Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal care but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Cristina Bagozzi, Founder, and Owner of Emmotiv, located in Arlington, MA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Emmotiv creates vegan and cruelty-free fine fragrances that combine the mood-enhancing benefits of aromatherapy with the artistry of perfume. Our proprietary fragrances are intentionally designed to help evoke emotions we crave, from joy to calm. Not many people know this, but our sense of smell is the only one directly linked to areas of the brain that control emotion. This makes scent an incredibly powerful tool in helping us connect with our emotions. Through Emmotiv, I hope to share this beautiful link with others and invite people to experience how the power of fragrance comes to life when we wear it for ourselves, not others. That's why I created Emmotiv not only for people who love to wear fragrance but even more for those who have often felt perfume is "not for them."
Tell us about yourself
Although I began tactically planning my business only about a year ago, the idea of starting my brand has been brewing for years. As an immigrant who grew up conserving resources, I'm naturally risk-averse. Yet, at 40 years old and after 15+ years of gainful employment, I decided to leap into entrepreneurship. The decision was not easy, but my passion for this idea was stronger than my fear of the unknown. I love what I do, from designing fragrance concepts to sharing the beautiful link between emotion and scent. So despite encountering all the challenges typical for new businesses, this passion motivates me to stay focused daily.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment thus far has been bringing the brand to market without any outside investment, using only my hard-earned savings. To do this, I had to be incredibly disciplined about where to invest pre-launch. I prioritized product quality and invested in that first and foremost, leaving little extra for other critical activities like creative and marketing. As a result, I did almost everything myself, including building and designing the website and even learning photography from scratch. Two months post-launch, I continued to run the business entirely on my own. While this scrappy approach is not necessarily sustainable long term, it has been instrumental in keeping my operating costs very low at this early stage in the business, giving me more flexibility with my next steps.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The most challenging thing has been prioritizing work across all business areas simultaneously (operations, finance, marketing, content & creative, sales, customer service, and so on). Add on top of that, raising two young children, and it's easy to become overwhelmed. Finding a "balance" is a constant learning process for me, but I'm putting an increased priority on time-blocking my work hours and mostly shutting work off in the evenings and on weekends.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- If you are not raising external funding and/or using your savings, be incredibly clear about how much investment you are willing/able to put in upfront and stick to it. If it's not enough, reconsider your path to market or where you can get creative to minimize this upfront cost.
- Be patient with yourself and your business. Especially in the early stages, it's possible to experience ebbs and flows as you ramp up. This is normal, so as much as possible, try to keep an eye on long-term goals and stay focused on why you started to get through these initial ups and downs.
- On a related note, avoid comparing yourself and your business to others. It's important to remember that everyone has a different situation and background, different advantages and obstacles, and these differences are usually not apparent from the outside. Focus on yourself and set goals that align with your unique situation, values, and aspirations.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://emmotiv.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emmotivbeauty
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmotiv/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emmotiv/
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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