Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in skincare but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Allyson Brennan, Founder and Owner of Emogene & Co., located in Nashville, TN, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Emogene & Co. skincare is a naturally derived skincare company with products created with the following goal in mind: a streamlined approach to skincare with a purpose behind each ingredient to improve the overall health of your largest organ, your skin. All products are formulated by myself (pharmacist founder), Allyson Brennan, to bridge the gap between science and nature.
Our customers are anyone (men and women) 16 years old and older looking to improve the health of their skin with the use of naturally derived botanicals.
Tell us about yourself
I am a clinical pharmacist with fifteen years of experience and a passion for natural and naturally-derived ingredients. I found inspiration from my grandmother, Emogene, growing up on a third-generation family farm in Mississippi. Having a natural remedy for any skin ailment, my grandmother utilized the power of plants to create uncomplicated "prescriptions" for our body's largest organ, our skin.
Always having a passion for skincare, I focused my research on natural, reputable ingredients after becoming a mother five years ago. From there, I created Emogene & Co. with a focus on products to cleanse, nourish, and hydrate.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is creating a new way to give back to people using the knowledge base and chemistry experience I built as a pharmacist.
Also, I am extremely grateful and proud of the freedom I’ve been able to create by leaving the long hours at a hospital and being my own boss. I now get to spend quality time with those I cherish and focus on other activities I truly enjoy.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Juggling it all and thinking you will be able to complete your “to-do task” list every day. It is just not feasible, or you will end up with severe burnout. Owning your own business means you wear every hat, which also means the job is never done! Learn to set realistic expectations and prioritize deadlines and responsibilities daily to not burn out.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Define your "why" and let it be your fuel.
This should include: who you want to serve, what gap you want to bridge, what possible problems you want to solve, and what gifts of yours you would like to share with others. Holding on tightly to this "why" will be your driving force during late-night work sessions, the days things don't go as planned, financial risks, etc. - Be flexible (and realistic) about your "how."
When you're working full-time, maybe also parenting, it's easy to become discouraged by the amount of time and/or money you're able to put into your business in the beginning stages. But building intentionally and sticking to your "why" is always going to create a solid business at the end of the day.
We all dream of fancy equipment, the perfect workspace, and a team of employees to help us, but learning to work with what you have in front of you is essential, especially in the early stages. Don't let comparison discourage you - no one can do what you do the way you do it, and that is more powerful than anything else. - Learn to delegate and enlist help where you need it.
Your business is your baby, and as much as we all wish we could do it all, learning to delegate and get help in either your business and/or your personal life to allow more time for your business is crucial. Whether it's hiring a researcher, photographer, virtual assistant, housekeeper, etc., find the things you don't need to be doing to offload, so you can focus your time and energy on what's most important.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.emogeneandco.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emogeneandco
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emogeneco/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allyson-gregory-brennan-231b85140/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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