‘Investors told me I’d fail – but now I’m running a £1 million beauty brand’
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Gazing around the opulent beauty hall in Fortnum & Mason, I had to pinch myself. There, among the rows of Dior, Guerlain and Chanel products, was a display of familiar-looking serums, skin peels and face masks.
For the past few days, in the run-up to the launch of my skincare range, I’d jumped every time my phone rang. Imposter syndrome had kicked in and I was convinced it was a buyer calling to say they’d changed their mind about stocking it, so seeing it come together was an emotional moment.
It brought back the 16-hour days and seven-day weeks I’d put in for the past two years to get here, and the words of the potential investors who’d told me I’d never make it work.
When I first had the idea in March 2013, I’d been completely confident it would work. At the time I was running a London clinic offering dentistry, skin peels and fillers, so I knew the industry well.
My three children were teenagers and didn’t need me as much as they had, plus my husband was supportive. So I felt like it was then or never.
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At first, I focused on creating three skincare products. Department-store buyers were positive, but described the minimalist packaging as ‘underwhelming’ – so I decided to invest in design, as well as marketing, calculating I’d need £450,000 of investment.
My husband and I poured in every penny we had, then I turned to investors to raise the rest.
In my first pitch, the investor seemed interested, but negotiations fizzled out. This became a pattern. I found myself facing rejection after rejection, and was soon used to hearing the words: ‘The beauty market is oversaturated.’
Desperate, I began cold calling investors – I knew I only needed one to believe in me – but the first question was always, ‘What funding do you already have?’ It was beyond frustrating. I’d spend hours in the gym, pounding out my anger on the treadmill, and psyching myself up by reading self-help books. In bed at night, I’d lie awake worrying.
At one point my husband asked, ‘Are we going to lose everything doing this?’ After that I became even more determined. So much was resting on it, plus I had people working for me, relying on me.
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I’ve always hated borrowing from people, but with no other option, I turned to friends and family to raise the rest. Fortunately, they all rallied round. One friend even wrote a cheque for £50,000 without being asked, and as she handed it to me said, ‘I believe in you.’ That gesture meant everything.
Months later, thanks to them, I met the target, and around that time I received the call that changed everything: the buyer at Fortnum & Mason said she loved it and wanted to stock it. It was the best day of my life.
Today, Skin Design London is also stocked in Fenwick here, as well as Neiman Marcus in the US. Later this year, I’m launching in Hong Kong, France and Switzerland too.
Our turnover is almost £1 million, and we’re making a profit (which is rare in the early years of this sort of business). But I still can’t believe it when I see the familiar packages in a beauty department – and every day I’m proud that I didn’t let all of those ‘no’s’ stop me.
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