I've had a shit-ton of business ideas over the years. I've opened and closed several business over the years and I'm no longer ashamed to talk about them, better to have tried a failed than to die always wondering what if?
My true baby of the bunch was Bowë Skincare, I started Bowë back in 2011 before I even knew what her name was. I remember, in the beginning, I spent about £1200 on raw ingredients and equipment...took over my mum's kitchen (in the evenings) and created every type of body cream, butter, scrub that I could imagine.
I started with our beloved Shea butter because that's what I grew up with. Bumped your leg? Shea butter on the bruise. Split your lip? Shea butter will heal it. Hair breaking? Nkuto! (Shea butter in Twi) And two years later, I had Korperbutter. Made with 10 different butters and oils. The best part? People fell in love with it, just like I had!
So what the hell happened Rose? My lack of confidence happened. *face palm emoji* Around 2013/2014 some laws changed that made it hard for small, independent cosmetic companies to certify their products as safe, a thinly veiled attempt at pushing said independent businesses out of the market. Instead of pushing back, I folded. Got caught up in planning my wedding, moved out of London, had a baby and here I am today.
I held onto the ingredients and equipment long past their expiration dates till the end of last year. I wept when I finally got rid. Then during a dinner with some good friends, they asked me what I couldn't ask myself: Why didn't you start over? I gave so many excuses; there are Shea butter brands and skincare lines everywhere now. No one needs Bowë Skincare anymore. I can't afford to. And so on and so on.
Eventually it was a meme and my husband that pushed me over the edge. The meme compared starting a business to the different varieties of bread. Everyone has their favourites, that's why there isn't only one type in the supermarket. Some like thin sliced, some like their loaves unsliced. Some want seeds, some want fruit, some want honey. Others want baguettes and others still want baps. There is room for everyone.
My husband dug into his pocket and said whatever I needed he had me covered, made the first injection of capital to get what I needed to start the cogs turning and he's still injecting.
It feels incredible to be back doing what I love and I think how I feel about it matters hugely. Of course I want Bowë to be successful, but it's a labour of love, when I'm tired and need to spend time tinkering with the fragrance profile in the early hours, it's love. When I've gone through countless jars to get the perfect container and I'm still scouring the world wide web, it's love. When I'm going back and forth with safety assessors about my formulation, it's love.
I don't have a 7 step plan to being a millionaire to share with you. If I did, I'd be a billionaire by now haha! What I can tell you is that whatever you do, it needs to be in love.
 |
|
Rose
Xx
