The Winchester Star  Friday, September 12, 2008

Open for business

Blue Ridge Mist LLC

Company: Blue Ridge Mist LLC,a Berryville-based business that opened in May, manufactures and sells retail and wholesale natural aromatherapy products for adults and children.

Owners: Debbie Wright of Berryville researches product ingredients and develops the recipes for the products. She also handles the business finances. Dee Archambault of Middletown designs the product packaging as well as marketing materials.

Education and work experience:

Wright is a real estate agent and has worked for the local school systems. Archambault has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and has worked in the community for several years with various nonprofit agencies and school systems.

In this e-mail exchange, the owners answer questions about their business:

Why did you decide to start an Internet-based business?

We wanted to offer our products to a large market, and at the same time, keep our costs low. By doing so, we are able to keep our prices as low as possible and pass some of the savings onto the customer.

The Internet allows us to reach buyers all over the country who would otherwise never know about our products.

This also gives us the opportunity to sell wholesale to salons, boutiques, and other businesses that are looking to carry Blue Ridge Mist products.  We do have our products in some local salons, so folks looking for Blue Ridge Mist products can either go to www.blueridgemist.com or visit Hairitage Salon or Manhattan Beauty Lounge in Stephens City.

What did it take to get your business up and running?

We did quite a bit of research to see which natural products were already on the market. Since Debbie was already using aromatherapy in her life, it was a natural progression to develop aromatherapy products for the consumer.

We started by contacting a [certified public accountant] and discussed the different types of business entities and which one would be the best one for us.  After that, we went to an attorney to get [a limited-liability corporation]set up. Once we had our LLC set up, we followed that with the appropriate business licenses. We wrote up a business plan and a partnership agreement, and we used personal assets for the capital to start the business.

What are some of your main product lines?

Aromatherapy mists for adults and children.

What inspired you to create those products?

We were inspired to create the mists to give adults and children an alternative healthy and natural way to deal with everyday life stress and frustrations.  We noticed that there just weren’t many choices for children, so No Monsters Mist and Good Night Mist were developed to help children with bedtime issues.  We have had a tremendous response to these products. We get responses from our customers about how much their kids love their mists.

We also make a wonderful line of all natural Skin Savers Solid Lotions, and Lip Service Lip Balms. Both of which use natural butters and oils to nourish and help heal the skin. And we just added Freshen Up, an all natural surface and carpet deodorizer that smells fantastic, eliminates odors and is safe for children and pets.

How do you market your business?

We use our Web site www.blueridgemist.com for marketing, craft shows for exposure, sales and direct mailing of samples, and going door-to-door to local businesses.

Who is your target customer base?

We target the consumer who is looking for all natural products. Adults and children are our target customer base. We know that it is mostly women who buy for themselves, family, and friends. Our products are developed and packaged to attract and appeal to adults and children.

What do you think your business will look like a year from now?

One year from now we will be selling wholesale to national chain stores on a regional level.

Five years from now?

Five years from now we will be selling wholesale on a national level.