{Ask the Techxperts} A New Spin on Lollipops by @doshapops Licks Up Market Share

This series is dedicated to learning from event experts on various topics. We cover event technology, meeting design, and much, more more! Today, we are pleased to interview PEGGY ANDREWS, Founder of Dosha Pops.

What is the company about?
We are an artisanal gourmet boutique offering Ayurvedic lollipops made from herbal teas, spices and essential oils. Ayurveda is a form of holistic healing that has been practiced in India for more than 5,000 years. According to Ayurvedic beliefs, each person has a unique pattern of Ayurvedic energies. These energies are called Doshas and there are three distinct types, Vata Dosha, Pitta Dosha, and Kapha Dosha. Designed with your unique Ayurvedic dosha in mind, we’ve created lollipops with a fusion of ingredients that work together to balance your dosha energy and contribute to overall health. Figuring out which Dosha Pops are best for you all boils down to your unique dosha energy type. Answer a few basic questions about your body type and overall health on doshapops.com and our online test will recommend the appropriate Dosha Pops for you to then order.

What were the 3 keys to getting the company off the ground - where did you invest your time?
Perfecting the candy production, marketing and bookkeeping were the 3 keys to getting my company off the ground. Initially, my primary focus was on learning how to make hard candy. My classes in Ayurveda and Ayurvedic cooking helped me figure out flavor combinations of herbal teas, spices and essential oils for specific doshas. I created 6 flavors including Chai Me Up, Velvet Rope, Inner Glow, Mytea Pomegranate, Head Over Hibiscus and Wishful Pinking. After creating all six Dosha Pops flavors, I decided to test the public opinion of Dosha Pops by participating in local events. Before I could participate in these events, I realized that I needed to focus on marketing. Luckily, I have some truly talented friends who helped me with some of the clever branding. For example, the Dosha Pops logo incorporates lollipops and tea leaves which represent my herbal tea lollipops. Once I confirmed that people liked my lollipops, I decided to sell Dosha Pops to the public through e-commerce.  Knowing that bookkeeping was going to be the hardest part for me, I made sure that my website incorporates a bookkeeping program that helps me keep track of sales and inventory.

How do you use events to expand the reach of your brand?
I use events to create brand awareness, which expands the reach of my brand. For example, Dosha Pops participated in the 2014 GRAMMYs® and Oscar Nominee® gift bags. Participation in these events immediately expanded the reach of my brand. Suddenly, Dosha Pops was seen on major TV stations, newspapers, magazines, radio stations, and blogs. In order to expand the reach of my brand further, I used social media to talk about my participation and press mentions in these events. I will also discuss my participation in these events on my Dosha Pops Blog. It’s a great way to share my favorite moments of the events with my customers.

What is the coolest use of technology you’ve ever done for your brand or events?
The coolest technology that I use for events is Eventbrite. It’s an online ticketing service that allows me to plan, set up ticket sales and promote events and publish them across Facebook, Twitter and other social-networking tools directly from the site’s interface.  It also makes it easier for potential attendees to find and purchase tickets to my events.  I really like it because it allows me to see the number of tickets sold to my particular event, the number in attendance, and offers several ways to check in attendees. The mobile app links back to my page on Eventbrite, providing post-event details and an attendee summary report.

What is my favorite app?
My favorite app is Google Drive. It’s really simplified my life. All of my pictures, designs, videos, and business documents are stored in files in Drive that can be reached from my smartphone, tablet and computer. I love Google Drive because wherever I go, my files follow! Additionally, it’s great because I’m able to share files and folders with others to view, download, and collaborate on.