Meet Toya Griffin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Toya Griffin.

Hi Toya, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I started Mo’ Scrubs in July 2018 after a session with my life coach about my desire to create something that I love that also helps me generate income. After my 40th birthday in 2017, combined with sending 2/3 of my children off to college, I was feeling empty and unfulfilled. Like, I didn’t know how to identify myself outside of being a wife and mother. I was looking for my purpose; I guess you can say. While I’ve been making my own natural skin care products for myself for several years, I never thought about turning it into a business, even at my life coaching session! It wasn’t until we changed the subject and my life coach mentioned an upcoming cruise she was going on and wanted something to keep her skin beautiful and glowing while on the beach. I mentioned to her that I make a sugar scrub that’s perfect for eliminating dark spots and keeping your skin hydrated. That scrub is now called Get Me Bodied.

Mo’ Scrubs launched with just three sugar scrubs and has since grown to a full skincare line that includes of course, our classic scrubs, all-natural body butters, skin care facial products, CBD infused products and more.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has been anything but smooth! I didn’t take the “traditional” route of starting a business. You know, the whole saving six months worth of income, obtaining all of the appropriate licenses and structuring my business. I jumped off the cliff with nothing but my faith and my desire to work for myself. I’ve had to learn some things the hard way, such as, while they may be more environmentally friendly, glass packaging is a pain! I’ve dealt with people stealing my ideas and products, and of course, there’s the whole money thing. However, in my personal opinion, waiting until you’re “financially stable” to start a business is just as absurd as waiting until you’re “financially stable” to have a child. Money is important, but it means nothing without passion and commitment.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Mo’ Scrubs is a true labor of love. Everything from the manufacturing to the marketing is done by ME. It’s truly my baby. I make every single product by hand, using only all-natural and organic ingredients, many that are grown locally. My goal in creating is to make products that give you the confidence to show up in your skin. The Mo’ Scrubs brand is rooted in music because just as music heals, so do my products. I name each product after a song, and I never make products while my mood is down. I’m always uplifted, singing and full of peace and light when I create. I do all my own labeling, packaging and manage all of my social media. It seems like a lot of work, but when you’re doing what you love, it surely doesn’t feel like it.

My best-selling product is a face scrub called FaceTime. Customers have raved about how it helped clear up with acne, psoriasis and more. What sets Mo’ Scrubs apart from others is the fact that I allow my customers to dictate my products. Over 75% of my product line comes from requests and feedback from customers. I feel so honored that strangers feel comfortable contacting me and sharing their skincare challenges with me, and it sends me over the moon when I create something for them that works. I conduct focus groups twice per year made up of current and potential customers of all backgrounds and have them test new products, then we discuss them in detail on how to improve them.

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
The biggest lesson Covid-19 taught me was to learn to pivot. When we first went into lockdown in 2020, I panicked. I was worried that I may need to stop my business, as people weren’t as concerned about their skin as they were surviving a pandemic. I was worried that by continuing to operate, I would appear selfish or tone-deaf. However, after I took the time to meditate and sit with my thoughts, I remembered the Mo’ Scrubs mission; to solve a problem, not become one. So what did I do? I started offering solutions to problems. Stores sold out of hand sanitizer? Well, I made my own and sold it. Esthetician’s all closed? I created and sold DIY wax kits and send recipes for at-home facials. Covid ended up being a blessing in disguise for me. I made more during quarantine than I did all of 2019.

Contact Info:

• Email: toya@moscrubsbytoya.com
• Website: https://www.moscrubsbytoya.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moscrubsbytoya
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/moscrubsbytoya
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC97LrGd7BUuB2lYHbsY5BpA