PrintTamera Duckett, 37
Current business: The Pharmazie, an Oakland, California-based online bath and body retail store. There are more than 300 products on the site, including soaps, massage oils, and lotions.
Employees: One intern and two contractors.
Year founded: 1999
Previous life: Worked in the fashion industry for 18 years, starting at the age of 14. Began in sales and was later promoted to management positions. Employers included Bloomingdale’s and Casual Corner.
Why went into business: From a very early age I really wanted to be in charge of my life and control what was going to happen to me. As I moved into higher positions in larger companies, the politics became more shady and unsavory. I wanted to be able to live by my own ethics and values.
I picked the personal-pampering business because I grew up with a mom who worked long, tough hours and still came home to take care of my brothers and sisters. I noticed that she always took baths and smelled good, and I thought there was something magical about that. As I advanced in my own career, I realized that it was therapeutic and really a necessity to pamper yourself.
Was most scared about: Success scares me to death because as I get more business I am concerned that I am not going to be able to maintain the types of relationships I have with my clients, which are one-on-one and personal. I get so connected to my customers and I want to keep nurturing those relationships by emailing clients, sending them personal notes, calling clients to see if they like the products.
Best thing about being your own boss: I love the accountability you have in being your own boss. I create every idea and make every decision. Watching my ideas come alive in front of my face on the site creates an unfathomable level of satisfaction.
Miss about working for someone else: Nothing. You can underline that 20 times.
Average day like: I get up between 6:00 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. and usually start working around 7:00 a.m. I spend the day receiving shipments, having orders shipped and answering emails, faxes, and voicemails. Sometimes I research new products or do a photo shoot for a new product. I try to stop for lunch for an hour because I think it’s important to have your sanity. I also try to make sure I’m done by 7:00 p.m. so my husband and I can eat dinner together.
Biggest daily challenge: I find it very difficult to balance my business and personal lives. When you have a home-based business, you are torn every day. I’ve got people calling me and dropping by. If my dad is in the neighborhood and he wants cake and coffee, he stops by. I love that he can do this, but I never know how long the visit will be.
Best source of advice and support: No. 1 is my husband because he is objective and loving and completely focused on helping me be successful in my business. Then there are my parents and siblings because they are the people who will tell me things that I don’t want to hear like “Do you really need to spend $10,000 on that?” I also have two important mentors from my last company.
Separate business and personal life: I believe these days there is no separation. For me the ultimate goal is to be a “perfessional,” a term I got from Faith Popcorn who wrote the book EVEolution. Perfessional refers to the melding of one’s personal and professional lives. I feel like I can make my personal and professional lives coexist by running my own business. I get to work out of my home and work with my husband when I want to; I can look at my garden; my dad can drop by. Sometimes it means fixing the dishwasher and not getting as many sales for the day, but it all ends up working out.
Reward to self: My husband and I do private getaways for at least two nights once a month. I don’t bring a laptop with me — these trips are truly my treat. Other times my reward is going to the park with my lunch; sometimes it’s just somebody popping by. Those are things that help me stay grounded.
Hopeful retirement age: My parents, who are both in business, still aren’t retired. I don’t know if I will ever really retire. I love what I do.
— Heather Stringer
