Selling Products Without Selling Your Soul

It’s so interesting when I meet guests who have been doing what they love for as long as they can remember because I remember that not everyone is as lucky. It usually takes some trial and error before we fall into our passions — not in?the case of Joan Sutton, CEO and Co-Founder of 707 Flora. As soon as she laid hands on her first CoverGirl compact, Joan knew what she had to do. At that moment she knew that the world of beauty was the perfect fit for her. So, as she worked the floor at Victoria’s Secret, she decided to acquaint herself with a group of cosmetic girls working at Lanc?me. What a brilliant decision that turned out to be! After a successful interview with her employer turned mentor, Kimber Maderazzo, Joan got the job!?

She stayed at Lanc?me for number of years before packing up her bags to Beverly Hills, where she was offered job at a spa. While there, she worked under, Aida Thibiant, a ’guru’ of everything beauty. The job opened up a number of different avenues for Joan to explore — that of product development and manufacturing — as well as a whole host of new challenges. As she was used to working behind the counter in the highly competitive, pressure-filled world of retail beauty, she was less familiar with the world of spa skincare treatments. Her role there brought along the challenge of having to convince her staff to sell products. Once she did that, however, she elevated the business to new heights!??

Although I manage a business myself, I’ve always found it difficult to ‘sell’. Being a salesperson is not something that comes naturally to me. So, how do you go about selling products without being ‘salesy’ or disingenuous? Joan had the answer for me — make sure you’re selling from the heart. If you love what you’re selling, it won’t feel annoying. That is exactly what Joan did when she began thinking about 707 Flora — starting at a cannabis convention. While there, she spoke about terpenes (the chemical responsible for fragrance) and blew her listeners away with her extensive amounts of knowledge. Coupled with a curiosity in what else THC could do beyond just pain relief, Joan decided to sell her house and move to a farm in Humboldt to pursue her goal.?

707 Flora was launched in 2017 and continues to grow as the industry learns more about CBD and its effects. Through lectures and soaking up all the knowledge around her, Joan has been able to expand the brand since then. For example, why choose products with CBD? Joan explains that CBD acts as a way to restore balance in the skin. It is a regulator, which means it regulates the cells on a cellular level. Pretty impressive, right? And she didn’t forget about the lessons she learned from Aida, either. Being well-versed and educated in what you do, remaining open to learning and supporting other women were all very important to Aida — and to Joan as well!?