Escentials: Sweet Smell of Success

Six months in, business is steady at 25 to 50 customers a week at Krissy Goetz’ and Beth Collette’s grand experiment in retailing bath and body products at their new Escentials store on Sanibel. Neither considers herself in the retail business. Both have never been happier.

These 50/50 partners simply revel in sharing 15 lines of fragrant feel-good soaps, lotions, and sprays with customers who venture into their boutique in The Village Shops. Now, with inventory doubled since their October 2, 2000 opening, shoppers delight in new and expanded lines of cosmetics, hair care, sleepwear, linens, lithographs, and fused glass jewelry.

What sells is Goetz’ and Collette’s radiant enthusiasm, which emanates from testing, sampling, and selling products that they love. Their smiling friendship permeates every corner of the store. It lights up each customer who calls or walks in. It’s not surprising that word of mouth has proved their best advertisement, though they’ve also used local papers. This first season, tourists outnumbered locals three to one, with shoppers oft returning mere days or weeks later for more scrumptious selections and gifts.

Natural Entrepreneurs

Managing a shop is an entirely new experience and “We still make mistakes,” says Goetz. But they tend to be small ones. The original unwritten business plan, conceived and recorded during extensive partner discussions, has required few changes.

“We’re getting better at knowing how much, and how quickly, to reorder,” notes Collette. Timing purchases to account for distributor backorders and supplier sales systems took some figuring out. Paying bills on time since day one of Escentials has built a credit list that will open more and bigger doors.

Careful planning and prudent management already has enabled Goetz and Collette to reimburse start-up loans borrowed from their personal saving accounts. As of January 24, they happily signed their first paychecks. Counting long holiday hours, salaries amounted to a grand total of $2.85 per hour. As of March, they enjoyed giving themselves a raise. By each working four-days-on, three-days-off, they’re up to $3.65 an hour. Not counting extracurricular activities like designing displays, researching products, and helping each other out on “days off.”

Customers usually find at least one owner in the store as late as 7 or 8 p.m., since the best sales occur at the end of the day, when “serious shopping happens,” according to Goetz. Women of all ages, some with husbands and boyfriends, pour into Escentials after a day on the beach.

“Weekdays are our best,” says Goetz. “The very best are rainy days.” That’s when customers can come in to find their bit of sunshine in a store smelling of good things and happy times.

Working Friendship

Thanks to time spent as Sanibel restaurant bartenders, these two friends and partners have well-developed people skills and a penchant for hard work. Shifting their livelihood from bartending to retailing means that now “We’re on the same schedule as our families,” says Collette. “Working daytime hours I feel more productive.” Leaving the smoke and spirits of a bar for an atmosphere of delicious scents has, they agree, radically improved their quality of life.

Though friends counseled caution when Goetz and Collette announced they were going into business together, they’ve become closer through the experience. They thought they knew each other before they started, yet they have come to a deeper understanding as they work in concert, adapting to individual personalities, habits, and ways.

“We cared enough to make the changes that made the friendship and business work better,” says Collette.

“We find it vital to be honest and to say what’s on our mind,” adds Goetz. “We’ve learned not to take upsetting things to heart, knowing that the intent is always supportive.”

Together, they’ve discovered each other’s strengths. “Krissy loves to rearrange things. She constantly moves products for fresh looks, which is essential in a retail store,” says Collette.

“Beth is as great with displays,” returns her partner. Officially, Collette takes charge of ordering while Goetz manages accounts payable. All of it, from creatively budgeting store installations to showing customers exciting new products is a totally hands-on experience.

What’s Next?

Having made a good start their first season, Goetz and Collette feel prepared to weather summer months on the island. They may lighten inventory volume and will continue advertising. They plan to add lines and are even toying with an idea for a second store in another city. Escentials will continue to be open seven days a week and stay open each evening as long as customers cross the threshold.

For now, “We want to remember the name of every customer the minute she walks in the door,” says Goetz. “We’ll know what products she has and loves and what else she might like.”

With business going so well, one day soon these two friends and partners may reward themselves for their courage, enthusiasm, and hard work with another raise or two. Maybe it will even be time for a bonus.

S. Alison Chabonais is a freelance business writer.