Inspirational Gift

I would like to introduce you to our next Ms. Biz, Elaine Stephen of Inspirational Gift Gallery.

Q: Tell me a little about your business (or businesses).

Elaine: I sell inspirational gift products that I truly believe express God’s word, Christ’s sacrifice and inspire us with messages of love, comfort and joy.

Q: What is your best selling product?

Elaine: Inspirational Jewelry.

Q: How did you come up with the name?

Elaine: I looked at keyword phrases that applied to the goal behind selling my gifts and how tough the competion would be for being listed at the top of the search engines.

Q: When and why did you start the business?

Elaine: I am a Christian woman who for many years dreamed of having a baby and starting my own business. Unfortunately, I never conceived and a brick and mortar retail store required more upfront investment than I had. Even if I did have a baby and a business, I wondered how I could give both a child and a business the attention they both needed at the same time? Finally, it was time to stop dreaming and wondering and start investigating. My mother always said, “God helps those who help themselves.”

My husband and I decided to adopt a child and I decided to start an online retail business. An online business offered low start up costs and the ability to work from home. As my husband and I created a profile for our adoption, I created a new business.

Through prayer to God and Jesus Christ for guidance and patience, my dreams came true. In November of 2002, I held my adopted son in my arms for the first time and my first web site was already profitable! My current web site, the Inspirational Gift Gallery, was published in 2005.

Q: What was the hardest part for you?

Elaine: Finding drop shippers of unique inspirational gifts and keeping my product offering up to date. I advertise on my web site for product submissions but must find the time to search online for and contact drop shippers of new and unique products as well. With almost 500 products offered from many different suppliers, I must set time aside to keep checking for temporariy out-of-stock, discontinued and new products as well as product price changes.

Q: What motivates you to keep going?

Elaine: Faith in the Lord that I am following the right path in my business and personal life to succeed at both and fullfill my dream. Hope for continued and greater success of my business. I pray for wisdom in the decisions I make for my business and how it compliments my personal life. Finally next to God and family my business has become my passion that strives to spread the words of our Lord and the love comfort and joy that belief in Him bestows upon us.

Q: Any advice for other women wanting to start their own business or ones who have just begun?

Elaine: The main ingredients are research, hard work, trial and error and don’t give up! I truly believe that God wants us to succeed. He simply asks us to plant the seeds of our business, harvest the grain that is available to our business, prepare the flour for our business, mix the dough in our business and bake the foundation of our business before we get to savor the bread of our business, which is our success!

Q: Tell me about you - hobbies, favorite things, etc.

Elaine: Taking pictures of my son, campfires at night in the summer, candle night at home in the winter, sewing and crafts projects. Some day I am going to find the time to make scrapbooks for each year of my son’s life, LOL!

Q: Do you have a discount you would like to offer the readers?

Elaine: I would love to offer a 10% coupon code to anyone who reads this article, visits my Inspirational Gift Gallery web site and chooses to place an order and spread a little Christian love, comfort and joy!

Enter the coupon code: IGGBLOG at check out.

Thank you, Elaine, for taking the time to answer our questions!

Gemini Greetings

If you know anyone with a set of multiples, you will want to check out Gemini Greetings.  I was recently sent samples of these cards to review, and they are extraordinary.

Gemini Greetings offers greeting cards that are designed with multiples in mind.  There are cards available for most special occasions and holidays.  Gemini Greetings is a Louisiana based company started by Angelice, a very friendly mom of twins.

The cards feature beautiful illustrations.  The printing is clear and crisp with no fading or smudging.  The printing is on a thick card stock.  They are very nice quality cards.  Each card is blank inside so that you can include your own special message.

The envelopes are adorable as well.  I was sent three different color envelopes with the cards.  They are bright, vibrant colors with polka dots that are just shades lighter than the envelope color.

To make these adorable cards even better, they are all printed on recycled paper.

Gemini Greetings will also create, address and mail custom imprinted cards and invitations.

This is a short review, but I think the designs speak for themselves.  The quality of the cards, printing and envelopes is excellent.

If you know anyone with a set of multiples (and just about everyone does these days), stop on by Gemini Greetings and have a nice chat with Angelice.

L’Bri

I was recently given the opportunity to try some of the L’Bri skin care products.  These were sent to me by Judy Alders, and I would like to thank her for the opportunity and for being so patient with me on posting this review.

I received the sample set for combination skin.  Each of the skin care sets come with a Cleanser, Freshener, and Moisturizer.  The one I received came with a sample size of each of these, and a small packet of Exfoliating Facial Scrub and a Facial Mask.  All of these samples were in a nice clear small plastic carrying case trimmed in black.

Before I started using the L’Bri samples, I did some reading on the products.  According to the information that comes with the products, L’Bri does not contain waxes, mineral oil, petrolatum, lanolin oil, drying alcohols, synthetic fragrances or artificial dyes.

The first step in the daily skin care system is the cleanser.  The sample set I received included a deep pore cleanser.  After using this cleanser, my first opinion was that my skin felt just a little dry.  However, I am used to using cleansers that claim to have a moisturizer included in them instead of a three step system.  This cleanser does not have a moisturizer included in it because it is a separate step.  My skin also felt very clean, and I am sure that the reason it felt somewhat dried out was simply because the oil and dirt had been removed.

The next step is a Freshener.  According to the information included, the Freshener is to “restore proper pH balance and prepare your skin to absorb moisture.”  It really basically feels as if you are getting your skin wet, but then it leaves your skin with a nice fresh clean feeling.

The last step of the daily skin care routine is the Moisturizer.  I would recommend having your fingers damp as you are applying this because the moisturizer feels thick and wet fingers allow it to go on smoother.  This moisturizer left my skin feeling smooth all day long.  I also found that I didn’t have those annoying “greasy” spots throughout the day.  (You know what I mean.)

Throughout the time that I was using the three step daily skin care set, I also used the Exfoliating Facial Scrub and the Facial Mask.  The Exfoliating Facial Scrub says to use it two to three times a week “to remove tired, dull surface cells and imbedded impurities.”  It is to be used after the Cleanser and before the Freshener.  The Scrub feels like a lotion with little pieces of hard things in it.  (I’m not sure how else to describe it.)  However, when you are rubbing it on your face, it does not hurt or scratch the skin.  As I mentioned above, my skin already felt clean after using the Cleanser.  I cannot say that it felt cleaner after using this, because I’m sure most of you would think that it was all in my head.  However, this is a nice step to include a couple of times a week.  The Facial Mask also says to use after the Cleanser and before the Freshener.  I used this on a different day than I used the Exfoliating Facial Scrub.  This has to be applied and then allowed to dry for 15 minutes.  I must admit that I’ve never used a Facial Mask before.  So my little warning may seem funny to those of you who have.  This dries very stiff!  As I said, this may seem funny that I said that because I have been told that facial masks always dry stiff.  I received an important call while I had the Facial Mask on.  The area around my mouth was so stiff that I could barely move my mouth enough to talk.  The person on the phone kept asking me to repeat everything.  It was actually very funny now that I think about it.

Anyway, back on topic.  I used the L’Bri natural skin care products for a week.  Overall, I found that they are very nice products and definitely worth trying.  My skin appeared very clean and felt very fresh and smooth.  The opinion and results on the combined system is definitely more important than an opinion of each separate product because the items are made to be used together and not individually or combined with products from different lines.

If you are considering trying L’Bri, please visit Judy Alders and let her get you set up.  Tell her Ms. Biz sent you.

Loose Lips NY

After a brief hiatus, the Ms. Biz features are back!

This week’s Ms. Biz is Sherry Backman of Loose Lips New York.

Q: Tell me a little about your business (or businesses).  For example, what you sell, services offered, etc)

Sherry: Loose Lips New York- Makeup, cosmetics and more. www.looselipsny.com We sell a full line of easy to wear makeup and skincare for the busy woman at a reasonable price.

Q:  What is your best selling product?

Sherry: Mineral Foundation and Indelible Eye Gel Liner

Q: How did you come up with the name?

Sherry: I love to gossip and live in New York…Need I say more?

Q: When and why did you start the business?

Sherry: We opened 2 years ago- starting out at ladies night outs and shop and dines in the community- no one was really selling makeup at these and I thought what a great thing to do.

Q: What was the hardest part for you? 

Sherry: Balancing my time between work and family.

Q: What motivates you to keep going?

Sherry: When I get positive feedback from customers- How much they love a product etc.

Q: Any advice for other women wanting to start their own business or ones who have just begun? 

Sherry: PR and Marketing are key.  Make as many connections as possible- you never know where it will lead.

Q: Tell me about you - hobbies, favorite things, etc.

Sherry: My kids, my dog, traveling, going to the beach, spending time with friends, workingout, walking and playing tennis.

Q: Any discount you would like to offer the readers?

Sherry:  Use code Biz20 for 20% off your first order at Loose Lips New York.

Thank you, Sherry, for being this week’s Ms. Biz!