The Buzz from Bella Lucc�

Look who's here!

Margaret Grace joined the world on Friday, July 11th at 11:53pm. Weighing in at almost 8 pounds, she sports some gorgeous, piercing eyes and mounds of dark hair. Abby, our former Director of Operations, welcomed Maggie surrounded by her family.

Maggie developed a serious sepsis infection just a few days after birth and spent her first 10 days in the NICU. We are THRILLED to announce that she is home in momma�s arms now and they could not be happier. Welcome Miss Maggie�may you conquer the world one day! Please send Abby and Maggie warm wishes and keep them in your thoughts.

Bella Luccè in American Spa

We were pleasantly surprised last week to learn that our Peruvian Chocolate Body Wrap was featured in American Spa. The lovely Spa at Beaver Run Resort (where, I hear, the snow skiing is divine) has recently begun featuring Bella Lucc� products and they managed to snag a full-page spot in the July issue. The picture is so luscious�I wish you could see it full-size!

Indies In The City

I had a GREAT time at Indies in The City on Saturday morning. We met at Panera Bread for a prescheduled 9-11am breakfast. We got so carried away chatting that we didn�t disband until 12:45! I was joined by Donna Maria and a host of savvy entrepreneurs, from business consultants to contractors, freelance writers and handbag designers to fellow beauty startups. A good time was had by all�

We finished up the day with a tour of Bella Lucc�s manufacturing facilities and a mini shopping spree. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday!

Look what the cat dragged in

Jenny Bobenny, our dear friend and marketing director, arrived in sunny Columbia over the weekend. She�s in from Seattle for the next week to help us finish up some key projects and interview to fill some open staff spots at ye old Bella Lucc�. She is always a joy to have around and we plan a full week of strategy and vendor meetings sprinkled with some gourmet cuisine and- of course- a generous helping of cocktails. I wouldn�t have it any other way. My kids ADORE Jen and are looking forward to their nightly �Seattle Tuck-in�, which is Jenny�s claim to fame in my house. :)

Whatcha doing tomorrow morning?

Tomorrow Donna Maria (of Indie Beauty fame) and I will be at Panera Bread, waxing philosophic about the wild ride that is owning your own business. We�d love to see you there for Columbia�s Indies in the City. As I mentioned previously, it doesn�t matter if you design handbags, shoes or jewelry, own a consulting company, are an author or artist- we�d love to grab a bite with you.

When: Saturday, July 19th (9-11am)
Where: Panera Bread, just off Harbison Blvd @ 1007 Bower Parkway
Why: to grab a bagel and coffee and was philosophical about owning your own business

See you there!

Is it possible to love a machine?

If so, I think we may be in love. Certainly, infatuated- at a bare minimum. Feast your eyes on our new coconut milk sifter. In the days of old, we used traditional flour sifters, crankiing those little handles for hours on end, creating super-fine powder out of cases of coconut milk. The only problem? It was a dreadfully s-l-o-w process and arms ached by the end of the day. After a tumultuous start to our relationship, during which we had to order several screen sizes that could accommodate the inherent oil content of natural coconut milk, we can now sift 50 pounds of coconut milk to a fluffy fine powder in just a couple of minutes. Fill that stainless hopper on top with coconut milk powder and it glides right out the shute on the right-hand side. It�s revolutionized the way we make our powdered products and we are ever-so-thankful. Love, indeed.

Bon Voyage

See all these pretty little pallets?

Those represent a few tons (literally!) of Bella Lucc� goodness headed towards ilio headquarters. They�ll be nestled inside holiday gift boxes (alongside their gorgeous bamboo reed difusers) and will likely land on store shelves near you. It was an exhausting process to get all that goodness out the door, but we did it�.beautifully and on deadline. And we�re celebrating and turning cartwheels in our newly-empty warehouse. That�s all thanks to my cracker jack production team: Beth, Jackie, Sarah and Michelle. You all are total rock stars and I love every one of you! It was so much work, in fact, that Emerson himself had to stow away for a nap. Awwww...

Food For Thought

"Winners never quit, and quitters never win."

- Vince Lombardi

Meditate on this...

I absolutely love the way a simple quote can be so succint and thought-provoking. I am not the most eloquent of gals, so I am somewhat of a quote collector. I came across this one today and have it taped to my computer monitor, where I plan to leave it for the next little bit.

"Courage enlarges, cowardice diminishes resources. In desperate straits the fears of the timid aggravate the dangers that imperil the brave.�

Courtesy of Mr. Christan Nevell Bovee, a twentieth century American lawyer and author. Touchè, Mr. Bovee. Touchè.

Please pardon our technical difficulties

We experienced some technical difficulties today with our conference call provider and not everyone who RSVP'd for our Wholesale Teleseminar was able to participate. My sincere apologies for the inconvenience. I have prepared extensive notes from the call and will gladly forward those via email to any registered RSVP attendees. Simply send your request to thebuzz@bellalucce.com and we'll get those over to you straight away. Thanks so much for your patience!

Free drums/barrels in the Columbia, SC area

At present, we have 4 metal and 1 plastic drum in our warehouse just taking up space we'd really like to have back. These are empty drums which originally contained harmless vegetable oil. Horse folks and ranchers love them as they are excellent for storing feed or constructing jumps. Barbecue aficionados turn them into cookers. Unfortunately, we have maxed out the drum needs of all our usual contacts, so these are up for grabs.

Free to anyone that wants them. We'd love to get them picked up sometime next week. Our warehouse is located in Irmo, just 1 mile west of Columbia, SC. Give us a ring at 803.749.0809 if you can use them or know someone who can. Thanks much!

Right outta left field

If you've ever visited Ghana, Zambia, South Africa, Kenya or Mali, will you please drop me a line at thebuzz@bellalucce.com? I have a few questions and need to speak to someone who's been on the ground, so to speak, in those regions. Your help is greatly appreciated and I pinkie-swear to reward you handsomely!

Some lovin' from Ladies Home Journal

We were thrilled to make another appearance at Ladies Home Journal Online in their latest feature "Get Gorgeous The Natural Way." They threw a little love to our Norwegian Oceanic Salt Rub, a classic summer favorite featuring Pacific Sea Salts, real Nori seaweed and a bevvy or organic oils. Thanks LHJ!

Check us out in Allure

Om Day Spa in Dearborn, MI made another appearance in July's Allure magazine in an article about self-tanning at spas around the country. The editors threw a little love our way, as well and that's Bella Luccè's Green Tea & Crushed Rice Body Scrub pictured on page 100.

You may recall that Om Day Spa also appeared in the pages of Allure last October, when their Om Thai Scrub & Masque (by Bella Luccè!) was named as the best body treatment in the nation. Congrats!

Bagels and coffee, anyone?

Donna Maria Coles-Johnson, the president of the Indie Beauty Network, author of the Indie Business Blog and respected small business advisor, is taking her show on the road. Together, we've arranged a breakfast for all sorts of indie entrepreneurs on Saturday, July 19th from 9-11am at the Panera Bread just off Harbison Blvd in Columbia, SC. We�ll be sipping lattes and munching on bagels and waxing philosophical on owning our own businesses. We�d love to see you there as we swap strategies, brainstorm together and commiserate on the challenges of entrepreneurialism (did I just invent a new word with that one?). Doesn�t matter if you design handbags, shoes or jewelry, own a consulting company, are an author or artist- we�d love to grab a bite with you. Hope to see you there!