5 Ways Beatrice Dixon Keeps The Honey Pot On Top

The Honey Pot has become a saving grace for women tired of the status quo in the feminine hygiene industry. Using a transparent customer-focused approach, they have completely disrupted the industry. But the mission-based company has not risen to success without its fair share of challenges. Founder, Beatrice Dixon, joined Episode 3 of digitalundivided’s #undividedATTENTION IG Live series to discuss every aspect of her journey as a founder facing a landscape full of capital shortages and supply chain issues. Find out how she keeps life sweet inside The Honey Pot below.

1. She Practices Gratitude And Self-Love

The outpouring of support Dixon has received from the Black community has her products flying off of shelves. “When we went viral, a week later, Walgreens put us into 7,000 stores,” said Dixon.

That level of exposure brings a business prestige, profits, and problems. “There’s still challenges — with bottles, caps, getting line time, getting sick — every day is met with challenges, but that’s life. Who doesn’t have challenges? We’re constantly met with challenges — that’s part of being a human,” she admitted.

Despite her troubles, Dixon told Lamonier that her word for the year was “grateful.”

“I’m here, and I made it. I get to be in the situations I’m in, I get to have a company that is having a hard time keeping product on the shelf. No matter if it’s hard or stressful, I’m here,” she continued. “I have my health, my family, my business, I love myself.”

She is intentional about making her happiness a priority. “When people exist in happiness, whether they know it or not, it’s a choice,” she added.

“I have chosen not to live in fear of what may or may not happen. I don’t want to be in fear, I don’t need to be in control, I don’t need to be right, I don’t know sh*t — and I’m okay with that. I want to be here, and I want to exist this way, and I’m happy about that.”

Accountability lives in her self-care routine. She advises other founders to, “Take care of yourself, eat well, be conscious, go inward, mind your business, drink water, eat vegetables. Get out in the sun. Don’t let fear hold you down. Take responsibility for your life.”

2. She Extends Herself Grace

“I show my vulnerabilities, I don’t expect perfection,” said Dixon. “I’m okay about the fact that I do have weaknesses.”

3. She Values Her Team

One of the smartest choices a founder can make is to surround themselves with people smarter than them. Lamonier asked Dixon how she managed to compensate for personal weaknesses as a leader, her answer was parting with some of that hard won financing.

“I have people on my team that make more money than me because I have to make sure that they know they are valued,” said Dixon. “I do business to make money.”

“You have to pay your team well so they can execute,” she continued. “The person who got us into 20K stores, that woman needs to get paid well.”

She doesn’t recommend discussing choices about compensation with those who don’t share the responsibilities of a founder.

“You can’t listen to people who don’t have businesses. They haven’t done payroll,” she said. “Sometimes the person giving advice, needs advice.”

4. She Understands Funding And Partnerships

When Dixon walks into a room asking for money she knows, “You can’t make them do sh*t.” But that fact doesn’t stop her from being fully prepared.

“You have to know your business. You have to know your business backwards and forwards, you have to know what you’re solving for. You ask for money because you know what you’re doing,” she said.

She doesn’t just have the information she needs at her fingertips for investors, she has the work ethic to put it into action.

“Even though I’ve had times where I’ve gotten in my feelings. I had to get out of my feelings because this is business,” she said.

“Until you exit, they are your business partner. They’re not doing the work, their work was the money they put in, so you put in the work,” she said.

5. She Puts The Product First

Honey Pot has jewel-toned packaging, a consistent social media aesthetic and great press. They also have a quality product line.

According to Dixon the latter leads the former. “For me, the product speaks for itself,” she said. Consumers agree. The company’s Instagram page is full of praise for their calming lavender pads, chemical-free tampons and their plant-based feminine wash.

“You don’t have a marketing strategy if your product isn’t the best,” she said.

Before social media was banding together to support her company she reached a huge milestone by not compromising her principles.

“It doesn’t even matter how many ‘No’s’ I’ve received because I’m here. All we needed was that ONE yes, and that was Target.”

Want more advice from amazing Black and Latinx women entrepreneurs? Check out the 3 tips for Black & Latinx women entrepreneurs The Lip Bar Founder, Melissa Butler shared on her #undividedATTENTION episode.