Tell us a bit about Awake Organics?
Awake Organics was launched in November 2016. We make aromatherapy-based skin care and natural deodorant, which has won two awards, and has been a Beauty Editor favourite. Our organic range is for health and wellness conscious women of all ages, who are seeking natural ways to manage the stress of modern life, and avoid additional exposure to harmful chemicals.
Our products are made with ethical, organic and sustainable ingredients, and we use traditional, artisan-style methods in our working studio in Northamptonshire. We also buy our ingredients and packaging from UK suppliers, keeping money in the local economy.
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How did the idea for Awake Organics come about? What inspired you to do this?
I started my first skin care business in Canada, and this was inspired by outrage that my newborns’ shampoo had formaldehyde in it. This was my foray into clean beauty formulation and eco-activism, circa 2005.
The original range was popular and my customers started writing me, describing how good my products made them FEEL. Especially when they were feeling a bit down. This was a side effect I was not expecting! Learning about their experiences showed me how mindful, daily rituals and aromatherapy can affect our wellbeing.
The second time around, my very first customers inspired me to create products that help women cope with stress, anxiety, depression, problems sleeping, and avoid unwanted chemical exposure.
As the founder of Awake Organics, what does your typical day look like?
It’s very fluid, I divide my week into a few categories: admin, supplies/inventory, make-days, dispatch, PR, social media, so each day is a little different. But I always start with lemon-water, a cup of coffee, then emails!
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What do you enjoy most about doing your own thing?
Running my own business has allowed me to be creative and for me that is extremely important. It has also allowed me to stay at home with my kids, who are now 11 & 12 years old. I have had the best of both worlds, as I’ve been a work-at-home mum ever since I started a family. It is definitely not easy, though!
The beauty industry is fast paced and ever changing. How has it changed in your view, and what is Awake Organics bringing to the mix?
Yes, it’s very fast and that is pretty intimidating as an indie business. We don’t have a huge amount of cash to spend on quarterly product launches. What it means is that we have to be very clever with our products, and create formulas that solve problems rather than follow trends.
I am passionate about women’s health and the environment, which I write about on our Health & Wellbeing platform; www.awakeorganics.co.uk. My goal is to help women feel healthy, confident, less stressed, and to provide healthy alternatives to mainstream concepts. So, I am working to create a brand that offers a lot more than “hope in a jar.”
What are some of the challenges you’ve experienced in creating your business?
When I moved to England a couple of years ago, it was a massive culture shock, I had zero business network and no friends. Starting from scratch took on a whole new meaning. I also had very little knowledge of the green beauty industry in the UK. I suppose the hardest things were learning the market, finding ethical suppliers, figuring out the legislation, finding my tribe, and juggling all this managing my household in a completely new environment. It was not an easy road, and there were times when I felt very isolated and lonely. Looking back, it was probably a terrible time to start a business. But I pushed through, even though I didn’t (and still don’t) have all the answers, and I’m glad I didn’t give up.
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Here at Eyedea, we have been honoured to host some of the world’s leading women in business across different sectors. Who would you say are the women who inspire you?
It’s the women who are out there killing it every day, winning at their businesses. They are showing up, offering meaningful advice, giving recommendations and supporting the sisterhood. I’ve listed some of my favourites below. Also, Dame Judi Dench. Anyone that can have such a long and successful career, and then make a documentary about talking trees is my hero.
What would be your top 3 words of advice for anyone thinking of branching out in this direction?
1. Plan – I didn’t do a great job of this last year and it cost me a lot of time. This year, I know my business inside and out, and I have created a plan for the year that has already saved me a headache or two.
2. Innovate – There is so much competition. The only way to stand out is to create something that solves a problem.
3. Find your tribe – I have found a few really great, mostly female, entrepreneur-led resrouces online that have help keep me on my game:
Eyedea of course!
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What’s next for the brand?
We are continuing to reduce our use of plastic in the business. So far we have already reduced our monthly rubbish by 30% by changing our packaging and reusing packing materials that our suppliers ship with orders. But we can do more, so we are working on a complete packaging rebrand. We will also be launching a new product this year (watch this space), and we have been accepted at the Indie Beauty Expo in London, October 24 & 25th. So we are super excited about that!
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