Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in beauty and cosmetics but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Agnes Fallen, founder of The Beauty Edit Box, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

We are one of the first Canadian beauty subscription boxes that ship out a curated collection of luxe makeup and skincare every three months. We cater to all women/men across the nation and include more and more Canadian-found beauty brands with each season. Our boxes are exclusively curated by a professional makeup artist, so great thought is put into it each season. We partner with a huge network of brands. Our boxes are also semi-custom, based on your personal features, skin tone colour, etc.

Tell us about yourself

This idea has been brewing in my mind for over five years, but it just wasn't good timing. I decided to start a family first (back in 2015). I got very busy with raising my children, plus working as a bridal makeup artist. I could not dedicate more time to a brand new business then.

What motivates me each day is the potential of what is possible within the Canadian market. So many of the brands I have come to love while working as a makeup artist for 19 years are not easily accessible here in Canada. I was determined to bring more brands into Canada via beauty subscription boxes, without consumers worrying about duties/taxes/extra handling fees. And more importantly, if you happen to live in a more remote area of Canada, you likely don't have access to much of the same selection of beauty brands as we have in more populated cities like Toronto, and even more, than that, where do you begin? The beauty market is overwhelming.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is the invaluable exposure I get daily by having to wear many different 'hats' while learning to operate the business from the grassroots level. I had to teach myself Canva, Mailchimp, designing my own site, understanding sales, and basic accounting, social media, etc. The learning is truly remarkable.

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

Personally, as a female entrepreneur and a mom of 3 young kids, the hardest thing for me is being able to juggle business demands and continuously thrive and grow while raising a young family. To me, both of those roles are full-time jobs.

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

  1. Make sure you have a mentor in the same field/industry who is already successful at the same/similar type of business you plan to get into - someone you can bounce ideas and ask for advice.
  2. If you are going to take on this new endeavor, do it full out. Put in your full 1000% effort into it. Otherwise, holding back will only hinder your ability to succeed in the first place.
  3. Be flexible and open to change/adjustments as you go. Make sure you research prior to launch and continue to keep your finger on the pulse as to what is popping up in your industry - it's important to understand where your targeted audience is shopping, what they are buying, how they are buying, etc. Be open to tweaking your process as you go..iterate.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.thebeautyeditbox.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebeautyeditbox
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebeautyeditbox/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/agnes-fallen-027a6814/


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.