Building Lifted Naturals with Sylvia Hall

INTRODUCTION

Ever wondered how a mood probiotic company can reach seven figures? Meet Sylvia Hall, the mastermind behind Lifted Naturals. Her journey from entrepreneurial failures to success is nothing short of inspiring. But here’s the kicker—her “overnight success” took a decade of perseverance.

In this episode, Sylvia reveals the secrets behind building a thriving business from scratch. She shares how creative expression fuels her entrepreneurial spirit and how a $2,000 investment in Amazon’s supplements category changed everything. And if you’re curious about working with a spouse, Sylvia’s got golden advice on balancing roles and maintaining harmony.

Feeling burnt out? Sylvia’s insights on reinvention and staying connected to creativity might just be the remedy you need. Plus, she dives into goal setting, emphasizing the power of “do goals” over rigid expectations.

ABOUT SYLVIA HALL

Sylvia Hall is the co-founder of Lifted Naturals, a mood probiotic company she built from the ground up with her husband. After seven years, the business has grown to seven figures, primarily through Amazon sales. Sylvia’s entrepreneurial journey spans a decade, during which she experienced failures and successes before achieving her “overnight success.” She emphasizes the importance of creative expression in entrepreneurship and believes in the power of creating unique solutions.

As a business owner, Sylvia values a lean operation and focuses on scalability and leverageability. She works closely with her husband, balancing their strengths to run the company effectively. Sylvia is passionate about helping people find natural solutions for mood issues through Lifted Naturals’ products. Recently, she has begun to reinvent herself by developing a personal brand centered around business and creativity, aiming to reignite her enthusiasm and combat burnout.

LESSONS LEARNED

1. Entrepreneurial Journey

Sylvia Hall’s journey with Lifted Naturals illustrates the importance of persistence and learning from failures. She describes it as an “overnight success that only took 10 years of entrepreneurial failure,” highlighting the often lengthy and challenging path to business success. This emphasizes the need for aspiring entrepreneurs to stay committed and view setbacks as learning opportunities.

2. Creative Expression in Business

Hall emphasizes the role of creativity in entrepreneurship, viewing it as essential for problem-solving and innovation. She believes that connecting with one’s creative pulse is crucial for business success, regardless of the specific venture. This perspective encourages entrepreneurs to tap into their creative potential and apply it to their business strategies.

3. Amazon as a Business Platform

The discussion highlights both the opportunities and risks associated with building a business primarily on Amazon. While it provided significant growth for Lifted Naturals, Hall acknowledges the importance of diversifying sales channels to mitigate risks. This serves as a reminder for entrepreneurs to balance the benefits of platforms like Amazon with the need for business resilience.

4. Working with a Spouse

Hall shares insights on successfully running a business with her husband, emphasizing the importance of mutual appreciation and clear communication. She stresses the value of recognizing each other’s strengths and expressing gratitude for contributions to both the business and household. This advice is valuable for couples considering a joint business venture.

5. Managing Entrepreneurial Burnout

The conversation touches on the importance of recognizing and addressing burnout in entrepreneurship. Hall discusses her approach to reinventing herself and her brand to combat feelings of stagnation. This highlights the need for entrepreneurs to stay connected with their passions and be willing to evolve their roles and strategies to maintain enthusiasm and prevent burnout.

QUOTES

“I’m most well known for Lifted Naturals, which is our mood probiotic company. It’s been going for seven years now. It was built from the ground up. It was literally nothing. And then it was something, which is the ultimate entrepreneurial walk.”

Sylvia Hall shares her journey of building a successful business from scratch, highlighting the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship.

“Who, not how for me has been sometimes, which software can I use? Which software company can help me the most? And so who can look a little different than just your employee?”

Hall emphasizes the importance of finding creative solutions and leveraging technology to scale a business, rather than solely relying on hiring employees.

“If true, success in business for me has meant continually finding things to celebrate, especially when things get hard or numbers plateau, which is something that can happen to all of us.”

This quote underscores the importance of maintaining a positive mindset and celebrating small victories throughout the entrepreneurial journey.

“I think that if I can boil it down into one key tip for success, if you’re working with your partner, is how important it is to express appreciation for all the things they’re doing for the business, for the home, for the family.”

Hall offers valuable advice on maintaining a healthy work-life balance when running a business with a spouse or partner.

FUN FACTS

Here are 3 fun facts from the episode:

• Sylvia Hall started Lifted Naturals, her mood probiotic company, from scratch with just 750 bottles and was prepared to sell them from the back of her Subaru Forester if needed.

• Sylvia and her husband pretended his engineering salary didn’t exist for a few months to test if their business could sustain them before he quit his job to join full-time.

• As a creative entrepreneur, Sylvia believes the best marketing strategy is one where she’s having fun and feels excited about what she’s doing.

TAKE ACTION

Here are 3 actionable takeaways from this episode:

1. Practice gratitude and appreciation in your business partnerships. Sylvia emphasizes the importance of expressing appreciation for your partner’s contributions, both in business and at home. Start acknowledging your partner’s efforts more frequently to foster a positive working relationship.

2. Diversify your sales channels to mitigate risk. Sylvia discusses how they set up a Shopify store in addition to selling on Amazon. Consider exploring alternative sales platforms or creating your own website to reduce dependence on a single channel.

3. Implement the “Profit First” mentality in your business finances. Allocate percentages of your income for different purposes like profit, operating expenses, and taxes before spending. Start by creating separate accounts for these allocations to better manage your cash flow.

MAXIMS TO LIVE BY

1. Embrace Creative Expression: Recognize creativity as the essence of being human and the foundation of entrepreneurship.

2. Leverage Who, Not How: Focus on finding the right people or tools to achieve your goals, rather than doing everything yourself.

3. Celebrate Small Wins: Acknowledge and enjoy your successes along the journey, not just at major milestones.

4. Diversify Your Business: Don’t rely solely on one platform or revenue stream; create backup plans to mitigate risks.

5. Appreciate Your Partner’s Strengths: In business partnerships, especially with a spouse, recognize and value each other’s unique contributions.

6. Invest in Your Vision: Be willing to put money, time, and energy into your ideas if you truly believe in them.

7. Balance Masculine and Feminine Energies: Recognize the importance of both goal-oriented and creative, intuitive approaches in business.

8. Stay Open to Possibilities: Remember that new opportunities are always emerging, even if you’ve missed previous ones.

9. Run a Lean Operation: Maintain efficiency in your business processes and be cautious about unnecessary spending.

10. Express Appreciation Regularly: Consistently acknowledge the efforts and contributions of those you work with, especially in close partnerships.

11. Create Separation in Close Partnerships: Establish boundaries and individual spaces, even when working closely with a partner or spouse.

12. Focus on Value Creation: Prioritize creating genuine solutions and value for your customers over solely chasing profits.

13. Embrace Your Natural Resources: Identify and leverage your innate strengths and personality traits in your business approach.

14. Be Kind to Yourself: Maintain a gentle, supportive internal dialogue, especially when facing challenges or setbacks.

15. Set Both Outcome and Do Goals: Balance aspirational targets with actionable steps to achieve them.

16. Reinvent Yourself When Necessary: Be willing to evolve and explore new aspects of your business or personal brand to avoid stagnation.

17. Prioritize Financial Awareness: Focus on how you manage your money, not just how you earn it.

18. Maintain Work-Life Integration: Strive for a harmonious blend of personal and professional life, especially when working with a spouse.

19. Stay Connected to Your Customer Base: Regularly engage with your audience to maintain relevance and understand their needs.

20. Honor Your Natural Rhythms: Recognize and work with your body’s natural cycles to optimize productivity and creativity.

LINKS

Lifted Naturals

Sylvia Hall

LinkedIn