From passion to business, in other words, a few words about low print runs of labels for si si bee
We asked our Client, Marta Szczepaniak, about how her passion evolved and was transformed into the production of creams. The outcome of this passion was the si si bee manufaktura brand, another gem among natural cosmetic products on the market. Marta’s story shows us also that there’s nothing to be afraid of when it comes to low print runs. :)
How did the idea to start your own company come about?
It was all pretty straightforward, the same as in most cases - sometimes burnout reaches a level where you just know that if you don’t change something right then and there, you’re simply going to suffocate in a minute. I had the impression that my brain was turning into strawberry jelly, and then, all of a sudden... The jelly started to take on creative forms and that’s how Si si bee came about. I think it was just meant to be in my case. As a child, I didn’t really like taking on the roles I was given and playing them out in a group - this was because my greatest pleasure was standing by the kindergarten fence and wondering what was going on outside, what this lady was doing, where that gentleman was going... ;) I was always an agreeable but curious and independent being. It’s a shame that I put off showing my creams to the “world” for so long as I had been mixing them for a long time already and with excellent results.
Do you ever hear opinions that your labels are different, unusual?
Oh yes, of course we do! Most people turn our little jars in their hands looking for the label centre... With no luck! Look how used to this we are! :) Thinking inside the box is just the worst thing ever.
Right from the start, the labels were meant to be in the spirit of “nothing to hide” and without the so-called ‘label centre’. Every element is equally important, and there are no extraneous elements. This is a kind of new quality taken from the world - they’re already quite popular in the States. I’m also admiring several such projects in Poland, too.
I regret very much that the labels couldn’t be any bigger allowing the text to be very easy to read… but still, with the top quality of your printing, it’s quite an achievement. Don’t forget that you’ve also printed top quality lid labels for us. We tried them out in a dishwasher – as good as new :)
Did the free label hard proofs help in any way in completing the project?
Oh, you don’t even know how much of a help they were! It was decisive and you provided us with it without any problems whatsoever. I did manage to obtain several hard proofs from different companies but every person that would compare them immediately pointed to your proofs. We didn’t have any problems with making a decision. We would joke that this single decision was actually the simplest decision we’ve every had to make. :)
Your willingness to print small label runs was also an ideal solution for us. You created no problems whatsoever with this and this is the perfect solution for small businesses. You treat us as equals with the big companies.
Did you know exactly which label material you were going to choose or did you try out different ones, too?
I had my guidelines laid down very precisely but had absolutely no idea whatsoever about the raw materials. :) Ola, however - well, that’s a completely different story! :) Apart from this, she was also extremely patient. I have the impression that someone else would have given up altogether ages ago. I was a client who would send out questions but actually place an order after 4 months. I would bother her with questions like “Ah, Ola, will they not get rubbed off, will the label not come off, or will the layers not separate?”. Well, I certainly wasn’t problem-free, but Ola would always patiently reply and address my concerns… Wait... you know what? I really felt that I was in good hands whenever I was in contact with her. I truly did!
Now that the creams have been manufactured, the labels have been printed and stuck on, what’s the next challenge?
The creams are getting very good reviews from customers and experts. We’re very pleased with this. The natural cosmetic products market, however, is already very full. We’re trying to find a place for ourselves among the many other wonderful, natural products. We talk about our creams and write about them, trying to convince clients of just how exceptional they are. Because they are just that! :)
