Tonytko Shea Butter Delays

Mass Email Sent by Tonya Tko (tkoskin.com)


Subject: Shipping Delays.... Me Ranting along with Updates on New Product & Me!
Sent: Monday, March 7, 2011 7:46 PM


"Hello,
I'm sending out this message really quickly just to let you all know that there are massive shipping delays.

I have been trying to stay on top of everything but I cannot keep up with the demand for the product. I had a guy who was supposed to come in on Weds to press soaps, but he had some drama with his girlfriend, on facebook she wrote & told me she took over his facebook page, and broke his phone, and so he hasnt been able to call me for 3 weeks blah blah blah... do you see what I mean? All of that is none of my business & unnecessary.  Nonetheless he's fired. So I'm back to square one... well not really...

On Wed's Im going to a small business expo to meet with connections from the SBIDC. Also, the SBIDC is securing 2 interns for me. Apparently there are "Back to Work" programs for people who are in special programs and they have to finish a set number of internship hours to qualify for job placement. So this if GOOD for You & me.

First let me explain the SBIDC is the Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corp. Its an organization which helps small businesses like me. They will help me get a biz plan, get gov't monies, tax exemptions, there's even a gov't program they're associated with which will PAY for the 1st four months of my employees' training. The best part about this is: We ALL have these types of agencies... when I was in the Bronx there was an org name SoBro (Which I knew NOTHING abt) So all of that time I worked from home I could have received aid, direction, awards, connections & monies for FREE... but I knew nothing about the agency. My connection at SBIDC is Bryan Barrett - Phone: 718-965-3100 ext. 106 call him up, say you were refer referred by (TonyaTko - Me) and ask what's the number to your local agency. They have them in every borough fr Queens - Long Island, and I'm sure they have them in other states as well. I've tried calling to get information about where to refer you all nationally, but they are getting ready for their big event on Weds, so no one is answering the phones. Try calling after thurs the 11th, or call next week after march 14th.

Back to the letter. I have to admit that I myself personally am having a hard time keeping up with the demand.

Right Now I: 
Hand-make all of the product, 
Answer all of the calls & emails,
Label all the bottles, boxes, jars & products
Call all vendors, securing recurring product & new trial
Monitor & control all inventory
Test all batches for quality
Maintain the merchant account, handling fraud, chargebacks, refunds, processing & order changes
Research & test new product
Counsel customers on their skin needs
Brainstorm, Experiment & Invent New products & recipes
Design & maintain the website
Design new product labels& Much more...
So, the main purpose of this letter is to beg you to Please bear with me. On Weds I need to go to the SBIDC event. On Thurs I have to meet with my rep from the IDC to talk about securing money.... and ....

Tomorrow I have to go down to clear our new shipment of Black Soap from Africa.
Our organic cane sugar JUST came in while I was typing this email. The vanilla will be cured in 4 more weeks, and THEN we will have our Coconut Complexion Polish!! 
I have to run some more test batches and then I need to get a half Ton of organic sugar (yes I said Half a TON). 
Re: The organic coconut complexion polish, I'm having problems with the test jars... the one which is the cutest sometimes leaks.The one which doesnt leak increases the product cost by $3.59 ea. 
The coco kisses lip balm is almost done. I just ordered some glycerin & lanolin to do some testing on a lip-pop-gloss. So we'll have the balm for softness & healing & the pop-gloss for show-offs like You & me who want to blind men to their knees!
I've been testing the Aphrodisiac chocoloate... its supposed to increase genital blood-flow, but it just increases Overall blood flow and it gives surges of super-powered energy. With the last batch, I ate 2 pieces and got flown into such energy I had to do 200 speed jump-ropes just to calm me (too much ginseng?)
The vendor with the lava-rocks increased the wholesale price by more than 300 %... so now I only have 33 lava rocks from my initial purchase and he's claiming he charged me the wrong price & wants to buy them back from me!
The fruit acid lotion is almost done, first it was too strong...then it was too weak... but I almost got the fruit acid down to a potent 10%... The Pink Grapefruit may be the one we're going with, citrus blend was too weak, and lemon was TOO strong... grapefruit is just right
The Razor Bump cream?: Im in stage 6 out of 10. Working on the essential oil fragrance for men. Once I do the test groups and get the fragrance & healing oils down pat, then I have to get a bottle & masculine label
Right now to get your product takes like 2 weeks. I just want you all to know that, every single moment of every day is spent doing something for you all. You are Always on my mind. And if it takes a while to get your product please know that I am working on it to the BEST of my ability. Each Bombshell pack has 7 items in it... so if I get 10 orders I have to make 70 products to fill those ten orders. Right now I have about 70 orders, and its just hard for me.

The moment I get the interns I will let you all know, and we can rejoice together... but until then, please bear with me. You all are still in the special bunch who get the products still hand-made by Me. There are pros & cons to that: Having it hand-made fresh takes time... its special... but it takes time, and the product is made fresh every week. Once its mass produced, there will need to be things added to aid in its stability & consistency - preservatives may also be needed.

This letter was just to touch base. I have to get back to the product. I'm making a batch of BBB (who's name is changing btw). I also want to do a sample batch of the coconut complexion polish since we got the new raw organic cane sugar in today. I also have the compact cases for the coco-kisses lip balm... theyre so Pretty! I have to work on labels. I am going to try to write you all later this week with a more professional letter... I just wanted to touch base

also... I might be doing a give-away soon. I've been talking so much about the coconut complexion polish, I might just throw one in your box for Free! You know what? That is a Doggone good idea. Let me work on this batch... wait a min... the vanilla is still kinda weak... it needs 4 more weeks... hmmmmn. I don't know... I'll holla back later this week... If i DO send you a sample complexion polish with your order, just know that the vanilla is only at half potency... its just for fragrance... the best part is the sugar scrub... let me think about this one

Once again, with all the Lovvvve I can squeeze into words!
Tonya Tko 
 TkoSkin"


I will be updating you as soon as I get my products in from her. :)