"Know what you do well and get help for everything else" with Ayanna Jackson

Ayanna Jackson started Arbria Creations a handcrafted vegan, natural Bath, Body, and Soy Candle Company.  Arbria Creations specialize in creating natural body products that are formulated to make your skin glow on the outside while keeping you healthy on the inside.  Ayanna’s ultimate goal is to empower and encourage her daughters and all women, that they can do anything they set their mind to.  We give a percentage of our sales to causes that empower women or young ladies.  Check us out at http://www.Arbriacreations.com

What inspired you to start your business?  

My three beautiful daughters inspired me to take the plunge and to start my business.  That is reflected in their influence in the name, Arbria Creations, a combination of their names; Arianna, Brianna, and Brittney. It all started with them after all, when I began whipping up concoctions and natural moisturizers in my kitchen to treat their sensitive skin, rather than relying on those chemically-laden mass-produced products at my local drugstore. If there’s one thing that will make you pay attention to the label, it’s having children of your own, because they become your main priority.

I discovered a real love for creating natural products and nothing gave me greater pleasure than when I discovered that my friends and family were experiencing positive results! This made me realize I wanted to get my products out there and bring them to the public because everyone deserves to experience luxurious products, free from toxins, that will leave you feeling pampered and like the queen. 

Where is your business based?

My business is based in San Leandro, California.   

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

My first step to start my business was to research the industry and then secure my business name by applying for a fictitious business name.  Then I started with a proof of concept by selling to friends and family.  After the success, I went to the City of San Leandro to apply for my business license. 

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?  

The most effective way to raise awareness for my business has been word of mouth.  I offer excellent customer service and my customers tell their friends and family to purchase my products.  I also utilize social media to educate and spread the word about my products.  I plan out my social media content on a weekly basis so there is an active outreach plan. 

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?  

My biggest challenge has been the pandemic – COVID19.  Before COVID19, I attended events to sell my products to customers directly.  I loved the experience of being able to speak to my customers directly and allow them to touch and try my products.  Now that we are experiencing COVID19 and I am not able to sell my products in person I had to step up and update my website to try to reach my customers via the website.  This has worked out for me because I have gained new customers that have found me through Google ads and Social Media post. 

How do you stay focused? 

Since I have always wanted a business it’s not that difficult for me to stay focused.  I create a weekly to-do-list of things I need to do for my business on Sunday check them off throughout the week.  What doesn’t get accomplished during the week goes on the top of the list the next week.   

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?   

We try to differentiate our products from the competition by making sure we create quality, handcrafted products using ingredients that are recognizable, cruelty-free, vegan, and organic. The quality and energy we put into the creation of our product is extremely important to us, and we carefully consider the composition, origin, and environmental impact of each ingredient we use.  We stand out because of the love and care we put into creating them.  All of our products are Spa Like and we develop our products with women in mind.  Our goal is to try to empower and encourage women that they can do anything they set their mind to do and to live their best lives.   

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?  

The most effective marketing strategy to grow my business is offering a contest on Instagram and Facebook.  I have been able to grow my followers and newsletter subscribers by offering contests where the customer sign up to win a free product(s).   

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

I would advise anyone just starting off to do his/her research and determine his/her niche market.  I would also encourage him/her to not try to do everything by his/herself. Know what you do well and get help for everything else.  There is nothing wrong with asking for assistance. That was hard for me but I learned the hard way and I wouldn’t want anyone else to have to experience that.  I am still learning. 

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why? 

My favorite application is Canva.  I personally don’t know what business owners did before the application was created.  Canva enables me to create content quickly and easily, with little graphic design experience.  I love that it has templates that I can utilize for items I create.   I use it to create just about everything for my business.  It helps me create social media posts, graphics in my newsletters, and graphics in my blogs.  I have also used Canva to create an e-book for my brand. 

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why? 

My favorite business tool is Google Drive.  I love that I can create, store, and share all types of files as a team in real-time. Google Drive lets me sync my files across all my devices and share them publicly or privately when I work with others.  I love that I can upload my pictures to Google Drive and I can access them on my computer, phone, desktop, and/or my iPad.  It makes my life easier.   

Who is your business role model? Why?

Truthfully, I don’t just have one business role model. I have several Indie Beauty business owners that I feel are doing some of the things I aim to achieve in my business and they are family-oriented.  Which is very important to me. 

How do you balance work and life?

Balancing my work and life can be complicated because I am an entrepreneur and I still work my career that I have been at for 25 years.  I concentrate on my career during the day and in the evening and weekends, I dedicate my time to my business.  I am able to do this because my daughters are teenagers and they don’t need my assistance as much as they did when they were younger.  Also, one of my goals with my business is to encourage women to take time for self-care.  Well, that is easy for me to do by experimenting and using my products on myself I am utilizing self-care on a regular basis.  

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

My favorite way to decompress is by walking.  I love to walk the Marina with my dogs.  It allows me some self-care, alone time to think and decompress. 

What do you have planned for the next six months?  

I will continue to promote my new Bliss Collection, release and promote new skincare products for my brand. 

How can our readers connect with you?

I can be reached via my website, www.Arbriacreations.com.  They can also visit my social media pages:  www.Instagram.com/Arbriacreations  and www.facebook.com/Arbriacreations