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I did, indeed, launch with 18 products- 6 fragrances of lotion and soap, our peppermint pedicure collection, a limited facial range and a few body scrubs. That range and number of products was manageable for me and I never scaled it back. After a year of working solo (anywhere from 60-80 hours/week), I hired an elderly lady to help apply labels and do some product finishing work. She worked with me for more than a year until I hired a full-time production manager who allowed me to focus on new product development and customer service. Today, there are 8 full-timers: a few who work in the office and on customer service, two full-time production people, a full-time production assistant who does all the labeling, induction sealing and stocking, and the shipping crew. We still outsource our web design, product photography and graphic design. When you're initially ready to bring on help, examine your daily task list- journal everything you do for a week and how much time each task takes. Then decide which tasks need YOU and which tasks just need doing. In my case, I am the heart of the business, so I need to focus on strategic planning and product development. I don't need to label jars or charge credit cards, but those tasks do need to be accomplished. So I delegate what needs doing, but doesn't need doing by me.

As I mentioned previously, I think the best way to get your name out there is to design a beautiful website, stock it full of good information and then optimize the hell out of it so the search engines can find it easily. In my experience, obtaining customers via the internet is the most cost-effective way to get them, much more so than via reps or trade shows, which are the more "traditional" means. That's how I got the word out, coupled with self-written press releases. I have never obtained outside funding- no loans, no grants, no investors. It's important to keep in mind that I remarried a year after I launched my business. That as a welcome relief as I was no longer solely responsible for all household expenses, and it allowed me to reinvest most of our revenue back into the business. But outside funding, no.

Thanks much for your kind words- they are truly appreciated. I would not consider us "huge", we are still very much a micro business, but we do have the benefit of a great staff and fairly wide distribution.

This is one area of the industry that has drastically changed since my business began and I am confident that it will continue to be a dynamic area for years to come. Looking at all of those regulations can be daunting, but I think it's essential to make sure you have accurate information and digest it in manageable pieces. Determine where you might want to sell your products and then analyze that region's specific criteria.

I think it's crucial that you be leery of third-party information posted on the internet. I've heard horror stories of small companies who built their entire product base and distribution strategy on faulty information, which was a tremendous aspect that left them at an unfair disadvantage. If you can afford it (but who can in the beginning?), hire an attorney who specializes in this industry- they are out there and are worth their weight in gold. If that's not in budget, look to government sources and reputable trade organizations who can help. For domestic distribution, the Indie Beauty Network (http://www.indiebeauty.com/) has great information, along with a regular call-in show where labeling and legal experts are featured. Membership fees are very manageable and my initial investment at IBN has paid me back in spades. Industry conferences can also be a great source of information...I previously mentioned the HMSG conference will take place in May 2009 and will feature industry experts speaking on this very subject. You can also go direct to the source at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-lab1.html or pick up Marie Gale's book on the subject: http://www.mariegale.com/cosmetic-labeling-book.html .

When you start to look internationally, I highly recommend several sources:

a) Rethink hiring the attorney mentioned in the above paragraph.
b) Call the embassies of the countries you're interested in exporting to- they can often be quite helpful.
c) Consider membership in trade organizations designed for larger companies. Yes, they have larger price tags, but they very often have databases designed to help their members understand import regulations by country. I am thinking specifically of the IRDB by the Personal Care Products Council. (* http://irdb.personalcarecouncil.org/* ). Yes, it's spendy but you may well need it if you're serious about export.