Starting a family business is a challenge in and of itself, but it’s not impossible. Research shows that about 85% of startups are started using family money, and family businesses tend to outperform the rest of the pack by a little over 6%. But the real question is: Is it a good idea to start a business with your mother?
For Deannee Santiago from Lulu’s Holistics, partnering up with her beloved mother was one of the best decisions she has ever made in her life.
The Overnight Idea
Lulu’s Holistics started in the kitchen of Janet ‘Lulu’ Frederick, Deannee Santiago’s mother. Janet wanted to create an alternative to all the available topical skincare products available in the market back then. As a vegan, Janet wanted her skincare products to be as safe, and as cruelty-free as her diet, so she mixed her own self-use products. Janet made everything from soaps, hair care products, and body butters, all the way to yoni scrubs and serums.
While Janet worked her magic, her daughter Deannee recognized the potential of her mother’s concoctions as a solid product line.
The overnight idea turned into a business success when Santiago posted her mother’s skincare products on Instagram, which gained 500 orders on the very first day. Eight months later, the mother and daughter tandem opened their first shop in Florida to cater to the high volume of orders.
Growing Together With the Company
From a mom-and-daughter shop, Lulu’s Holistics took flight and quickly grew to become one of the leading natural skincare brands in America. Janet and Deannee proved to be an unstoppable force and opened two more brick and mortar stores in the US, both in New York City.
The success of their business lies in the way the duo handles their operations. No matter how big the company gets, they have clear roles and stick to them. Janet Frederick is the brains behind the entire skincare collection, including product improvement, and controls the stores. Meanwhile, Deannee Santiago operates the warehouses and ensures that they can keep up with their orders both in the United States and abroad.
This dynamic relationship allowed their humble business to flourish for four years and counting. The bond born out of love and respect transcended into their entrepreneurial lives, which meant that they afforded the same values to their employees and customers. Janet and Deannee treat all of their staff as part of a family, promoting passion and loyalty in their line of work.
Lulu’s Holistics’ approach to business proves that family bonds can reach greater heights even in the professional sphere and can be the very thing needed to keep the firm alive. It also showed that no idea is too small if it is executed carefully and correctly.
