Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in skincare but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sam Miles-Mackay, Founder of Somerset Moss, located in West Vancouver, BC, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Somerset Moss is an adaptable collection of four potent, powerhouse products. Consciously crafted with clean, active botanicals and aromatic essential oils, each shines solo or layers together in endless blends for distinct results on all skin types. We are a natural luxury for the modern minimalist. Our customers are conscious consumers who love the simplicity of Somerset Moss.
Tell us about yourself
I grew up on a farm in beautiful Somerset, England. As a little girl, you could find me in the fields collecting hedgerow flowers, leaves and mixing them together with a splash of water, maybe a little mud, so becoming an esthetician and holistic expert was a natural career for me. By my twenties, I had helped to develop the skincare collection 'Cowshed' for a private members club that was part of the international Soho House Group. Over my 20-year + career of working at the finest country house hotels and spas in England and establishing my own spa, I have had the privilege of giving many facials to many faces!
Like many, I had always felt overwhelmed by choice when it came to my skincare. After trying and testing dozens of products, I had a cupboard brimming with many products and many promises, and I had reached the point where I was really disillusioned by the beauty industry. There were so many new products hitting the market every day. When I examined product labels more closely, I saw that they included cheap and basic ingredients. These were being sold alongside photoshopped imagery at inflated prices, and I felt like I didn't know which brands I could trust anymore.
I was living in Portugal at the time, and I got a real taste of the Mediterranean experience of living slowly, eating well, and enjoying a simple lifestyle. I was left feeling that I wanted to streamline my daily skincare ritual too. I decided to simply use coconut oil for everything – but this common beauty secret left me desiring a more luxurious skincare routine.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Gosh, that's a tough one! I'm very proud that we can make a small difference in many people every day lives. Giving people confidence in their own skin.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Having to do all the jobs - marketing, accounting, and still being able to hold a vision of the bigger business picture... not getting buried in all the daily tasks.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Research as much as possible and develop your ideal customer profile - this helps will help to mould everything you do around this persona.
- Talk to as many people from within the industry as possible.
- Structure and plan. Breaking it down into what is your 3 years goal, 1-year goal, all the way down to what needs to happen daily to achieve these goals.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://somersetmoss.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/somersetmoss
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/somersetmoss/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-miles-8b15348b/
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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