All Things Kind Market is one of our amazing retailers!
Jaimie opened up a zero waste market in Pennsylvania to guide, educate, and provide a luxury experience to reduce waste and one-use plastic in your lives, without a hefty cost. She carries many of our No Tox Life products in store and online.
We interviewed Jaimie to find out about her zero waste store and how she is growing the business with minimal resources:
What inspired you to sell zero waste products?
I have always wanted to open a storefront since I started college, and truthfully I had a hard time finding what that was. Since college, I've made some lifestyle changes and decisions that have allowed me to step into my true self, and living more sustainably in my own life the past few years - it just made sense to bring this into my community.
How did you decide on the brands you wanted to carry?
It took me about a year and a half to curate a collection of products that I was confident in carrying. It took a lot of thought, intention, and trialing/research. The products I have in the market are products that I use, I believe in, and what the brand stands for - which is overall kindness. I would go through my daily life and write lists down of single-use plastics that didn't make sense and went from there.
Do you consider photography skills as key in your business success?
Yes! I am a full time photographer as well, and I think it speaks true to the brand, the aesthetic, and the colors. When people see my photos and content posted, they know they are taken by me. The intention behind the content means much more to me knowing that I am the content creator, and photography is a huge joy for me on a daily basis.
What is your path to profitability as a small business and where are you on that path?
I think right now I am on a learning path and hope to continue to grow this brand and this mission as a whole - All Things Kind. I have big dreams, but it's going to take work to get there, and boy am I ready for it!
How many hours a week do you work on different parts of your business?
Owning a business, especially being a multifaceted entrepreneur, you are constantly working (in all honesty). However, even though this is hard work, running two businesses and working a 9-5 - my photography and the market is an outlet for creativity, education, and joy.
When there is down time, I take advantage of that to create reels, take photos, write up emails, captions, etc. The work is always there, so having initiative is crucial. I do take off Sundays though - that's a reset day for me and very important so that I can show up my best week after week.
Which No Tox Life product sells the best in your store?
Best seller is the WASHCLOUD® Swedish Dish Cloth, hands down. The patterns and colors are eye catching, and it's a very easy, sustainable swap people are comfortable making.
What is the worst part of being a business owner?
I think social media doesn't always show the nitty gritty we have to deal with on a daily, weekly, monthly basis.
Being a business owner definitely has its perks, I mean, you're the boss, right? BUT, it's also the hardest thing - you are the BOSS. If you don't complete a task, that can affect your business within minutes, even seconds.
You get asked "How do you do it?" or "I don't know how you do it all" a lot, and truthfully, I always answer "I don't know either, but I love it." But without the support of my fiance, family, and community, this wouldn't be happening and I am super grateful.
What is the best part of being a business owner?
There is definitely some sort of peace and freedom you feel as a business owner. I truly love being able to put forth my work (both photo and the market) and have people step into that space with me and be part of the mission. The best part is hearing that "someone told me to come visit" or "someone told me to book you" - THAT is what it's all about.
Thank you Jaimie for selling our No Tox Life products in your store!
Want to shop zero waste near you? We can help! Fill out this store request form and we will get in contact with your local retailer(s) to have them carry us 🤩🥳 : https://notoxlife.com/pages/store-request-form