Amy Burton
Forum Replies Created
-
Thank you to all the chemists and cosmetic professionals who participate on this forum with honesty and integrity. The wealth of information you provide is genuinely appreciated.
I don’t know anyone on this forum. However, I believe the vast majority are good people. When it comes to questionable business practices I have learned that sometimes things are not always what they seem. The level of deception often runs deeper than one can imagine. Anyone can portray themselves as something they’re not. Professional con-artists scam everyone, including colleagues. Due diligence reveals the ugly truth. Criminals can’t erase public records.
-
Thanks for all your help!
-
Thanks for your reply.
(1) I do understand about NDA’s. If client references couldn’t be provided, at the very least I would expect some professional references could be. I want to know my consultant/chemist is well respected amongst his/her colleagues, is affiliated with professional organizations, is gaining continuing education through seminars or trade shows and is in good standing with suppliers & creditors. Maybe I’m asking too much? I know if someone wanted to check me out those things wouldn’t be an issue.
(2) Being new to this industry I guess I’m clueless. Maybe it works differently than other industries. I would think a formulator would have some prototypes and/or samples of some kind on hand. I spent several years working in R&D. We had archives and shelves full of everything we had ever worked on. Labels were coded so only the R&D staff knew what was contained in our sample jars. If shelf life were an issue, there would be documentation, photos, etc.. Anyone interested in working with us could see we were legit.
(3) I’m not a wealthy person by any means, but a field trip would be worth every penny. If it were so far away to be cost prohibitive, a tour via Skype or FaceTime would suffice. Even if a chemist is working in a home-based lab, he/she should still be set up in an environment suitable for formulating, testing, etc. If they don’t have the proper equipment, I wouldn’t want to work with them.
(4) Anyone in business today who isn’t accepting credit cards is missing a huge opportunity to grow their business. There’s much more buying power with plastic. In this day and age, even small part-time vendors at local farmer’s markets process credit cards using mag-readers attached to their smart phones.
-
These unfortunate circumstances have put everyone in a very uncomfortable position. I truly hope the individuals involved can settle their differences and resolve these issues in a timely manner.
It is evident the consultants/chemists who have posted on this thread are caring individuals with some great advice. Thank you for offering guidance. If the person in question is a member of this forum, @Perry is undoubtedly upset by this entire mess too.
@MarkBroussard, I totally agree with doing your proper due diligence. However, there may be people on this forum who are new to this industry, and perhaps even new to being in business for themselves. That being said - they participate in these forums, build relationships and based on what they read, they trust the people who are advertising their services to be reputable. If those advertising individuals are also actively participating on numerous forums, that would add more credibility too. Even the moderators of various social media groups may have been misled if they don’t personally know these consultants/chemists.
I have been in business for many years, but I’m new to this part of the beauty industry. I’m looking for a consultant/chemist too. Based on past experiences I’m very particular about who I work with. I probably do a lot more digging than the average person before I enter into a contract with someone. Several weeks ago I contacted one of the consultant/chemists listed on this forum. I assumed he was reputable based on what I read in his profile and on his website. Everything looked professional and appeared to be in order. He would NOT provide any references. That, among other things, was why I did not hire him.
In searching for a consultant/chemist are these expectations unreasonable? I certainly wouldn’t want to insult anyone by requesting these things. I would like the following:
References that I can personally call
Samples of the chemists work
A tour of their facility/lab
Payment in the form of credit card with terms specifying 3-4 payments (deposit, mid-production with samples, final payment upon full delivery of product).
Do many people work this way or am I asking too much? Thanks in advance.
-
This is terrible! A few days ago I heard a very similar story from someone on another forum. She had someone claiming to be a cosmetic chemist steal $2500 from her last fall. I wonder if it was the same person? Her “chemist” is in the southeastern part of the US.