Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexis Lee. She and her team share their story with us below:
In 2015, co-creator Alexis began her adventure into the natural skincare world. After repeatedly buying other vendor’s products, she realized natural products were her preference. Two years later, she decided to create customized gifts for friends and family. After much positive feedback, NaturaLEE was born. NaturaLEE comes from the notion of being naturally you and combining her last name, which is Lee.
In late 2017, with the help of her mom and sister, they produced an array of signature hand-whipped scented Shea Butters and Black Soap. As a family venture, the women decided to re-name themselves NaturaLEE by DMD. DMD is a combination of their middle names and coincidentally stands for Daughter – Mother – Daughter. In 2020, the company evolved to a registered LLC. All the women lend a hand in creating hand-whipped products out of love. It is their hope that consumers will enjoy the products just as much as they have
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It has not always been a smooth road for us. We struggled initially to navigate social media. Despite having personal accounts running a business account was unfamiliar. When the business started, we had no background in marketing and the importance of content creation. As the business continued to grow, we reached out to family and friends for help. Thankfully, we knew professionals in the marketing, content creation, web design and user experience industries. Once we were able to create a website and establish our social media accounts, we were able to reach more customers.
We also struggled with translating our in-person experience to those who purchase via our website. For the first few years, we did not have a website. Therefore, all our interactions were in person and people knew of our business from word of mouth. Once we created a website, it was hard to figure out how to translate our family-like feeling. We have customers who solely buy online and live across the country. Because of this, we have made an effort to provide in-depth product descriptions and pictures. It has shown to be a game-changer.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am an Analyst for the Federal Government. I have been with my agency for the past four years. I hold a B.S. from Salisbury University in Community Health, an MBA from the University of Maryland Global Campus and I am a first-year student at Dallas Theological Seminary pursuing a Masters in Theology. I hope to use my MBA. Due to my early years in my career, I have had the opportunity in many areas. I plan on using my MBA to propel my career forward in the Federal Government. I would also like to mention the career and educational background of my sister and mother.
Donna Lee is another one of our co-owners and my mother is a retired instructional trainer for the State of Maryland. She holds a B.S. from the University of Maryland, College Park in Health Education and a Masters in Behavioral Counseling from Johns Hopkins University. During her career, she specialized in Leadership Development, Health and Wellness and Infectious Diseases, specially HIV / AIDS. She has held positions at the State and County Health Departments, Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, Johns Hopkins Hospital and Bayview Hospital.
Lastly, Amaris Lee is the third co-owner and is my sister. Currently, she is a Human Services Assistant for Baltimore County Health Department, Administration Care Coordination Unit. She holds an AA in Visual Communications from ITT Tech, a Certificate of Cyber Security from CCBC – Essex and is currently pursuing a B.S. in Computer Networking and Cyber Security from the University of Maryland Global Campus.
I am most known for being congenial, my leadership and organizational skills and being a voice of reason in my friends and family. I have always been an extrovert and try my hardest to create a safe space for those I interact with. I enjoy planning activities and strategic planning. In my friend circle and family, I know for being the ‘mom’ of the group. I believe I inherited this from my mother, who always makes people feel at home when they meet her. These attributes, including being a voice of reason, have been helpful in business networking and all other forms of relationships I have formed.
I am most proud of relentlessly pursuing my purpose and passions. In the past five years, I promised myself to live in my authenticity. We live in a world that pushes for individuality but finds fault when a person doesn’t look or operate as others do. It’s a catch 22, to say the least. Because of this, I can confidently say I constantly push myself to take the necessary first steps to grow. It can be uncomfortable but it has yielding promising results.
Something that sets me apart is my personality and mindfulness. I have put forth effort to be comfortable with myself. This does not mean putting others down or being full of pride. For me it means being thoroughly happy with who I am and encouraging others to do the same – if they want. Mindfulness is a huge part of my life. I hate to sound cliche but it comes from me striving to be more like Jesus. I believe everyone should be respected and know what love feels like. Even if they never experience it from anyone else, I hope after my interaction, they leave with a smile. I journal weekly, causing introspection to be a daily habit. I am open to growing, learning my faults and learning how to interact with others too.
What’s next?
The future is bright for NaturaLEE! We plan on adding more signature products to our store. Recently, many have been asking if we have a brick-and-mortar location and merchandise. We do plan to design merchandise and we are excited to enter into that next phase of our business. This will be another way for us to express our creativity and further expand our brand.
A brick-and-mortar location has been a dream but is not in our purview currently. Prayerfully, one day our customers, who we refer to as family, will attend our grand opening! We look forward to that day!
Pricing:
- Hand Whipped Shea Butter: Available in 2oz ($5), 8oz ($10) and 16oz ($18)
- Hand Whipped Black Soap: Available in 2oz ($5), 8oz ($10) and 16oz ($18)
- Body Oil: Available in 0.5oz ($5) and 1.0oz ($12)
- Body Scrub: Available in 8oz ($12) and 16oz($18)
- Sample Pack (includes 4 – 2oz products): $20
Contact Info:
- Email: naturalee268@gmail.com
- Website: www.naturaleebydmd.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naturaleebydmd/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/naturaleebydmd
Image Credits
Jeremie Davis
