A UNIQUE SERIES BROUGHT TO YOU BY
THE NOVA STUDIO AND THE INDIE BEAUTY NETWORK

**NOW AVAILABLE**
The professionally recorded AUDIO download of Donna Maria's portion of this Boot Camp is complete & ready for purchase - you can find more information on this page HERE.

Or, see our *New* Bath and Body Business Boot Camp with Marla here!

4-Day Bath & Body *BUSINESS* Boot Camp

Are you taking classes at The Nova Studio to further your education so you can turn your passion or love for creating into a part- or full-time business? Some of us start out with this in mind, but others end up selling as a result of "following their heart" as well as all the positive feedback they receive on their handmade products. Before you know it, you have some of the makings for a business. Now what?

We've assembled an amazing panel of experts who are passionate and informed about a variety of topics critical to individuals who are making & selling handcrafted soap, personal care, or similar bath & body products. The goal of this boot camp is to inspire, motivate, and arm you with invaluable information and insight from veterans in the field to help you succeed both personally and professionally. This is a rare opportunity - that will not happen with these speakers again. Don't miss out - only a limited number of seats are available.

This boot camp includes all of the following sessions:
(schedule is subject to change to accommodate speakers & flow)

The New Brand of Business Leaders ~with Donna Maria Coles Johnson~

When you think of small business, do you think of pink cosmetics cases collecting dust in the corner of the dining room of your childhood home? Or women gathered around a kitchen table testing out the latest in apple peeling devices and assorted bake ware? Well, Donna Maria is here to tell you that there's so much more to small business than bunny slippers and home parties. In this session, you'll learn:

• How the new brand of business leaders is changing the face of American business
• How incorporating the notion of "leadership" into your business now will position you for future success
• How to identify and develop your own unique leadership style
• How to spot the right kind of leader to connect with for maximum win/win potential
• and more!

Making Connections: Guided Networking Session ~with Kaila Westerman~

Kaila will introduce the session by talking about her own company, TKB Trading, LLC. She will take you through a short history of how she started her business in 1995 and what kinds of changes and challenges have happened along the way. From formulating in her basement, to pounding the pavement of San Francisco retail districts, to exhibiting at trade shows, Kaila will talk about how her small business grew into an established company operating out of a 5000 square foot warehouse in Oakland.

Kaila will use her personal stories as a springboard for a guided networking session in which participants will have a chance to learn about each others' business goals and dreams. The goal of this networking is to inspire participants and open the doors to networking and friendship building throughout the 4-day business boot camp.

Finding Your Place in the Natural Market ~with Jane Diokas~

Is your company natural? Are your products organic? Does it matter to your target market? In this session, you will evaluate your “brand” in terms of such words as – artisanal, natural, eco-friendly, handmade, and organic. You will learn how to best tell your story in a significant way that will result in sales, and we will help you to edit what you make and how you choose to make it. We will also cover ways of promoting your natural products, packaging and venues (other than retail fairs) for selling them.

Saving Your Business Before it Starts ~with Donna Maria Coles Johnson~

OK, you've finalized your recipes, hooked up with the best suppliers and are ready to enter the marketplace. Or maybe you've been around for a while and are still waiting for you ship to come in. Either way, you may soon discover that there's a lot more to turning dollars into profits than you once thought! While "small business workshops" abound, this one gives you the real low down so your mind set can keep up with the realities of business in a fast paced, global economy. In this workshop, Donna Maria bares the business and lifestyle mind set principles that she uses to successfully run her business and help others run theirs. In this session, you'll learn:

• How to choose the right business structure (sole proprietor, LLC, corporation, etc.) for you
• Discover the business and lifestyle mind set principles that will help you successfully run your business now and into the future
• Donna Maria's 12-step approach to business planning, or business planning without the headaches!
• and more!

Organize With Confidence - Grow Your Business ~with Elizabeth Hagen~

Are you ready to work less and make more? It's time to leave ordinary results behind and have extraordinary success with your business! Let Elizabeth help you with these ACTIONS that work:

Active Responsibility
Realize that "If it is to be, it is up to me." Take responsibility for where your business is at today and watch it grow tomorrow!
Commit To Take Action
Implement your own personalized GPS (Goal Planning System) to achieve all that you desire with your business.
Take Back Control
Start planning each day with purposeful action steps so you never have to wonder "Just what exactly did I do today?!!"
Increase Productivity
Stop procrastination, perfectionism, and multitasking in their tracks and watch your productivity explode!
Organize Your Office
Implement Elizabeth's signature S.T.A.R.T.™ Method to conquer the clutter and paper pile-up. You will love working in your office and feel like a new person!
Notice and Get Noticed
Start positioning yourself for more prospects and clients that you will love working with and discover the greatest marketing strategy in the world (and the easiest!).
Start Today!
Stop waiting until everything is perfect and the sun is aligned with the moon. Start today to create peace, increase productivity, and build self-confidence. Are you ready to work less and make more? It's time to leave ordinary results behind and have extraordinary success with your business. You CAN create peace, increase productivity, and build self-confidence!

Dinner at Kaila's - You're Invited! ~included off-site social event~

Come and enjoy a very casual dinner in Kaila Westerman's home in Downtown Oakland (veggie and meaty soups with hearty bread and a cheese and fruit plate). BYOB (please bring your own beverages). This optional event is a chance to relax, socialize and talk about all the common passions that boot camp participants share. Please RSVP after signing up for the boot camp.

Your Hidden Intellectual Property Assets ~with Donna Maria Coles Johnson~

Are you sitting on a gold mine, and you don't even know it? You've launched your business! Your website is collecting leads and maybe even generating sales. You're cruising along, then suddenly you're slapped with a lawsuit by another company that claims you are infringing on their trademark. Or maybe you look around at the competition and see someone else using a name that's the same as or remarkably similar to yours. Now, you have to stop everything and spend far too much time with your lawyer -- time you could be using to build your brand. Don't let this happen to you! In this session, you'll learn:

• 3 simple steps you can take to maximize avoidance of trademark and copyright problems
• How and when to make firm moves to protect your own intellectual property
• How to launch a brand that has little to no trademark problems, which will minimize the chances of others riding along on your coattails
• and more!

Successful Website Development ~with Jane Diokas & Alexis Masters~

So you have decided to sell on line. Speaking from the perspective of the new website owner, Jane will help you to make the decision about whether to hire a website designer – or do it yourself, to sell through a portal like Amazon – or not. And what exactly you should be looking for in a potential web designer and what questions you should ask before you plunk down your dollars.

If you decide to go with a web professional, Alexis will tell you what to look for from your prospective designer and what you need to know to be prepared. This workshop will walk you through all the essentials – from domain registration to site navigation to ecommerce options to SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Jane and Alexis will get  you up to speed quickly and in lay-person's terms.

Retail vs. Wholesale Selling: Pros & Cons ~with David Critchfield~

How many people can you love? How many customers can you care for? Do you want  2,000 small accounts all of which account for some tiny percentage of your total volume? Do they need a lot of hand-holding? How much can you get them to pay? How about the wholesale business: fewer accounts, larger volumes, but your average selling price will suffer. Large wholesale accounts often employ professional buyers who are skilled at whittling your profits down to nothing! What's best for you? David will provide some insights into both the retail and wholesale sides of selling handcrafted personal care products based on his own experiences.

Become the News You Want to Be ~with Donna Maria Coles Johnson~

Are you salivating to be featured in the pages of O, The Oprah Magazine? Are you waiting for the local television station to pick up your story and share it with people who will buy your product or service? Don't hold your breath and don't waste your time. The media is not what it used to be. In fact, the media is you. That's right! Join Donna Maria for this jam-packed session of learning how you can save thousands of dollars in PR fees by using the Internet to become your own news outlet. This is not your mother's PR workshop! In this session, you'll learn:

• How to use technology such as blogs, Twitter, MySpace and YouTube to create your own media conglomerate without spending a ton of money
• How make your customers understand exactly what you are offering and be irresistibly attracted to it
• 7 easy shortcuts to creating products that attract media attention, not only to your products but also to you as an expert in your field
• and more!

Marketing Your Handmade Products ~with Scott Blackson~

Everyone who owns a business does some kind of marketing whether they know it or not. If you are serious about business, it is much better to have a plan, no matter how simple, and follow it through. This workshop will offer you 10 simple things you can do to market your handmade products. Some of them may seem incredibly obvious to you once you hear them, and some may seem way beyond your reach at the moment. You don’t have to do all 10 to be successful in marketing your product. Pick the ones that seem worthwhile to you, or the ones that seem do-able to you. You have to start somewhere. You have to START. Pick one and do it. You'll be on your way! All boot camp participants will receive an autographed copy of Scott's self-published book: "Marketing Your Handmade Products."

Wrap Party at The Nova Studio! ~included social event~

Another chance to spend some social (and/or networking) time with the people you bonded with during this experience - your fellow boot campers & speakers. Please RSVP after signing up for the boot camp.

* * SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES * *

Donna Maria Coles Johnson The Indie Beauty Network		Donna Maria Coles Johnson is the President and CEO of the Indie Beauty Network (www.indiebeauty.com). Donna Maria understands firsthand the challenges of running a business and managing a home. Her unique way of connecting with women and families in business has earned her features in several media outlets, including Global Cosmetics Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, Ebony Magazine, Herbs For Health, the Washington Times, the Chicago Tribune and more. Donna Maria is also the National Work At Home Network Director for Mocha Moms, Inc., a non-profit organization supporting mothers of color who exit the traditional workforce to be more available to their families. She is the Washington, DC Small Business administration's 2003 Home-Based Business Advocate of the Year and an expert in the growing field of business as a lifestyle. Donna Maria has started a Petition to oppose the FDA Globalization Act of 2008, which you can sign at this link. Donna Maria lives in North Carolina and is flying in just for this boot camp.
Scott Blackson The Soap Fairy		Scott Blackson is founder & CEO of The Soap Fairy, Inc. (www.soapfairy.com), the largest handcrafted soap maker in Delaware. What started out as a hobby in his kitchen just 12 years ago, now occupies a 2,500 square foot soap plant which currently turns out over 7,000 bars a month. Scott currently offers (and makes by hand) over 40 different kinds of soaps, containing a variety of essential oils & herbs, as well as a various skin lotions, balms & aromatherapy products. His products are sold at the two Soap Fairy stores, as well as at shops throughout the world, including Japan, Korea & Taiwan. Scott’s greatest claim to fame is that Julia Roberts once bought several bars of his soap, so if you see her, be sure to tell her how good her skin looks these days. Scott is the author of a self-published book entitled “Marketing Your Handmade Products: 10 Tips to Selling More.” Scott lives in Delaware and is flying in just for this boot camp.
Kaila Westerman TKB Trading		Kaila Westerman is the president of TKB Trading (www.tkbtrading.com), an Oakland-based pigment and dye reseller which has been in business since 1994. She has authored two craft books, Melt and Mold Soapmaking (Storey Books, 2000) and Gel Candles (Storey Books, 2001). She created & taught the first round of Making Mineral Makeup classes at The Nova Studio in 2005. Kaila lives in Oakland, CA.
David Critchfield Mission Peak Soap		David Critchfield, veteran Soapmaker and owner of Mission Peak Soap Products (www.missionpeaksoap.com), began soapmaking in 1995 when his wife presented him with a beginning soapmaking book. From the early days of ugly soap and vanishing fragrances, David now makes a steady stream of fine, aromatic, handcrafted soap for fund raisers, local health food stores and specialty retailers. Mission Peak is also a supplier of soap making supplies. David teaches a Liquid Soap Making Class, Big Batch / Production CP Soap Making, and also participates in our hugely popular 2-Day Soap Making Boot Camp at The Nova Studio. Click here to read comments from DAVID's past students. David lives in Fremont, CA.
Elizabeth Hagen Organize with Confidence		“If I could just get more organized, I would…” Ever hear those words – from your own mouth? Elizabeth states, “Organizing is more than self control. It’s a skill that anyone can learn.” As a Certified Professional Organizer, member of the National Speakers Association, and author of Organize with Confidence, nationally known speaker Elizabeth Hagen will teach us the common-sense systems and tools she has developed over 25 years. She will help us get organized, use our valuable time more wisely, feel great about ourselves, and build our business. You will start each day with more confidence because you will know how to accomplish what you’ve been promising yourself for years - making that ‘organization mission happen.’ Elizabeth lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and is flying in just for this boot camp. She can be found on-line at www.ElizabethHagen.com
Jane Diokas Jane, Inc.		Jane Diokas is a manufacturer of personal care products. Her company sells both wholesale and retail. Her background includes both an MFA in studio art and many years in the trenches of manufacturing. Her wholesale customers have included The Gap, Smith & Hawken, H20 plus and Restoration Hardware as well as over 6,000 active "mom & pop" stores. Currently she is repositioning her company to sell more retail and sell more organic products, taking advantage of the active artisan-to-consumer market. Her websites include www.janeincproducts.com (retail) and www.jane-inc.com (wholesale). Jane lives in Point Richmond, CA.
Alexis Masters Design by Alexis		Alexis Masters, author and web designer/developer, has been  helping  clients find their way on the web since 1997. Alexis  established  DesignByAlexis.com in 2000, upon publication of her  award-winning  novel, The Giuliana Legacy (HCI, 2000).  Alexis  specializes in  creating dynamic membership and conference  websites, eCommerce  applications and online portfolios for  artists, authors, entrepreneurs  and non-profit organizations. She  lives and works in the Richmond hills.
Lori Nova The Nova Studio		Lori Nova, owner of The Nova Studio, started making natural bath & body products in her kitchen in 2000 as a way to make family and friends homemade, practical gifts. Shortly thereafter, she began teaching classes. Lori opened The Nova Studio in September of 2003 (almost 5 years ago) and it has been her sole source of income since 2003. Lori has a Master's Degree in Speech Communication from the University of Hawaii, and has taught classes for The Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild, The Learning Annex of SF, Juniper Tree Soap & Candle Supply in Berkeley, The Native American Cultural Center & The Berkeley Ecology Center, Foothill De Anza (FHDA) Community College and The University of Hawaii, Manoa. Click here to read comments from LORI's past students. Lori lives in Point Richmond, CA with her faithful canine companion Cami.

COMING FROM OUT OF TOWN?

AIRPORT INFORMATION
Closest Airport: Oakland International (OAK)
22.7 miles away - 30 minutes - 50 minutes with traffic

2nd Closest Airport: San Francisco International (SFO)
29.8 miles away - 36 minutes - 80 minutes with traffic

OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS
If you are flying or driving from out of town, we highly recommend The Hotel Mac
just around the corner - the best and closest overnight accommodations in Point Richmond!

CANCELLATION POLICY:
Since this is different than our one-day classes, the CANCELLATION POLICY is as follows: If you need to cancel *for any reason* let us know as soon as possible both by phone and by email. If you give us more than 30 days notice, you will receive a refund of your original payment minus a $150 non-refundable deposit. If you give us less than 30 days notice (if you cancel after 8/21/08), you will receive a refund of your payment minus a $300 non-refundable deposit. There will be no refunds or future credit with less than 48 hours notice of cancellation. If you cannot make the workshop, you have the option of sending someone else in your place, just notify us in advance.

SIGN-UP DETAILS:
Refer to the table above for price, date, time and registration options. Contact us at 510-234-5700 with any questions. Please read the Class Policies & Info Page before signing up.

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