Our super-secret project can now be revealed!
As you may know, the Husband, my father-in-law, and I own a holistic clinic here in Charlotte. A lot of our business focuses on providing our patients with high-quality herbal formulas, vitamins and supplements (not the stuff you buy at Wal-Mart or GNC, but physician-grade products). A while back, we decided to launch an online supplement store (if you’re been reading for a while, you may remember The Holistic Doctor Is In!). When we originally envisioned our website, we wanted to be the biggest provider of vitamins and supplements online. We wanted to provide everything to everyone. Go big or go home!
It took a year and a half to develop The Holistic Doctor Is In!. We hired a web designer, and although we were never satisfied with the look or functionality of the site, it was moderately successful. So much of owning a small business, however, is knowing when to cut your losses. Competing with the big supplement boys was hard work – and expensive. After years of only ho-hum profits, we decided to close up shop. We went back to focusing on our core services (the clinic) and decided to brainstorm our next venture.
Around the same time, we became friends with Isaac and Nicole. Isaac is a website designer. One day, we got to talking about what went wrong with our previous website. Going big wasn’t the ticket – our services should’ve been more specialized. We explained our issues with the site’s functionality, and how we got lost in the tangled web of online advertising.
Over many discussions with Isaac, the idea for our new supplement store was born. It would be simple to use, easy to navigate, and focused on a specialized niche – vegetarian vitamins and supplements.
Isaac, Kristien, and I decided to launch a new business together to develop the site (my in-laws opted to focus on the clinic). The combination was perfect. Isaac is a life-long vegetarian; Kristien and I are veggies, too. Kristien knows the supplement and vitamin business backwards and forwards – he’s a state- and nationally-certified herbalist. And Isaac is genius at everything Internet.
We got to work on the new shop, deciding to go with the obvious choice and call it Vitamins for Vegetarians. We offer vitamins, supplements, minerals, and herbs that vegetarians and vegans commonly search for (you can get all the nutrients you need from a plant-based diet, but just like in an omnivore’s diet, sometimes you need a little boost). Everything on our ‘shelves’ are vegetarian, too, meaning there are no animal products on the ingredient lists. We also decided to offer animal-friendly cosmetics, including deodorant, lotions and cremes, and shower gels. None of our products are tested on animals, and most if not all ingredients are sourced from small organic farms.
Kristien also created two specialized “Essentials†packs. The first – the Essential 5 – are the top five supplements that most vegetarians should consider adding to their diet. The second – the Essential 7 – are for vegans.
I really like the idea of the Essentials packs because they take the guesswork out of choosing which supplements to take. Some other supplements of note on the site:
-
The prenatal vitamin that I took while pregnant with Henry. It never made me sick, even when I took it on an empty stomach.
-
An Omega-3 vegetarian supplement made from flax..
Please note that statements made on or products sold through the Vitamins for Vegetarians website have not been evaluated by the United States Food and Drug Administration. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult with your primary care physician before taking any supplements, vitamins, minerals, or herbs.
I’m so excited about Vitamins for Vegetarians. The site is beautiful, it’s easy to use, and I would actually shop on it; I have the patience of a gnat when it comes to difficult-to-browse websites… or websites that play music! <— that’s the worst, right? I’d love for you guys to check it out, too (if you think we should provide an additional product or notice any errors, please let me know at caitlinjboyle@gmail.com – we’re still in beta-testing mode).
That all being said, I’d love to offer you all a giveaway of our Holiday Stress Pack (retail value is $117.85).
A description: Calm Response is crafted exclusively from 100% whole food nutrients and supportive tonic botanicals known to help replenish and gently support the body during the nutritional challenges of stress. Stress depletes the body of essential nutrients, including vitamin C and the B vitamins. Adrenal Response Complete Care is skillfully designed to provide not only the proven adaptogens of Adrenal Response, but also the additional nutrients needed to nourish the adrenal gland, including vitamin C, pantothenate, magnesium, l-serine and phenolic compounds. And Sleep Response is an unparalleled nutrient mix crafted specifically to promote a restful sleep and reduce tension related to stress.
To enter to win the Holiday Stress Pack, simply leave a comment describing what small business venture you would start if money was no object and failure was not an option (I love hearing responses to this question)! And please send us good small business vibes. 
If you do order anything from Vitamins for Vegetarians (thank you!), use coupon code HTP10 to receive 10% off anything and everything in our store. Free shipping on all orders over $60.
I would start a travel planning service. My husband and I love to travel, and writing our trips off as “research” would be fantastic!