Thomas Foley joined Smith Naturals in 2005 as a shareholder and director. He is in charge of sales, marketing, and distribution, as well as overseeing the company’s legal and business affairs.. Mr. Foley is originally from the U.K. and spent most of his working life in London. His first career was at Lloyd’s of London, the world renowned insurance market, where he specialized in fine art and jewelry insurance.

      He subsequently entered the music industry where he worked with a variety of small companies until he founded the React label, which he ran for twelve years, ultimately as the company’s managing director. Among his many duties at React, Mr. Foley oversaw the international marketing of all releases, coordinating with more than thirty distributors. During his tenure, the label had a turnover of nearly US$5,000,000, achieved 16 U.K. Top 40 singles, and the label was responsible for the well-known Café del Mar series.

      Thomas Foley brings to Smith Naturals not only his proven track record in developing entrepreneurial opportunities, but also his keen insights into international marketing and business management.

..........In January 2009, Thomas Foley shared his thoughts about Thai herbs, international marketing, and competing with “the big boys” with Don Linder, Executive Director of Center Consulting Co., Ltd.

Don Linder: What first brought you to Smith Naturals after your extensive past experience in the insurance and music industries?
Thomas Foley: After eighteen successful years in the music business, I was looking to continue my career in marketing and distribution, but with an end-product that could not be digitally encrypted.

DL: Do you have a particular personal interest in Thai herbs and herbal products in general?
TF: My interest is in CAM [Complementary and Alternative Medicine] as a whole field. Anyone over forty – myself included – needs to give some serious consideration to his or her health, and the fact is that these days there are many more choices in addition to what your GP tells you. Dr. Garry Gordon is one of the best educators of people in this field, and we need more and more people like him.

I, personally, didn’t intend to go into CAM, but, after selling my company in the UK at age 41,  my desire for a career change in the field I know best – international marketing -- coincided with my meeting Dr. Sandy [Schwartz], our CEO, and learning about the tremendous opportunities and growth in this field. The truth is, most countries in the developed world have aging populations, which means that the dollar in the youth market is shrinking, while growing among the middle-aged and elderly – the people most likely to be aware of and use complementary and alternative products.

Smith Naturals and Dr. Sandy seemed to me a reservoir of great ideas and products which needed help on the administrative side, so here I am.

DL: What are currently the best markets for SN products?
TF: As I mentioned, there has been a marked shift in spending power towards the older generation who simultaneously have more and more access to information through computers and IT. This leads to a much greater awareness of the range of personal health and grooming choices now available. Specifically, the more media savvy one is, the more one understands that there are numerous alternatives to pharmaceuticals and their side effects.

The result is that the older generation, armed with more disposable income and greater knowledge, have come to question Big Pharma’s dominance. There is also a growing group of medical doctors more open to combining pharmaceuticals with CAM. Take for example the growing group of menopausal women who have traditionally taken HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy), but are now seeking natural alternatives to HRT’s many toxic side effects. And, here comes the shameless plug…. Smith Naturals’ core product – the Thai “wonder herb” Purearia mirifica – is the natural, more effective, and non-toxic choice of the future for this population.

DL: What markets do you hope to develop in the near future? Can SN products be marketed to a wide range of demographics, or are they fairly specifically-oriented?
TF: Natural, effective, and safe health and beauty products are good for everyone! Smith Naturals is interested in expanding into Japan, China, the Middle East, and some parts of Africa. China and Japan already have a long tradition of using Purearia mirifica. The Middle East is a viable market because of the ever-increasing demand for personal hygiene and sexual enhancement products. And, Africa, is not yet a saturated market for skin care products and toiletries. The E.U. will take longer due to greater regulatory controls.

DL: What sets SN aside from other companies producing complimentary and alternative medicine products?
TF: Specialization. Our specialization is developing the many uses for Purearia mirifica, the unique herb which grows best in this part of the world. Our other great asset is Dr. Sandy, who has a terrific ability to formulate unique and effective skin care products such as an effective topical breast serum and cream, as well as a penal gel. This allows us to bypass the “clutter” of face creams on the market and to create significant niche markets.

DL: What is the biggest challenge ahead for Smith Naturals?
TF: To be perfectly honest, revenue-building through the cultivation of solid, long-term partnerships worldwide is a top priority for Smith Naturals at this time. We are completely confident with the depth of our scientific validation processes and our ongoing commitment to up-to-date R&D, so now it’s a marketing issue. One of my main challenges in this area is to help people understand that Smith Naturals is B2B company and does not sell to the general public.

DL: What SN products do you personally use? Any personal success stories?

TF: I personally am a devotee of our herbal foot cream. I find that after a long and tiring day, it’s very soothing and rejuvenating. I have friends who put it on in the morning in anticipation of a stressful day ahead.