#1, I started my company right after I finished doing the Makeup for the frozen, floating, dead passengers for James Cameron’s mega hit film “Titanic”. I was invited to be on many morning shows making the newscasters look frozen. One morning someone from the Marines was watching the show I was featured on, and he heard me say that my makeup never came off the actors and they floated in the very warm water (90 degrees) in the huge tank up to 6 hours at a time wearing wool clothing. The temperature outside was around 90 degrees. The buyer for the base called the station I was on and miraculously he got through and told them to have me call him when I got off the air. That was the beginning of my involvement with the US Military. Within the next few weeks, I became very popular. The word went out that a “Makeup Gal” was making new face paint for the Marines. I was told about a convention in Dallas Texas that I had to do. So I did and went there with my samples of Camo Face Paint and got orders from the Marines, Army, Air Force, Navy and Special Forces. That was 27 years ago, and I have not stopped supplying our US Military since that day!  

 

#2, I manufacture whatever the Military wants. I make 3,4 and 5 color compacts. They all have a mirror inside of the lids.  I also make tubes filled with 9 different colors of paint including Eye Black for the Hunting Industry. The Tubes come in regular size and Jumbo. I was asked to make Powders a few years ago and that has been remarkably popular with the customers. All my compacts are top sellers. I have 259 people working for me in my factory and keep them busy all year round.

 

 #3, I have a new compact coming out at the beginning of Jan. 2024. I am quite excited to see how it does.

 

#4, I manufacture and package all my products here in the USA and always have stock. I am always ready to ship immediately! Making my Face Paint here in the USA was the best thing I could have ever done right from the beginning when I started my business. I think this makes a big difference. I do not have to get anything off a boat, worry about a strike at the docks etc…. My prices are very competitive, and the quality is the best. I asked what the Military wanted and needed, and I made it. No questions, I just did it!!

 

#5, The stores that carry my products are mostly Military stores.  Army, Navy and Marine Bases, ROTC, and Military Colleges to name a few. There are tons of stores all over the USA that carry my Face Paint. The end consumers are mostly Military people and Hunting enthusiasts.

 

#6, I found the most challenges was getting the raws to make the face paint right after the Pandemic started. So, I just ordered a lot of Raw material, and it makes my life and the life of my customers a lot easier. Since I make my own compacts, I only depend on me to do the job and finish it in a timely manner. I also stock a lot of material to make the compacts. Since my paint has top quality ingredients, it has a long-lasting shelf life.

 

#7, I learned from my own challenges in the beginning, and I am very careful who I deal with and who I can depend on to keep my business running properly.  No matter what the challenge is. You cannot get discouraged. You just don’t make the same mistake again. To run a business, you must show your customers you are dependable and trustworthy. Like my autobiography I wrote many years ago, “I Can Do This, The Bloody Mary Story” and Mark Burnett did a TV show about me, “How’d You Get So Rich?” It tells you how I created my little business in a garage in San Diego, CA. into a 40,000 Sq. Ft. factory.

 

#8, Most of my customers just email me their orders. We ship from the East Coast and West Coast so we can get the orders out to the customers as fast as can be. For most dealers we turn around within 2 days. On the larger orders my customers order in advance. Some of my customers give me an idea of how many pieces they will be ordering for a year at a time which is very helpful. Sometimes they need the face paint immediately and we are always able to get them what they need in a timely manner.

 

#9, I have no minimums. Never have I had a minimum on any orders. I am also happy to send samples. If you are a new customer, how will you know the quality of my paint if you do not try it out. I do a lot of shows and we also give out samples all the time. I was told a long time ago “That is how you grow a business!” You must always have samples!

 

#10, I am one lucky gal who broke into a man’s world 27 years ago after working in the Film and TV industry. I love what I do and love what I created over the last 27 years. I believed in myself and said many times “Bobbie, You Can Do This! Persevere and give it a chance. Nothing is easy in this world, but just keep good people around you and believe in yourself. Look forward all the time and never in the rearview mirror.