Today we’d like to introduce you to Becky Beloin
Hi Becky, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Operating a retail store was never in my plan. But neither was getting breast cancer at 38. Yet the challenges with my health lead me to one of the greatest professional challenges of my career–opening the first zero-waste refill store in Memphis.
As a young adult, I decided to pursue a career in public relations. I was excited about blending my love of writing with the creativity of developing and executing PR campaigns. After graduating with a degree in journalism, I moved from Ohio to Atlanta and spent the next decade there working in PR.
In 2013, I met my now husband and after a few months of dating, he was offered a job that would move us around the world. We started in France in 2014 and moved eight times over the next six years, ending in the Philippines. During this time, I had my own private writing business, published my first novel, and gave birth to two babies.
We were in the Philippines when COVID hit and I was trying to get into the doctor. Because everything was so locked down, we decided to travel back to the U.S. so I could be seen. Our world took a drastic turn as I was diagnosed with breast cancer and we had to immediately repatriate to Arizona for my treatment.
Going through cancer treatment during a global pandemic with two children under the age of five was immensely stressful. I needed something into which I could channel my emotions and I ended up falling in love with soap making. As I quickly ended up with more than my family and I could use, I began handing it out to extended family and friends and got great response.
In 2022, we moved again for my husband’s job–this time to Memphis, Tennessee. I decided to start doing art shows and the positive response I got from customers over the next year gave me the momentum I needed to take a leap and open a retail space.
Knowing I couldn’t physically make enough product to stock a store with just my own creations, I channeled my passions and experiences into a zero-waste refill store that specialized in natural and organic products. On November 1, 2022, we opened the doors on the first zero-waste refill store in Memphis! We are now getting ready to celebrate our one-year anniversary. It’s amazing to reflect and see the unexpected twists and turns of life that brought me here today.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has not been smooth at all! Running a retail store is like being on a rollercoaster every day. Some days we are constantly busy with customers and make our numbers. Other days, we worry if we are going to make rent for the month.
In terms of struggles, there are many things we didn’t know that we didn’t know, including all the big and little costs that weren’t anticipated. Our POS system has some great features, but each have their own price and that quickly adds up. The cost of hiring an employee also goes beyond their salary–there’s the cost of employment taxes, unemployment insurance, and workers comp, as well as any system you use to track their hours and pay them. Plus, there are numerous taxes and fees just to operate. We often joke that everyone is getting paid except for us!
There’s also the mental struggle of not getting discouraged during the down days or months. The “J” months are particularly difficult–January, June, and July are typically the slowest months for retail. Being in the first year of operating, it was hard to know exactly how busy or slow we would be which lead to struggles with staffing. We didn’t want to lose our employees, yet the summer months were so slow we couldn’t afford to have them work.
Finally, it can be a struggle knowing what partnerships are mutually beneficial and worth my time and/or money. There are always people looking to partner with companies or wanting you to use their services simply for their benefit. Finding those who truly enjoy the mutual boost of working together takes some trial, tears, and error, but the partnerships that are truly mutually beneficial are worth the effort. For example, we’ve partnered with a local organization called Clean Memphis and together we are working on amplifying our messaging encouraging Memphians to adopt sustainable practices in their lives. We frequently host each other at our events and promote the great initiatives we are both driving with an understanding that we are stronger when we work together.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Boshi Botanicals?
Boshi Botanicals is both the brand of the products I make and the name of the retail store I opened.
As a brand, Boshi Botanicals is focused on hand-crafted soaps and bath products. All are made in small batches from high-quality natural and organic ingredients, including essential oils, herbs, and clays. We never use artificial colors or fragrances and our packaging is minimal and sustainable.
I’m proud of sticking to my mission of good for people and good for the planet even though it could be easier or more financially lucrative to use cheaper ingredients and plastic packaging. Instead of aiming to please the broadest audience possible, I create products appreciated by those looking for more natural and sustainable offerings. The result is a product that is currently a little more niche, but I believe consumers are starting to look more closely at the ingredients and packaging in the products they are using.
As a store, Boshi Botanicals is the first zero-waste refill shop in Memphis. We are unique, not only in that we are the first of our kind in our city, but also because we are so strict on the ingredients and packaging in our store. If it’s not something I would use for myself or my family, I won’t carry it. None of the products in our store contain artificial fragrance oils and we try to keep their environmental footprint low by sourcing as close to Memphis as possible. Thus, we are once again more niche, but the excitement from the customers who have been looking for a store like ours in Memphis makes it worthwhile and makes it feel like I’m making a positive difference in my city.
How do you think about happiness?
Happiness to me is traveling with my husband and children. I love visiting new places, learning new things, and gaining experiences that help me grow mentally and emotionally. Being able to raise my children with the gift of seeing the world and experiencing different people and cultures is one of my greatest joys and one of the best things I could ever give them. It is through our travels that I have seen firsthand the impacts of pollution and climate change, as well as witnessed the resilience of humanity and the desire of the majority of us to leave the planet in a better place than we found it. These learnings and experiences have often forced me out of my comfort zone and challenged my beliefs, but the ability to learn and grow brings me a deep sense of fulfillment.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.boshibotanicals.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/boshibotanicals
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/boshibotanicals
Image Credits
Boshi Botanicals
