Meet Lake Louise | Beauty & Wellness Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lake Louise and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lake, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I consider myself a wellness entrepreneur and educator. I hold a M.Ed degree from Stanford University.

Although I was a college professor and classroom teacher by profession, I always had an entrepreneurial spirit, which requires a strong sense of independence, which I think I was born with.. lol

After years as a high school teacher, I felt the pull to begin something new. So, when it was time for me to shift out of the classroom, I thought to myself what am I passionate about? and it seemed very obvious.

Throughout my early years I dabbled with various business ideas…

Then the ah-ha moment came…

19 years ago… little did I know, what started as a single product to address my own hormone-related skin changes…

…would turn into skincare solutions for 1,000’s of women who experience the same thing…

Even with a consistent skin care routine, I noticed changes in my skin depending on what was going on with my body.

… breakouts on my chin and jawline
… skin more irritated and sensitive
… skin felt dry and dehydrated

There was lots of trial and error…and error and trial…

It was during these trials that I realized that my mindset was totally WRONG!

I was focused on achieving ‘younger’ looking skin instead of HEALTHIER looking skin.

There’s a difference…

See… our skin can NEVER become younger, but it can always become healthier.

I wanted to create products that would provide the Best of Both Worlds [plant-based + actives].

… and that’s how Lotus Moon was born.

But I knew I couldn’t just create one brand because when it comes to wellness there are so many components to it — there is a skin care part (Lotus Moon) there’s a beauty/makeup part (Plain Jane Beauty) and there’s also an internal wellness part (DetoxRx).

And that is how all three of those brands came to be — not all at the same time of course. My company, SMB Essentials, is the parent and the brands are the children. All with unique and distinct personalities.

What should our readers know about your business?
How did you overcome the challenges?

I’m a firm believer in ‘nothing easy is worth having’… when it’s easy you’ll lose interest.

Challenges change depending on what stage you are in a business.

Owning and operating a business challenges one’s very core…your entire belief system… each and every day.

Being an entrepreneur is truly a journey of self-discovery. You discover what fear and self-doubt feel like. You will know quickly if you’re cut out for business ownership.

But honestly I think the challenges are what provide the drive for me to keep doing what I do.

To keep creating and developing new products and ideas. So to not have challenges would seem like there’s nothing left to do.

I don’t look at challenges as needing to be overcome. I see challenges as being something that needs a solution.

So you either solve the challenge or you don’t. And the challenge is always present, until it’s not.

On a personal level, I would say that one of my greatest challenges is maintaining work life balance. It’s not something you ever “overcome” because it’s something you’re constantly working on to keep balanced.

I make sure that I exercise three to four times a week, but sometimes it’s only 2 times. I drink a green smoothie every morning, but sometimes I miss a day.

And I go to bed by 10, but sometimes I don’t.

I try not to be too hard on myself when I don’t stick to my routine.

I allow myself flexibility and room to stay in the flow based on how I’m feeling. Those are the basics of how I stay healthy and grounded and ready to meet any challenges coming my way.

But on a more practical level, I see challenges as opportunities to learn. Something that is going to take you to the next level of business growth.

During challenging times it’s always important to find ways to show gratitude. One of the ways we show our gratitude for our blessings is by giving back.

We accept the responsibility of being active participants in our local communities. Through donation management platform, Shopping Gives, 1% of each sale goes to various community and non-profit organizations that our customers get to choose from when they place an order.

In addition, giving back to the community is also through our hiring practices… We give priority to those who were formerly incarcerated.

One of our former employees (who was incarcerated for 6 years) has gone on to own his own spa and of course is carrying our brand Lotus Moon 🙂

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Day 1 & 2 We would get an Atlanta City Pass and do all of the traditional tourist-y things.

Which would take 2 days to experience. Lunch at Vortex for burgers.

Day 3 Botanical Gardens

Day 4 Hiking the Chattahoochee trails – all day – pack a lunch and lots of water

Day 5 Atlanta History Center in Buckhead

Favorite restaurants:

Leon’s Full Service – Decatur
Superica – – Krog Street
Breakfast at Barney’s – breakfast 7 Brunch
Buttermilk Kitchen
Bread 7 Butterfly – breakfast
JT Kitchen
Kimball House
Staplehouse

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
In spiritual realm: My ancestors and spirit guides. In the physical realm – my husband and my mother… and everyone who has believed in me.

Website: www.lotusmoonskincare.com and www.plainjanebeauty.net

Instagram: @lotusmoonskincare and @plainjanebeauty

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lakelouise/

Twitter: @lotusmoon

Image Credits
Lake swing photo credit: Amanda Lopez Lake Laughing photo credit: Holland Reid