We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Senethia Johnson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Senethia , so great to have you with us today. There are so many topics we want to ask you about, but perhaps the one we can start with is burnout. How have you overcome or avoided burnout?
Honestly, it took me really taking the time out to understand why I had this need to try and do it all at once not realizing the impact that it would have on me later.
I’ve also been told what to do and how to do it when it came to my business which lead me to believe that I if I didn’t do it then that I would be letting my audience down in some way.
So everyday I would have this need to post multiple times a day even when I didn’t feel like it. It was too much but I kept going forward because I didn’t want to fail!
It got to a point where even if I did take a break, somehow I felt guilty and I would go right back to posting.
I had to get to a place where I put my mental health first and not worry about what others needed, I had to be selfish by putting my needs before everyone else’s wants.
I still struggle with it at times, yet I remind myself that I am worthy of taking a break and my mental health matters.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
About three years ago I started this business with the idea in mind to help others achieve healthy skincare by using all natural, organic products!
I dealt with dry, itchy, irritated skin and nothing that I used helped me so I decided that I wanted to create products based on my experience and research that would help others find a solution to their skin issues as well.
Hence TST FRAGRANCES!
I started growing my own herbs to ensure that my customers received quality ingredients and top notch customer service.
I’ve always had a desire to help others and this is one of the ways that I am able to do so.
At some point I wanted to take it a step further in my business by adding other all natural products that would also help my customers in other areas if their skincare journey.
I’m currently going through a rebranding phase of my business and I’m looking forward to launching it soon.
In other words, TST FRAGRANCES will no longer exist yet a new business will emerge bigger and better than before and I can’t wait to share it with my new and loyal customers.
So stay tuned!!!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three areas that were most impossible artful in my journey were customer service, prioritizing myself, and consistency.
In any business, customer service goes along way in developing a positive relationship with your customer/clients.
Some people based themselves being loyal to a business on how they were treated when a problem would arise.
How they were spoken to, how the issue was handled or if it was handled properly, efficiently and effectively.
As business owner, you must learn to prioritize your business and yourself.
Find a happy median between running your business effectively and finding time to take a break from it all so that you can be your best self!!
Last but not least, consistency is important when operating in your business because people will know what to expect from you and how you will show up when the time comes.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
This is a doozy because anyone who is running a business knows that you will get overwhelmed and frustrated!
Operating a business and trying to navigate through your own personal life can take a lot out of you.
In that moment you have to sit with yourself and come up with a plan that works for you and your business.
You must find a way to bring balance to your life so that you can give the best of yourself to you, your family, and your business.
Make sure you and your family are on one accord with the plan and check to make sure that everyone including yourself needs are met.
You may have to go back to drawing board every now and then because sometimes the dynamics may change.
It takes time to find a happy median yet it’s not impossible!!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Senethia Johnson
- Other: You can also find me on TikTok under tst_fragrances. My new website is currently under construction.
