Curating the Seasonal Home

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal care but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dianna Allen, Founder of TERRA, located in St. Louis, MO, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I am the founder of TERRA, a home fragrance company that specializes in scents inspired by nature and crafted minimally. My customers are those looking for a candle to complement their home. One that not only smells delightful but seamlessly fits in with their aesthetic.

Tell us about yourself

I began TERRA because first, I truly wanted to learn how to create a candle, and second, I wanted to take all my experiences of traveling around the world and introduce unique scents. I've traveled from southeast Asia to Europe to Latin America, and there's so much beauty that is often overlooked. But with TERRA, I'm able to share those notes of nature for others to enjoy through scent.

I continue to constantly be inspired and motivated by visiting new areas of the world, but also by people and those who interact with my products. It's because of my customers that I continue to build upon my business and grow it. They are my biggest supporters, and their love for what I've created keeps me wanting to push new boundaries of business every day.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My greatest achievement as a business owner thus far has been my ability to keep up with demand by scaling production efficiently, especially given that I am the sole proprietor of my company. When I first started, I thought creating 50 candles in one week was impressive. But now, I'm able to produce up to 1,000 in a week. It's been fun learning how to navigate volume as TERRA grows, and soon I'll have employees to help manage it all.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

The hardest thing is balancing all the roles that come with being a single-member business. To this day, I've been my accountant, social media manager, sales representative, partnership manager, production lead, quality controller, and so much more. It's certainly not easy, but you learn to give your attention to what's needed the most at the time and go with the flow of each day.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

For anyone looking to start a business, my number one piece of advice is to simply begin. Whether that means telling people in your inner circle your idea and how you plan to start or just hitting the ground running, many failures have to happen in order to understand how to be better, and if you never begin, you will never learn.
Another tip is to get comfortable talking to people and don't be ashamed of talking about your business and what you want to do. You'll be surprised at how many people agree with you, will support you, and may even start a conversation to help you succeed.
And lastly, have fun. Not every part of the business is sunshine and rainbows, but don't let that take away your spark of what you're trying to achieve. Learn to enjoy and embrace each part of the business. And when it gets tough, just know that we've all been there, and it is possible to overcome.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://terrasimply.com/

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/terrasimply/
https://www.instagram.com/diannamallen/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diannamallen/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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