Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Trudy-Ann Armand, Co-Founder of HER-MINE, located in Cutler Bay, FL, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

HER-MINE is a full-service gifting solution for subscriptions, conferences, events, and employee and client appreciation. HER-MINE helps busy women make time for self-care using products from women-owned businesses.

Each box features carefully selected items that deliver value and pursue a common purpose: to foster the growth of women-owned businesses through partnership while empowering people to shop from female. Our overarching mission is to support women. We do this in a number of ways:

1. By reminding women to make time to practice self-care and self-love.
2. By curating products from women-owned vendors.
3. By providing microloans to women business owners around the globe through their HER-MINE Sisterhood team on KIVA.

Tell us about yourself

I was born on the island nation of Jamaica. I moved with my family to Miami, Florida, when I was 12 years old. My mother, Pam, owned a number of different businesses, from real estate to eCommerce. My aunt Hermine was an award-winning Architect and business owner. Following closely in my family’s footsteps, I started my first business at 16 selling homemade cheesecakes. My next venture was life-like floral arrangements that I created and finally started an event design business. Between all my business ventures, I worked full-time, obtained my undergraduate and graduate degrees, got married, and had two daughters.

In August 2019, my mom's baby sister Hermine Ricketts-Carroll passed away after a long illness. Hermine was also my favorite and beloved aunt. My mom and I decided we wanted to do something to honor Hermine's memory and to share the support and unconditional love she expressed to us. After some deliberation, we landed on the concept of a women's self-care lifestyle box primarily curated from women-owned businesses! The HER-MINE Box was born. HER-MINE is the name of our late beloved sister/aunt Hermine. This ensures her legacy would live on.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is working with over 100 women-owned vendor partners to source products for our company. We feature their origin stories and product information in our in-box booklets and social media. I believe we can all grow together, and there are enough opportunities for everyone.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Running a business is no easy task. We not only need to determine the strategic direction of our company but execute it too!

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Hire help to do tasks that allow you to focus on your areas of brilliance.
  2. Determine your "why" for starting a business. When you face challenges, you will need to revisit that "why" to keep moving forward.
  3. Make time for self-care so you can thrive and enjoy the journey that is business ownership.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://her-mine.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myherminebox
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myherminebox/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/myherminebox
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/myherminebox/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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