Russ: This is the BusinessMakers Show heard here and online at thebusinessmakers.com. And its guest time and I am with two neat entrepreneurs, two ladies Stephani Adams and Samantha Buchanan, the founders of Throwing Copper. Ladies, welcome to the BusinessMakers Show.

Stephani: Thanks for having us.

Samantha: Yeah, hi, Russ. How are you?

Russ: I'm excited to hear about Throwing Copper. In fact, let's start there Stephani. Why don't you tell listeners what is Throwing Copper?

Stephani: Well, Throwing Copper is what we call an organic body-hueing company. And what that is, is a unique form of air-brush tanning.

Russ: Body-hueing, unique air-brush tanning. So we're talking about competing now against the tanning salons.

Stephani: In a way, yes, because we absolutely encourage everyone not to go to tanning beds. We offer a healthy alternative to sun tanning, so yes, I guess you could say we're in direct competition with them.

Russ: Okay, competition to laying on the beach somewhat unclothed trying to soak in those rays, right?

Stephani: Yes, absolutely. Although we love the sun and we are both former sun worshippers, I would say, but we get a healthy dose just sitting outside. We don't' need to lay out in the sun for hours. You need to come and see us to get a beautiful tan instantly.

Russ: Okay, well we all know the difficulties that sun and tanning beds will wreak on our own skin, so I guess you guys are trying to overcome that as is anybody that's trying spray-on type tan. Is that right, Samantha?

Samantha: Yes.

Russ: Okay, so what's different about Throwing Copper and – I heard Stephani use the word 'organic.' Tell us about that.

Samantha: Yes, our solution is a nice, natural, clean solution. No alcohol or paraffins, nothing bad for you is in the solution.

Russ: And is that unique even for spray-on type tans?

Samantha: Definitely. Only a few businesses that we're aware of in the country offer a solution that's organic.

Russ: Okay. I assume, is it right that air-brushing on tanning solution is definitely a step up compared to the store-bought type rub-on solutions?

Stephani: Absolutely. The reason is we do a beautifully custom hand sprayed tan with an airbrush gun so we make sure you get every inch covered, as my business partner, Samantha, says, "Seamless." And we love that because we definitely don't want to advertise that you have spray tans. We want it to look as natural as possible.

Russ: Okay. Using an airbrush, I would assume that that means there's definitely some artistic talent required.

Samantha: Most definitely. That's one of the most rewarding parts of it for me as someone who loves to paint and working with my hands and it's definitely considered an art to me.

Russ: Okay. So how long has Throwing Copper been in business?

Stephani: We've been in business a little over two years now.

Russ: And how's it going?

Stephani: Very well.

Samantha: Fantastic.

Russ: Meaning you have plenty of customers?

Stephani: Yes, we do and it keeps growing. It's very steady.

Russ: How are you enabling the growth?

Samantha: I would say it's about 90 percent word of mouth. We 're a small business. We don't spend money on print advertising or any of those things. We just do what we do well and people talk about it.

Russ: Growing by word of mouth, boy is an endorsement that your customers must be pleased with the product.

Samantha: They're happy.

Stephani: Yes.

Russ: But it seems like that would be an enormously sensitive thing for people to be changing the color of your skin. You're bound to have some dissatisfied customers.

Stephani: We have and we address them right away. It's human skin and everybody's skin is different. It depends on the pH of your body and also the skin type. So, you know, if you have dryer skin you may have a different result than a more oily person's skin. And when things happen we address them and do the best we can. It usually works out. We usually fix the problem because we can figure it out when we talk with them.

Russ: Okay, great. Now are all of your customers female?

Stephani: No.

Russ: So what percentage, then, are male?

Samantha: Probably only about 10. There's definitely a higher percentage of female.

Russ: Okay, I know we do live in this era of the metrosexual, so – and there seems to be more males caring what they look like. I would expect that perhaps that's gonna be a growing part of your business?

Stephani: I think so. My male clients are very happy. I think they're probably less likely to go around talking about it like women may.

Russ: Right.

Stephani: So maybe a little bit harder to actually reach them.

Russ: So therefore, the word of mouth doesn't work real well with the male population.

Stephani: Exactly. Well we do encourage their wives or girlfriends to bring them in. That's usually how we get the heterosexual males in, although our gay men, fans –

Russ: There's a lot of word of mouth there.

Stephani: Yess They love us and we love them.

Russ: Well that's good. So let's say that I came in and had an application. How long can I expect it to actually appear that I am tanner?

Samantha: It generally lasts anywhere from seven to 10 days. You lose the color as your skin naturally sloughs itself. So keeping the skin good and moisturized is gonna help you with longevity.

Russ: Okay. I'm one of these guys that likes to shower maybe twice a day. Would the application be disappearing because of that?

Samantha: That definitely is a natural process of exfoliation. So you just want to do your best to keep the skin good and moisturized every day, a good healthy regiment of moisturizing helps a lot.

Russ: Okay. It also means that if you went in and had an application and didn't particularly care for it, you could actually remove it, is that right?

Samantha: Yes, definitely.

Russ: Okay. All right. I'm talking with Stephani Adams and Samantha Buchanan, founders of Throwing Copper. And we'll be back with more with both of them after this. You're listening to the BusinessMakers Show heard here and online at thebusinessmakers.com.

[Aflac Commercial]

Russ: This is the BusinessMakers Show heard here and online at thebusinessmakers.com. And continuing on with Stephani Adams and Samantha Buchanan of Throwing Copper. Through my research, I discovered, Samantha, that there probably is actually artistic talent required to do a good job. Is that right?

Samantha: Most definitely. Natural and seamless is the goal and attention to detail is what we really strive for.

Russ: Okay, so when you say seamless, that means it's not impossible to actually miss a place on somebody so they have sort of a color differentiation that sticks out right?

Samantha: Oh, definitely. That is a possibility and you really want to do everything possible to not do that.

Russ: Okay. Did it take awhile for you to get good at it?

Samantha: I think it takes, you know, a certain person with a creative hand to do this kind of work. With proper training and, you know, a lot of practice it's what we needed.

Russ: When customers come in, do they get pretty specific with what they're asking you to do or do they just say, "Hey, make me tan."

Stephani: We have a consultation when you first come in and we describe our four shades or hues, going from honey, which is our lightest, copper being medium and chestnut's medium dark and what we call mud is richly dark. And so we can consult with them with their skin tone and what event they're going to. We ask them if they want to look like they did spend a week in Cabo or do they just want a healthy glow? And then some people just say, "Can you do my face darker?" And we just bump it up a shade and go from there. And it's all in the solution, the amount of percentage of the DHA product.

Russ: What is DHA?

Stephani: DHA is actually a dye from beets. It reacts with the skin – the top layer of your skin to actually dye it.

Russ: Okay. And that's part of the organic process that you use.

Stephani: Yes, I mean the beets are natural and can be grown organically so there you go.

Russ: Okay, now I suspect that it would be an offering that is primarily of interest to lighter-skinned people?

Stephani: Well, up front it seems so and that would be the most obvious person and that is the majority of our clients. However, we got informed – right when we started we asked all people of all shades and African American people said, "Well, you would not know it, but we have different tones to our own skin. And we would love a product that would even us out." And actually our product does, indeed, even out African American skin tones.

Russ: Okay, so you have African American customers as well.

Samantha: We do. And ways of evening out skin tone, I have worked with several clients with the skin disorder vitiligo. It's been very rewarding working with these clients just because it's a really nice, natural way of evening out their skin tone, which there's nothing besides a really heavy makeup that these people have been able to use until this.

Russ: Cool. Well that's cool. I'm sure that is rewarding. Okay, now I'm really curious about this, and I'm gonna ask you, Samantha, what was it that triggered the idea, "Hey, I'm gonna go into the business of using an airbrush gun to actually apply a tanning solution to people." What triggered the idea?

Samantha: Well after being a stay-at-home mother for five years, I was kind of in a search for what am I gonna do with myself now. And as a former tanner in tanning beds and losing my grandfather to melanoma, I was on a personal search for a healthier alternative to being tanned. So after going to a few places in town and seeing there was definitely a need for someone to do this well, I started doing a little research and talked to my very good friend Stephani into jumping into a venture I was a little too afraid to do alone.

Stephani: Yes, over several margaritas, I might add.

Russ: Okay, well I think margaritas have played a role in a lot of important decisions over time, so apparently getting Stephani to join you was a key step that you might not have done it if she had not agreed to?

Samantha: Most definitely.

Russ: And what was the motivation for you, Stephani? What were you doing at that time?

Stephani: Well, Russ, actually I have a day job, so to speak.

Russ: Still to this day.

Stephani: To this day. I'm an epidemiologist doing injury surveillance work. I count numbers, and it can be kind of dry. And I consider myself an artistic, colorful person that likes to dress and loves beautiful things, so I wanted to get into a business that would promote and further my interest in those categories.

Russ: Okay, but you still have this day job today so how do you manage to do that with a day job?

Stephani: Well, Samantha and I have great schedules that we worked out in the very beginning. She said her son went to school, so she is doing the day appointments until 5:00 and then when I get off work I come and do evening appointments up to about 8:00 p.m.

Russ: Okay, so probably a lot of your customers are professional working people and you're able to service them because you're pretty much doing this after hours as well.

Stephani: Yes and on Saturdays, too.

Russ: What sort of pricing have you been able to implement successfully with the business?

Samantha: Our single session is $55.00. We also sell packages that do not expire and kind of bring down the price per session. They're a really great deal and people love them.

Russ: Okay, $55.00 for a single one is what you said?

Samantha: For a single session.

Russ: And how long does that usually take?

Samantha: Undressed to dressed generally about 30 minutes.

Russ: That's not too long. I understand, too, obviously that you're doing well. How many of these would you do on a good day?

Samantha: Probably about 15.

Russ: Whoa. That would be a good day.

Samantha: That's a busy day.

Russ: Well, those numbers seem to work pretty well, my goodness. Perhaps maybe you just want to continue doing what you're doing. But it sounds like you have a model that could easily expand to other locations and other markets. Have you even considered that yet?

Stephani: Absolutely. We are always looking for growth and to venture out, whether that be getting a second space or we have definitely mulled over franchising.

Russ: Cool. All right. We're gonna be back with more with Stephani Adams and Samantha Buchanan with Throwing Copper after this. You're listening to the BusinessMakers Show heard here and online at thebusinessmakers.com.

[Aflac Commercial]

Russ: This is the BusinessMakers Show, heard here and online at thebusinessmakers.com. Continuing on with Stephani Adams and Samantha Buchanan of Throwing Copper. Now before I let you ladies go, let's imagine that there's a young, aspiring entrepreneur listening right now. What sort of general advice would you give them? Let's start with you, Stephani.

Stephani: Well, our experience with Throwing Copper was very fortunate that we were able to keep our costs low in start up. And so, of course everybody strives to not lose money and so that's the best advice I can give.

Russ: That made it a lot easier to not lose money, if you're able to do that. All right.

Stephani: And of course, you know you've got to like what you do.

Russ: Oh, yeah. Okay. Well, that's right on. Samantha, how about you?

Samantha: Of course I agree with Stephani and I would just really say just remember that you deserve to do something that you love and do it with integrity.

Russ: Okay, do you guys feel maybe lucky that you fell into something that you really like and something that you were able to start with a very low cost of start up?

Samantha: Of course. I smile every day to go and do what I do.

Russ: Okay. What's your Web address?

Samantha: It's www.throwingcopperhouston.com.

Russ: Okay. And maybe sometime in the future there will be a Throwing Copper Dallas and a Throwing Copper Atlanta?

Samantha: Yes.

Russ: Okay. All right. Well thank you both so much for sharing your story with us at the BusinessMakers Show.

Samantha: Thanks for having us.

Stephani: Thanks, Russ.

Russ: You bet. We've been talking with Stephani Adams and Samantha Buchanan, the founders of Throwing Copper. And you're listening to the BusinessMakers Show heard here and online at thebusinessmakers.com.