Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in the cosmetics industry but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Lauren Kurtz of Evan Beau Cosmetics, based in Toronto, Canada.

Tell us about yourself

I am a makeup artist, and more specifically have been working as a permanent makeup artist for the last 15 years, and I wanted a clean beauty line for my clients that first and foremost didn't sacrifice on results, and that maintained an aesthetic of minimalist luxury.

I started formulations when my son was a toddler, and as the line bears his name, it was important to me to maintain integrity within every aspect of manufacturing.

Being a mother can be far more consuming than becoming an entrepreneur and this journey has been no exception--when I learned about the atrocities being committed against children worldwide and how it was a more widespread and lucrative operation than anyone was letting on, my motherly instincts (or more accurately, just my *human* instincts) kicked in.

I knew that I needed to learn more, protect my own children (through the long formulation process I had a daughter too!), and put some perspective back into the 'beauty industry'.  

Evan Beau's $1 product promise was my way of doing that, and it is truly what motivated me to continue through every roadblock, destroyed inventory, and lost cheques in the mail. It is still my motivation; if children are currently enduring modern day slavery, I can handle everything else.

Now I can bring attention to this very serious issue, while still living in gratitude for the fun and love that beauty should encompass.

What's your business and who are your customers?

Inspired by the perfect intelligence in our skin, Evan Beau's minimalist approach to clean beauty marries ancient and botanical wisdom with 21st century safe skincare technology. But our clients know that true beauty doesn't come in a bottle (hopefully we all know this by now!)

They know beauty radiates strongest from within, from human happiness and freedom. This is why $1 from every single product purchased on our site goes directly to One Body Village Canada--to ending child exploitation and trafficking and to a beautiful future for us all.  

The line is named after my first born son and was created with the principles of love, purity, honesty, and compassion that every child's name bears.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment, other than figuring out Instagram Reels, is getting a uniquely formulated product to market!

Many don't know, but a great deal of beauty products on the market are privately labelled, meaning they are the same formula, but branded (and priced!) differently. It's a much easier route to take, but I felt there was still room for improvement on what was currently available, and was able to put everything I wanted, and leave out everything I didn't, into our formulations.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Being a business owner without partners is sometimes a lonely place to be, and an echo chamber at best!  It's not easy to make big business decisions on your own, and I don't have a degree in business (only beauty!), so it's been a learning experience.

It's also difficult as a mother with two young children to balance work and home life.  Multi-tasking is an understatement.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

1. Know your target audience before you begin branding, and remember that *you* may not actually be your own audience.

2. Find a trusted person or firm who handles social media and advertising. It's a beast, and the ever-changing nuances of doing business on those platforms is in itself a full time job to learn, so this is a good place to outsource.

3. Wait a second. Sleeping on an idea, a budget, or your next move will not make you 'too late' for anything, it will save time and money in the end.  So don't send that email right away or make that important decision this instant. Give it space. Listen to and trust your gut.

Where can people find you online?

Shop: https://www.evanbeau.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evanbeaucosmetics/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.