Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal care but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dr. Nabila Brabez, PhD, founder of Lancolia, located in Logan Township, NJ, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My business is Lancolia, and I own a beauty store that serves unisex clinical bath and body products. We serve busy minds by providing them with an easy way to shop for their hygiene essentials and aim to help them turn their bathroom into a spa sanctuary.
Tell us about yourself
This business was a lifetime in the making. A passion for scents led me to a fantastic career in chemistry, and now I get to be able to merge both to provide the best for my customers and I get to spread and practice joy with fun yet effective bath and body products. Simply, what motivates me each day is to practice something I like while being available and of service to my customers. They know how to reach me with all their questions, and I love helping them solve some of the problems they face with their routines. Nothing feels better than making someone happy, and like one of my customers said, "They aren't that many people that have access to a chemist directly." So I'm glad to be of use with all the knowledge I acquired over the years.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I strive to be as sustainable as possible across my business operations, and one important thing is to plant trees, and so far, we have planted 600 trees in zones needing reforestation, and I'm looking forward to planting more as trees are our first line of defense against climate change.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The hardest part, from my perspective, is financial flow. Indeed, when you have a job, you get a monthly paycheck, and you can budget way more easily. However, in business, it takes a lot of skills to control cash flow when sales are not consistent, and especially lately, with a huge rise in raw materials and shipping prices, it is hard to control finances and goals with uncertainty. There are a lot of moving parts, and that makes being in business the hardest. I'm a number person, and sometimes the numbers get scary. Like gut wrenching because you still have to provide for your own family.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Plan, learn, and have backup plans and be willing to pivot a little bit so you can learn and move forward.
- Know your numbers, and personally, I think it is wise not to quit your day job until your business can pay you.
- Find like-minded individuals and entrepreneurs as the business can get very lonely with a lot of people not understanding what you are going through, so I love to catch up with other business owners because you have the same fears and feelings, and it feels good to talk about them.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.lancolia.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lancolia
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lancolia/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lancolia-llc/
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.
Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.