Pouur Decisions

Why Ameerah Left Nursing to Start Noir Wellness

Sharece Miller-Curry

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0:00 | 13:31

In this episode of Pouur Decisions, we sit down with Ameerah Herbert, founder of Noire Wellness and Aesthetics, to break down what it really looks like to build a successful medspa from the ground up.

This is more than just a medical spa conversation. It’s a real look at what it takes to go from nurse to entrepreneur, how to start a business, and the decisions that shape long term success in the world of medical aesthetics.

Ameerah shares how she built her med spa business plan, started as a mobile aesthetic nurse injector, and grew into a full medical spa location while navigating real challenges like construction delays, legal issues, and maintaining cash flow. If you’re thinking about how to write a business plan step by step or looking for real examples of business planning in action, this conversation delivers.

We also touch on marketing strategies for small business owners, including med spa marketing, LinkedIn marketing, SMS marketing, Instagram ads, and digital marketing strategies that actually help drive medspa growth and profitability. Whether you're focused on b2b lead generation, online advertising, or just trying to understand marketing 101, this episode gives you practical insight without the fluff.

If you're in the medical spa space or exploring how to build a profitable medspa business, this conversation is packed with real-world experience, honest lessons, and actionable ideas.

Topics covered include:
medspa growth, medspa profit, medical spa business plan, nurse entrepreneur journey, marketing strategies, digital marketing, and how to build a business that actually works.

Watch until the end for one of the most honest breakdowns of what it takes to succeed in the med spa industry today.

SPEAKER_02

Okay, welcome um to Poor Decisions. And today I have Bianca with Lama Cita, and I am so excited to learn about this food business that is just is so interesting. We had the chance to meet at the garlic festival. And I got to try I tried the dip? Yes. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_03

Yes. I was sampling a roasted garlic honey habanero cream cheese spread. Yes, that's what it was. The people were flipping out losing. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

So good. It was so good. And I was like, I want to be able to share your story because it was, it was, yeah, first I love the name and I love the product. And I know there's more to it than that, but um how did this idea come about? Um to, you know, with Lama Zita. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Um, first of all, thank you for having me. Um yeah, as someone had said, uh, there's a million other ways to make money aside from going into busy for yourself, especially in the food space. Um but I am I'm a product of chefs. I was a chef, a pastry chef, and I fought long and hard to resist being in the food industry for a long time for some personal struggles and other things. But um yeah, it um it was, it was, it has been a dream for a really long time. So I lived in Southern California in my early 20s. I'm originally from uh the Pacific Northwest. And it was in the LA area that I really fell in love with the taco scene and taco sauces and was working at a place in Malibu. Fell in love with the green sauce, uh, went back to Tacoma, Washington to work for my mom and started kind of testing the market at her restaurant with my green sauce. Oh, so she, your mom had a restaurant. Yes, she was a restaurant, yeah. And so that um also taught me or you know that I could do anything. Right.

SPEAKER_02

Oh gosh. Or better.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. Oh, what kind of restaurant was so it was uh a restaurant tavern. It's so hard to put into words. It was really an experience. It was in a um a beautiful big old hundred-year-old building. Oh, it's called the Swiss Tavern. Okay. Swiss immigrants would come up from the train station, and that's where they would stay and gather um until they could get on their feet and find a place to live. So there was this beautiful tavern in the bottom portion, and then the second floor was this hall. Okay. And so anyway, she and my stepdad and a couple other partners um purchased the business in the early 90s when there was just rumors that University of Future or University of Uh Washington Tacoma was gonna be there. Oh, yeah. So they kind of put that area on the map. Yeah, really good food, micro brews before it was a cool thing. No way. Yeah. So I had the privilege. Um, I didn't look at it as a privilege then, but of growing up in the industry and scrubbing bathroom floors, hundred-year-old floors with a toothbrush. Oh my god. Okay, that's yeah, those are some memories. So, anyway, so I started um testing the market with this green sauce, and then and I remember saying to her when I was like 26 that I'm like, I'm I'm gonna bottle this someday. Like, this is this is gonna be, I'm gonna get you your jaguar, mom. And she um died in 2009, and my life kind of, of course, took a little pivot. I threw myself into French pastry after that, but all the while wanted to still bottle this sauce. Yeah, and then started growing the line. And then seven years ago, my husband and I moved to Cleveland to be closer to my aunt and some family here. Um and then COVID, and well, first we had a baby, and then the world shut down, and then it was really kind of coming out of COVID that I was like, okay, this I have to get this dream off of my vision board and out of my head. Like I have to see this through, or else it's just yeah, you know, it's gonna it'll just never go away.

SPEAKER_02

It's gonna feel like I mean it's it's important, especially when you feel that. Yeah. Um, you're like, I it has to happen. I have to bring this to light to see it through. Yeah. Well, good for you, Varry, like continuing on the process and not just like giving up. Yeah. Because the green sauce is meant to be, you know, out there for everyone.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, and it's the green sauce out of all four that I have is the furthest from the original version now, and it's still evolving. I'm wicking on green sauce 3.0. Okay. Um, but yeah. So what does the green sauce consist of? So the green sauce, the original version was like polano pepper, um, some sour cream, a little bit of honey, some gar roasted garlic. I mean, it was yeah, a lot of steps, really, really good. Um now it consists of tomatillos, uh serrano peppers, avocado, lime, cilantro, um, a little bit of honey. Now we're getting rid of the avocado, go to just avocado oil. Okay. And um as I am I'm changing all of the oils in the sauces, getting rid of the canola, going to avocado. Um yeah, so looking forward to that.

SPEAKER_02

Well, and that's that's the cool thing with the with especially the food industry, is that you can, you know, change the recipe and adapt it to what the clients want or what you think is going to be better for consistency or yeah, and I think it's important to be open to that.

SPEAKER_03

I think I mean like with anything we can get so set in our ways and stubborn and you know, really as long as your product is good and changing, you know, there might be one person that's like, that doesn't taste like, but you just yeah, yeah. Right.

SPEAKER_02

So um what was the process like to even get started? I mean, were you bottling like in your kitchen or yeah, in print house or something, or I had reached out to um Jenny.

SPEAKER_03

I want to say her last name is Kelly. She used to be with the Central Kitchen in in Cleveland.

SPEAKER_02

Okay.

SPEAKER_03

And because I needed some commercial kitchen space to make some macaroons, I was okay as COVID was coming out, I was just like hustling pastries and just needing to be creative. Um, and so I we got in touch. And then once I decided that it was time to start to like see these sauces, just you know, at least get them um out of the gate, I reached out to Jenny and you know, was like, I I don't know what to do. And she said, You need to call Clark Pope. Okay, here's his number. The Pope's but here he did sit glosses. Yes. So I called Clark and he and I chatted for like an hour and he told me some other people to talk to and what to do. You know, and so that's what I say when everyone's like, How'd you get started? Or you just you just find someone that has done it before you, you listen to them, you do what they say, you call the people, and then those people are gonna say, Here's what you do, you need to talk to this person now. And then before you know it, you have this huge network. Yeah, so one of the decisions that Clark helped me make was um, because at this point I was just like making the sauce in my kitchen, not to sell, yeah. I mean a little bit to sell, but just really to um like sample and and try it. Yeah, okay, get the recipe styled in. Get I knew they wanted I wanted to be shelf stable. So that's the whole thing with pH levels and making sure V's have the appetite where it needs to be. Um and so yeah, I was like, well, you know, I'll just I'll make the sauces in a commercial kitchen. Yeah. And then and he's like, What are you doing? You we how old is your son? And my son was two at the time. He's like, Yeah, you don't want to do that. You you need to be out there selling your product, educating the people about what you have, let someone else make the product for you. And okay, it really was the best advice ever. Um, and so then I that it was um trying to find a copacker, a co-manufacturer to make the sauce for me.

SPEAKER_02

So you started out with the co-pactor co-packer pretty like early on. Where a lot of people they build up to that, right?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. And I don't think there's a right or wrong way to do it because I've seen a lot of my friends that start self-manufacturing and it's a it's a big jump to to go from that to that. The benefit I think is is that you can listen to the market or you can adapt to what the market is saying, telling you easier. Yeah. Um if you're doing it yourself. Yeah. Where if someone else is doing it, you need to, you know, you have to change the label. You gotta like or and you're getting large quantities at a time.

SPEAKER_02

So because like your first order, how many like bottles did you have to um?

SPEAKER_03

Oh yeah, 30 gallons. So that was a lot. It was a lot, yeah. Per skew. I have four skews, so it was yeah.

SPEAKER_02

So 30 gallons per recipe. Yeah. Okay. Oh wow. Yeah, wow, yeah. And then you're not are those pre-sold or are those just come into market and then you're gonna be yeah figuring out to sell. Okay. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. So I think the big dogs probably have some pre-sales, you know, with large accounts, but yeah, I just know hirium. Specs, are you interested?

SPEAKER_02

So um, did you go to like different grocery stores or were you doing vendor events or like farmers Marpeans?

SPEAKER_03

All of the above. All of the above. Um, yeah, started going to just the local mom and pop shops that have been so good to me in the last two years. Um, yeah, have started some early, early talks with Heinans. Um really, it's been so I've Lama Cita officially turned two like yesterday. Oh, congratulations. Um, and it's been it's it's been a bit of a journey. Um yeah, and so I'm changing co-manufacturers now and looking forward to uh streamlining the process a little bit for them, getting some things dialed in, and I kind of feel like I'll have my feet under me a little better to go have some bigger conversations with bigger range sellers.

SPEAKER_02

Okay. So if let's say someone is watching and they're interested in the food industry business um to get a copecker, so what type of things are you looking for with a copacker? What like what how do you pick? How did you pick outside of getting a recommendation?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. So it is um, it's never gonna be a one size fits all. Um for me, uh you've seen the bottles, they're uh it's called a Boston Round. They have a very unique short little neck. Okay, that's an issue. Not every copacker can do it. Yeah, has a line to process to run those bottles.

SPEAKER_02

Um so you have to find a copecker that has the machines aligned with the colours.

SPEAKER_03

Or if you find a copacker and you say what bottles or what packaging, whatever your product is, what packaging do you work with? Okay. And then you can maybe adapt to what they have. Yeah. Um, but yeah, if you're doing, you know, you have to be sensitive. If you're doing a gluten-free product that you're in a facility that's or a nut-free product, or um, of course, it helps if if your co-packer is doing similar things. And okay, I use tomato sauce, and they've also got tomato sauce, you know. So okay, and then overall, just like anything, it's it's it's a good you just want a good relationship.

SPEAKER_02

They have to gel well. Right. Right, because you're gonna be working very close with each other.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, you're just you're handing over, you know, a dream of 18 years and saying, okay. And like Clark Pope said, um, prefaced in the very beginning, it's like you just you just have to be comfortable with what your margin of error is. It's never gonna taste like what it tastes like when you make it. You just have to know what that margin is for you.

SPEAKER_02

Okay. Do you get to sample it like beforehand? Because I'm sure you give them your recipe and then um they do they run like a sample or sample was 30 was 30 gallons.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. Which was slightly problematic for the green sauce, unfortunately. Um the first, the first man. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So I think I hindsight, I think I would have fought harder or just fought, period, to um to have a smaller batch made.

SPEAKER_02

Um like negotiate with them, like smaller so we can test it.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, so we can all see the process. Yeah, this is new for you guys, too. Yes, yes. What do we need to work out so that I'm not on the hook for right all of this product that you're like, no, this does not taste whatever. Right. And again, you know, it's fine, but yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Because you're giving them like down to the like a teaspoon of salt, or you know, obviously it's more than that, but you're you're giving them all of that, yeah, and then they take it and then they may run it, and that's your product. Yep. Oh, yeah, that I could understand that being a little like nerve-wracking. You're like, oh my gosh. Yeah. But you know, hey, you took that leap and you did it. Yep. Um, so um, did you do all four? Like, did you do all four at the same time? Or did you do let's let's just do one at a time?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, yeah, yeah. We did two one week and then a couple weeks later we did the other two.

SPEAKER_02

Oh wow. And so you Okay. And then um, and then you started going, um, putting it out there in the stores and everything.

SPEAKER_03

Yep, selling. I did a lot of pre-sale um pre-orders to friends and family online. And I so okay, yeah, okay. And yeah.

SPEAKER_02

I know. Oh my god. Oh, so okay, the name. Yes. How did you come up with the name?

SPEAKER_03

So the name, I I knew I wanted a Cita at the end. I wanted something cute. Cita just kept calling to you. Yeah, and I'm doodling, you know, like I'm in fourth grade again. Um, and I kept going to, I didn't want mama cita. I kept going to big L, little A, Big M, Llama Cita. And then one day my husband and I were driving, and he was like, What about llama? Like double L llama cita. And then the llamas like, your guy. That's like and I had already been working with graphic designers at that point that I met through the uh central kitchen, Fiz Creative. Hi, Jason and Katie. Um and so I called Katie right away. I was like, oh my god, they got a name! Yes, that's it, that's exciting. Yeah. Oh, it was. And it's like the one thing that I kept saying, you know, in the the brand discovery process, who are you? What do you want to do? What do you want your brand to look like? Is I just I wanted um it to bring joy to people. Oh, okay. Bringing joy to people through food has is a passion of mine always and forever. And the with the llama there, it's just like, you know, doing these farmers markets where you get to see people big debass and see them look at her like, oh my god! It's so cute. Oh, someone's all that's llamas. Oh, we should get the oh yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

It's just so there's the joy and the food, and yeah, it's so cool.

SPEAKER_03

No llamas were harmed in the making of these sauces. I do get asked that. No, I do not have a llama farm. Well, so oh, people like you really must love llamas, right? Right. I would think so.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, like I love them like a normal person, I suppose, but right, but no like intricate relationship with llama when you stay out.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_03

Well, thanks to your husband for coming back at the yeah, he named our son, and he's he's yeah, he's good at picking names. Yes. I'm I'm my I'm starting a uh YouTube cooking show soon. So he's wheels are turning fine. Oh that's awesome. Yeah, thank you.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. Um the obviously, based upon you know, your being in the food industry and all, you decided you wanted to like it's just a another venture.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, it's something that has um just kind of revealed itself to me this last year. Um, how as I've been a little less shy, a little more aggressive with social media and just putting myself out there. Yep. And I really like videoing myself in the kitchen. And so yeah. I mean, so many other people are doing it, why not? Exactly.

SPEAKER_02

Exactly. You have, you know, sauces and and all to use. And I got skills.

SPEAKER_03

I can I know how to cook. A lot of people don't. Right. A lot of people don't even like to cook. And so, yeah. I'm one of those. You are? Yeah. I'm sure it's sorry.

SPEAKER_01

I cannot lie.

SPEAKER_02

I love people to cook for me.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, okay.

SPEAKER_02

And then it taste grades, and I don't have to do all the chopping and oh my gosh. I prefer to, I I'd say, you know, people have roles and I want you to be able to excel in your role and saying I will eat.

SPEAKER_03

Yes, yes, yes, you're an appreciative eater. Yes, and that's important too. Yep. See the other side of it. Twee eat that. Yeah, that's brands.

SPEAKER_02

I cook for people that aren't appreciative. So no, no, yeah, no, I appreciate it so much. I'm very gracious. Okay, yeah. So, okay, were there any um like legal things that came up during your whole process? Um that you had an attorney, or you're like, man, I wish I had had like an attorney to even ask a question to or something.

SPEAKER_03

Um so early on, once we had the name, I reached out to an attorney. Okay. Um, and got some help trademarking and styling, all of that. Good stuff. I mean, she set up. So I would highly recommend that people seek.

SPEAKER_02

Do that. And the good thing that I I really like about what Bianca said is that early on in the process, because what you want to make sure is that you know, you're creating this name and logo and ideas, and you don't want to get like years into it and then find out, oh my gosh, someone else has the name. Yeah, you know, and they're a little further along in their and then maybe you get a cease and desist letter because you're using their they've already trademarked and you're like, oh man, I should have done this. So I'm glad that you did do that.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, we found a gal in um Virginia, I think, that has a business um a C Tibet. She didn't she never files.

SPEAKER_02

So yeah, so you were first to be those. Yeah, awesome. Yeah, yep, yep. And then you got the name and everything. Um so that's that's wonderful. Because when you have a name and idea and everything, it's best to just go ahead and trademark it and and get it going.

SPEAKER_03

Yes. So yeah, I would I would definitely recommend um doing that. And then I'd say um going over any kind of big contract, um haven't really encountered anything too hairy yet at my stage in the game. Um but I could see how that would be beneficial.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I mean, even basic contracts, yeah, those that um and a lot, and what I tell everyone is it's not so much that when you're going into it that you're you need it right then and there, but it's like when and if it doesn't go right, then you're like, okay, we can go back to what is in this document to s to you know tell us how we're to perform. And this dictates our agreement. So we there's you know, there's not any questions. Yeah. Yeah. But it's it's really for when it goes wrong. Yeah. Which we hope that it doesn't, but inevitably something will yeah, yeah. So good. Yeah. I'm glad you're to hear that you're doing those things. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Thanks. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Yes. Um any um advice? So especially for um people that are about to start or they're already starting, um, they're thinking about starting a business. Um, it could be just like three, three, the mo the most important three things that you know you would say these are these are things, these are key for starting a business.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. Um, so just start for one thing. Just like yeah, just just do it. Do it. Just do it. Just start having a conversation with someone, like I did. Um, because that's really where it all starts. You just, I mean, you speak it to the universe, the universe provides, but then also you just start gathering your resources, yeah. Which then leads me to number two, is then you start building your community. Okay. And um I've I've been in the food business for a very long time. I had a French pastry business in the Pacific Northwest. The community here in Cleveland, um, specifically my female, um, my other women of food group is amazing. And so, you know, like you just there's something for every for every veteran. Yeah, yep. And so find that, create your support, your support system. Again, the people that are a couple steps ahead of you, and then you can be that person to someone that's a couple steps farming. Um yeah, and then number three, I guess just keep moving forward. So my aunt Jane, um Hi, Aunt Jane. She was at the uh Houston or Dallas airport years ago and had texted that she's she's on the you know the little the the little walking escalator thing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And the lady up in the sky on the on the intercom says, keep moving forward. Oh yeah, and we laugh about that, and I say that to myself constantly. So constantly, to keep moving forward, do not get paralyzed, do not let something der Maybe you need to take five, maybe take a day. Maybe just like I had a day the other week where I'm like, oh my god, like what am I even doing? I don't want to do anything. I just and then I got a good night's sleep, and the next day felt better. So it just keep keep moving forward.

SPEAKER_02

Uh and it's so important as business owners to hear that because I mean, everyone goes through something. I don't care how small or big you are. Everybody goes through personal things and then just things with the business. But yeah, if you can just give you if you can just put the one footing, put up the other still like, okay, I'm gonna get through this. Yeah, it's challenging, but yep, I got it. Yep. Other people who have done it before me, there's other people behind me that will take it.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, rarely word no one's reinventing the wheel, like it's a bit, you know, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Oh my god, yes. Yeah, and that's that's motivating because as you put the one step in front of the other, then you gain more and more confidence. Yes, yeah, yes, exactly. Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_03

And then and then there's a big step sometimes, yeah. And then you've active, it's just yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Because sometimes you're running, sometimes you're like, yeah, okay, we're gonna walk. Yeah, we're gonna crawl.

SPEAKER_03

We're gonna crawl. It's a crawl day, it's hanging on my tummy.

SPEAKER_01

Right. Oh my gosh. But we're moving. We're moving. Right. Even if it's an inch. Yep. Yeah, yes. Even if it's an inch, you're like, I am one inch closer or forward than I was, you know. Yeah. Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_03

And I think and I think a bonus number four is um to we cannot compare ourselves to to other people and where anyone else is at in their in their journey. Yeah. Uh just it's like I I say I have done yoga for a really long time, and I don't know if you are very fit. If you've done yoga I love yoga. So if you've noticed when you're in a pose and you'll like of this happened to me, so I've like looked over at someone like, oh, those are cute, cute pants. And the second like you move over, you lose yes, you lose your balance, you lose your focus. Yes, and so the lesson there is just stay focused on yourself.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03

It's your fault.

SPEAKER_02

Yes, oh yeah, don't don't look around and be comparing. No, yeah. Oh, that's a good one. Thanks for that extra, yeah. So, okay, what about a poor decision you were able to make in business, which you were able to overcome, still be successful? Yes.

SPEAKER_03

Um, let's see. So one was probably um not back to the oils. Okay. The canola oil. Oh, it's a hot issue nowadays. And three or four years ago, um when these conversations were starting for Lama Cita, it was well, should I go with canola oil or should I do uh, you know, uh of an avocado oil as something less controversial? Yeah. Um and I listened to some outside voices and opinions and against my better judgment, okay. We went with that. Okay. And, you know, the whatever, what whatever I would, yeah. Um, I just it's been it's been an issue. And I get I people comment, and so I wish I would have just done that in the beginning. Okay.

SPEAKER_02

Um did you were these like respected opinions, and that's why you were like, well, I'm gonna go with them, or did you like second guess yourself?

SPEAKER_03

Like Yeah, it was like it was um respected opinions, and then it comes down to costs. Oh, so of course, sorry, it was like, well, let's just do whatever's yeah, gonna be the easiest, right? You know, a lot of things have they oh where we live. A lot of things do. I live my life, you know, somewhere in the gray when it comes to that sort of stuff. I love eating healthy, but I it's still a business, I should say exactly. Yeah, yeah. Yes. So um, yeah, so I think just not listening to your gut, you know, the the lesson there being like yeah, that money saved here is you know, potentially more money spent there down road.

SPEAKER_02

Okay.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

So now you're gonna be changing things now. Yeah. And with oh my gosh, with the co-packer. So do you have to like with the whole the the because they're gonna change the whole you know recipe and all? So that is I can imagine that could be kind of costly to have them redo it.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, so it it won't be where so because I'm changing co-manufacturers just anyway, it kind of seemed like the perfect time to do that because my bottle people are gonna have to touch the the silkscreen art for the bottle to change the address. And so I might as well then change the the ingredient list and then giving me an opportunity to tweak green sauce even more. Okay. Wow. Well, that's exciting.

SPEAKER_02

This I mean, it's it's you know it's more steps in the right, they're right.

SPEAKER_03

She got I'm a believer that yeah, that there's you know, mistakes. Uh we there's no such thing as bad or good. It's just yeah, we learn from it, we go on, yeah, the worst thing ever. But then look at that opportunity that presented itself because of that.

SPEAKER_02

And so yeah, yes, yes, and that's the great perspective to look at it, and that's why you'll continue to be successful.

SPEAKER_01

Thank you. Yes, I hope so.

SPEAKER_02

Well, and that's a great um area to toast on. Sounds great, yes, to great decisions, and oh my gosh, I have to share this because these are so cute. These um she gifted me with these prosecco cordials, um, dark chocolate, and um, they're from Mitchell's, not the ice cream store, but Mitchell's chocolate and candies. And they're in on Lee Road in Peatland Heights. Okay, yeah, I can't wait to try these. They're out for a long time. Yes, and then we have um a Sauvignon Blanc, a French Sauvignon Blanc that we're gonna be trying today.

SPEAKER_03

Lovely.

SPEAKER_02

So let's toast two good decisions with our business and Lama's doing it. Yay! Cheers