You have to pick yourself back up no matter what

Getting your business off the ground can be a struggle, especially when you’re juggling being a mom at the same time. Just ask Kylie Andino, who has been the owner of KY Selenite Crystal Co. for nearly two years. Her company, located in San Clemente, Southern California, strives “to achieve maximum relaxation” with their handmade self-care products. KY Selenite Crystal Co. produces selenite crystal-infused bath soaks, shower scrubs, facial and body oils, and soy healing candles. All of her products are 100% certified organic and 100% vegan. Kylie gave birth to her son while she was working on her business, and at the same time, her mother became gravely ill. “We almost lost her a couple of months after my son was born. It was the hardest time of my life. I was a new mom and had no idea what I was doing. I needed her.”

Family has had a huge impact on Kylie and how she incorporates love into her life and her business. “From a young age, I remember my mom was constantly sick. My father and brother would be working thousands of miles away, leaving my sister, mother, and me at home. Many years of taking care of my mother and younger sister honed my natural nurturing abilities.” It was actually while her mom was sick and they were out walking that they stumbled onto what would be the cornerstone of Kylie’s business: “We walked a trail until my mother grew tired. As she began to slow down, she spotted a rock in the soil. We looked closer and noticed the rock had a certain shine to it. We took home what we thought was just a rock, but when we grabbed a hammer and cracked it open, we found out it was a selenite crystal. Imagine our surprise at finding a healing crystal right in our backyard.”

Shortly after that event her mother changed her diet completely and stopped eating processed foods and instead switched to organic, natural foods. Her mother hasn’t been in the hospital since. Seeing her mother’s health change for the better by switching to all-natural products has been the impetus for Kylie to focus on building a business based on completely natural products. “The power the earth provides is amazing when you really understand what is right in your backyard.”

Kylie has now made the awareness of wellness and nature her focus. “I pour every single candle by hand, pick every flower by hand, and that is what sets my brand apart overall.” Because she creates all of her products by hand, they essentially become works of art. As Kylie puts it, “Every single candle, soak, scrub, and oil is different in their own way.”

Kylie clearly has a passion for what she creates and a passion for her family; balancing the two is often not easy. Kylie says, “since I work full time, it can sometimes be difficult to find the right balance between work and being there with my son. With that being said, I bring him EVERYWHERE with me, and if he isn’t with me, then he is with my mom or someone in my family. I have to give all my thanks to them for that.” Having a supportive family and a son she loves gives Kylie the drive she needs to keep forging ahead with the business, even when challenges arise.

“No matter what, do not give up,” is Kylie’s advice to other sellers who are trying to grow their own business. “There are days where everyone feels a bit of defeat… you have to pick yourself back up no matter what.” 

From candles, Kylie has expanded to include skin oil and milk soaks. She focuses on making her packaging unique and on-brand to her store’s natural, but still glamorous aesthetic. Soaks are loaded into test tubes with cork stoppers and oils are in ornate bottles filled with floral infusions. Candles are decked out, topped with dried flowers and crystals, all in complementary color palettes. She uses a white-based background in many of her photos, often located in or around a bathtub, to let the products speak for themselves. Mini vignettes of tiny decorative touches like sprigs, coasters, and flower arrangements complete shots taken on an average coffee table. 

Kylie also recommends that sellers fully utilize Instagram, Facebook, or any other social media platform to get the word out about your product. “Utilize what is at your fingertips….our main marketing focus is through Instagram and I also use Facebook to communicate with other small businesses and boutiques for things like wholesale.” She also suggests having patience, because “It’s not an easy road.” Kylie’s clearly in it for the long haul, as she hopes to open her own storefront within the next five years and perhaps scale up her production to start selling internationally to big brand stores.

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