut oil and some hobo oil and olive oil and some oatmeal and etcetera, etcetera, on your face and get better results. And what she also educated me on was a lot of the senior community down in Mobile, which is where they were from when they were in their 80s and 90s. She was like Zondra, did you ever pay attention to their skin? And I will look back and look at the pictures. And she would you know, showed me the pictures. And they had very few if any wrinkles.

Literally, the face was just it was ageless. And these women were 85. And she was like, you know what I told you, and then I looked at my mom, you know because she never bought all of that stuff. So, you know, I said okay, so I started using the products myself for years. And then I just started booking products, and I noticed that I'm having breakouts, my pore size was small, and just my skin just very, very few wrinkles. And I started just booking more and more modeling jobs. And then finally the clients would always say, well, girl, what are you using on your face?

What do you use on your skin, you know, just a small talk because they didn't know initially like, you know what I was using? And so that's when I told them I'm like, you know, I'm using you know, some oatmeal and some goat's milk and all of these different ingredients, this food on my face. And that's how it started. And I just started booking and booking and booking and bookings.

Gresham Harkless 3:17

Awesome, awesome, awesome. No, that's a great story. And it's always it always reminds me how often entrepreneurs have a pain point in their lives or something that's bothering them and then they create as a result of it. So.

Zondra Wilson 3:28

Yeah,

Gresham Harkless 3:29

I wanted to ask you next like so if someone was asking exactly what the products and services that you provide are what would you say to them?

Zondra Wilson 3:36

You know what, we're I call us, we're an anti-aging skincare line and the reason why I use the anti-aging is because the products themselves really do keep you young looking. And we have a lot of clients that have compromised immune systems are very sensitive skin because our products because they're USDA-certified organic, we can't have any type of preservatives outside of vitamin E inside of our products so our products have to be edible Gresh that's just the thing with the USDA, they don't have a separate certification for personal care products like soap and skincare.

And then food the USDA is just straight across the board USDA so our products have to be edible. And of course, we don't recommend that you eat them because we have the essential oils that are inside of some of our stringent, and then our eye serum, but they're all edible and they absolutely work .

So if you're allergic to stuff you have a compromised immune system if your skin is really sensitive blue skincare products or any other USDA certified organic product is the best option for your skin.

And I tell people that there is a difference which I didn't know when I started my company. People didn't know the difference between USDA certified organic, organic, and natural products they just thought they were all the same because a lot of skincare companies say that they're organic and a lot of skincare products through the USDA there have there have to be the products have to be manufactured a certain way.

Certain products cannot go into you know so when you look at a lot of the skincare products that say that they're organic or natural, try to eat them, you know, you can't eat them because of the preservatives and the things that they have inside of them. But there is a huge difference between USDA and that just means we have that little symbol when you go to the Whole Foods Market, we got the little symbol from the USDA that we are legally able to apply.

And then we're regulated through the FDA, it just means that our products are the purest, we use the absolute best ingredients, they actually work in, they're healthy. So if you're eating healthy on the inside, our products are amazing on the outside, it all comes together and it creates an amazing holistic use.

Gresham Harkless 5:34

That's awesome. That's awesome. Yeah. And then obviously, that little sticker isn't little at all, because it means a whole lot because it sounds like you guys have gone through a whole entire process. So I guess the next question I wanted to ask, and I know you might have already touched on it, is what kind of things do you feel makes, you know, Blue Skincare unique?

Zondra Wilson 5:50

Again, the USDA certification, there's only like 11 of us, I think in the country that actually has that certification. And you know, the reason being, it's organic, so the products have a shelf life, they can't sit up on the shelf, eight nine ten years, you know, we recommend that you keep them in the refrigerator, or a cool, dry place. That's the one incident when I tell people I'm like, it's just like organic food, you know, it doesn't, you know, so if you preserve it, obviously, and then it just works magic, it really, really does work. And we're so happy because people that are, are allergic to so many different things.

We're like, you know what, try our products unless you're allergic to oatmeal, or you're allergic to lemon or whatever that the ingredients that we have in our products, then, of course, you wouldn't use it. And also everything in our product you can pronounce, there's nothing in there that you don't know what it is.

Gresham Harkless 6:37

That's a pretty big differentiator because I can't tell you the number of times I've been to whether it is a restaurant or anything or a grocery store and seen and try to read stuff on ingredients like when I can't even pronounce it or spell it. So that's for sure. You know, one of the exciting things that we get to do on this show is we get the opportunity to kind of learn from entrepreneurs and business owners.

And what I wanted to ask next was if you had like a CEO hack, and that might be an app or a book or something that you use on a regular everyday basis that you feel makes you an efficient and effective entrepreneur and business owner.

Zondra Wilson 7:08

You know, one of the books that I read was Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. That book, I recommend every solopreneur entrepreneur, anybody to read because that book Steve Jobs was extremely transparent good, bad and ugly. And it talked about the beginning how he started you know, he was not a very well-liked man he made a lot of mistakes.

So reading that book helped me to be a better entrepreneur in just how to treat people understanding like Steve Jobs was amazing in wanting to give the absolute best product because with Apple he use you know, like when you get your iPhone is in this amazing box and you know how it's all packaged up there, we're gonna throw it away. But Steve's vision was like when you get an iPhone, it's packaged so amazingly. It just, you know, it's high quality.

And that's what I bought into Blue because with us with USDA certification, we asked where's the best, you know, and we want to convey the best and we love, love, love the holistic lifestyle, and we want our customers to have the best in skincare and products.

So I would recommend every solopreneur to read that book. And also I am also a co-author of a book myself, it's called Faith into Abundance 30 stories of Christian Entrepreneurs, Ryan Ansley Horne was one of the main authors, and as well as the thinkers, 29 others, others, including myself that co-authored this book, and it's 30 stories of Christian entrepreneurs, everyone's story is so amazing. People have gone through death sickness, to start their actual businesses and to push through to persevere. Because this is so hard.

You know, it's not a passion of something that you love to call to do that you will stick with it. Steve Jobs said that as well. And when you read this book, you know every entrepreneur in this book will tell you the same thing. It is so unbelievably hard. However, if this is what you're called to do, and it's a passion that you have to push through to go and you know, like I get up every morning I'm meditating and praying I'm reading some positive affirmations I'm reading motivational quotes.

I'll go on YouTube and Google and look up different people's podcasts. How I built this is one really amazing podcast I'm at think it's Evan Carmichael. He's out of Canada. He has amazing videos that he put up the top 10 list and just go and listen to people's stories as to what they went through how many years how broke they got you to know, I look at the lady that created the Spanx and how she pushed through to put this a billion dollar company now what she put it together it was not easy.

It sounds like she just got up and just everything fell on her lap. She went out there and she hustled but you have to have a group of people around you that is motivating you that is uplifting you that is pouring into you that is encouraging you if not you will be dragged down into the mud because people will tell you to like in the book of Job with his wife like you must have done something just curse God and died because Job had lost everything you know, and if you're around a group of energy vampires arrows are people that really don't believe in you. Because sometimes people around you Gresh, because they don't, they're not quite sure if you're going to make it or not, but they want to kind of be there just in case you do.

So when you're going through the hard times, they're like, Well, I don't know, maybe you should try this, and you're so vulnerable, you may listen, you know what I'm saying? He may actually listen because you clearly think and you don't have a clue. So you have to have a firm foundation starting. So that's why I recommend anyone going into business to start off by reading as many books as you can, again, Walter Isaacson, Steve Jobs is one, the book that I co-authored is one and there are so many other books out there, just read and study and then believe in yourself, keep pushing, do not give up.

Gresham Harkless 10:39

I love that. I love that. And now let me ask you this, obviously, because you've taken in a lot of different kinds. And like you mentioned, that book is an awesome book. And also, I'm sure the book that you've written as well to where you got the opportunity to kind of glean a lot of words of wisdom from different Christian entrepreneurs, we ask people for what I call a CEO nugget, which is maybe like a word of wisdom or a piece of advice that you would give to maybe a CEO or entrepreneur or business owner, could you kind of give us one of those if you didn't already.

Zondra Wilson 11:04

You know, one of the things I tell people is to stop waiting for people to help you go out and help somebody who's waiting on you. If you just go out and just do it, that's fine. Nike is so successful with a simple slogan, just do it. Just do it, go out and just do it. That's the nugget that I tell everybody. Because sometimes we're sitting around waiting for someone to give us some type of funding, we're sitting out around and waiting for someone to prop us up and encourage us we're sitting around just waiting for someone to come and pour into our lives, you have got to be a go-getter.

It has to start from within everything else that you get as a bonus, the nugget is just a go out there and just do it and don't sit there and wait on someone to give you money to start your business. You can go on YouTube, there's so much free stuff, I can't tell you how much stuff I haven't paid for, you know, there's so many meetings that you can go to that spree, get your mentor, that's another nugget, you know, cross reference with people get like, for instance, I'm a skincare company is right now I'm looking for an organic makeup line.

So we can cross-promote together, you know, so we can push each other. But if that didn't work, hey, I'm gonna still keep doing what I'm doing. So just keep pushing, keep pushing, and keep pushing, and just go out and help someone else go out. And it's not about just making money, you have to really want to make a change, you have to really want to make a difference. And with Blue, we're so proud because we get cancer patients that can actually use our products, people that just have all you know, they're so concerned about the ingredients, they're like going straight to the ingredients because of the acne, because of the atmosphere that we're living in the pollution in the world really is affecting our immune systems, our skin are inside and out.

So I'm so proud that we can give them a product that they don't have to worry about what's in it. And I'm proud to know that unless you're allergic to any of the ingredients, you won't have any problems with Blue Skincare.

Gresham Harkless 12:48

Awesome, awesome, awesome. Obviously, that segues me to kind of like this idea of being a CEO, being an entrepreneur, being a business owner, one of the awesome things we get to do is have different types of CEOs. And we're hoping to kind of redefine exactly what that means. So I wanted to ask you specifically like, what does being a CEO mean to you?

Zondra Wilson 13:05

Oh, gosh, it's so funny. You know, I have to admit that I didn't necessarily want to be a CEO, I was trying to get my niece to kind of do it with its a lot of pressure on everything is Paul's on your head. So it's almost like the President of the United States, it's like anybody that wants the job probably shouldn't have it. So I look at that as the same as the CEO, you want to help someone you want to, to do so, to pour out into the community and to uplift, but when it's a CEO, you really have to have a heart. It's so stressful, and you can get so bogged down, but you're the people who are working under you, they're there to help you, no matter what still have to You're in charge. So I had to which was really good.

The last I will say 10 years before I even started my company. I did a lot of prayers and a lot of meditating. I know what it was for now I know what it's for. Just because I'm a go-getter. And I get up until I move really quick. What it did was slow me down to I can hear from my employees. And actually, it's just my niece, because she's an accountant because you are only as good as your employees, you know that our vision that she understands Blue Skincare's vision, that I'm extremely transparent, that I'm not just if I don't know, you know, I'm gonna say you know what, this is what I'm believing.

That's why I love prayer and meditation because then I can go say, Lord, help me with this decision. And I always just want to treat people how I want to be treated. You know, how many of us have worked at jobs where you were mistreated, and looked over favoritism?

And people just, you know, can't wait to get rid of you. I believe in giving people chances. I believe, of course, in vetting before you bring anyone on, but also in giving people chances and encouraging them. So being a CEO to me is not just running Blue Skincare. It's not just making the decisions as to what we put on social media, or what meetings we attend. It's really about my customers, and it's really about the people who work on domain.

It's because we are a team. And it's not about Zondra. God is it my fault or not? I take the blame. You know, I take the blame with Whatever happens regardless if, if it were accountants, era or interns era, you know what Zondra Wilson falls on.

Gresham Harkless 15:08

So lastly, one of the things that I wanted to ask you was, if there was anything additional, you kind of wanted to let our readers or our listeners know. And lastly, how people can kind of get a hold of you.

Zondra Wilson 15:18

Well, I just want to encourage all of my solopreneurs and entrepreneurs out there to just never give up, it gets so hard. And that's why you need a community of people around you that can encourage you and pour into you when it's just so unbelievably difficult. And that's why I do encourage you to read that book, Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson.

And it'll help you it really will help you understand it. Apple, this billion-dollar company how it became to be, and secondly to get a hold of me up on all the social media and Twitter, Pinterest, Pinterest, I'm under Zondra Wilson, but Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter I'm under as Blue Skincare that's Blue Skincare

Gresham Harkless 16:01

Awesome, awesome, awesome. Zondra I appreciate you so much for all the awesome things that you're doing and for taking time out of your schedule to kind of give us a little snapshot into all the awesome things that you're doing. And I just hope that you have a great rest of the day.

Zondra Wilson 16:14

Thank you so much. Gresh you too. Bye. Bye.

Outro 16:18

Thank you for listening to the IAMCEO podcast powered by blue 16 media tune in next time and visit us at iamceo.co IAMCEO is not just a phrase, it's a community. Be sure to follow us on social media and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and everywhere you listen to podcasts, SUBSCRIBE And leave us a five-star rating grab CEO gear at www.ceogear.co This has been the IAMCEO podcast with Gresham Harkless Thank you for listening

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