Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal care but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with David Turk, founder of Active Humans, located in British Columbia, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Active Humans is an ultra-premium Canadian personal care brand for on-the-move humans. We make products for those who seek a life of outdoor adventure and play. Designed with the relaxed vibe of our founders who call the mountains and oceans of British Columbia home.
Tell us about yourself
I traded my corporate job for the opportunity to experience life differently. I traveled across the country and found myself in the Okanagan, British Columbia - which we now call Canada's ultimate playground. The Canadian west coast offers endless adventure and world-class conditions for extreme sports enthusiasts. It was clear that I had found a new home, but picking up a career wasn't easy. After many failed attempts, it was clear that I had to build something of my own, so the entrepreneurial journey began.
Building a business wasn't easy (and still has its daily challenges). I made countless mistakes with the first company, which became valuable learning lessons for the next. Our second product line, Active Humans, was created to solve a problem for our founders - we needed a deodorant that checked all the boxes for our active lifestyle. We're now selling across North America and growing faster than expected. We want to share our journey with the world to inspire others to get outside of their comfort zone.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
You accomplish so many early milestones as a new start-up business, which makes it hard to pick 1 to stand out. I think that we did two things right, which set us up for success long term. First, we were able to prove product-market fit with a small investment of $5K. It's important to know that we learned a lot of valuable lessons from our first skin and body care company which made this possible.
Second, we built Active Humans' brand around the founder's lifestyle, ensuring a really good founder-product fit. As a business owner, it's important that you have passion for the product/service you're offering and a commitment to the community you serve. This makes it easier to withstand the challenges and tough days of being self-employed.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
To build our brand, I've had to put our business first every day. As an owner-operator, you sometimes have to make sacrifices that impact personal life decisions, but this commitment has propelled us to where we are today. I treat my business like a relationship, and the more we put into it, the more we get out of it.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Invest in people. Find a partner you can work with long-term and make sure that . your founding team has complementary skills.
- Expect the unexpected. No education or experience can set you up for success as an entrepreneur. Every business is different and comes with unique challenges.
- Cash is king. For any start-up, cash on hand is key to growing your business, so you must raise enough at the beginning to sustain your operations short and mid-term. Raising capital never stops if your business is growing.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
For anyone who's reading this, I'll share my motto for success. Be bold but authentic—Aim high with a can-do attitude.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://activehumans.shop/
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.