Tell us about the “aha” moment when you decided to launch I+I Botanicals?  
My East African culture is amazingly rich in herbs and natural plants which I have incorporated into my daily life, especially for hair and skin care, for as long as I can remember. When I was introduced to CBD products, it was like a light bulb went off. There was an immediate excitement in combining CBD with the natural ingredients I grew up using. The rest was history! As Oprah Winfrey says, you can’t have an Aha! moment unless you already knew it.
 
Did your friends and family think you were crazy?
Absolutely!!!  You know in this society you’re taught to have a stable job, and steady income as anything outside of that is too much of a risk. I stepped out on faith and chose to be called crazy, to take a risk, believe in my vision and convince others to believe in it too.

What has been the hardest part of getting your brand off the ground?
Starting a business is hard, period. But time and money were definitely the hardest part. We recognized early on that it would take us twice as long and cost twice as much as we had planned. Getting the word out about our brand and products has been the hardest part. Everyone who tries it loves it…but it’s getting it into their hands the first time that is the challenging part.

Has there been an “easy” part to getting your band off the ground?
The partnership and working on an authentic brand were the easiest part. Choosing the right partner is essential. My partner Jennifer Culpepper and I naturally complement each other. We have opposite skill sets yet we are always cross-training and learning from each other. The I+I brand is built on authenticity and effectiveness. As a result, I+I products have received great reviews from leading beauty bloggers and magazines which is starting to spread awareness of our brand.

What is your brand’s hero product?
Choosing the “hero” product feels a bit like choosing your favorite child! It’s really a tie between our Face Serum and Dry Oil. We have customers who rave about both of these products and even ask for larger bottle sizes.

How do you address NPD?
We regularly look for inspiration and are always experimenting on developing new products. As a brand we focus on sustainability and all-natural, responsibly-sourced ingredients to create a lineup of products that is suitable for all skin types and addresses some of our biggest skin care issues. Although we focus on all-natural ingredients, it is important that we work with a certified lab and a chemist to make sure the quality stays consistent.

What do you see as the biggest challenge that lies ahead?
Everything has come with a learning curve! We are so grateful for the friends and mentors who have helped us along the way. We’ve had so much good fortune in getting to this point. But, as we’re planning to scale and grow, we’ll need to seek investors and partners to help us get to the next level. We have a clear vision for our business, and we’ve built a great brand with products that have produced positive results with our clients. While the current climate has taught us to modify some aspects of our business, like diversifying suppliers/vendors, we remain focused and always learn from others in our industry. Researching and seeking guidance from experts in the areas we feel challenged is part of our next steps. 

INDIE TO INDIE  Alice Kim, founder of Hanalei, asks: What has been your proudest moment as an entrepreneur? My absolute proudest moment was getting three nominations from Indie Beauty Best in the show-2019. I+I got nominated for Best Body Moisturizer, the Best Bath Product and for the Best Brand. The nomination came only six months after launching I+I. This made us not only feel so proud, it gave us so much encouragement to keep on going.”   — Selam Kelati