Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberlee Lumar.
Hi Kimberlee, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Body Essentials By K LLC started with a conversation. A friend invited me to a pop-up event and while I was there, I noticed a woman selling natural products after the crowd died down. I walked over to her table and started talking with her. I was genuinely curious about what she was selling and how she started. She graciously gave me her business card, I reached out to her afterwards and she pointed me in the right direction. That conversation became the catalyst in creating my own natural body care products.
The reason I was so drawn to natural body care in the first place was personal. I grew up with extremely dry, sensitive skin and spent years trying different products and even visiting dermatologists. I was unable to indulge in the popular highly scented big brand store products that a lot of my peers used. I was always looking for something that would give my skin the moisture and care it needed. As I learned more about ingredients and began experimenting with products for myself, I discovered how much I loved creating with simple nourishing ingredients like Shea butter, I’d discovered it’s beneficial properties after it reduced the appearance of a dark scar on my hand and soothed my extremely dry and sensitive skin. Upon realizing I could create products and experience that “spa like feel without the irritation, became something I wanted to share with other people.
I didn’t start out as Body Essentials by K LLC either. I started under a different business name and operated as a sole proprietor with a DBA.. as I learned, grew, and became clearer about my vision, the business evolved and eventually, I established Body Essentials By K LLC.
I share that part of my story because I want people to know that you don’t have to have everything figured out before you begin. If you have a vision start where you are learn, grow, make adjustments and allow the business to evolve with you.
Today, Body Essentials by K is a small batch body care brand centered around self-care and creating products. I’m proud to share with others, I’m grateful for how far I’ve come, but I’m still learning still growing and still building. This is just the beginning..
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. One of my biggest struggles was getting out of my comfort zone and becoming confident enough to talk to people about my products and encourage them to give them a try. I started primarily through pop-up events (which I still occasionally do by the way) I had the opportunity to meet people face-to-face and introduce them to my products, but taking that next step and moving my business to an online audience was a completely different challenge. It required me to become more comfortable, putting myself and my brand out there in a much bigger way.
Looking back, those challenges pushed me to grow not only as a business owner, but also personally. I’ve learned that sometimes the biggest obstacle isn’t the business itself- It’s having the courage to step outside of your comfort zone and let people see what you’ve created.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My professional career begin in healthcare where I spent the majority of my career caring for people across different stages of life from children to geriatric patients. That experience taught me the importance of compassion, patience, listening and genuinely caring for the person behind the need.
Outside of healthcare, I’ve always had a very creative side. I’m an avid gardener. I love nature, creating beautiful things and finding ways to bring those interests into my everyday life. That creativity eventually became an important part of my entrepreneurial journey. Today I’m the owner and creator of Body Essentials By K LLC a small batch body care brand inspired in part by my own experience with dry sensitive skin. I enjoy combining my love for creating with my desire to encourage others to make self-care a priority.
I think the different chapters of my career have shaped who I am as an entrepreneur, Healthcare taught me how to serve people, while creativity taught me how to build something of my own. Both are a big part of who I am today. That is what I am most proud of and I believe that is what sets me apart.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
One of my favorite childhood memories is making cake in the easy bake oven my mama bought me. I loved the creativity of making those little cakes and the joy of creating something with my own hands. It’s one of those simple memories that has stayed with me over the years and whenever I think about it, I’m reminded of my sweet mama, childhood, and those special moments that shaped me.
Pricing:
- Nourishing Body Butters $30-32
- Body Oil Elixirs $30
- Moisture Locking Body Scrub $29
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bodyessentialsbyk.com
- Instagram: Bodyessentialsbykllc
- Facebook: Body Essentials by K
