Small skin mask company is ready to take on more growth
Going into its fifth year of business, Muddy H20 has reached a tipping point.
The Vancouver-based natural face and body mask company could be on the brink of major success, said owner Gabriela Ylonen.
The two-woman operation sells two lines of powdered masks at 13 retailers in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. Nine of those retailers came on board in the last six months.
"We’re at the point now where the more we put in, the more difference it’s going to make," Ylonen said. "We’ve gone pretty slow because we want to enjoy doing it."
The 3 oz. packages that retail for $15 include enough product for about 20 applications, and can be mixed with milk, honey and essential oils. The clay series, French Clay, French Clay Plus and Oatmeal, deep cleanses and detoxifies while the chocolate series, Chocolate and Chocolate Blueberry, hydrates and nourishes skin, according to the makers.
After five years of trial and error, Ylonen and her business partner Heidi Nelson, think they’re ready to grow.
The goal this year? To make enough money to cover its operating costs.
Starting small
In 2000, Ylonen, a Multnomah County corrections officer, became a licensed esthetician. She wanted to find something new to do. But, as it turned out, she didn’t like taking care of people’s skin nearly as much as she enjoyed teaching them how to do it.
Ylonen was experimenting with formulas for different masks, and took some to work to try on her fellow employees.
One, Nelson, had adult acne.
"She used one of the masks and came back and told me I had to go into business," Ylonen said. "I am not a business person, so I told her if she would be my business partner, I’d do it."
They each invested $5,000, and five years later, the two jail guards are still mixing up masks in Ylonen’s Uptown Vancouver basement. She estimates they work 10 hours a week on the company, and it’s her dream to grow it enough to quit her day job.
The women started slow, spending the first year conducting focus groups and researching products.
"We were conscious to set the ground work before we started selling anything," Ylonen said.
They formed a limited liability corporation, drew up a business plan and set up product liability. Ylonen said she couldn’t be happier with the decision to set a solid foundation.
"There was so much to figure out," she said. "Now we have everything in place and we’re really ready to take off."
Surprisingly, the product’s packaging has been the biggest road block to its success.
When the product first hit shelves, it came in a craft colored coffee-type bag. It was a disaster, Ylonen said.
"It was too simple and had no shelf appeal," she said. "People want a little luxury. We realized we couldn’t trust our own opinions."
The graphic designer the women were working with finally said they should look elsewhere for more quality. They ended up at Portland-based City Graphics & Imaging.
"We were hooked up with a man," Ylonen said. "We told him, ‘We’re a female company, feminine is what we want. As a man, can you do that?’ Sometimes, I think being jail guards kind of hinders our social skills. Sometimes it doesn’t."
The result is a cheery cardboard package with low gloss: sophisticated but still wholesome.
The new packaging premiered in spring to high praise.
Ready to grow
So far, the operation isn’t turning a profit, but in August, Ylonen and Nelson found real success at a trade show in Seattle. There, the response from vendors was resoundingly positive, and Muddy H20 added nine new accounts.
On Jan. 1, the women hired a local independent representative to solicit new retail outlets and take orders from retailers. The woman, Debbie Hart, is paid on commission.
Ylonen teaches natural skin care classes at DIY Lounge in Portland, and in late January, Muddy H20 traveled to its second trade show, which wasn’t as successful as the first, but still worth their time, Ylonen said.
The company’s word of mouth is its best advertisement.
"We’ve got name recognition covered," Ylonen said. "People remember our name right away. I read that it usually takes eight exposures before people remember your product. With us, it’s one time."
Once more money starts coming in, the women have big plans for more marketing, and Ylonen has a new green tea mask and a line of herbal steams in the pipeline.
But the women are proceeding with caution.
Hood River-based The Fruit Co. was featured in O, the Oprah magazine, and roped in 80,000 orders during one holiday season. Nelson immediately called the company to find out how it handled the attention.
"You have to be ready for that," Ylonen said. "I guess you have to be careful what you wish for. That’s not our style. We would rather stay small while learning and having fun. But I want to end up making a million dollars."
