Featured: Angela & Christy of Beeingkind!

Please meet these two awesome ladies, Angela and Christy, co-owners and founders of beeingkind.com! This time, it’s two people answering the “5 Questions for the Women of Small Business!” Yay!! They have built their own business creating delicious spreads from organic coconut oil and raw NW honey. Read on for their thoughtful answers!

1. Tell us about yourself and your business.

Christy: “I’ve been a stay-at-home wife and mom since I was 17 years old. I met my AMAZING husband Kris when I was 16, we got married a year later and had our son Mason, 2 1/2 years later we had our daughter Shaylee. We just celebrated our 20 year wedding anniversary! We are also expecting our first grandchild! He will be arriving mid June, and we are very excited!

Me and Angie started talking about our business back in the beginning of summer this past year. We spent the whole summer planning, making different recipes, thinking of our name, packaging, and trying to decide when we wanted to present the product to everyone. We ended up deciding to launch our yummy coconut honey spreads in November of 2016 at Harvest Moon Bazaar. We thought our spreads were good and that people would like them, we just never expected them to take off as quickly as they did! We ended up selling out on day two of the three day bazaar!! Selling almost 200 jars of our products! It’s been a crazy whirlwind since then and we are growing the business at a pace that I never expected!”

Angela: “My name is Angela deBree’ Owner/Co-Founder of beeingkind.com LLC. I grew up in the county and began working at a very young age picking raspberries for the neighbors on the other side of the fence and learned how to make a dollar, how to manage and save money. I then grew up and had many jobs, my favorite jobs were working for American Airlines as a flight attendant where I was stationed in New York City at age 21. I learned sales working for Estée Lauder as  beauty advisor and makeup artist.

All the while my passion for photography lead me directly into Entrepreneurship. I Owned and Operated my own small business for seasonal work as a professional photographer. Many of my professional skills I developed over the years working with people and in sales have played a key part in the role that I bring to the table with beeingkind.com. The company beeingkind.com started with an inspired idea that developed into a widely received product.

The products that we are promoting are Coconut Honey Spreads. These 4 signature flavors Cinnamon , Lemon Poppyseed, Coffee and Orange Clove flavor profiles were strategically designed by us entrepreneurs of beeingkind, to give something for everyone’s palette. But, we won’t stop here, keep a watchful eye out as fall approaches. We will be announcing some exciting stuff in the Fall of 2017 if not before, so keep on following!”

2. Describe your workspace. What’s your favorite thing about it?

Christy: “Our work space is a kitchen…so not that exciting. But we have worked out a method to our madness, so it does it’s job!”

Angela: “Our processing kitchen is enclosed with giant windows overlooking beautiful landscaping surrounding our workspace. Including a creak and pond full of life! My favorite thing is the sound of frogs that croak around us outside. In the winter time when it snows it feels like you’re in a snow globe.”

3. Where do you find your motivation when you feel stuck?

Christy: “I usually find my motivation from my husband. He is a man who loves the Lord and he always leads by such a great example. He’s not only my greatest cheerleader, he can calm me, uplift me, and give me better advice than anyone I know. He knows the right things to say to help me get my head back in the game!”

Angela: “Motivation: Positive customer feedback, and believing in the company and the products. When I get stuck, I usually identify the obstacle, recognize it, then figure a way to get around the obstacle. Strategic planning and knowing when to hold back and when to push forward. Persistence with an equal balance of patience and follow-ups are the key.”

4. What did you think you’d be “when you grew up,” and how does it differ from who you are today?

Christy: “I always thought I’d work. I wanted to work for Oregon Fish and Wildlife as a game warden. But life has a funny way of changing plans. When I was 17 we had our first child, and I knew that I wouldn’t want anyone else taking care of him. So me and my husband decided that I would stay home and raise the kids and be a housewife.

Over the years I thought about working, but nothing ever seemed right. Partly because I have grown so accustomed to being in charge and never really wanted to be told what to do, but I am also stubborn, strong-willed, and like to be in charge! LOL. I always joked that I was just born to be a boss!

So, I prayed about it. I figured that the Lord would tell me when the time was right to find a job and he would point me in the right direction to what job I should do. Then, this past year I decided to get Bees and all these ideas just started popping into my head. I was guided in all these directions!  I knew who to present my ideas too, I knew how I would want our products to be presented, and I had a sense that this was what I was supposed to do!”

Angela: “I wanted to actually be a Missionary. Reason being was because, as a child I wanted to travel the world and spread the good news. Now I feel I’m “Spreading” the goodness of a high end product, with a bit of the good news as well. In times when I am asked to recite Eph 4:32, I do so, it blesses someone’s day because they usually tell me so. I feel a little bit like, maybe I am a mini local missionary. Hopefully in my mission, my vision and the power within me by the Holy Spirit that my part of beeingkind.com LLC will lead to bringing more kindness to the community and eventually other parts of the world.”

5. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to women that want to be their own boss?

Christy: “Be prepared to work for it! I never had any idea all the details that go into owning a business! It’s not easy and it takes up way more time than you can even imagine. Don’t spend money you don’t have. Grow it at a pace your business can handle. Put yourself out there. It can be uncomfortable but it’s worth it, and learn to take rejections! Oh, and have fun!! Meet new people, develop genuine connections, and support other woman owned businesses!”

Angela: “Never compromise on what your core intentions are. Establish a foundation of values and integrity. Stick to them. Be honest and look people in the eye and give a firm handshake. Or a hug sometimes. Set short term, mid term, and long term goals. Write them down and do it. Believe in yourself. If you can imagine it you have all the ability to make it happen. Get thick skin for any criticism or doors that shut. There is always a critique. Know that your service or product is not going to be for EVERYONE or EVERYPLACE. Exercise your instincts, I use my “gut” feeling at times. Don’t ever let someone say you can’t. Don’t give up on your dreams. Put some passion into it. People can see when you are being genuine. Lastly, don’t be afraid and follow your heart.”

You can find more about Christy and Angela’s spreads at their Etsy shop.