Assumptions can be the devil. They frequently create problems in relationships, business just being one of those. In fact, a lot of drama in life is because people assume stuff about things. That is because we all are the heroes or heroines of our lives. Thus, we have a unique perspective on the world that we believe to be often right in comparison to the opinions of others.
It is very easy to avoid the problems caused by assumptions. One needs only to communicate effectively. But for most of us, it is easier just to assume something is true then to use the energy to find out if something really is true.
For most of my working life, I was the one working for someone else. My limited view of whatever job I was working was that the owners and upper management were doing great financially while I toiled to make their lives that much richer in comparison to mine.
I am ashamed to admit, but sometimes in my younger years, I took advantage of my jobs by enhancing my life with their products, mostly thru a five-finger-discount that was definitely not company policy.
This ignorant view of business extended to my consumption habits and those companies that earned my dollars. My somewhat socialist-lite ideas provided a vast amount of assumptions tailor made to the injustice of money and the capitalist engine that drove the modern-day indentured servitude of the masses.
Yet, assumptions they were. Now, part of the “cog” of industry, I look back on the views of my youthful yet still developing brain as quaint and short-sighted. But there is no sense in regretting it. These things are all necessary because to get somewhere always requires there to be a journey.
We do not wish for those that purchase from us to assume anything about the way we do business here at Lost Empire Herbs. But without customers asking the right questions, it is bound to happen.
Seeing a company online, it can be difficult to tell how large a thing it is. We have had so many people assume we are a decent sized corporation that does all the internet-y things we do. I myself use to fall into this assumption before starting Super Man Herbs (our predecessor to LEH).
The beautiful thing about the internet though is the efficiency of work that can be achieved. This efficiency easily creates the illusion of “size.” Part of this efficiency comes with the ease of outsourcing certain jobs.
For about two years after starting the company, Logan, Cloud and I were the sole workers in the enterprise. Even then, each only working part-time, people would express great surprise that we weren’t much larger.
Currently, we have 20 people on our pay role (including us and only just hired 3 of those people as well within the last couple of months). We have a few outsourced positions as well but mainly due to us not having the experience to do them ourselves or the number of employees to do otherwise.
You may have thought we were much bigger. That is perfectly okay. As I said, it is hard to tell with internet companies from the outside.
Now, we are planning to add more employees a lot faster than we have previously, this being our new growth strategy. That being the case and even though this is largely in the beginning stages of development, this is the FIRST way we grow our business. First because investing in our friends and fellow workers at Lost Empire Herbs means investing in our future.
We believe, first and foremost, a company should be about people. Humans are healthiest and happiest in the company of others so any business trying to make a buck, whether nonprofit or for-profit, needs to focus on this fundamental fact.
One definition of company, after all, is the fact or condition of being with another or others, especially in a way that provides friendship and enjoyment.
That means, investing in the customer experience and in the people that make up a company should be considered always and in everything that a company does. A company is created to bring enjoyment not just to the owners and its workers but to its customers lives.
This falls in line with one of our core values, the golden rule (we shall be highlighting these core values more in our future so you can all call us out when we are not upholding them). Deep down, everyone desires to be treated well and the only way to earn that treatment is to treat others with the equal measure of respect that one wishes to be treated.
But by far, the most dollars spent on investment in our company is through investing in the product. This is the SECOND way we grow our business and more than likely will always be the greatest amount of money spent.
Investing in the product means; purchasing larger and larger quantities of product, looking for new products, creating novel products different from what we normally offer, redoing or updating the existing product, and investing and helping our suppliers become better.
All of this takes a lot of money, especially if a company wishes to grow.
Contrary to what many may think, we are investing so much into expanding our workforce and product that us owners take little in comparison to the rest of the industry. I was actually recently made speechless by the amount that other company’s owners of similar size take for themselves. Speechless because it seems a bit outrageous to my poor-boy mentality.
Certainly, taking profit is part of why people start a business in the first place. But investing and reinvesting that profit over and over is what really sets companies up for greater growth and success in the industry.
We have created this business all without ever once depending on an outside investor for help. Not to say there haven’t been offers. Taking on investors would certainly have allowed us to expand our influence and provide a much better experience to customers in a speedier manner. However, Logan, Cloud and I desire to retain 100% control to not give any chance to a watering down of our vision.
That vision is to show people another way to health, an older, more balanced way, and one which our human ancestors have been utilizing way back into the fog of prehistory.
So if you have been frustrated with certain things about this company, believe me when I say we understand. We get frustrated too! We simply do not have the time to do everything we wish to do to provide the best service we can. Though we are constantly trying to become better at it. And the more we invest in the company, the closer we get to provide the service we dream about.
Frustration can be annoying, but there is the reality that many people these days seem a bit spoiled and take many things for granted. But by-and-large, we have found that most people that get an explanation of any problems that have occurred have been very understanding of things.
That just shows us that at least the majority of people we get to interact with are positive and open-minded. I have always assumed that this was the case but to see it so clearly in my work makes me extremely happy to say that in the face of any problem, everything will turn out all right.
Please, always feel free to give us advice or question us. Communication is how humans thrive. We are here for you and your health.
- Member of the Alkemist Assured Testing Program - June 27, 2022
- Does Coffee Dehydrate You? - September 25, 2018
- Herbs, Foods, and Spices That Increase Testosterone (Top 11) - September 13, 2018
Johnny says
I contacted you support about the horrific tast of Thor’s Hammer. No amount of excellent product helps if one can not keep it down. She recommended filling capsules and trying to take it that way. I think that is an excellent idea but am have trouble obtaining the empty capsules. Do you think you might add an empty capsule product so we can use some you your not so pleasent tasting products?
Chelsea Satterthwaite says
Thank you Johnny! This is something I can bring up in our next meeting. These capsules are available in most health food stores and pharmacies so we have not carried them in the past. Most people are able to order them online or from those locations.
We always appreciate suggestions from our customers though. Perhaps we can have a link we share that our customers can go to.