Leading up to the 2020 Holiday Season, I will be introducing you to some of my favourite small business owners. They will be sharing some background about their business, advice that they have for aspiring entrepreneurs and some suggestions for thoughtful Christmas gifts.
hunny b. skincare: Brianna Neely
If you love having soft lips, you must do a little shopping at hunny b. skincare! I was first introduced to hunny b. skincare through a collaboration that they did with Lavender & Grace, and I became hooked on the soft and delicious smelling lip balms.
I chatted with hunny b. founder, Brianna Neely, to learn about her goals and aspirations for her brand and for herself.
when and why did you start your business?
I officially launched my business in October 2019, however, the idea was born several months earlier in the Spring of 2019. I was in search of a new “hobby” and was inspired to create my own homemade, natural skincare products. I wanted to source as many local ingredients as possible and knowing how magical bee-based products are, I decided to use them responsibly in my formulations. Starting hunny b. allows me to share what I love with my community, and for me that’s skincare, self-care and care for your community.
what has been the biggest milestone in your business to date?
I quit (well, sort of) my full-time, corporate 9-5 to pursue my business full-time. It was a huge decision to leave the security of a guaranteed salary, routine and benefits package to having absolutely none of that and doing absolutely everything myself (shout out to small business owners who are riding solo and absolutely killing it). hunny b. is now my main focus, my 24/7, and I help out on a part-time basis with my corporate job.
where do you see your business in the next five years?
I love this question! I am such a hopeless romantic when it comes to my business and I get so excited to think about where I can take it, almost to a fault. I would love to be in a place where I can produce my own bee-based ingredients, so ideally I would have a space to keep my own bees and ensure that they’re not overworked or overproducing.
In the past year and a half of entrepreneurship, I’ve learned what I love and what I would rather outsource, so I hope that in five years I can strictly focus on the parts of this business that allow me to thrive. No matter what happens in the next five years, I just want to ensure that the mission of my company is not lost and that I am still passionately in love with what I do.
what advice would you give to a budding entrepreneur looking to take the leap?
A few things that have been very valuable to me:
1. Research research research! Educate yourself as much as possible before making any decisions that require you to spend $$. The more you understand about your industry and the do’s/don’ts, the more confident you will come across when making the “big” moves.
2. Start small. If you’re a type A person like myself, make a list of tangible tasks that can be checked off as you go. It doesn’t have to feel insurmountable.
3. Write EVERYTHING down. I really mean that. I have 5 different notebooks laying around my house and I use the notes in my phone to jot down my thoughts, ideas and concepts.
what is something that you think is a common misconception about owning a small business?
That you have to scale/grow at the same rate as others in the industry. It’s really easy to compare yourself to other businesses/business owners but we all have a very different journey ahead of us! Some want to scale their business to become a globally recognized brand and others prefer to keep it small, and maybe even keep it as a side-hustle. There is no “wrong” path. Use what you have now and continue to set goals that apply specifically to your vision. Don’t let it get clouded by what everyone else is doing.
what is one personal goal that you have right now?
I have been dealing with chronic illness for almost 10 years now and recently I have been working on digging deep and trying to understand the root of it. In order for me to be the most functional, bright and driven version of myself, I have to dissect the “why” of my current state of health. We all have things we’d like to work on, and no one has it all figured out, but I believe it is so important to be pushing the boundaries of self-development, especially owning a company that is based on self-care. Opening up these painful doors are only going to allow me to connect on a deeper level with my community and share my light with the world.
what is your favourite hubby b. skincare product to gift?
Any of the lip balms! Or sometimes it’s fun to custom make a product for a close friend and/or family member. I like to experiment and get their input until I strike (liquid) gold. 😉
Lip balms from hunny b. skincare are truly the best stocking stuffer gift this holiday season, and I can’t wait to see what products Brianna dreams up next!
Stay tuned for more Small Business Spotlights to come! And if you are curious about my small business, you can check out my Out of Office series here.
