Go West Young Woman.....WAYYYYYYYYY West!

Hi NMW Friends! I LOVE chatting with you, filling you in and boy oh boy do I have some things to share. We've been pushing along, growing Twitter followers, Facebook "Likes" and spreading the word on Instagram and Pinterest. Brand new glamour fans are finding out about Nikki's Magic Wand every single day. We've been very pleased with the progress.

This weekend was a stellar one for us. A dear friend, who has been supportive of us since the Wand was just a sketch on a page, hosted a launch for us in Michigan. It was held yesterday, at the gorgeous Townsend Hotel in Birmingham, MI. The guests were gracious and kind and bought lots of Wands. It was such a pleasure making new friends in Michigan and we had a blast, nibbling on such delish goodies as curry chicken tartlets and chocolate covered strawberries. The launch was a hit AND I got to see some of the sights in Michigan, which was a great bonus. After the party, my friend took me to a few spa/boutiques to tell them about the Wand, drop off a few samples and fingers crossed, they'll want to put them on shelves.

It was time to return home today and I was driving along, reflecting on the phenomenal weekend when I get a call from the best friend/business partner, who is crazy excited. She tells me that Nikki's Magic Wand will now be INTERNATIONAL! You will recall in my last post, I mentioned our new program called the "Magic Money Makers" where Conscious Glamour Divas (and Divos) can buy the Wands in bulk, at a discounted price, and sell them for a nice profit. Well, we have secured a new rep in MEXICO!!! Can you see me doing my happy dance? I am pretty sure my car floated the rest of the way home. This is BIG news for us because we are planning to really push this program and the fact that we now have a presence in Mexico just makes me want to cry. If no one ever told you or you haven't seen it with your own eyes, trust me when I tell you, DREAMS DO COME TRUE!

I won't flash back today because I want you to be in THIS moment with me. I am sitting at this computer so overwhelmed (in a good way) by this weekend's events. I am going to strive to hold onto this feeling for a good long time.

As always, I thank you for reading.

Nikki

Tweet, Tweet, Tweet....

Hello! I MUST apologize for being away so long. You know from the name of this blog that I am a 9 to 5 chick and things in Corporate America have gone wild. I have been busier than ever before and by the time I get home (prime Blogging time) I am ready to pass right out. But, writing this blog makes me happy so I was excited to get a few moments today to sit down and fill you in. Last time, I mentioned that we'd hired a Digital Media Consultant (WGC Interactive) and let me tell you, that was one of the BEST decisions we've made. He has been growing our online presence and followers on various social media sites and we are just at the beginning of his action plan. Every time we get notifications of new followers on Twitter or Pinterest, we smile.

We have a few other things cooking too. We met with our business consultants over at The Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence (http://www.entrepreneur.pitt.edu/) and we discussed crafting a sales model that would include having sales reps for NMW. Let me tell you why I am SUPER excited about this and why you should be too. Think about it, you buy a bulk number of Wands (say 110 for $4.75 a piece---$522.50) do you know that by selling the Wands and charging $10 a piece (suggested retail price) you can make $1100!!!! How many other ways can you earn that kind of return on your money? It's a Win Win! You are selling people something that will help them solve a problem, save THEM money, and look beautiful in their bags, while YOU more than double your money. As we were brainstorming, I threw out the name, "Magic Money Maker." What do you think of that name? Seriously, I want to know.

We are also VERY excited about having an intern work with us this summer. There is nothing like fresh ideas and different ways of seeing things. This is how dreams come true. Collaboration and hard work!

One last update before I get into a flashback. Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending an event with my mother-in-law. Every few months, her group, the Grandmothers of Pearls, meet and get together to eat, socialize and have a speaker, movie night, etc. Well, I was honored to be invited to their gathering yesterday and told them all about Nikki's Magic Wand. These dear, kind grandmothers bought 21 Wands in 10 short minutes! I was so thankful for their support but also for the confirmation that this product is for EVERYONE!
Time for a flashback... When we last flashed back, I told you that I'd tell you about tip weights and UV paint. Well, we'd found the overseas manufacturer that we were going to use (Thank Goodness!) and now we were ready to get things rolling. Now, I have to take a moment here to get sappy. Because this whole process was 100% new to the best friend and I, we were so consumed with learning what to do, trusting the experts and funding this venture that we really didn't have the time to sit and reflect. Reflect on what you may ask? (Here comes the sap...) Reflect on how absolutely amazing it was that we were actually working on a dream...a thought that popped into my mind. The best friend asked me one day, "Nikki, why aren't you on the rooftop screaming about how amazing this is?" I replied, "I don't have time to climb onto the rooftop, I have to decide on tips weights and the up charge on UV paint." There was no time to do a happy dance, it was time to WORK! That being said, I want to keep my promise and tell you about our next steps. The final design was done and we were very happy with it. The kind of plastic had been decided upon, the color, the length and width of the Wand, the way the cap would fit and the fact that the logo would be printed right at the spot where the Wand and cap met so that when you pulled the two pieces apart, the "N" would separate into an "M" and "W" (Nikki's Magic Wand)---pure genius on Julie's part.

This portion of the project can only be called "Prototype Land." With the specifications in hand, the overseas manufacturer had everything they needed to make my brain child something you could actually hold in your hand. They went away and started working. We patiently waited, excited for that package to come in the mail. They were working on both the Wand and the packaging so we had an array of goodies coming in the mail. The first prototype came and I feverishly ripped it open. There it was...the Wand. It had a metal shaft, a tip weight that was too high (stiff), and a dull, black finish. The box was too large, the paper was too thin and the color was off. Surprisingly I didn't freak out. I knew this was how the process went....get a prototype, give feedback, tweaks, etc. I will never forget that the inventor of the Dyson vacuum went through more than 5000 prototypes before he got it right so I knew that we would get it JUST the way we wanted it.

I'm going to stop here because this post has gotten lengthy and I don't want you dozing off. :) I will tell you next time about the process to get it right...including a trip that the Wands took all by themselves to Wisconsin! :)

As always, thanks for reading!
Nikki

Wands in the White House!!!!

Hi Friends! Happy April Fool's Day! No tricks for you today, only treats (oh wait, that's Halloween:)). It's been a little while since we chatted and it's time we get caught up. As we had hoped, not only did we start March with a roar, we ended it that way as well and let me tell you how. The internet is such a regular part of our lives that we rarely think of its power, that is until you find yourself growing a business and are focused on what it can do for you. We've been using Facebook, Twitter, our own nikkismagicwand.com site, (with Instagram and Pinterest to come) and Youtube to a very small degree. Boy did we get a lesson in Youtube and its marketing power the last week of March! In February, we had a campaign where we asked friends to pass along Wands to make-up artists for their use and hopefully to spread the word of their eternal love for the tool. Well, a Wand landed in the manicured hands of Tracy, of Stellar Visage. This beauty shared that she not only loved our Wand but planned to shoot a video giving her expert opinion of it. We couldn't wait to see the finished product and let me tell you something, it is a FABULOUS video! I am going to attach it here so you can see its loveliness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww4GBIz1aAY

See, I told you it was awesome! :) Ms. Tracy, the star of the video, posted it everywhere and guess what happened???? Wands started to fly off the shelves!!!! Want to see? Wands are headed all over the country!

Oh there's more to share. In December, when we launched, a dear friend from high school told me that she is friends with the Biden family and it was her personal mission to get the Wands into the White House. Well, she told me a few days ago that she has passed Wands off to the Bidens, who have also passed one to Michelle Obama!!!!!!!! *Happy Dance* I can't fully express to you what that was like for me to read. Amazing! We got the sweetest message from Sara Biden who said she loved her Wand and that she was going to continue to spread the word. Yippee! So, just like the faces that Tracy from the video paints, March was STELLAR!!!

We have just hired a Digital Media Consultant who will assist us in growing our web presence, with the sole plan of spreading the word of Nikki's Magic Wand FAR and WIDE. Look out for us on Instagram and Pinterest VERY soon!

I know I promised a flashback this time but I had so many late breaking, awesome things to tell you and I never want you to be bored reading so I'll stop here.

As always, this 9 to 5 chick is thankful that you keep reading. This journey twists and turns each day and I'm SO glad you're along for the ride.

Nikki

Channels, Channels and more Channels...

Happy St. Patrick's Day, Nikki's Magic Wand Friends! I hope everyone is having a great weekend. St. Patrick's Day has turned out to be quite a green holiday for NMW. On the last post, I told you that we were roaring into March like a lion and we planned to keep roaring. Well, since that post, we have stuck our toes into new waters. You may know that we are selling on www.nikkismagicwand.com, Amazon.com and now at four retail locations. BUT, we just added yet another distribution channel (listen to me sounding all business-y). We are now in partnership with a couple who has purchased a bulk amount of wands under a wholesale agreement, for the purpose of selling on their own. It's a Cha-Ching scenario for all involved. How many investment opportunities offer you a chance to double your money? We are VERY excited to have entered into this partnership and all parties involved are committed to keep it going for a long time. We have all read that we need to have multiple streams of income, well this is the same thing. We are looking for ways to expand our brand, our reach and get the word out far and wide so EVERYONE can join the make-up saving revolution!
Also, we are still looking for a subject matter expert on Search Engine Optimization, Social Media and all things related to making the internet work its hardest for us. I've told ya'll before that there are a MILLION things to learn. It can simultaneously feel exciting and confusing. But as each day passes, we plug away, learn something new and come out just a bit wiser. One BIG thing I have learned is that there are many, many ways to get a Wand in a consumer's hand. I happened to be at a girls' get together yesterday and the host asked me to bring some Wands and I am happy to say that they sold like hotcakes. Might have to add home parties to the list of sales options. NMW is easy to hawk because it's not only nice to look at (thanks Julie and Vince), but it also serves a great purpose so it makes a non-saleswoman like me talk it up with ease and in turn, would be an easy sale for others.

Oh, there's more to tell you. NMW will be featured in Ambition Box's first shipment in April (check out their Facebook page). For a small membership fee, you can get a box of  goodies delivered to you each month. Imagine a treasure chest of beauty booty on your doorstep each month. Cool, right? Hurry up and join and you too can get a Nikki's Magic Wand, among other treats. Let's support these women as they grow their business.

The best friend/business partner is being considered for a reality show so you may get to see her soon and I have submitted my picture for People magazine's Real Beauty campaign. If you are so inclined, please vote for me (Nicole, 41 from Pittsburgh)! :)

Well, I really just wanted to tell you what's been happening. I promise to flashback next time.

As always, thanks for reading.

ROAR!!!!!!!

Hi! Happy March! They say March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Well, as far as sales go, we have started March like a lion and our plan is to keep roaring throughout the month! We also ended February on a high note. As I mentioned in the last post, we were supplying the souvenirs for a sorority luncheon, so we got 200 Wands in attendees' hands and everyone seemed excited and pleased to have them. Let the money saving begin! It was also a great networking opportunity and the hope is that we will be able to make additional connections from the luncheon.

Next week we have a meeting with a young lady who does Digital Marketing Consulting: Social Media/Online Advertising/Search Engine Optimization/Websites/Strategy/Training/Tactics. We have tapped family and friends and are starting to get to the second layer of friends but we need to start to really touch the "stranger" market.. We need to get out there into the world. Don't get me wrong, we're seeing orders from people we don't know and we're starting to get e-mails from other business owners who have heard of us, so that's great, but we KNOW it's time to reach even further.

One thing we're really after is a celebrity endorsement. Who would you like to see holding Nikki's Magic Wand on a commercial or feature story? Hmmm, there are SO many great options. Nikki's Magic Wand knows no age, race or income limit so any glamour puss could do it. We will keep pushing to make those connections and if you have an "in" with a hot celeb, let us know! :)

Time for a quick flashback...
So, when we last went down memory lane, we were ready to lock down a manufacturer. Vince, the design guy, said he'd go out and get some quotes. This was great news to us because, as usual, we didn't know how we'd proceed with that. He communicated our needs (a plastic stick, with a rubber tip and a cap closure). He sent along the dimensions and some ideas for materials that could be used for the Wands. He sent out very intricate and fancy drawings to potential manufacturers and let the quotes roll in. He received two quotes from the US and two from overseas. My top choice was to have the Wands manufactured in the US. I wanted to go to the factory and cry as I watched the Wands rolling down the conveyor belt. I imagined what that would be like...watching an idea that popped into my brain actually manifested into something that could be held in your hand. So, I was eager to see what the quotes would be like. Now, let me tell you first what made up the quote. Each manufacturer gave us a quote on the mold for the Wand and cap and the per unit price once the Wands were manufactured. Well, my vision of a teary me standing in the factory in say, North Dakota (don't know why I chose N. Dakota :)), was dashed when the quotes came back. I had always heard that China was the place for small plastic production but I still held out hope. Well, the US quotes for the molds were more than 6 times the lowest quote in China. Yes, you read that right, SIX times more. It became clear very quickly that we would be manufacturing overseas. So, after we chose one overseas manufacturer over the other (the more reasonable overseas manufacturer was offering only a one cavity mold, while the one we went with was offering a four cavity mold, meaning four could be created at once, as opposed to one at a time) it was time to really get down to the business of specifications and making this thing pretty. Next time we talk, I'll tell you ALL about tip weights and UV paint.

I am going to sign off now but I do want you to know that we are going to have some fun March promotions and discounts, so stay tuned on the Facebook page and on the www.nikkismagicwand.com site. We WILL eventually put a Wand in EVERY hand!

As always, thanks for reading. You are the cat's pajamas!
Nikki

Spreading the word...

Happy President's Day! There is nothing like having an extra day off from the 9 to 5 to get some things taken care of. It is particularly appreciated when you have a budding business that you can never seem to find enough hours in the day to manage. Thank goodness for the best friend! We are finding that our partnership is rolling along quite well. It is absolutely wonderful to have someone working every day, as hard as you are, with the same exact goal....world domination! :)

I have some updates for you. A BIG one is that we are NOW being sold on Amazon.com!!!! We are very excited about that because, as any frequent online shopper knows, Amazon is a powerhouse and we hope to be able to reach a much larger buying audience! The reviews have been rolling in and I am happy to say that we are "5 Star Chicks." :)

Another BIG update is that we are NOW being sold at Elliven Spa in Bridgeville, PA. Our placement there was facilitated by a newer friend of mine and I am very thankful. Big tight hugs to Darlene P. And an extra special thank you to Ashley T. who is AWESOME and welcomed Nikki's Magic Wands with open arms at her beautiful spa.

The final update I'd like to report is that I spent a large part of today preparing gift bags of Nikki's Magic Wands to be used as souvenirs for an upcoming sorority luncheon. I am VERY excited that there will be a room full of people 150+, who will leave with a Wand and hopefully spread the word far and wide.

The best friend and I have been busy researching bloggers' e-mails and mailing addresses so we can send them Wands, in an effort to get them talking about it. We will continue that grass roots effort as we know it to be effective AND cost effective. We did meet with and subsequently wrestle with the idea of signing on with a PR type online firm but with a price tag of $4500, we decided to keep the PR in house and handled by us right now. Thankfully, there are still many ways to get the word out that we haven't touched yet. We have just passed being "open" for two months and I think we are progressing nicely, if I say so myself. :)

We have had the website analyzed and have reviewed the results, so we are aware of areas for improvement. The goals are 1. Excellent Customer Experience and 2. Search Engine Optimization (when someone searches for a make-up tool that does what ours does, then Nikki's Magic Wand will pop right up.) We will continue to enhance this and get it right where it is supposed to be to run as effectively as possible.

I'm going to keep this fairly short today but as always, I thank you for reading. I genuinely enjoy sharing this journey with you.

Nikki

Designing Women...and Men

2012--When last we met and flashbacked I was telling you that we had our first ever prototype in our eager little hands and had surveyed various people to see what they thought. Thankfully, they all thought it was a great idea and that it worked well. So, it was time to chat again with Vince (the design guy) to discuss what the actual Wand was going to look like. The best friend and I had always been clear about our "brand." We knew we wanted sleek, chic, and high gloss. We wanted the Wand and its packaging to look expensive, without actually being expensive. We communicated this to Vince and Julie and they got it right away. Julie was/is in charge of the packaging and Vince was in charge of the Wand design itself. Wait until I show you his first ever rendition of the Wand. It looks EXACTLY the same as it does right now. He "got" it. So, in addition to knowing how we wanted it to look, he also needed to make sure he had a grasp on what materials would work well. Any of my make-up folks out there know that the entire inspiration for this invention was the inept applicators that come with the products. We needed to think outside of the box when designing this tool to determine how to make it more effective than what was out there. Meaning, clearly we had to make the Wand longer than the current applicator (so it would reach the bottom) but we also had to make the Wand thinner in diameter, so it could maneuver in those small tubes well. If we made it as thick as current applicators then it could not flex as well and would not be able to reach the tops of those tubes. That was very important because we wanted to make sure the consumer would be able to FINALLY clear the illusive bottom of the tube, but also the tops and upper sides, where there was always product left. And left over product = wasted money. So, Vince had all of his ideas and plans and stepped away to work his magic (pun intended). :) When he returned, with his presentation, let me tell you, I could have cried. I mean, this idea popped in my head...Ms. 9 to 5 chick, who could barely draw a stick figure. I, of all people, had thought of something that required some ingenuity and now, after sharing this vision, someone had turned it into something REAL.  It was a feeling I can't describe and quite frankly that feeling has stuck with me--the amazement and downright shock that this came to my life. Want to see a picture of the first Wand design?

Isn't it beautiful?

So, the logo was in place, the brand solidified, the Wand design complete, experts firmly on the payroll and we were beyond ready to move full steam ahead. The best friend and I were in constant talks about next steps and now manufacturers. I'll stop there because the manufacturer piece is a HUGE one and talk about a learning curve! Wow!

Right now we are focusing on Marketing and building the brand. We are spreading the word through social media and through actual word of mouth. We have a meeting set with our business advisors in a few days to discuss the results of the website analysis (want to ensure it's doing all it can and is user friendly) and to continue to craft a marketing strategy. We are busy bees.

As always, thanks for reading...