With 93% of the brands at Credo Beauty founded or co-founded by women, the spirit of International Women’s Day is especially poignant for us not just for today, but all Women’s History Month and beyond.
Ever inspiring, five of these clean beauty founders generously gave us their time to answer questions we hope you find as filled with wisdom as we do.
What advice do you have for other women entrepreneurs who have an idea but don’t know what to do with it?
Just start talking to people you admire or are inspired by what they have done and ask questions. There are so many ways to reach people now – not everyone will respond, but you’d be surprised at how many will. We didn’t know exactly how to get Credo to where it is today – it was built on meeting new people and asking questions, being challenged by people we trust that will be honest with us and testing something and giving it the time to see if it worked.
– Annie Jackson, Co-Founder and CEO of Credo Beauty
Search deep within and ask yourself, is this an idea that I truly think about non-stop? If the answer is yes, then I recommend starting with market research and focus groups of 200 random people (not all at once). Tell them about your idea; try to gauge how people react to your idea. Use that opportunity to strengthen and build upon your idea! From there, you’ll know if you have something really solid. If you do, plan out what your goals are, short-term and long-term. For short-term, figure out all the expenses you’ll need to pay for–if you conducted market research, you should have an estimate!
– Camille Bell, Co-Founder and CEO of Pound Cake
Start talking to other entrepreneurs and people you admire to help create a path and turn your idea into a reality! When I started Tower 28, I quickly learned that there is nothing more valuable than network, mentorship, and education, and that's precisely why I launched our Clean Beauty Summer School back in 2020–a grant and mentorship program supporting the growth of small beauty businesses.
– Amy Liu, Founder and CEO of Tower 28
Talk to as many people as you can that have had relevant experiences building their own business. I’ve found that more often than not, people are generous with their time and their insights, and if you’re open, you can learn an enormous amount this way. The other thing is just start doing. It may or may not be the right thing, but the only way you’ll know is if you start. Think of every step of the journey as an experiment that you learn from and make decisions about the next step based on the outcome.”
– Tamar Yaniv, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Gen See
Take baby steps and never be afraid of failing. From failing comes empowerment, new vision, new direction and understanding. Listen to and trust your gut instincts, they are always the true answer.
– Rose-Marie Swift, Founder of RMS Beauty
What changes in the beauty industry would you like to see by International Women’s Day of next year?
More airtime for women making great strides in innovation–whether that be product, sustainability, invention, or formula. Less focus on the negative spin.
– Annie Jackson, CEO and Co-Founder of Credo Beauty.
I would love to see an influx in financial investments for women-founded brands. Yes, the beauty industry is getting a little crowded, but I still feel like there’s room for all of us to “win.” When I look down the bread aisle at my grocery store, I see so many different types of brands. I need investors to see and understand that when it comes to backing beauty brands.
– Camille Belle, CEO and Co-Founder of Pound Cake
If I could change one thing in the beauty industry, it would be to see more of the incredible progress we’ve made over the years in terms of diversity. Since I started, I’ve witnessed a significant shift from a predominantly male-dominated industry with limited representation of indie brands, to a more democratized space. Now, individuals have the opportunity to share their own stories and narratives that genuinely represent their identities. However, we still need to call for more diversity, individuality, and inclusivity!
– Amy Liu, CEO and Founder of Tower 28
We really trust our team and their ability to work effectively remotely. I wish all companies would allow women flex time - so they can bounce out as needed to take care of appointments, stuff for their kids, work from bed when you feel lousy or have your period. A bit of freedom with time is worth a lot, doesn’t cost the company much and is a real morale builder.
– Danya Klein, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Gen See
So many positive changes are happening in the industry, and I would encourage everyone to stay the course when it comes to sustainable strides, community, and creating beauty that loves your skin, not harm it. There is room for all of us, so lose any sense of competitiveness and lean into what you do best while coming from a place of more love.
– Rose-Marie Swift, Founder of RMS Beauty
