I often get asked by clients, friends and people I meet.....how did you start your business, what brought you to this point, where do you start, how have you done so much in such a short time?
So, I thought I might share some of my triumphs & failures in a quest to empower others who may be at a cross road, sick of their boring mundane job, have an idea & are just too scared to take that risk & put it into action......so here goes, I hope this helps you in some way....
The idea of creating a make up product was something I had thought about for the past 8 years, I remember from a young age how hard it was to find foundation that would suit my caramel toned skin. I came away from several make up counters disappointed with my purchase, as it was either too light or too dark, never natural looking. So I spent my twenties with the 'caked on orange' look...I shudder to think!!
Looking at Poppy King develop & market the first matte lipstick, I thought.....mmmm, maybe this is possible, but shelved the idea and took the safe corporate job option. Many years past, then off I travelled around the world, and my idea came back into my head and visiting countries like Italy where they had the most beautiful woman I had seen, well made up, dressed impeccably and life was just one big fashion & beauty parade, Tuscany....well art alone there was just mind blowing, colour, architecture, their life seemed to capture the essence of what it was all about.
After my travels, I returned to the United Kingdom, where I decided to turn my back on Human Resources & Recruitment, took a role at the Body Shop & then later at one of the top Hair Salons in Scotland and lets just say, I knew what my passion for life was.....MAKE UP!!
So without boring you with the details, I came back to Australia worked with the likes of Aveda, trained at Napoleon, stints at Mecca and then freelanced as a make up artist in bridal industry along the Mornington Peninsula, whilst maintaing a corporate job.
Once I became pregnant with my son, I soon realised I needed to make some firm decisions as to what career path I would take once he was here with us. I knew, I did not want to work full time and put my son in care if I had the choice and it was important to me that I spent quality time with what I felt would be the most precious experience I would encounter. So there, a decision was made & I started seeking a make up manufacturer and found one that would be flexible, allow me to custom make colours and pigments, was made & sourced in Australia and to our standards....
Sundari Comsetics was then born, so it was time to start planning wisely!! Now comes those business tips that has worked well so far for me. I am not saying that this is gospel & works for everyone, so its important that you make your journey....yours!! Trying to walk someone else's will only lead to failure.
Many people, just start a business on a whim, with no plans, strategies, concepts & 'cherry pick' ideas from things they see & just randomly apply it. What I mean by that, they look at what other businesses do and make spontaneous decisions on starting something, getting involved in something with not properly thinking about it & asking the questions, is this relevant to my business? will this bring me a good return of investment in the short term or long term? Does this fit as part of an overall strategy of my business? Will my customers benefit? Am I sending the right message? Am I protecting MY brand?
I started with a good business plan, I know it seems cliche but it really does work!! It is important to know your market, know your competitors, look at other business successes and failures, have any idea of what you would like to invest, turnover in the first year, third year and fifth year, company structure, staffing, what your strengths and weaknesses are and what services you need to enlist to make your business work.
So here is what I did:
1. I came up with a brand name that resonated with my heritage, its meaning would relate with many woman, it reflected something about my personality however, I wanted to ensure woman could experience my dream, vision and come on a journey where looking beautiful and feeling glamorous did not have to cost a fortune and it could reach all skin colours & tone. So complexion was key to my product range. I wanted it to be easy to wear, not heavy, have a dewy look and the pigment match skin tone and not sit on the skin
2. I had an vision in my head of what I wanted the design of website, packaging and overall look. I documented all of this in a 'book of ideas', cuttings from magazines, fonts, colours that I liked on websites I had visited and created a bit of a story board.
3. I enlisted the help of professional graphic designers and then forwarded all these ideas and what I wanted to create and put it into phases with timeline dates-
1. phase one - holding page, services page
2. phase two - introduction of products, model shots, online shopping, stockist & events
3. phase three - we are now currently working on inter grating the BLOG onto the website & developing a VIP customer database
4. All the front end was being developed, so it was time to work on the company structure, again not my strength, so I enlisted the help of professionals such as a Business Consultant/Accountant. This is a key point to consider, make sure you are honest enough with yourself to know what you are capable of achieving & what you need the professionals to help you with!!
We looked at what the current state of my business was at and where I saw it going in the future. This is where many businesses fail or remain stagnent. Spending too much time in the now & getting on the band wagon of random ideas, gimmicks & promos and spending too much time looking at what others are doing and not enough time concentrating on the bigger picture & defining clear goals that are pertinent to their business.
My business consultant was like a brainstorming session, based on what I wanted to achieve he was able to guide me on how to set up the company structure to stay on the right side of the law however, minimise tax and increase profit. We also spoke of what to expect in the first two years of trading, so I was prepared & disciplined with finances, making sure I put funds towards the most important parts of the business. Also making sure I was realistic of what I could achieve with what I had to work with. I was prepared with my vision/plan, so he could then advise me what I needed to do immediately, short term & long term. I cannot stress enough about making sure you have all your ducks lined in a row with planning & being very clear on what it is you want your business to achieve!!!
5. As I have a salon, it was also imperative that my vision was clearly defined on how that fitted into the business structure, as a support mechanism to the business both financially and as an extended service where customers are able to experience the products on the ground. It is like the shop front to Sundari products.....
6. My plan was always to have the products in salon, boutiques and a great opportunity arose which allowed me to investigate this further and approach a salon that was looking for a make up brand, I was looking for a salon, so it was a perfect partnership to begin this wonderful journey. So I seized the moment, did not hesitate & being a position where I could make decisions, I was able to tailor it to there & my needs, so everyone wins!!
7. The salons are one avenue according to my plan however, I knew the Sundari product was only as good as who knows about it, so I had to have a clear idea of how I was going to channel this to maximise brand awareness. It also had to align with my products key messages - glamour, old world, beauty both internally & externally & represent woman well. Through contacts who happen to be great friends of mine & strong networking, I was able to secure a meeting with Melbourne Racing Clubs Sponsorship team. I was again very clear on my brand, its message and what I was capable of delivering to a high standard. I dont do anything in halves!!! This proved to be successful, as an agreement was drawn and we are now proud sponsors of the Melbourne Racing Club, Fashion & Sports Entertainment Program which fits well with both what the MRC & Sundari are trying to achieve. In addition to this, I have other PR events lined up which include some very influential people, presenters and events that will put Sundari on the map and be recognised as a brand that associates with that same message....glamour, luxury, indulgence. Equally, as important is ensuring that we also give back something to society, so an alignment with a charity that we can support has also been secured, so everything is a sequence of very planned events....nothing is on a whim or a heartbeat. My business plan is a living & breathing document
8. Now that I have the main aspects covered, it was time to start employing staff who had strengths in key areas to assist me in taking the business to the next level. One thing I am fully aware of, I am not good at everything & I still want to continue to learn from others & love being part of a team of talented people that I can share success with. So again through great friends/contacts, I was able to propose job opportunities to our Senior Make Up Artist who comes with a wealth of experience & knowledge for which I am grateful to have access & works with the Sundari brand. She will assist with further product development, events & PR, so I know that the brand can only improve further . Through another friend I came across our Events & Styling Co ordinator who was looking to gain experience & exposure, so it works well for both us & her creative mind is perfect for designing & styling all aspects of the upcoming events we have in store. The smell of a successful team was starting to emerge...... I have just employed a salon/office assistant which has now completed the team to ensure optimum results on all fronts. So the plan is working & if it continues on this path, then there is much more to come....and although scary at times, self doubt has never been an option and optimism has always been on my side.
I am sure there will be some rough roads, all but learning can come from that & I am willing to tack le that and share it with you, so you get a clear picture. I am just somebody trying to make a living out of something I love & enjoy the journey & opportunities that come with it....I can honestly say I have not had a day yet, that has not been enjoyable, since giving Sundari Cosmetics my 100%....its my other baby & I love it!!
To get the do's and dont's of business start ups....stay tuned to my next BLOG entry and feel free to share with others in the quest for their successful journeys.....Xx
