Summit Balm is the new kid on the block when it comes to all natural lip balm. After 12 months of searching for the perfect formula, Katie finally found what she was looking for, and her baby was born – Summit Balm.
A delicious blend of shea butter, coconut oil, bees wax and zinc, Summit Balm is a ‘must-have’ no matter what time of year.
We decided to interview Katie to learn a bit more about where the idea originated from, what keeps her going and her goals for Summit Balm…
Tell us a bit about the people behind Summit Balm..
I’m Katie and I’m the founder of Summit Balm. Prior to launching I worked in real estate for around 7 years however I always escaped the corporate working week with snow trips in winter and weekends away in summer. The corporate world was never for me, running Summit Balm is definitely better aligned with my passion for the snow, outdoors and adventure. I live not far from the Mornington Peninsula with my husband Chris and baby boy Austin in our home that we built about 18 months ago.
What would an average day in the life look like for you?
Number 1 – COFFEE. Then I get myself and Austin ready for the day and check emails/orders. Depending on the day I will work on one aspect of Summit Balm eg labelling, packaging etc. Later I’ll package up orders and head to the post office. One of the things I enjoy most about being a business owner is connecting with other inspirational business people. This may be to touch base about content for our blog Inspire Adventure, collaboration, wholesale, etc so I speak to someone new almost every day.
We can imagine you’re flat out with your little family, and running a business too – how do you maintain your own health and wellness whilst being so busy?
I definitely prefer things that have a fun aspect like snowboarding and hiking I don’t really enjoy the gym and I hate running! I love yoga and one of my favourite things is taking our dog for a walk around the golf course where we live at the end of the day. As far as inner well-being it’s really important for me to have something to look forward to like a weekend away or a holiday. They say the secrets to true happiness are simple: 1.someone to love 2.something to do and 3.something to look forward to. I really believe that to be true.
What inspired you to want to start Summit Balm?
Summit Balm was born as a result of an unsuccessful search for the perfect all natural lip balm specifically formulated for alpine conditions. I wanted to steer clear of things like parabens and chemical sunscreens but still wanted the perfect texture so over 12 months of refining the formula I created it myself!
What have been the biggest trials so far in starting and running Summit Balm?
Keeping up with demand! Not having the right systems in place and/or enough experience has seen us sell out 3 times since our launch in July! In some ways it’s a good problem to have however it’s important to me that we’re reliable so we’re working on that. Every challenge is a fantastic learning experience though so I say keep ’em coming!
Here at Retreat Yourself, we LOVE dreaming BIG – what is your vision for Summit Balm?
My dream is to be the go-to lip balm for every snowboarder, skier, hiker, camper, rider, climber, traveller and adventurer out there! I’d love to see Summit Balm on the counter of every outdoors store across the globe! I would also love to sponsor athletes in the future too.
Happy those who dream!
For anyone out there wanting to start their own business, what would your biggest piece of advice be?
Just start!! There will be no perfect time. It’s easy to think “I want to be more prepared, have more money, have the right contacts in place THEN I’ll start”. On paper the launch of Summit Balm was definitely not most people’s idea of the right time (having a 4 month old baby), however my start was actually perfect for ME and I wouldn’t change a single thing!
You can find more about Summit Balm at www.summitbalm.com or you will find Summit Balm in your Spring Retreat Yourself Box. Order a Second Release Spring Box now before you miss out!
