Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in skincare but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Robin van der Pol, Founder of Saucha, located in The Hague, South Holland, The Netherlands.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I create 100% natural and organic skincare products in co-creation with Asian micro (and solo) skincare entrepreneurs. We create purpose-driven products for conscious consumers who want to do good and buy good.
Tell us about yourself
My name is Robin, I turned 29 last week, and I’m from the Netherlands. I grew up in Thailand for a big part of my childhood, and when I was 25, I was running a sustainable resort in Northern Thailand. I met a couple there who made their own organic skincare products, the only products I’ve been using that year, and I was absolutely hooked. Throughout the years, from childhood till now, my path crossed some incredible Asian skincare creators, and in 2017 the idea came to join our forces.
Many small entrepreneurs in Asia have a lot of knowledge regarding herbs and other natural wonders translated into natural skincare; however, they do not have the resources or reach to share this with you all. Through Saucha, we want to give them a stage. Many years of great friendship and partnerships, formulating, and testing followed. We bundled our knowledge and passion together and consciously curated products that we loved. We create and share our recipes together, and whereafter I handcraft each and every product in small exclusive batches in The Netherlands - ensuring the highest quality within every batch. 10% commission goes straight to the partner with whom I co-created the formula. We also collect 1kg (equal to 50 bottles) of ocean plastic for every item purchased.
We are committed to supporting micro-businesses and small-scale farmers in Asia by (re)connecting people and culture to the purest products. I believe we’ve become quite detached from products and nature in general; we just buy. I see it as my mission to bring some understanding and emotion back to what we’re actually buying, from who we’re buying, and what route that product traveled to come on its shelf.
Traceability is one of our number one priorities. Without full traceability, it's impossible to know how a product impacts people or the environment. Therefore, we source every single ingredient in all of our products ourselves, directly from the farmer. Only then can we guarantee an honest and sustainable product. For example, our coconut oil comes from a small woman-owned coconut farm from Aceh, Sumatra, the last place on earth where orangutans, rhinos, elephants, and tigers coexist and where turtles nest every night of the year. It's our farmers' goal to support the people and the ecosystem in that area, going right against all the palm-oil companies who want to set foot on that island.
We aim for a world where trade is a driving force for positive and sustainable change benefiting people and their environment. We are all one, and therefore, we’ve always believed that we are better together. Via Saucha, we aim to empower one to make more conscious, ethical, and sustainable choices, keeping oneself and its surroundings clean. There are already a ton of choices one should make in one day, also when it comes to buying a “sustainable” product. It could be vegan, organic, plastic-free, and so on; it's a never-ending list of choices. With the world’s resources and our own personal reserves being used up, we long for clear, conscious, and simple choices. It’s my absolute dream that customers “just know” that with Saucha, they’ve made the right choice, relieving them from all the ticking boxes. Simply good, just how it should be.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Creating a community of small Asian skincare entrepreneurs and small-scale ethical farmers, leading to the social enterprise we are today. I’m proud of the community Saucha represents. I feel such joy working with every one of them, and it makes me feel connected with the whole world from one place and one product. Maybe it's a bit cliche, but also customers adoring our products is seen as a big accomplishment. So much patience, effort, and love have gone into the production of every single part of our business. So the appreciation of our customers is more rewarding than the customer itself probably thinks ;)
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
For me, that was definitely the balance between having very little money and continuing what you do because you love what you’re building. Also, I was surprised by how difficult it was to put my brand out there. I really believed in my brand and thought that after the launch, it would lift off itself, hell no. I had to give myself quite some motivational pep talks after launching. But I still believe in it, and I'm sure the masses will see it too, one day!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Absolutely adore what you do. There will be so much time and effort with little reward within the first years. You can only continue doing that if you love what you do.
- Don’t take no for an answer and let anyone say something is not possible when it is about a vital piece of your product’s vision. I had envisioned packaging that wasn’t out there yet, 100% recycled plastic suitable for cosmetic products made from Thai water bottles. For two years or so I only heard that it wasn't possible. It simply did not exist, but I was not prepared to budge for less. Until I finally found a supplier who said yes and even could offer me a low MOQ. It proved that my vision paid off.
- Start small! The product that you launch will not be perfect, as there can be so many things that turn out just a little different than you expected. Therefore, buy your ingredients, packaging, etc., in small quantities. It may cost a little more, but it can save you a lot of money in the long haul. And it’s ok to improve along the way. When you don’t make a start, you will never know where to improve. Imperfection is key.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.saucha.co/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saucha.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saucha.co/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/saucha-naturally-cares/
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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