Advice For Wannabe Beauty Entrepreneurs From Those With Brand Experience

In this edition of Beauty Independent’s ongoing series posing questions to beauty entrepreneurs, we ask 12 founders and executives: What advice would you give someone wanting to start a brand?

Delane Mazaheri Co-Founder and CEO, STARE Cosmetics

In the beginning, it is hard to know if you are doing things the right way or if you are even going to be successful. Then, you start to realize there is no single right way to do things or even a single version of success. I look for the small successes each day. They are the stepping stones to the greater ones. I have always believed, if you follow your passion and do what you love, the rest will follow. It may take some time, but it will come.

Danielle Conte Founder, Conscious Coconut

Surround yourself with people who get it. There is so much goodness and love in the world, and people want to see you succeed. So, for that one person that isn’t supportive, there are 100 more that are. You just may need to find them. If I’m not aligned and having a hard day, and I know a certain friend will throw a jab about anything, really, I go to yoga instead.

Staying in a positive headspace is key. Do what you need to do to get and stay there. If you fall off, forgive yourself, sage yourself, eat a burrito, whatever you need to do to get cruising again. You may need to explain to friends and family that you’re really in need of their support. For me, those that respected my wishes during the deep start-up days are still around today. Not everyone made it, but I’m grateful for it all because I wouldn’t be the woman I am today without all their relationships.

Pamela Friedman CEO, CV Skinlabs

From the outside, it may look easy to launch and grow a brand, but the truth is it requires hard work, endurance, resilience, steadfast fortitude and patience. Success is not achieved overnight. While I have a small amazing team, being a solopreneur means I wear many hats day in and day out. Focusing on growth and efficiency in order to prosper doesn’t allow for the luxury of delegating to a large team and is certainly not conducive to the bottom line. When you are an early-stage brand, spending each dollar wisely is critical.

Having the passion and drive to succeed is crucial to overcome the numerous daily obstacles. There have been times when a frustrating day had me thinking of a high-salaried corporate job that seemed infinitely easier, but ultimately lacking in fulfillment. I left corporate life to have a more purposeful career. For me, the passion never wavered, but, when frustration is high, and it seems there’s no time left in the day, sometimes staying positive is a challenge.

The fact that the ethos of the company and my personal beliefs are well-aligned carried me through the rough times. Reaching milestones, [and] reading encouraging reviews and appreciative emails from customers sharing personal heartfelt details is always inspiring. It’s extremely rewarding to know I’m helping make a difference for others. Having that purpose continuously feeds my passion to keep going.

Catharina Neudorfer Founder, CN Innovations

Do not think about the money and the followers on Facebook or Instagram when launching a startup. Instead, try helping as many people as possible, pursue with your idea and always be your true self. The money will follow automatically. You are an entrepreneur because you want to make a change, to have a positive effect on the world and have more freedom in your own life. That starts with being true to yourself. People will notice and will start to engage.

James La Founder, NIUCOCO

Keep your goals simple and attainable. Either end your day with your to-do list or, if you're an early bird, get it done before your core working hours are the most productive.

There's only one reason why you should stay motivated: You made a difference in someone's life with your product. ​Focus on the big items that will yield your biggest return for your time. When the going gets tough, it means you've done something right and know how to delegate.

As an entrepreneur, your job is to get things done and that includes finding help from wherever and however you can. You will make mistakes along the way. Don't be afraid to make them. Just make sure you learn and not be stagnant.​

Celestyna Higgins Founder and Formulator, Moss and Ambar

Honestly, one thing I tell myself all the time is: You've made it this far! I look back on my life, and there were times where I was one step away from being homeless and bankrupt. I got fired from not one, but two jobs. And yet here I am. Safe, thriving. Hard times are a blessing if you make it through them because then you learn that you can make it. You begin to trust in the universe and the grander plan, and taking risks becomes easier. You trust your wits more.

In some ways, entrepreneurs have it easy. I've had my main financial source fall out from under me or get cut off so many times that it no longer feels scary. I know how to start a business. I know how to make money out of nothing but my ideas and hard work. So, that helps take the pressure off my current endeavor. I know that, if it goes belly up, I can start right on over with the next thing.

Jeff Smith Founder and Creative Director, Petite Histoire

You have to be flexible and think outside of the box. I come from a TV production background, so adapting to situations has always been my operating mindset. But, when you’re starting out, it really is critical to always have a backup plan and just adapt as things happen. Take things step by step and find solutions as issues come up. Don’t think too far ahead because you’ll just stress yourself out. Things are going to change, but there’s always a solution, even if it’s not exactly what you originally thought.

Some of my initial stress came from feeling like I didn’t know the right people as I was a photographer before I was a perfumer and had an entirely different network of people than those involved in the perfume world. But, when I needed to find that logistics solution or customs broker, it was by reaching out to my network and asking for help that I was able to find someone within a few hours. You really have to trust in the people you already know and, in turn, the people that they know. And don’t be afraid to lean on them as most are happy to help. You can’t be shy, and you have to get out there and talk to people, especially when you’re starting out.

Choosing the right partners is definitely key. Whether it’s bottles or boxes, labels or logistics, finding the right team of people is critical to success. I’ve made some changes along the way, for sure, but I’ve also had a long run with some production partners. It’s about building something that works, adapting to change and, in the end, grows with you as your company grows.

Dawn Russell Founder, 8Greens

It took us five years and 263 prototypes before we got to the right product, but my New Yorker directness and determination got us to the finish line. Launching it into the market was a scary experience, but I have been overwhelmed by the response. Since it is such a small, family-run business, I have a lot of control and a lot of responsibility, but I love it as it means we can always look at new ways of doing things and don’t have to follow the status quo. If things go wrong, you just learn from it and move on. I’m proud that my boys are growing up with a working mom who owns her own business and hope I can give them the same confidence to go after their dreams.

Mariya Nurislamova CEO and Co-Founder, Scentbird, and Deck of Scarlet  

Starting your own brand is a huge decision. It takes time, energy, and money and, for many, that can be too draining. I would say that, if you’re planning to embark on creating your own brand, whatever it is has to be something that inspires you, something that drives you, and something that can easily become a part of you. Aside from the passion and the emotional factor of being an entrepreneur, you also have to know your market and be confident that you’re making an impact.

Michelle Ranavat Founder, Ranavat Botanics

It takes so much time. I think, with social media and how quickly businesses are growing, it’s always our expectation to strike gold at launch, but that’s never the case. It takes time and a lot of refinement to build a brand that is really strong that will last a long time.

Kristen Runvik Founder, Lagom Body Co.

Know your values and infuse them into everything you do. For me, giving back is at the heart of my mission in life and business. That's why I give a portion of my profits to organizations that contribute to an equitable future for all. Eventually, as business scales, I'd like to create a nonprofit arm of Lagom Body Co. that funds worldwide projects to benefit women and children, particularly in developing countries.

Don't cut corners. Whether with ingredients or your website or your branding. Make an investment in your brand and see it through from day one. It pays off dividends in the future.

Establish your brand with a logo and solid branding. Work with a professional and make that investment early. Don't be afraid to be bold and different from what everyone else is doing.

While I absolutely love my brand's minimalist black and white labels, I really wish I would have gone with something more bold and colorful. As I became more and more aware of other brands, I realized how "in" the minimalist look was and is. So, eventually, I'll be rebranding for that exact reason.

Buy labels in small batches so that you can easily adapt and update formulas to meet your customers' needs. Get your pricing right. Use a tool like Lela Barker's Price-O-Matic to uncover your true costs and build your confidence for charging what you need to. You're in this to build a business, not have an expensive hobby.

Start small. So many new brands launch with dozens of products. Establish yourself as an authority with just a few products in one collection and expand as you go. I really wish I would have taken this to heart before I launched with six products. It would have been easier to build a story around a single hero product than try to tell the story of so many in the very beginning.

Know that starting and growing a brand is hard. You really have to love it and have strong values to see you through on days where things go wrong or you question why you started the company in the first place. But also keep in mind that every entrepreneur has those infamous "What have I done?” days, and you'll make it through.

Matthew Schirle CEO and Founder, SkinKick

Choosing your who is important. Who means the people you hire, contract with and surround yourself with. It is your team. Only hire experienced [people], and only hire the best. Know you, which means your weaknesses. Surround yourself with a team that can fill your gap. My weakness is hiring. I love people and feel uncomfortable asking tough questions, so I tend to focus on people’s strengths and overlook finding their weaknesses. To fill my gap, I found a company that has a process to interview involving written questions that can tell me about a person's personality and potential weaknesses. My team is getting stronger every day.

If you’re selling online, it is all about social media. This is your number-one key for ROI. For me, social media has been a four-letter word, and it is not L-O-V-E. I have burnt through four agencies and many contractors. The key lesson I learned is that there is no social media company in the world that can do it all. The good news is that they all have at least one strength. So, my million-dollar piece of advice is to simply ask one question when your interviewing social media agencies. Focus your time on validating their answer. Then, hire an agency for each task.

Make mistakes, but don’t make the same one twice. If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not trying hard enough. I have learned that the faster you back up and go down the right road, the better off you are. One example for SkinKick would be trade shows. I have tried many different shows and never had an acceptable experience. So, I would not return. Now, New York 2018 will be the fifth Indie Beauty Expo we attend.

If you have a question you’d like Beauty Independent to ask beauty entrepreneurs, please send it to editor@beautyindependent.com.