20 Questions with The Clove Collective.
It’s funny what networking and signing up to facebook groups will do for your business. I met Rosie through our mutual business coach Sonia Bavistock and helped her out with some branding and digital collages.
The Clove Collective is such a modern take on incorporating essential oils in to your every day life. I have been a skeptic of Essential Oils forever but when I watch Rosies daily instagram stories I am so inspired to change over to the other side! Her relatable content whilst raising a family and working as a psychologist 2 days a week is inspiring.
If you’re looking for a side hustle and are already interested in Essential Oils you might want to give Rosie a follow!
WHAT IS THE NAME OF YOUR SIDE HUSTLE BUSINESS AND WHAT INDUSTRY ARE YOU IN?
The Clove Collective. I support busy mums to incorporate natural options in their home so that they have more choice + feel more confident to take care of their family's health + wellbeing.
HOW LONG HAS YOUR SIDE HUSTLE BEEN RUNNING?
3 years in September. I started the month before I was due to give birth to my second child.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO START YOUR OWN BUSINESS?
It happened by accident. I was using and loving the product (doTERRA essential oils) and someone presented me with the business opportunity. I was already running another online business (kids store), working as a psychologist and about to have my second babe so not ideal timing, but it worked out exactly as it was supposed to. Before using essential oils I didn't consider myself to be someone who would ever use them, so I was excited to show other Mums like me, simple ways they could use them, in conjunction with more traditional approaches, to support their family's health + wellbeing.
DO YOU STILL WORK FULL TIME ANYWHERE ELSE?
Yes. I work 2 days per week as a clinical psychologist. While I can't leave my day job (by next year that will be an option), The Clove Collective has allowed me to reduce the number of hours I work so I can be at home more with my kids. I also made the decision to close my kids store as I couldn't do everything!
WHAT HAS BEEN THE BEST FINANCIAL INVESTMENT YOU'VE MADE IN YOUR BUSINESS?
That's a tough one. I'd say a cleaner and an extra day of daycare because it has freed up a little more time for me to work on my business. More recently business coaching has been one of my best investments.
DID YOU INVEST IN BRANDING WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED YOUR BUSINESS?:
Initially I did my own logo but within a few months I had invested in someone to create a logo and brand colours/fonts for me. So much quicker + easier so definitely worth the expense early on.
IS THERE SOMETHING YOU REGRET OR WISH YOU HAD DONE DIFFERENTLY IN YOUR BUSINESS?
Not really. Everything has been a learning opportunity.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE BEST PART OF RUNNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS?
Meeting so many other amazing and empowered women! And starting to build a residual income so I can support my family financially while also freeing up time to spend with them.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF RUNNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS?
Feeling like I never have enough time to give to all the things that need my time - my family, my day job, my buisness, my friends. As my business has grown I've invested more in services that help to free up my time so I can just focus on the things only I can do.
WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU HAD KNOWN WHEN YOU WERE STARTING OUT?
That running our own business, especially in network marketing would be the biggest personal development journey I'd go on!
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST EFFECTIVE STRATEGY FOR SELLING YOUR PRODUCT SERVICE?
Consistently showing up on Instagram + providing a lot of value/education. I give more to my customers then I ask for. In terms of exposure, the relationships I've created with other women in business have led to my biggest exposure via collaborations with them.
IS THERE SOMEONE WHO ORIGINALLY INSPIRED YOU TO START YOUR SIDE HUSTLE?
There wasn't a specific person, but I was inspired by all the mama's with a side hustle. Being able to work around my kids and on my own terms was appealing.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE ELSE STARTING A SIDE HUSTLE?
Just start. You are never going to know everything so just start and learn as you go.
WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?
I usually wake up at 5am to have a coffee and enjoy the silence. My husband and kids typically get up between 5:30-6am so I'll do some work until my husband leaves for work at 7:30am. If it's not a day I'm at my psychology job, I'll do another hour or so of work while my youngest has a rest. Then I do a bit more work once the kids go to sleep. I also usually do a couple of hours of work on the weekend and my husband takes the kids out. I just try to find pockets of time around my family.
HOW HAS LIFE CHANGED NOW THAT YOUR PURSUING YOUR PASSION AND LIVING YOUR DREAM?
I was able to reduce the hours that I work as a psychologist so I could be around more for my kids. I love running my own business so I also get a lot of personal fulfillment out of it.
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOUR BUSINESS IN 5 YEARS?
Still growing but with me not needing to work as many hours as I am now. It will have allowed my husband and I to travel around the world with our kiddos for a year.
BEST TIP FOR BUILDING/GROWING A COMMUNITY/FOLLOWING ONLINE?:
Be consistent, show up every day (or most days), provide a lot of value. I roughly follow the 80/20 rule of providing value/asking for a sale. Be yourself but know that it's ok to decide that there are some things you won't share. I'm not comfortable sharing my kids online so they will never appear on my IG no matter how much it would help my business.
ANY OTHER ADVICE YOU WOULD LIKE READERS TO KNOW ABOUT YOU, YOUR BUSINESS, OR BEING A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER IN GENERAL?:
Don't let fear hold you back. I was concerned about what family/friends would think about me 1) selling essential oils and 2) having a network marketing business. That held me back initially but I soon realised that people's opinions wouldn't pay my bills and I was doing something I loved.
HOW DO YOU REST, RECHARGE?:
Waking up before my kids do (even though I'm not a morning person), having a long bath once a week and catching up with friends regularly.
ONCE COVID IS ALL OVER WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO TRAVEL TO?:
Japan - we were supposed to have our first child free holiday there in April 2020 for my husbands birthday, but obviously that didn't happen. I was also supposed to be heading to Nashville, Tennessee in March 2021 on a doTERRA trip but that doesn't look likely.
http://www.theclovecollective.com
Insta: @theclovecollective
