This is Only the Beginning ✨
I learned an important lesson about rejection and failing on Saturday.
I saw a video by Will Smith where he spoke on the importance of failing and failing often. And I know what you’re thinking: isn’t the goal to win? Why should I want to fail often?
Because there’s always a lesson in the failure. It’s up to you to find the lesson, learn the lesson and then apply said lesson the next time you try.
On Saturday, I learned two lessons about rejection.
I went to an herb store I shop at often and asked the owner if she would like to feature ButtahBody products in her store. And ya’ll, this lady questioned me like I was on trial 😭
Why does your Shea butter differ? What’s special about ButtahBody? She even asked me — after I already told her our ingredient list included RAW African Shea Butter — “you used the white Shea butter or the yellow?” To which I promptly replied, we use raw African Shea Butter, the white one.
Instead of being offended by her round of questions, I politely answered each one while I watched her sample and re-sample each buttah from the sample sizes bags I offered her. As the store owner, I understood her need to be through with her line of questioning. She has a responsibility to her customers and can be held liable if anything goes wrong.
It started feeling like she was doing a bit much after I gave her my wholesale price.
After telling me my products wouldn’t be in her store, she turned to her employees — who were standing behind the counter watching the whole scene play out — and asked them if they would pay my price, to which they both answered no.
Now, this is usually where most people begin tuning out and to be honest, a few years ago I would’ve too.
As Erykah Badu said “I’m an artist and I’m sensitive about my shit.” Everything you see for ButtahBody from the products to marketing is done by me. There’s no investors, no help, just me and I can be sensitive about it.
To turn and ask her employees if they would buy the product, without having them try it nor acknowledging the clear bias of her, the person who signs their paychecks asking them this question, was a bit much.
And then I heard her give her reason why. “I can’t afford it, I don’t believe my customers will be able to afford it…” She then went on to explain that I could sell the products in spas or salons, a market I’m currently working on.
I thanked her for her time, told her to please enjoy the sample bags and have a beautiful day. As I was walking out the door, I heard her say to the other employees “it does feel really good though.”
And that’s all I needed. The lesson here is just because one person said no, doesn’t mean you will never hear a yes. Based on how much she liked the buttahs, her no may very easily turn into a yes in the near future.
The second lesson I was reminded was never back down on your standards to meet someone else’s. When asking me about the wholesale price, the store owner hinted that I could choose to wholesale my ingredients online in order to save some money.
I spend bare minimum $30 on herbs only every time I go to that shop 😅 It’s something I expect and the price I happily choose to pay in order to get locally organically sourced herbs, quality, knowledgeable customer service and the convenience of being less than 20 minutes from my house. Not to mention, I am helping build my community by keeping money circulating in my community. Lift as we climb buttahbabes!
ButtahBody will always be a natural, luxury skincare brand. Choosing lesser quality ingredients to lower cost has never been a choice, never will be. This is not the first time someone has hinted switching ingredients to me in order to save money. I refuse to mess with the integrity of the products you all love.
So next time you get a rejection, remember find the lesson, learn it and apply it!