12.03.2010

:::focused woman::: Danielle Santos

koco & viking is a business run by 2 strong women, but you already knew that, and we are always intrigued by other women who are focused on doing awesome things. We got to thinkin' and knew we wanted to feature and honor women that we meet along the way who do said awesome things. So, we bring you the first of our focused woman features. We are so very happy and proud to introduce an old friend of ours who has started a new life as a business owner...

Danielle Santos

k&v: Hi, Danielle! Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

Danielle: My name is Danielle, and I currently live in Yorba Linda. I work full time for a property management company that I have been with for over 3 years. Although it is my full time job, I started my own business with Scentsy in March 2010.

Why did you start selling Scentsy?

My passion for Scentsy started in December 2009 when I had gone to a scentsy party at my friends house. I immediately was sold on the scents, warmers, and of course, the price points. I love my home to smell good, and as a new home owner, I was anxious to purchase the products. As soon as I did, I was hooked. It was only a few months later that I decided to become a consultant.

What obstacles have you had? How have you handled them?

Having a full time job, it has been difficult finding the time to put a lot of effort into my own business. However, I have a ton of support through the other women that have done the same and that have been extremely successful. I find time on the weekends, and in the evenings.

How do you separate yourself from other businesses?

I am constantly marketing my business and trying to think of new ways to do to get my products out there and set myself apart from the competition.

What advice would you give anyone who was interested in starting their own business? Specifically, what advice would you give a woman thinking of starting her own business?

Advice I would give for new business owners is: Don't give up. If you feel like you're business isn't doing as well as it should or could be, get creative. Start thinking outside of the box; stay positive and motivated. As soon as you do, I guarantee new contacts and business will fall right into your lap.

As women, there is nothing we can't do. We are the ultimate multi-taskers, and real life super heroes. It is so inspiring to see women that have their own businesses, are wives, mothers, cleaning ladies, cooks... and they do it with such grace. Having your own business is a challenge, but is worth it at the end of the day. You can amaze yourself with business ideas, and all that you can accomplish.

Where do you see yourself, your business, etc. in the future? What are your 5 and 10 year goals as a woman and a business owner?

In 5-10 years, I hope that my business will be thriving more than ever and to have many people under me that will benefit the way I have. I hope to have a family, and hope that I can be successful in all areas of my life.

Anything you would like to add?

My Grandmother has always told me, "Be the skipper of your own ship, Dani." And I have. Do what you love, and don't settle for less. That in itself is success.

Thank you for taking the time to speak with us. You are a success, dear Dani, and we know your business will flourish with your guidance and focus!


Please check out Danielle's business on her website. You can also email her and she'll get back to you, happily. She's Scentsational!
Our own Scentsy review...

Danielle hosted a Holiday Boutique and we were privileged enough to be a part of it. Now, we never have seen Scentsy, smelled Scentsy, or heard about Scentsy so we were intrigued to see her set up. We were very familiar with Party Light and have spent a lot on their products, we haven't recently, but had in the past.

We LOVE yummy smelling things and were delighted when the room instantly filled with a magical scent. It was Danielle's Scentsy that wasn't overwhelming us or irritating our sensitive sinuses (it's a family curse of crazy sneezes when things smell too strong). The fragrance lingered all day like a familiar friend, keeping us cozy and our spirits lifted. Instant love.

Both of us ran to Danielle to check things out, grab a catalog, and Jasmine asked a MILLION questions. We just become more enamored with the whole line. It is safe, it won't burn down our homes because it doesn't have a wick and it warms to just a bit over normal body temperature. We're both clumsy, so this is a definite bonus. They have a trillion (okay, not a trillion but over 80) amazing scents. Jasmine smelled ALL of them! ha ha. One bar will last you up to 80 hours, more than your smoky candle, and costs a fraction of the cost of that firey candle of yours!

Okay, now we like things that smell pretty but we like things that look pretty even more. Well, their warmers come in a bunch of designs and sizes and we wanted them all. Not exaggerating a bit. We wanted a majority for ourselves and we could name a friend or family member who would love all of the others! Holiday shopping is easy with a Scentsy catalog!

Inexpensive, beautiful, and smells UH-MAY-ZEENG! We're sold.

:::holiday fun::: FREE Holiday Event- Dec. 4th

It is that time of year to put on the mittens and check out the holiday happenings around town. We will be posting cool (pun intended) things to do in and around Los Angeles this season. Check back daily! We will only be posting FREE events to make your holiday merrier!

Saturday, Dec. 4th
10 am- 4 pm

Winter Solstice Fair
5450 Atherton Street
Long Beach, CA
FREE

Check out all the cool crafts, jewelry, food, and live performances all day! koco & viking will be there too. Stop by and say hello.


do you have something cool going on? email us at info@kocoandviking.com and we'll post it!

:::holiday fun::: FREE Holiday Event- Dec. 3rd


Check back daily! We will only be posting FREE events to make your holiday merrier!

Friday, Dec. 3rd
7-9 pm

Port of L.A. Holiday Fountain Event
Harbor Blvd. at Swinford Street
FREE

(open the picture below for a larger view)
Join us for an evening of festivities including choral performances, festive fountain shows and even give Santa Claus your wish list!


do you have something cool going on? email us at info@kocoandviking.com and we'll post it!

11.30.2010

bottle cap me


Everyone is always asking to see some bottle cap images when we aren't at shows. So, we thought

11.28.2010

fun business stuff

I think it is awesome when someone has a kick-butt idea and they put it into motion. B2B is a great asset to the blog world and business world... hence their name. Being in the marketing business, I know how hard it is to get the word out about products and services. Utilizing the internet for marketing gets even trickier. Well, B2B does all of the heavy lifting for everyone! If you have a business that needs to get checked out by a specific demographic B2B will make sure it gets in front of them. Phew, they must be a busy bunch over there, eh?!

11.25.2010

Better Than Black Friday Sale- NOW!





Go to kocoandviking.com now to save, save, save! Shipping is, always, already added so you don't have to worry about any extra costs! Get them a a unique gift they'll love and something for yourself, you deserve it!

11.24.2010

:::giveaway::: pre-thanksgiving party



Just because we can and want to, we're giving away a random assortment of our famous bottle cap magnets! YAY! It's easy to enter and super fun to win.

How to enter... each option earns you an entry... be sure to let us know what you did and leave contact info! GOOD LUCK

1. Follow us on here and leave us a comment
2. LIKE US on facebook
3. Leave us a comment on facebook
4. Follow us on twitter

Easy peasy kiddies!

11.19.2010

Gettin' TechTastic

Phew. We updated our website with a new SHOP page! That's right, you can get k&v goodies online now. So stoked. Now, we can hook you up with discount codes and coupons and you can use them online and not just at our events. SCORE!

We've added so much cool stuff too. Our new favorite? Our Customizable Acrylic Pendants! Great gifts, right? You can gift confidently with k&v, kiddos.

exes and oooohs
JAZ



11.15.2010

:::giving::: True Holiday Spirit

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is only 10 days away? I know, us either! Well, we love that great feeling of doing something special and this time of the year that feeling grows 10 fold. Please check out an amazing act of giving- http://ablessedchristmas.giving.officelive.com. Do what you can to help one another. We will have special fundraisers for this cause, keep your eyes peeled! They're going to be awesome!


11.10.2010

:::calendar::: NOVEMBER

Hey, howdy, hey friends! Fall is here in full force which means the next 2 months are going to fly at light speed. Right? It's craziness, for sure. We'd love to see you this month and, hopefully, we'll see you next month too. We have a bunch of new goodies and we're working on even more to help you out with all of your holiday shopping. So, stop by this month and we'll give you a free high five!

p.s. There are cool things happening discount- and giveaway-wise this month through December! Keep checking here, twitter, and on facebook!

Saturday, 11.13.10
1p-6p
Holiday Boutique Open House
The Vineyards Club House
5601 E. Orangethorpe Ave.
Anaheim, CA 92807