April 29, 2008
sleep sanctuary
The temperature was 5 degrees cooler than average this morning - who can say no to a cashmere hotwater bottle!
Slumber pack
The Sutton sisters
I cannot tell you how much of a baby I am when it comes to sleep. Baby in the sense of need lots of love and attention. So I've got an eye mask, ear plugs and lavender-scented hand cream I wear just before hitting the hay. For the nights when I'm really struggling to slumber I give my pillow a spritz of lavender essential oils - also known as "Slumber Mist" - which I got from Sleep Sanctuary a little while back. I cannot tell you what a worthwhile little luxury that is. Here is more from one of the founders Tara Sutton.
How and why did you start Sleep Sanctuary? Danielle (my sister and business partner) have both had trouble sleeping over the years, but me particularly when I was working in the corporate sector. I’d wake up every night at 2am and instead of sleeping, I’d lie there worrying about to-do lists and what I hadn’t done the day before. After speaking to friends and family I realised many people, especially women, suffered from the same sleepless nights. I’d started using an essential oil that truly calmed my overactive mind and sent me back to sleep. With Danielle’s pharmaceutical background, we were able to formulate our own range of aromatherapy-based products using this "magic" oil, and share them with people who also needed help switching off at night.
What has been the response? We’ve been in business for 12 months now. We’ve obviously got a long way to go but we’ve made a great head start with stockists all around Australia and a distributor in Singapore.
How is having your own business different to what you expected? It’s always on your mind - you need incredible discipline to stop thinking about your business every moment of the day.
What has been a highlight? Receiving feedback from customers, thanking us for our products because they’re getting a better night’s sleep.
Where do you look to for inspiration? I love reading success stories about Australian brands like Ginger & Smart and Aesop. New York’s retail spaces are also brilliant for inspiration.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt so far? Persistence pays.
If you could meet one person, living or dead, who would it be? Eddie Vedder (just so I could introduce him to my husband – he’s a big fan).
What are you looking forward to? My yoga lesson tonight. I’m a new convert and just love the peaceful feeling it brings.
What are you reading? I just got my new copy of the American magazine Real Simple, so I’m devouring that every spare moment I get. It satisfies the inner domestic goddess in me, because she doesn’t always appear in reality!
Images courtesy of Sleep Sanctuary