1. How did the idea for inskincosmedics come about?
Working for others and seeing all the “things not to do in business” was the ultimate trigger – and my biggest lessons come blessings! After dedicating 20 years plus to the beauty industry I felt I could make a difference and bring back the heart and soul that it was quickly loosing.
2. How did you turn an idea into a business?
I had the knowledge, I had the network, I just needed a range that I could distribute exclusively in Australia.
Being the face of a number of brands, over the years, I knew I had to find a very special, niche like brand, something different even superior to what I had been endorsing and my competitors were selling, a brand with a unique selling proposition. After months of looking I came across – and was blown away by – the L.A “brand with a personality” Sircuit Skin Cosmeceuticals – an Australian first in Chiral technology. I officially launched the brand in “opening-night style” in both Sydney and Melbourne and before each night was done I had my first salon 20 partners. My home became my office and warehouse, Sircuit Skin became our every breath and sleep was just a memory. I was pick and pack, data entry, sales rep, trainer, promotional consultant, CEO and cleaner, yep I was inskincosmedics – one person, many faces. Less than 6 months into the venture we were offered the exclusive distribution rights to leading New York brand emerginC cosmeceuticals and before we knew it we were in “professional” offices and showroom, employing out first team members and playing in the big league.
3. What were you doing before inskincosmedics and what made you leave it behind?
I was working at a company – not to different in offer to inskin – first as their national sales manager and later in product development. The role was perfect; the ethics maybe not so much. I realised that in all my roles no matter who and where I worked I treated them like my own business, long hours, loads of travel and personal sacrifices which got me thinking why not do it for myself.
4. Cosmetics is a crowded marketplace, how did you differentiate yourself?
We chose to support the salon-only professional market, not online, not pharmacy or department store. Our offer starts at cosmeceutical value (hence a need for serious skin diagnosis and prescriptive regimes), we don’t do smell good, feel good, fluffy cosmetics rather created our own category of skincare fast being recognised internationally as cosmedic, over cosmetic … with a D for Dr – aimed at building an awareness for high strength actives with the ability to make a physiological difference to the skin, ultimately achieving skin health and skin youth. Last but not least, excuse the cliché, we made sure our offer was real and in line with TODAY’s needs. No online competition, profitable, incentivised at all levels consumer, skin specialist and business owner, affordable and effective … with one final KEY TO SUCCESS our people. Our sales team are previous salon owners, aestheticians by trade – they understand the business and ALL inskin team members understand and appreciate our clients, known to us as our partners are our TOP PRIORITY AT ALL TIMES – proudly I can say we have built our success and reputation on this.
5. What kind of experiences do you feel you can get from your own business that you can’t find in bigger business?
Without a doubt we are, real, tangible and personable. As CEO and Founder I am accessible to my inskincosmedics team members and our clinic partners. I work at the coal face, it’s not unusual for me to answer the office phone, I visit clinics, I personally train our accounts and answers concerns, I listen and I ensure we act accordingly. When they say we need a thicker cream for next winter, we instantly start working on that cream …when numbers talk we move fast, you can’t do that in a bigger business.
6. Because it’s your own business, how do you manage work time and personal time?
mmmm…do I lie and tell you I do manage it well, or do I admit I am writing this at 7.30pm when the office is quiet, everyone has gone home and the phones are silent …which ultimately means I won’t get to visit mum and dad tonight has hoped and hubby and the kids are cooking dinner. It’s a juggle. It’s also hopefully a future for our kids and a sacrifice we all feel is worthwhile. In the first few years of business it was 24/7, now due to an incredible team of individuals that support me its huge hours contained primarily between Monday – Friday. My family and friends keep me sane and I am blessed to have their support!
7. Were there every times when you doubted what you were doing? How did you get through them?
Honestly, Never.
My motto is ‘there is no room for failure”, there is just too much at stake!
I started the business when everything was right – my knowledge, my confidence, right level of know-how, financial backing and life’s lessons up my sleeve.
I carefully chose the right people to share my dream and like me when I worked for others they too give over and above of themselves to keep the dream alive.
8. You’ve taken a step a lot of small businesses never do by getting your products overseas, how did you take that leap?
Getting my products from overseas was easy, creating my own brand was the challenge. Buying from overseas, adopting an established brand means everything is done for you, creating your own brand means starting from scratch and I mean scratch …brand name, logo and story, trademarks, formulas, product names, packaging, copy writing, advertising campaign, training manuals, treatment protocols, manufacturing, freight, promotional strategy, social media…the list is endless. Knowing the competition, the local market and most of all the weaknesses in the marketplace not to mention working with the right people and having an established distribution certainly made it easier, so how did I take the leap, I jumped HIGH with EYES WIDE OPEN lol!
9. Do you see your business getting bigger?
Without a doubt. There is no going back! Locally we open new clinic partners daily, we have three of the world’s BEST skin care offers, our own skin-inject skin needling device, microdermabrasion and LED devices with new product launches planned. Internationally we have just taken O Cosmedics to New Zealand and we are negotiating with the U.K, U.S.A, Russia and Dubai…our new motto, one country at a time hehehe
10. What would be your top tip for starting a successful venture?
Tips? The list would be endless. Top tip would be to make sure all your ducks are in a line. To start a business is easy to stay in busy is not. To be successful and to be able to prove “there is no room for failure” you MUST know your industry, technical information, competition, gaps and niches in the marketplace, have an established distribution channel, the business know how and finally the capital to get it started. If one of these critical factors is missing …. WAIT … the perfect time will come.
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