We want to welcome a new employee to our ranks....

... Lindsey Barber will be joining us on June 6th.

This is a bit tongue in cheek as Lindsey has been with us for six years, but when she reports to work on the above mentioned date, it will be her first day as Mrs. Brian Barber. Lindsey was married on May 28th and my wife and I were honored to be among the attendees.

A lot of you know Lindsey well and you have quite possibly talked to her. She has been the backbone of our customer service department since 2005 starting out as a 17 year old high school senior in the mail order department. In the years that followed, she excelled at that position all the while attending college full time and earning her AA.

In 2008, she was promoted and took over the bookkeeping duties as well as many other functions. She still supervised the mail order room and was instrumental in new product development as well. And, she worked on her bachelor’s degree at the University of Central Florida which she attained in December of 2010.

Lindsey is now the Vice President for Absolutely Natural, Inc. and has been a key player in the growth AN has realized since 2008. Typical of Lindsey, a full time, very demanding job is not enough of a challenge for her and she is entering a master’s program this fall.

Actually, many of you have seen her and may not have known it. Lindsey graces the cover of our facials brochure and is also featured on collateral material at our stores in Kauai.

All of us at Absolutely Natural want to congratulate Lindsey and Brian and wish them health, happiness and prosperity during a long and fruitful marriage.

Best regards,

Charley

Saying a Special Thank You to Mom...

We are no different than the rest of the world here at Absolutely Natural when it comes to Mother’s Day. Every year we attempt to put together a basket of products or a special gift to honor the women of the world who have the toughest job ever and every year, I always feel inadequate.

How can you properly “reward” someone who gave you life, nurtured you through childhood, sacrificed for your benefit and no matter how old you are, supports you through thick and thin? My Mom turns 86 this year and she is still the dynamo she was 60 years ago. Working hard, is nothing to her. Some days she'll tell me, “Oh, I have had such a lazy day. I cleaned the ceiling fans, washed the curtains and mopped the kitchen, but I haven’t got much else done.” She's busy morning, noon and night and she is definitely the one who gave me my work ethic. (Except for the whole washing curtains thing!)

She works on her home every day except on weekends when she goes to her job selling antiques at a little shop near her home in West Virginia. Mom was always a great sales person and I contend that if she had grown up in a different era and didn’t have the responsibility of rearing four kids while working full time, she would have had a great career and been heralded in the sales world. But, she instead dedicated her life to her kids and family and I certainly appreciate everything she did for me.

My wife is a great mom as well and she was willing to stay home and provide phenomenal opportunities for our children. I know they appreciate it and understand that she provided for them on a level that a lot of kids didn’t get … trips, work in schools, home cooked meals, arts and craft projects, sports, library visits, etc. And, even now that she has her own career (going to school for years and years and getting a Masters degree and LCSW!), she is still always there for them with sage advice, unconditional love and yes, home cooked meals.

So, we try to honor the fantastic Mom’s of the world by giving them something special on Mother’s Day. For those of you looking for something unique, I hope you take advantage of one or more of our four kits so your Mom can have not only a great Mother’s Day, but weeks of pampering afterwards.

Best regards,

Charley

The 2011 Space Coast Addy Awards

It doesn’t seem that long ago when I was writing about the Addy Awards of 2010 and how our fantastic graphic artist, Suzanne, was the star of the show.

Well the 2011 Space Coast Addy Awards were held recently, honoring those with high achievements in the advertising business. Again, Suzanne shined winning 12 Addy Awards in a field that was highly competitive.

One of the more amazing things about Suzanne is her versatility. She medaled in numerous categories including book design, photography, logo, packaging, brochures, catalogs, as well as online game and website design. She has been working with us for a few years now and I guarantee Absolutely Natural would not be growing as quickly without her influence.

Among her wins were three medals in package design. One for the popular new line, Envy Organics, one for the budding tattoo company, La Peau Ink and finally a gold for her work on the Sandals resorts Red Lane Spa line of products. Other Absolutely Natural projects were honored with silver for the Envy Organics catalog, silver for our year-end mailer and finally silver for the Marlee and Noah marketing photography.

While I was in Hawaii during the awards and wasn’t able to attend in person, Suzanne and my son Danny made sure I could take part via a live-streaming feed from their smart phones. I am already eager for next year as we have some great new projects to be revealed in 2011 and I’m sure Suzanne will be back on the podium several times for the 2012 Addy Awards.

Thanks Suzanne for being such an integral part of the team.

Best regards,

Charley

Do as I say ...

You know the old adage ... do as I say; not as I do.

Obviously I have driven my two sons crazy with that over the years, but now I am telling all the thousands and thousands of people I have trained on the proper way to take care of your skin in the sun and all the tens of thousands of customers over 18 years, the same thing. Do as I say!

I, Charley Richards, owner of Absolutely Natural Sun care (the world's best), got a bad sunburn recently on my face, neck and shoulders. Of course, I have taken a merciless ribbing from just about everyone that knows me with copious offers to "sell me some sunscreen" etc etc. All well deserved.

Circumstances were understandable (at least to me). An enjoyable outing on the boat; I thought she had the sunscreen, she thought he had it, he thought she had it and she was sure I had it. No sunscreen.

The point to this besides a living definition/example of "irony", is a certifiable, testimonial on how incredible our Absolutely Natural aloes are. By Sunday afternoon at 4pm, my face was a glowing red that would put Rudolph's famous nose to shame. The heat coming off me could be felt several inches away from my face. Uncomfortable, of course, but the potential embarrassment was worse. You see, I had a presentation to do in front of a few dozen business leaders gathered in Melbourne from across the Southeast. How much credibility would I have if my face were still in this condition when speech time came around?

Desperate, I turned to the aloes. I applied (smeared) the Pure Aloe w/ Tea Tree on all affected areas and let it sit until it went into the skin. Then I applied (coated) the Rosehip Aloe lotion on immediately afterwards. I repeated this dozens of times over the nexttwo days.

Immediately the heat left my face and other areas. And, slowly, the red turned to my version of brown (as a red head of Irish descent, my "tan" is sort of a reddish one to begin with). By Tuesday morning (fewer than 48 hours after my folly), I looked healthy and my version of "tan" instead of like someone who needed to go to the emergency room.

I DO NOT suggest you try this at home as I am a professional (yea, a professional that doesn't bring sunscreen on a boat outing in Florida!).

At any rate, I always try turning a negative into a positive and thus the story of the face saving aloes (double entendre intended) .

Best regards,

Charley

My trip to the Cayman Islands

In the past week, I was fortunate enough to travel to Grand Cayman, the largest island in the Cayman Islands. It was everything I expected and more. The local restaurants, pubs and shops reminded me a little of back home. Considering the island is only 22 miles long and 8 miles across at its widest point, it was almost the size of my home town!

My trip consisted of snorkeling, horse back riding and just relaxing by the pool. The Cayman Islands are known for there beautiful reefs… so I knew the top thing on my list was snorkeling! We snorkeled along the very popular seven mile beach and then traveled across town to Rum Point. Both were great for snorkeling but if your interested in diving… the locals recommended Bonnie’s Arch and Doc Polson Wreck which is a sunken ship wreck.

Another highlight in my trip was the horse back riding. We rode the horses along West Bay. This was great because we were able to run the horses, walk them in the water and through trails. The horses were very well trained and were not hard to handle what so ever. I would strongly recommend doing this if you want some adventure!

One of my favorite things to when I am traveling is to eat at the most popular pubs. We dined at Aqua Beach, Reef Grill and Coconut Joes. These were the places we found to be the most fun. Aqua Beach has a live band and great drink specials. Reef Grill is right on the water so I would recommend eating dinner at sunset because the view is amazing! Coconut Joes is similar to Aqua Beach… the food is great and it’s a perfect place to loosen up and enjoy the weather. Which ever one you choose you will not be disappointed!

For romantic dinners I would recommend the Luca. It’s located in the Caribbean Club and you can enjoy your dinner seaside. I would recommend having the Seafood Fettuccine or Pumpkin Ravioli. They have a very large menu so you would sure find something you love. Don’t forget to make your reservation at sunset!

If you are looking for a hotel or condo for your vacation, I would recommend staying at one on the seven mile beach. The beaches there are beautiful and very clean. The water is very calm on that side of the island so it’s great for water sports.

Here are a few pictures of our hotel view, dinner at the Luca and horse back riding:

Vacation in the "North Woods"

Recently my better half and I took a trip waaay up north into the “Northern Woods” of Wisconsin. It’s a favorite vacation spot, among family, and as I’ve found, also among Floridians as well. Several friends down here frequent the glassy cool waters of Northern Wisconsin come summer. Just mentioning such towns as Rhinelander, Eagle River, Minocqua, and Woodruff can result in a manic reply of “Did you just say…!?” From there an excited and often frenzied conversation commences covering all subjects from the entomological pests, to our favorite restaurants, fishing spots, and lakes.

Now, I live in paradise, so you’d think, why in the world would you LEAVE Florida for vacation? To be honest, when we first moved here several years ago I thought the same thing. Nothing, however, can compare to the lake. It can be all at once, quiet, still, and peaceful… then hop into your boat and you’re zipping around the lake at breakneck speed.

DINING RECOMMENDATIONS:

Paul Bunyan's Camp Style Shanty:
This food isn't going to beat mom's, but you can't beat the kitch. All you can eat, camp-style dining is tough to beat with the family. Don't miss breakfast, their homemade donuts are delish!

Lakeside (on Lake Tomahawk):
Boat up or drive up, you choose. Delicious Walleye (all you can eat on Friday's), yummy pitas and among the best deep-fried cheese curds in town.
Otto's (downtown):
I have been dreaming of their classic brats for 4 years now. It was worth the wait. Grilled, outside the casing, these brats are hard to beat... even better with a cold hard cider.
Minocqua Brewing Company (just outside downtown):
Known for hosting the annual beer festival, they also serve some excellent savory temptations. For appetizers I absolutely recommend the Bavarian pretzel & beer/cheese dip.

I can’t believe how many times, driving through town, I looked at a lake or pond and wondered “How many gators live in there?” Funny. When we first moved here, I evaluated turns and hills as “potentially dangerous” come winter. Ahh we bring home with us wherever we go don’t we?

I could go on and on about vacation, but I think I’d rather share some pics instead
(the road our cabin is on, Patrick and I on the Dock, the cabin):

Update on Facials Project

We are getting great feedback from our Facial's test subjects. Many love the product and can not believe how great the system works. Most say it's very gentle on their skin but still gives them a deep clean. Some are even giving us special requests for new products like facial serums, masks, and an SPF specifically designed for your face. We plan to get our R & D team together and start working on formulas. It's a very exciting time here at Absolutely Natural.

Crazy week at Absolutely Natural

What a crazy last week my crew and I had. My crew in the production room couldn't of performed better. We had to get a rush order out for Grand View around 16,000 pieces for there amenities, not to mention a 26,000 piece order for Natural Tone. We worked long hours doing everything from numerous machine cleans to labeling and prepping thousands of boxes and bottles. Even though we were pushed hard last week it was well worth it because in the end our clients were happy and that's what matters the most. This week has slowed down a little but, there is always something to do here at Absolutely Natural. I am keeping my fingers crossed on this tropical wave bringing us some waves. I haven't surfed in months because of our dry spell here in Melbourne, but I'm hoping it will turn around soon. To all the other fellow surfers and beach lovers, don't forget to wear your sunscreen!

Facials Project

Recently, we sent out questionnaires asking how each individual took care of their skin on a daily basis. We asked questions ranging from how many times do you cleanse your face to how many glasses of water you drink daily. The responses were very interesting.

After receiving hundreds of replies, we made our selections carefully and ended up choosing only 16 test subjects. Our demographics range from the age of 20 to 65. Mostly women, however, we do have a few men. We then tailored packages for these individuals depending on their skin type. They received the full kit of the Facial's system, Rosehip Aloe, Pure Aloe and a sunscreen depending on their skin tone. We felt that it was necessary for them to use an all natural sunscreen because as we all know those chemical sunscreens can lead to breakouts and cause skin irritations.

For the next two months, we will be working closely with these individuals. We are thrilled to receive feedback and can't wait to get started!

I was born in Hawaii but have lived in Indialantic Florida since I was two years old. Growing up here I have been active in sports like baseball, soccer, skating and of course, surfing.

Growing up on the beach and being by the ocean my entire life has really made me appreciate skincare products especially since I am blonde and have a fair complexion. From the day that I started working with Absolutely Natural is the day that I knew this is where I wanted to spend my career. I have been an employee of Absolutely Natural for 6 years.

I’m currently attending University of Central Florida to earn my bachelors degree in business marketing. My father, Charley Richards, is the owner of Absolutely Natural and has taught me everything I know and I plan to follow in his footsteps. My current position is Warehouse Manager where I make sure products are manufactured and completed for various hotels around the world and our mail-order customers. I also do everything from inventory to machinery repair to a part of marketing. I work with an excellent team and feel that we are a family, and that’s what I believe makes Absolutely Natural.

Other than attending school, I have recently purchased my first house and tend to keeping up on it. I also enjoy spending time with my friends, family, and surfing as much as possible. I have surfed in many places such as Costa Rica, Hawaii, and The Sebastian Inlet in my hometown of Indialantic, Florida.

Introduction: Todd Anderson

I am the National Sales Director for Absolutely Natural and couldn’t be more proud to represent our product line and be part of our Team! Unlike typical skincare companies, creating multi-million dollar ad campaigns, exaggerating benefits or compromising on our ingredients are things we will never do and part of why I am so committed to our company. It is very rewarding and comforting to offer products that deliver so much benefit to people and compare so positively to those typically found in the marketplace.

Prior to joining Absolutely Natural, I served as Vice President of SportsCare USA, a national marketing firm. I joined SportsCare due to my passion for “prevention first” with regard to health and the pursuit of achieving optimal vitality through lifestyle choices. I helped SportsCare pioneer the mainstream acceptance of the “Wellness” philosophy by hospitals & their communities, leading market development in Florida, Hawaii, Texas and many other locations during a 12 year career. I helped coordinate the 2nd official Ironman event in the mainland United States along with dozens of other sporting events across the country.

I’ve known Charley for almost 20 years and have always had great respect for him as an entrepreneur and person of great character. It is his leadership, plus personal life-changing results with our products that help me generate effortless and genuine passion for our company & products. After spending nearly a decade suffering atopic dermatitis symptoms under the direction/treatment of physicians and being prescribed a continuous cycle of topical steroid treatments, antibiotics and other medications, I have been nearly symptom free for several years and attribute the primary factor being daily use of Absolutely Natural’s products that keep my skin’s health in optimal condition.

I am married to my beautiful wife Candace and the father of two wonderful children, Jessica & Jake. My career has taken me across Florida, Hawaii and Texas with much travel in between. We are most grateful to be settled back in my high school hometown of Melbourne, FL and closer to much of our family. On Saturdays in the fall you will find me cheering on my alma mater, the University of Florida Football Team…Go Gators!!!

Introduction: Charley A Richards

I am the founder and owner of Absolutely Natural which I started in 1992. We sold our first bottle of suncare in April of that year after two years of research and developing the formulas for our all natural suncare line.

Previous to Absolutely Natural, I lived in Hawaii and worked with resort hotels as a contractor providing services at the beach and pool areas in exchange for selling products at kiosks. We started in 1978 at the Sheraton Maui, the Maui Surf and the Whalers, all on Kaanapali Beach.

This business led to the development of Maui Jim Sunglasses as there was a need for a sunglass that could protect against UV, eliminate glare and not distort the beautiful colors of the island. Maui Jim’s were born and the first glass was sold in 1986. Although I haven’t had any ownership in the company for many years, I am proud of what the brand has accomplished under the direction of Walter Hester, owner of Maui Jim’s. I am the original patent holder along with Mr. Kobiyashi who was instrumental in developing the technology.

My first job in the industry was as a salesman for Hawaiian Tropic products at various hotels in Daytona Beach, Florida. I started when I was 16 years old (between my junior and senior years in high school) so I have been around suncare for 38 years!

I also was a school teacher for four years teaching high school English with added duties as a wrestling coach (I know, a strange combination).

I have done many things in my business career including import/export, owning retail stores, consulting and manufacturing, but I truly love what we do now. To be able to develop the incredible products we have now and to help so many people is extremely gratifying.

Our factory and my home are in Melbourne, Florida where I moved in 1988.

Introduction: Lindsey M Pushman

I was born and raised in Melbourne, Florida and I absolutely love it here. In my early years, I was very active teen. I enjoyed ballet, dance, cheerleading and my heart was with rodeo. I was very active in activities that involved being outside. As a Florida girl, I enjoyed the sun and would take any chance I had to be outside. Besides using store brand skincare I was never really introduced to a skincare line that I loved until I was introduced to Absolutely Natural in high school, my passion immediately changed. I knew that taking care of your skin was important especially in the Florida sun.

Shortly after high school, I continued my education at Brevard Community College. I graduated with my Associates of Arts in 2007. I then moved on to the University of Central Florida to gain my Bachelor’s Degree. I am currently still attending and working towards my degree. I plan to go even further with my education and receive my Master’s Degree.

I began working at Absolutely Natural in February 2005 starting out as our Customer Service Manager. Once I started interacting with our customers, I soon began to see how our 100% natural products changed their lives. It soon changed mine as well. Soon after working here, I knew my position here was very special. Charley started to notice my hard work ethic and my passion for this company. I then was promoted and was ready to further my career within this company. I am now the Vice President of Absolutely Natural.

Recently in the past two years, I was fortunate enough to be one of the developers of the Facials line. This was very thrilling for me as I have never been a part of such a process. The process took a little over a year and a half of research and development. After deciding on the formulas we then had several family members, friends, and several random people testing the product line. The formulas worked for every skin type and most of them noticed a difference in 1 week! We new we had a unique organic formula that was really going to change the lives of many. Shortly after, we chose the packing and the overall look of the product. Since I played an important role in this process, Charley came to me and wanted me to be the model for this skincare line. To be honest, I was scared and excited at the same time. Modeling was very different from what I have ever done before.

I feel well accomplished for my age and I look forward to the many accomplishes to come. I enjoy what I do and what our company stands for. It is very gratifying working with a great team and ultimately our loyal customers.

Introduction: Suzanne Clements

Hey all. I’m not really an *official* Absolutely Natural employee, but I think I squeak in on the grounds of “honorary” inclusion. I’m responsible for the creation and design of the materials, new labels, etc. and I work closely with the rest of the team on new project development (on the aesthetics side). Working with Absolutely Natural is a real luxury, everyone is friendly and enthusiastic - like a second family and I get to try out the new products as they come along.

My background is long and winding. Originally from the “Great White North” AKA Canada, I arrived in the US when I was just 3 years old. We moved around a great deal – Montreal, Toronto, Chicago, Buffalo… finally landing in Melbourne, Florida (I got my US Citizenship along the way too). For a long time I dreamed of living near the beach. Living up north, the best I could hope for was maybe Lake Michigan (in my opinion the greatest of the Great Lakes), but happily my better half landed a job as a Psychology prof for a local college and voila! I am SO close to the ocean it’s a dream come true – and well, its tropical here and that’s the cherry on top.

I graduated from a fantastic state school with my BFA (SUNY Fredonia – if you’ve ever heard of it) dreaming of evenings spent hobnobbing at gallery openings, sipping wine and nibbling on fancy crackers and cheese. If you’re curious to take a peek at my fine art alter-ego hop online at: art.suzanneclements.com. Bear in mind, that I’m on “sabbatical” for the time being…

These days, I find my passion in graphic and web design fulltime. I enjoy the challenge of print production and the “sky’s the limit” mentality of web design.

When I’m not working, and to be honest, that’s awfully rare, I prefer to take it easy and just enjoy what life brings my way. I’m super excited that this summer we get to vacation for the first time in four years (we are nothing if not frugal). We’re heading up north… and I mean “Up North” to Mincoqua, Wisconsin for a week. We have a cabin on a beautiful lake up there complete with a boat. I’m looking forward to swatting away the mosquitoes and black flies and just enjoying me some walleye sandwiches while sipping some lovely hard cider dock-side.

You can follow me on twitter (ninakatz), fickr (suzanne clements), and blip (ninakatz)