NEWPORT— Kimberly Ruiz starts the day embracing life with positive energy. With a sparkle in her eyes and a radiant smile, she welcomes customers to her new business, Shine Your Lite Nutrition.
The 49-year-old developed a business plan focusing on a positive environment and encourages her customers to shine and be their best.
Mornings are busy at the corner shop specializing in healthy drinks, energizing teas and shakes along with other hot and cold beverages using Herbalife products.
“I specialize in empowering people to have the best mindset and encouraging them to be their best person as a whole,” Kimberly Ruiz said. “Herbalife is about the nutrients, and I am using the product to help individuals establish their nutritional goals.”
Located at 5071 N. Dixie Highway in Newport, the business is open 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.
“We offer shakes as meal replacements as well as hot and cold teas and protein coffee,” she said. “You can have your protein with energy. We have products for fat release, fat burners and protein bars. We’ll be bringing in an athletic line. We also have a vegan line and a spa line with lotions and shampoo.”
Since opening in September, the Frenchtown Township resident has developed a loyal customer base.
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After dropping her son off at Jefferson High School, Jessica Vaneeckhoutte of Monroe stopped in for an energy tea bomb.
“Whenever I can, I try to pop in,” Vaneeckhoutte said. “I’m ordering a mega size tea bomb with an extra liftoff in it. I have to work late hours tonight and my bedtime is early. The liftoff gives me extra energy to get through the day.”
Although Vaneeckhoutte likes the snozzberry tea bomb topped with pink Starbursts, she said she would recommend first-time customers try any of the mega-size tea bombs or a protein shake.
Tea bombs are made with Herbalife liftoff, a concentrate made with caffeine and vitamins to support brain function and help reduce the feeling of mental fatigue.
“It doesn’t make you crash like a regular energy drink,” Ruiz said. “It doesn’t have all the sugars. The liftoff gives it that extra boost. For someone who doesn’t want that energy, they can get a regular tea in a variety of flavors.”
Daily drink specials are posted on the store’s Facebook page at tinyurl.com/ShineYourLiteFB. Ruiz will use shared drink recipes from other shops or create a beverage at a customer’s request. Hungry customers may opt for a shake. Someone looking for more energy may order a tea bomb. Combos would include both a shake and a tea bomb. There are also drink kits available for customers to purchase to take home to make.
“You can mix and mingle a lot of the different products together,” she said. “The other day, I made a lava shake for someone. I used a liftoff that has energy in it and I added it to the shake so they got everything in one. The flavor was caramel apple.”
For Ruiz, establishing a relationship and getting to know her customers and what their needs are is the objective. She wants to be active in the community and continue to build the business.
As a Jefferson High School alumnus, Class of 1993, Ruiz recently celebrated her 30th high school reunion with music and decorations from the ’90s and she created a special tea bomb commemorating her class colors, black and purple.
“Our class song was ‘Wherever I May Roam,’ so the bottom is blackberry with a top of your choice of ‘Wherever you may roam,’” she said.
With the holidays approaching, Ruiz will be offering custom-made and ready-to-purchase gift baskets priced at $25 and up.
In addition to the nutrition shop, Ruiz owns and operates Common Ground Connections, a business based on life-skills classes to work with mindset change. A future goal is to incorporate the two businesses.
“The community has openly received me even though I’m from here and I have a lot of friends this way,” Ruiz said. “I’ve worked in the county a long time. Opening this business has given me the opportunity to connect with people I haven’t seen in a long time.
“Every day here is a blessing. I am blessed every time someone walks in the door.”