Remi Founder Freck Beauty interview

We know how daunting it can be to start a new business, especially if you’re disrupting an industry or creating an entirely new one. When there is no path to follow, the biggest question is, where do I start? There is so much to do, but before you get ahead of yourself, let’s start at the beginning. To kick-start the process, and ease some of those first-time founder nerves, we’re asking successful entrepreneurs to share their stories in our new series, From Scratch. But this isn’t your typical day in the life profile. We’re getting into the nitty-gritty details—from writing a business plan (or not) to sourcing manufacturers and how much they pay themselves—we’re not holding back.

Photo: Courtesy of Freck Beauty

About Remi, Founder + CEO of Freck Beauty

Remi is a design-loving, music-obsessed business owner and cat mom to Enzo in Echo Park, Los Angeles. Having grown up in cold and rainy Seattle, Remi was always obsessed with freckles, at a time when it seemed like everyone was trying to get rid of theirs. She started her career as an interior designer, but the idea of a freckle cosmetic was always lingering in the back of her mind. After attending college for branding and marketing, the idea for Freck Beauty’s rule-breaking brand voice and design-forward packaging began to take shape.

She later moved to LA, and after a couple of career changes and attempts at starting her own business, Remi launched Freck Beauty in 2017 with a hero product, FRECK OG – the world’s first freckle cosmetic. Since then, alongside her business partner and COO Des Wilson, Remi has expanded the brand into both skincare and color cosmetics, creating bold, clean beauty products for anyone who cares about ingredients, respects the process, and doesn't care about the rules.

Take us back to the beginning—what was the lightbulb moment for your business?

My background is interior design, and I never thought I would be in beauty. The path to launching Freck Beauty was really formed from a lifelong obsession with freckles. I’ve always wanted to be able to put on freckles since I don’t have any of my own (even though everyone thought I was crazy since this was a time where people wanted to cover and hide their freckles!). 

If ever there was a lightbulb moment, it was when I met my first mentor who had decades of experience in cosmetic manufacturing. She was the first person to say “this is actually a really interesting idea,” and her support gave me the confidence to start trying to put the puzzle pieces together on how I would actually formulate a cosmetic.

Did you write a business plan? If yes, was it helpful? If no, what did you use instead? Why did you take that approach?

Hell no. I mean, I definitely tried because everyone told me to, but it was so daunting that I found myself just doing the steps before writing them down. Sometimes it’s best to just dive in. Even now with my business partner, Des, we prefer to organize with bullet points, cocktail napkins, voice memos, Google sheets, pretty much anything informal. We tend to spend our time executing rather than organizing; not ideal, but that shit’s real. 

How did you come up with the name Freck Beauty, and what are some of the things you considered during that process? What advice can you share?

All of our products have cheeky names, but Freck Beauty is obviously derived from “freckles.” Most people don’t know this, but I had a ton of name revisions from the Kickstarter days to now: Go Freck Yourself (yikes, so agro); Freck Yourself (still agro); Get Frecked (too confusing to brand); Freck (confusion around our hero product name); and, finally, Freck Beauty. Whenever friends or colleagues are running names by me I always ask, “Can you visualize it on a billboard?” I knew Freck Beauty was the right and final name when I thought about it on a billboard over Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park where I live. Simplicity is key, I think.

What were the immediate things you had to take care of to set up the business, and what would you recommend to new founders reading this?

I think it’s really easy to get wrapped up in the housekeeping of a business early on. While that’s important, it’s not the point, and anyone can set up the housekeeping. Really invest the time figuring out your WHY because it's nearly impossible to stay focused, unique, and positioned without it.

What research did you do for the brand beforehand, and can you explain how you found and compiled that research?

I wanted to manufacture a perfect freckle cosmetic for myself and my friends, but before I dove into Kickstarter, I decided to run a Google Survey. It was a minuscule sample size, but I was able to ask 500 beauty-loving strangers a couple of key yes-or-no questions in 2015 like, “Do you think freckles are desirable?” and, “Would you apply freckles if you could?” This really shaped the way I approached the brand, knowing that I wasn’t alone in wanting freckles. 

How did you find the manufacturer or production facility you use, and what advice do you have for other founders looking for a trustworthy manufacturer?

In the case of cosmetic manufacturing, date your labs. Super time consuming, but I would recommend meeting with all the small-run vendors you find from referrals (or Google if you don’t have referrals). Small production runs are barely profitable for labs, so you almost need to sell them on yourself and your concept, because they’re taking on a risk, too—hoping that doing small runs for you will lead to bigger runs. Go into your meetings as your best self, excited about your project, and talk to the lab like they are a potential investor.

How have you funded your business? What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs reading this?

The short story is that I raised a TINY round, bought back those investors after nine months, and didn’t take money again until a pre-seed round in 2019. It was a horrible initial experience. If you’re going to raise money, just make sure that you know and trust your early investors. After that, Des and I basically grew the business by using small private loans. It was ridiculously expensive, but it allowed us to retain equity as long as possible until we were really ready to fundraise.

Do you pay yourself, and if so, how did you know what to pay yourself?

Nada. Des and I both had multiple full-time jobs to pay ourselves (and any hiccups Freck faced) until about two years in. Not only was it not an option to pay ourselves, but we wanted to reinvest into the company by hiring the initial team and expanding our product line. Beyond the money though, I think it’s really important to keep a day job in the early days so you’re not putting too much pressure on the concept or yourself. Starting a business is hard AF without the added stress of having to also make rent every month. Plus, if you find the time to keep motivated after your day job, you know you’re really invested in your idea.

How big is your team now, and what has the hiring process been like? 

We have eight employees now and had just one 18 months ago, which has been a huge learning curve. I didn’t have hiring experience, but I did get to talk with interior designer Amber Lewis at Create & Cultivate Los Angeles and she gave some advice that I’ve never forgotten. I asked her, “When did you know you were ready to hire?” She said, “You just know, but when you’re there, put everything into training them. You’ll be working three times as hard, but you can’t expect someone to think like you if you don’t spend the time.” That’s the real truth.

What has been the biggest learning curve during the process of establishing a business? What mistakes have you made?

Without a doubt, the hardest part has been hiring, letting go, and trusting. In the past, we’ve hired people because we’ve been so overwhelmed and just needed someone. No matter how overwhelmed you are, it takes more time to train a position multiple times. Hold out for the right candidate who you fully believe in, who you’re excited to talk shop with, and who can teach YOU about their specialty. That’s where the most innovative ideas come from.

How did you promote your company? How did you get people to know who you are and create buzz? What challenges have you faced?

I almost completely gave up on Freck OG a year after launch because I couldn’t figure out how to get the product in front of people I knew would love it. I didn’t have the confidence to reach out to influencers and beauty bloggers at the time, and when I finally just bit the bullet everyone I spoke to was really curious about the product and open to receiving samples. I think just throw spaghetti until something sticks! And don’t be scared to try different marketing avenues until you find something that works for your brand. That being said, if you can find a CMO to be your business partner or co-founder early on, that’s a killer move that will only speed up your growth. 

For those who haven’t started a business (or are about to), what advice do you have? 

I love this question. I have a good friend who told me (after the Kickstarter failed and I was trying to figure out a way to market with my embarrassed tail between my legs) that I have “stick-to-itiveness.” That’s always stayed with me. Know that there are going to be so many ups and downs. Take it all in and feel it all. Looking back those are my favorite memories, and I’m so glad I and the team were able to overcome all the obstacles that we learned so much from.

What is your number one piece of financial advice for any new business owner and why?

It’s all about leverage. Keep as much equity as possible, for as long as you can.

If you could go back to the beginning with the knowledge you have now, what advice would you give yourself and why?

If I could go back, I’d ask myself to listen to and trust my voice and point of view more. Don’t worry about following what other people are doing in your industry. The best concepts are ones that no one has come up with yet. Secondly, you can’t do everything yourself. Find amazing, experienced partners who can fill your weaknesses and are ready to sweat it out with you. Des essentially took a percentage of nothing with the vision that we could grow Freck together.

As a co-founder, how have you developed a good working relationship with your business partner? What tips can you share?

Des and I have a really unique partnership in that we have basically no boundaries. We’re best friends, business partners, co-managers. I’m her son’s godmother, and she’s the first person I call to bitch about my ex or neighbors with. We have literally no secrets. Once I helped her get her Diva Cup out. Idk, it just works for us. But doing some serious soul searching before you decide on a partner is key. If you know you need separation from work and boundaries, do you.

Anything else you’d like to add?

In the early days, I thought it would be out of this world insane if Freck Beauty ever made it to Sephora as the world’s first freckle cosmetic. It’s been my absolute dream since day one. We’re launching online on March 2nd and in stores on April 9th, and it’s a pipe dream come true! It’s been a wild and wonderful ride of so much growth and development. If you can see it on a billboard (or on a Sephora shelf) keep it up, you’re onto something big.

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From Scratch: Carolina Kleinman, Founder & Creative Director of Carolina K

We know how daunting it can be to start a new business, especially if you’re disrupting an industry or creating an entirely new one. When there is no path to follow, the biggest question is, where do I start? There is so much to do, but before you get ahead of yourself, let’s start at the beginning. To kick-start the process, and ease some of those first-time founder nerves, we’re asking successful entrepreneurs to share their stories in our series, From Scratch. But this isn’t your typical day in the life profile. We’re getting into the nitty-gritty details—from writing a business plan (or not) to sourcing manufacturers and how much they pay themselves—we’re not holding back.

Photo: Courtesy of Carolina Kleinman

Name: Carolina Kleinman

Job Title: Founder & Creative Director

Business Name: Carolina K

Did you write a business plan? If so, was it helpful? If not, what did you use to guide your business instead? Why did you take that approach?

Despite growing up in fashion and having a foundation and understanding of what it meant to have a fashion business, I chose to do things my way by guiding myself with what felt right and using my intuition. I learned how to run a business the hard way without specific guidance but my own, without investment partners nor a business plan. Thinking about it now, I would say it is good advice to have a business plan but be prepared to have to pivot unexpectedly. As John Lennon’s “Beautiful Boy” song wisely states, “Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans.” My approach has always been to be open, prepared, and aware of what reality may bring because it can disrupt the most detailed and thought-out plans, in business and life.

How did you come up with the name Carolina K? What was the process like, how did you know it was the right name, and what are some of the things you considered during that process?

Because my brand is such a personal reflection of who I am as a person—the way that I live my life, and my beliefs—I spent a lot of time trying to think of names that would represent just that. A meaningful word that would take this “project,” that was so close to my heart, to another level of growth and development. I went back and forth with a variety of different names but nothing was resonating. I then opted to use my namesake to just include my first name and the first letter of my last. 

What were the immediate things you had to take care of to set up the business? (Website domain/setup, trademark, business name listing social channels, etc.)

I founded my brand 15 years ago and the most immediate action item for me was the initial filing to make Carolina K an official business and company. Then, setting everything else up that came along with that. I am so fortunate that my brother Pablo was able to help me with this process because I had no idea where to even begin. He was able to set up the paperwork and guide me through legalities.

What research did you do for the brand beforehand? Why would you recommend it?

Luckily, I’ve always been immersed in fashion and grew up playing around with rolls of fabric at my mom's clothing store in Argentina so everything came very naturally to me. Early on I had a very clear understanding that if I ever started my own label it would have to be done in an ethical and meaningful manner. This resulted in the research taking place as the development of collections happened. I traveled the world looking for artisans and factories, meeting and working with those along the way. Most, if not all, of whom I still work with today after 15 years. As I learned more about them I created a connection, and I knew I wanted to preserve the artisanal crafts, ancient techniques, and details of their culture. 

I highly recommend seeking to establish a true partnership, meet who you work with in person, get to know your suppliers, test each of them out with small projects so that you can scale accordingly and grow together. Growth is great, but it’s beautiful when you can do it together.

How did you find and identify the manufacturers that you work with? What makes a successful partnership and what advice can you share for fellow business owners on finding the right partners?

I found many of my suppliers, manufacturers, and artisans throughout my travels prior to starting my company and throughout its growth. Still to this day when I travel, I often visit markets or attend festivals and celebrations in small towns or cities. At both places, I often run into a variety of artisans that sell items I end up falling in love with. I then strike up a conversation which usually leads me to placing a small order. This allows me to ensure their responsiveness and reliability. If things go well, I take them under my wing and continue to work with them long-term. To this day, we employ around 300 artisans worldwide that I’ve met and maintained relationships with for the last 15 years. I cannot express how important it is to really know who you are working with and cultivate those relationships to assure that the best materials are being sourced and used. Especially, in my case where we make sure to use eco-friendly materials that do not harm the environment.

Did you self-fund the company? If so, how did you bootstrap it? Did you do a friends-and-family round? Or did you raise seed money or initial investment money? If so, how much, and what was that process like for you? What path would you recommend?

Carolina K is a fully self-funded brand. In my early twenties, I was living in Los Angeles working towards being a musician and I would take small jobs here and there in styling or other projects in fashion. I later went back to Argentina where a woman that I knew offered me a 90-day term on fabric, leading me to design my first collection under the Carolina K brand. All I could afford was a one-way ticket to New York City. I took a leap of faith and flew there with the intention of selling it. The full collection sold out in just one weekend! 

I paid off what I owed for the fabric and put the rest of the money back into the business. I repeated this cycle over and over; money always went back into the business. I must say, the journey has been hard. I didn’t study business, and it took me a long time to learn the business portion. Plenty of trial and error, especially when I was living outside of Tepoztlán, Mexico, and did not have internet access at home. Based on my struggles of scaling the business, I think I would advise others to connect and work with people that you trust and that are knowledgeable in areas that you may not be. For me, it would have been someone more understanding of the business side of things early on.

How much did you decide to pay yourself? How did you determine what to pay yourself? 

To be fully transparent, I only had one employee for the first nine years. As a result, I didn’t see the need to pay myself a fixed salary up until the point my company really started to scale. All of the hats I wear as an entrepreneur and a creative is a lot of work, but I love every minute of it, and I know we will continue to grow and meet our financial goals.

How big is your team now, and what has the hiring process been like? Did you have any hiring experience? If not, how did you learn and what have you learned about it along the way?

At the moment, my team consists of seven employees and myself. Many of them came into my life at the right moment and time, hired on organically as well as the traditional hiring path of creating a listing on LinkedIn and interviewing. The organic path is always the best and most interesting; we either were introduced to each other by mutual friends or timing just led us to meet. The traditional path is always fun, as we meet a variety of new characters and hire based on who is the most fitting of the position and company culture.

Did you hire an accountant? Who helped you with the financial decisions and setup? Are there any programs you recommend for bookkeeping?

Yes, as we started to scale and needed more assistance in finances we hired an accountant. I do feel that having a great accountant in-house is key. Having a strong person dedicated to finance is something that makes the growth of the brand much smoother. I found that Quickbooks is great if the brand is based in the United States. Two other programs that I advise for clothing brands are AIMS 360, a production management and processing software, and Joor, a platform used to connect with buyers for wholesale. These have been great in assisting my team with production and sales, automating the process, and leaving less room for human error.  

What has been the biggest learning curve during the process of establishing your business?

The biggest learning curve and challenge for me was learning how to seamlessly work with those outside of my brand while still maintaining important values such as caring and paying attention to customer needs while maintaining an eco-friendly brand. In our early years, I had to learn to block out the noise of buyers that would put us down or showrooms that wanted to mold our brand into something that it wasn’t. I realized that I had to trust myself, my good intentions, and work hard despite the external obstacles. 

What is the most rewarding part of running Carolina K?

My favorite part of my brand is working with artisans. This means there is no fabric waste nor is there any contamination, and together we are working to maintain their ancient craftsmanship techniques. I quickly learned that even all of the positives can bring challenges. In the first eight years, every piece by Carolina K was made entirely by hand, but it got to the point where the artisans were unable to manage our growing purchasing demand. As a result, they sometimes were late to delivery deadlines that had to be met as they were dependent on sales. Trying to scale growth for the brand became challenging at that point. I then decided to develop prints that would complement and resonate with the hand-made pieces to assist in speeding up production. I traveled to India and partnered with very small print factories and later discovered skilled male embroiderers. We still work with both to this day and they too work with love and passion.

How did you promote your company? How did you get people to know who you are and create buzz?

The buzz happened organically. I started participating in trade shows in New York and in Paris and met other designers and buyers. As more purchases happened, I began expanding my reach at multi-brand stores and became more well known and established.

In 2014, I opened my first store in Williamsburg, New York while I was still living in Tepoztlán, Mexico. In 2015, an opportunity presented itself to move to Miami and we moved forward in doing so along with closing our Williamsburg store and opening a store at the Faena Hotel in Miami Beach. That allowed for more visibility because of the hotel location. We began hosting branded events and fashion shows that attracted and led me to meet and dress interesting and like-minded people, resulting in more recognition and brand awareness on a global level. 

Years of growth also led to the understanding that working with a good PR company can be beneficial if you’re able to align on goals and beliefs. Our journey has been a slow but organic and meaningful one.

Do you have a business coach or mentor? If so, how has this person helped, and would you recommend one to other founders? How do you get one?

I do not have a business coach at the moment, but I did in 2019. I met this coach through mutual friends and having a coach really helped me establish important skills like how to manage my team better and how to set and achieve milestone goals for the business. The most important lesson that I attained from having a business coach was learning that I must build my brand around my lifestyle so it serves me, my personal beliefs, and my necessities. I did not want to be in a position where working consumed all of me. I found it very helpful to work with someone on strategy and learn more about the areas that you are unsure of so that you can learn to master them. I completely recommend looking into business coaching when it is financially feasible. 

How has COVID-19 impacted your business operations and financials? What tactics and strategies have you put in place to pivot and ensure your business is successful through this period?

COVID-19 was a very challenging time for my brand as well as almost every other fashion brand. We saw orders being canceled or delayed frequently at the start of the pandemic and we had no idea what to expect or what was to come. Due to the national shortage of masks, we began to work with our artisans to design and donate them to organizations that would get them into the hands of those in need. As things began to calm down and stores began to open again, we started to see retailers requesting their original orders, and we realized how lucky we were to have that support.

COVID-19 put many things into perspective—one being the need to pivot and put more backing into the direct-to-consumer model for our brand. We took this opportunity to strategically develop a more curated approach to our wholesale and work towards the positives this brought for the development of direct-to-consumer. It is important to take challenging times and try to find the positives in order to accomplish growth.

What short-term changes will be crucial to your business strategy long-term post-COVID-19 and what plans are you making for when we get back to “normal?” 

One short-term change due to COVID-19 that will be crucial to our business strategy, is the number of collections that we drop moving forward. In 2019, I was growing tired of doing so many collections; it didn’t feel authentic to my brand but rather robotic and stressful. Post COVID-19 we have opted to make collections less frequently and focus on making them better, more meaningful, and mindful. A great example is that this year we are skipping Fall/Winter ’21 and, instead, replacing it with a Zero Waste collection. This collection is designed with only repurposed fabrics from past collections and many are one-of-a-kind styles. We have also focused on our home collection expansion. It has been around since 2014, but this year brought the opportunity to focus on its growth. I’m excited to share that we are currently working on our five-year strategy, and there are plenty of great things ahead for the brand.

What advice can you share for small business owners, founders, and entrepreneurs who are also reeling in response to COVID-19?

I would give small business owners, founders, and entrepreneurs the same advice I keep telling myself. Stay positive, keep moving forward, take time to do a bit less so that you are able to make decisions with a clear mind and a clear vision. Make sure that what you do and decide has your heart in it. It took me 15 years to build this brand; I won’t let it fall apart in one to two years of crisis. 

Photo: Courtesy of Carolina Kleinman

What is one thing you didn’t do during the setup process that ended up being crucial to the business and would advise others to do asap?

The one thing that I didn’t do during the setup of my company was take the time to dive deep into understanding the business side of my brand and the fashion industry as a whole. It is very crucial to understand or have the correct people around you to advise. If you are a creative person like me, having someone managing the business side allows you to dream big while they point you in the right direction to set up structure, goals, and strategies to help you achieve your big dream.

For those who haven’t started a business (or are about to), what advice do you have?

If you are creating something from the bottom of your heart that is authentic to you, you will be just fine. Be sure to always find your own voice, be ethical and conscious of the planet, don’t look to what others are doing unless there is something you can learn from them, and be consistent. There is so much going on in the world but remember that each of us is unique and has our own point of view and each and everyone one of us should find that value in ourselves, always.

What is your number one piece of financial advice for any new business owner and why?

Always stay within your budget, make sure to calculate numbers beforehand, and do not overspend. There is plenty of time to grow organically and enjoy the fruits of your labor. You cannot expect results overnight. I read an interview with Patti Smith where she mentions a quote by William Burroughs that I always go back to when tough decisions come up or when my patience runs out: “Build a good name. Keep your name clean. Don’t make compromises. Don’t worry about making a bunch of money or being successful. Be concerned with doing good work. And make the right choices and protect your work. And if you can build a good name, eventually that name will be its own currency.” -William Burroughs

If you could go back to the beginning with the knowledge you have now, what advice would you give yourself and why?

I would tell myself to take some business classes and make the time to really understand. Remember to maintain consistency as that is the key to success. Lastly, continue to trust my intuition and always listen to my inner voice. She will never lead me astray. 

Anything else to add?

Stay passionate and remember to always have fun, as it is the journey that matters and not the destination.

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Tania Boler Founder and CEO Elvie Interview

We know how daunting it can be to start a new business, especially if you’re disrupting an industry or creating an entirely new one. When there is no path to follow, the biggest question is, where do I start? There is so much to do, but before you get ahead of yourself, let’s start at the beginning. To kick-start the process, and ease some of those first-time founder nerves, we’re asking successful entrepreneurs to share their stories in our new series, From Scratch. But this isn’t your typical day in the life profile. We’re getting into the nitty-gritty details—from writing a business plan (or not) to sourcing manufacturers and how much they pay themselves—we’re not holding back.

Photo: Courtesy of Tania Boler

Tania Boler founder and CEO of Elvie

Can you tell us a bit about your background and what you were doing professionally before launching Elvie?

I’ve always been passionate about women’s health, and I studied the topic extensively during my time at Oxford and Stanford University earning a Ph.D. in sexual reproductive health. As a sexual health researcher, I spent most of my early professional life in roles that worked to provide women safe, quality care and access to health education. 

While working for the U.N., I was stationed in Africa and launched the first-ever curriculum on sexual education. During this time, I began to recognize technology’s potential to disrupt the way we think about health—and even quicken the pace at which change can occur. 

Before starting Elvie, I served as the global director of research and innovation at Marie Stopes International where I worked to improve sexual health among developing countries. Working directly with women across the world inspired me to advocate for women while understanding their unique health needs. 

What was your “lightbulb moment” for Elvie? What inspired you to start your business and pursue this path?

Despite having extensive academic and professional experience in women’s health, when I was pregnant, I discovered that there was much I didn’t know about my body. It felt like the changes I was experiencing should have been something I knew would happen. This was particularly true about my pelvic floor health. In my studies, training, or personal life, no one described pelvic floor health’s importance. 

At the time, I was spending lots of time in France with my husband’s family and learned that the women there were much more open to discussing their intimate health. In fact, pelvic floor exercise was part of their usual postnatal routine. After experiencing first-hand how pregnancy impacted this core muscle group, I was stunned that this cultural practice wasn’t more common in other countries. I began to do extensive research to understand better the intimate health challenges women face daily. 

The “lightbulb moment” came from this exploratory phase. As I learned more about how women currently care for their pelvic floors, I began to think about how few products were available to promote women’s intimate health. This is especially true when you think about how many generations of iPhones have been developed in the past ten years. Astonishingly, there have been limited modern innovations to address women’s basic needs in the past few decades! I was determined to do something about this, starting by tackling pelvic floor health’s taboo status while creating a design that made caring for this muscle group easy, efficient, and fun. That’s where Elvie Trainer came in. 

Since launching Elvie in 2013, you’ve raised over $50 million in funding from investors, garnering some of the biggest investments in femtech to date. What advice can you share for entrepreneurs on partnering with the right investors? What do investors need to bring to the table other than just money?

My best advice is to be your best advocate, never wavering from your mission or values. When I first started pitching Elvie Trainer to investors, most of whom were men and didn’t understand the need for the product, I would worry about making them feel uncomfortable when talking about the product’s purpose. After leading many meetings like this, where I put the investors first, I realized that I needed to prioritize Elvie. I didn’t want to work with the investors who just stared at the sample Elvie Trainers I’d leave out on the table, but those who’d immediately pick them up to better understand them. That’s why I’d recommend looking for investors who can not only offer capital but also provide partnership as your company grows. Suppose we at Elvie are going to realize our vision of revolutionizing women’s healthcare. In that case, we need investors who share our mission and values and will be open to putting more than just dollars behind it.  

You’re not only the founder and CEO of a technology company that’s revolutionizing women’s health, but you’re also a mother. How has being a mom changed your priorities and your focus in terms of your career and business? Do you think motherhood has made you a better business person?  

As many women know, being a mom completely changes everything. In the beginning, I struggled with how I would juggle my independent, career-driven life while caring for a baby. But after a while, balance comes—and at some point, you start to realize that hey, it’s okay to drop a few balls now and then. 

Once I started Elvie, I did have the advantage of knowing the unique challenges that moms face. I’d say, get used to multitasking and improving how you prioritize aspects of your life. And definitely, get more efficient with your time! 

Elvie’s mission is built around the need to support women, starting with moms. Unlike many other brands, we’ve created an internal culture that reflects these values. I enjoy being a champion for all the mothers and women who are a part of the team.

Did you write a business plan? If so, was it helpful? If not, what did you use to guide your business instead and why did you take this approach?

Writing a business plan was a crucial step for us to outline the opportunities in the category and ensure we stayed true to our promise to women to deliver the most innovative technology to improve their everyday health as we scaled the business. Once we designed the product and realized how many women we could help by bringing the device to market, we quickly launched it via an e-commerce site. 

How did you come up with the name Elvie? What are some of the things you considered during the naming process?

Our name is the first definition of our brand. The word “Elvie” actually derives from the abbreviation for the levator muscles (“LVs”), the key muscle group on either side of the pelvis. We bandied some names around, but Elvie felt right. It simultaneously evokes strength and unabashed femininity. We also loved the name because it felt familiar yet unique. 

What were the immediate things you had to take care of to set up the business?

My business partner, Alexander Asseily, recommended that the first step was to hire the best designers to bring our vision to life. From there, the business took off. What was once trying to convince naysayers that this tool wasn’t “too niche,” we were suddenly being endorsed by celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and even included in the swag bag for nominees at The Academy Awards. 

For us, digital and social are essential channels. Both are a means of getting our brand to a wider audience and as a platform to start conversations around taboo topics and intimate issues. From a strategic standpoint, it was important for us to have a presence that women can connect with online from the word “go.” 

What research did you do for the business beforehand? Why would you recommend it?

While I had a background in women’s health and had worked with women across the globe, I realized how much more I had to learn about women’s health when I became pregnant and experienced changes in my own body. I did extensive research to better understand women’s intimate health, the healthcare industry, and the technology already available to address these needs. To bring something to market that was truly innovative and could change women’s lives, I had to understand their health challenges and the products that failed them. 

Research is a crucial step for any entrepreneur. However, it’s also important to recognize that you won’t have all of the answers you need before starting your business. The hard part is finding the confidence to take the leap and go from the research phase to market. If you feel strongly about your idea, commit yourself to it and sell your passion for it to your team, investors, and consumers. You’ll never know until you try. 

Photo: Courtesy of Tania Boler

How did you find and identify the manufacturers that you work with? What was important to you during this process? Are there any mistakes you made and learned from along the way?

In the initial stages, we didn’t have any experience in manufacturing. Alex, my business partner, had plenty of advice, including adding a few names to the list of recommendations. But essentially, it’s all a case of setting out your manufacturing objectives; how many you need to make, the capabilities required to make it, and understanding your budget to get it done. 

From there, it’s lots of heavy research to create a shortlist of companies you’d like to speak with, making approaches and discussing your goals while gauging if there are synergies between the two companies. It’s important not to underestimate the people side of things—they may be able to demonstrate capabilities, but you need to be sure that you can work together as a team. After all, you’ll be spending a lot of time working together to refine your design and troubleshooting manufacturing challenges. There will always be tough times, so you need to be able to detach from the work and have fun together. 

Do you pay yourself, and if so, how did you know what to pay yourself? 

Like many new entrepreneurs, I accepted that during the early days of Elvie, it wouldn’t be like a normal salary. That said, I recommend being as open and frank as possible with your investors, because it shouldn’t mean that you sacrifice essential things you need to pay for, like child care. It’s all about striking a balance between company needs and making sure you’re able to focus on building the business—not about whether you can pay your own bills! For me, I initially took 40% of my previous salary. 

How big is your team now, and what has the hiring process been like?

Finding the right people to build our brilliant team has been vital to Elvie’s success and crucial from the beginning. This includes everyone from the talented engineers and designers who helped bring our ideas to life or the advisors who navigated the tech sector while Elvie was still a growing startup. Giving women leadership positions and hiring so many talented people with like-minded values has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. 

In 2020, we had 114 new starters, which represents a +80.5% growth. When any company is scaling this rapidly, there’s a significant risk of the cultural DNA getting diluted or lost. With COVID and remote working, this is exacerbated even further. So as we (hopefully) emerge from the stresses of the pandemic, our big re-focus will be on people and culture in 2021. As soon as it’s feasible and safe, we’ll be investing in making up for lost time—encouraging quality collaboration between team members and socializing in real life! 

Did you hire an accountant? Who helped you with the financial decisions and setup? Are there any tools or programs you recommend for bookkeeping?

Quite early on, we were set on hiring an accounting firm, specifically one which had a record of working with early-stage companies in London’s tech ecosystem. That being said, we also relied quite heavily on the readily available internal expertise, who helped with financial decision-making on several things, from the selection of banking partners to the management of company share schemes and the like. We also handled the bookkeeping internally and used Xero. It’s really great and user-friendly accounting software that is well-suited for early-stage businesses. It’s simple to set up and even simpler to use, which meant that we could maintain internal control of essential aspects of our day-to-day financial operations instead of outsourcing.

What has been the biggest learning curve during the process of establishing your business?

Elvie was born out of a passion for women’s health, and it was not very cut-and-dry to carve out space in a very male-dominated tech and investor community. It poses unique challenges to female entrepreneurs trying to design with women in mind. And as a non-tech founder, one of my biggest pieces of advice is to surround yourself with people who can capture that passion with innovative products that meet a need. I mean, when I first started, the term “femtech” didn’t even exist—so it was a great leap into the unknown. If you’re looking to launch something new, the startup ecosystem is vibrant and friendly, with plenty of experienced individuals who are willing to offer practical help and support. There are always lots of meet-ups which can help short-cut problems as you go along and learn from others who have done it before. 

For Elvie Pump, our greatest challenge was building the technology that could solve the breastfeeding problems women had been enduring for far too long. We also knew that we would have to convince investors that it was time to create a better solution for women than what’s been available to them so far. We did this by hiring world-class female designers who understood women’s needs and created a beautiful product that then spoke for itself.

How did you promote your company? How did you get people to know who you are and create buzz?

Given the number of taboos surrounding women’s bodies and health, the Elvie team is driven by our overarching mission of changing perceptions while pioneering life-changing health solutions for women. Our work encourages us to engage in these discussions, shift people’s views, and educate both women and men on important—often intimate—topics. We see this as an excellent opportunity to drive real change in the culture at large while addressing the often-ignored needs of 50% of the population. 

With that in mind, we’ve always known we would need to be disruptive to grab women’s attention on a global scale. These moments opened the door to more significant conversations and helped to begin eliminating taboos on the topic.

One of the larger stunts we created was our massive vaginal blimp at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to raise awareness on pelvic floor weakness and incontinence. Our campaign was actually banned by the local council, which highlighted how taboos around women’s health and anatomy still run deep in our society. But happily, this led to the viral #LetFannyFly movement on social media—and it was empowering to see so many women get on our side and almost become activists for Elvie. 

A few other buzzworthy moments for us included our #FreeTheFeed campaign when we placed five giant inflatable breasts across London’s skyline. We aimed to fight the stigma around breastfeeding and pumping in public. We knew it would raise a few eyebrows – but in so doing, no one could overlook this taboo that’s been used to repress women for so long. 

Our stunt at London Fashion Week was another disruptive event that made headlines. To amplify our Elvie Pump launch in 2018, we partnered with London-based designer Marta Jakubowski to feature a model (and new mother) wearing our breast pump on the catwalk during her show. If it was talked about at all, pumping was considered a grind, an unpleasant necessity, or a punch line. By crashing London Fashion Week, we wanted to prove that women who happen to be mothers are still women: they can still be fashionable, walk the catwalk, lead businesses, run the world… and ultimately, they shouldn’t feel restricted or held back by anything (including pumping!). 

Do you have a business coach or mentor? How has this person helped you, and would you recommend one? What advice can you share on how do you get one?

I’ve been involved in women’s health for my entire career, and along the way, I’ve been introduced to so many individuals who’ve both inspired me and helped me find my way to creating Elvie. 

Carving out space in a male-centric world is never easy, and it can be intimidating to jump into something when you haven’t seen many examples set by other female friends or leaders. However, there is a growing network of extraordinary, like-minded female entrepreneurs out there who are willing to support you and help you to make essential connections. For anyone looking for a mentor, start by evaluating who you admire in your own circle and ask them for advice and guidance. 

For advice and information around startups, “The Lean Startup” and “The Hard Thing About Hard Things” were great resources for me. Phil Knight’s “Shoe Dog” was also incredibly inspiring at the early stages. 

There are a wealth of exciting podcasts out there, some personal favorites of mine include; “The Future of Everything” from the Wall Street Journal, “Masters of Scale,” and the “WIRED UK Podcast” to keep me up to speed on all the latest trends and stories.

I am constantly impressed by people who are challenging the status quo and introducing new ways of doing things. Tortoise is doing this by encouraging readers to consume information more slowly and with more purpose.  

What is one thing you didn’t do during the setup process that ended up being crucial to the business and would advise others to do asap?

I would advise others to never skirt around topics or words that you feel might make potential investors uncomfortable. Take Elvie Trainer as an example. It took me a few fundraising meetings to realize that I needed to be upfront about women's issues and not shy away from words like "vagina" or other intimate topics. But, how can we create and sell in products that make women’s lives easier if we aren’t open and honest? Now, when meeting with prospective investors, I like to see their reaction once I say the "V" word. I call this the "vagina test!” It's a fun and easy way to gauge whether we'll be a good fit for one another. 

What is your number one piece of financial advice for any new business owner, and why?

Beyond attracting investors, our most significant obstacles at the start of our business came with building our technology. For example, designing one solution that could truly solve breastfeeding problems that women have been enduring for far too long! My business partner, Alexander, encouraged hiring top engineers from the word “go.” As you scale, this is extremely important. You need to surround yourself with people who believe in the mission as much as you do and are the best at doing the jobs you need. So, we set out to hire world-class designers who understood women's needs, placed them in the heart of the design process, and created beautiful products that offered women the best solution out there.

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Jamila Powell Founder Naturally Drenched Interview

We know how daunting it can be to start a new business, especially if you’re disrupting an industry or creating an entirely new one. When there is no path to follow, the biggest question is, where do I start? There is so much to do, but before you get ahead of yourself, let’s start at the beginning. To kick-start the process, and ease some of those first-time founder nerves, we’re asking successful entrepreneurs to share their stories in our new series, From Scratch. But this isn’t your typical day in the life profile. We’re getting into the nitty-gritty details—from writing a business plan (or not) to sourcing manufacturers and how much they pay themselves—we’re not holding back.

Photo: Courtesy of Jamila Powell

tk intro

Jamila Powell founder of Naturally Drenched

Can you tell us a bit about your background and what you were doing professionally before launching Naturally Drenched?  

I am an attorney for the federal government. I am also an entrepreneur, mother, and the owner of one of the top texture salons in the country, Maggie Rose Salon. So much of the inspiration behind Naturally Drenched came from the day-to-day experiences I had with our trained stylists and customers within Maggie Rose Salon. I was able to see first-hand what our stylists would do for each unique type of hair texture. They would talk about the different needs of each kind of hair they would work with and about products they wished they had more of. This is when I first started to notice a lack of pre-conditioning treatments for textured hair and a lightbulb of inspiration went off. 

What was the “lightbulb moment” for Naturally Drenched? What inspired you to start your business and pursue this path? 

I think I had two major moments that really pushed me towards the path I’m currently on. First, I recognized how stylists at the Maggie Rose Salon were constantly in search of better products to use on natural and textured hair. And second, the COVID-19 implications on my salon really focused my headspace toward product innovation. I love working with hair but since I was no longer able to operate my salon, I turned to e-commerce as an alternative. 

Did you write a business plan? If so, was it helpful, and if not, what did you use to guide your business instead and why did you take that approach? 

While I know this is something I should have done, I didn’t write a business plan. I tend to go with the flow and if an idea sticks with me over time, then I know it’s something I have to pursue. Having a vision is key, but understanding a need to pivot from time to time is also a baseline for business expansion is important as well. 

How did you come up with the name Naturally Drenched? What are some of the things you considered during the naming process? 

It actually only took me a singular day to construct the name for the new brand. I really wanted something that sounded luxe but spoke to hydration. I wanted the name to represent how the product would react to naturally curly-girl hair: covered, dripping, a burst of hydration, environmentally-conscious, etc., and Naturally Drenched seemed to do just that. 

What were the immediate things you had to take care of to set up the business?

Building social channels and securing the domain name came first. When I decided to move forward with the project, I secured the trademark.

What research did you do for the brand beforehand? Why would you recommend it? 

I conducted first-hand primary research by reviewing what worked and what didn’t within my salon. Further, I did secondary research on oversaturated trends in the hair market and what needed further representation and lacked product attention. 

How did you find and identify the manufacturers that you work with? What was important to you during this process and what are some of the mistakes you made and learned from along the way? 

Initially, I found a few manufacturers through Instagram and then used Google to identify if they were a local company or not. I moved forward with contacting three but only heard back from one. It took time for me to understand the established buy chain because I formulated Naturally Drenched independently, without the help of a manufacturer. However, manufacturers ultimately have established relationships with suppliers and I have learned that they build off of where the formulator secured ingredients and go from there. Additionally, I have seen how ordering new items in bulk can lead to backorders. 

Photo: Naturally Drenched

How did you fund your business? What were the challenges and what would you change? Would you recommend that route to other entrepreneurs? 

I am self-funded by choice. I haven’t had a lot of success in partnerships in past ventures, and frankly, I find it easier to carry the weight on my own two shoulders. Personally, I believe if financially possible, funding a project yourself is the best way to launch a startup. Here, individually, you can potentially run out of money, so take into account what it’s going to cost to produce, manufacture, and market the product. If your product is top of the line but has no market share or recognition, it really just doesn’t matter how good it is. 

Do you pay yourself, and if so, how did you know what to pay yourself?

Currently, no, I do not pay myself, and I don’t have plans to do so in the near future. I return all profit from Naturally Drenched right back into the company.

How big is your team now, and what has the hiring process been like? 

I am my team but you can outsource your team. You need to find people you can trust to make a recommendation. My design team and PR team have been great. I have a team member that does my Instagram graphics whom I got from a referral. To be successful while going through the hiring process, focus on recommendations, remain active in listening to podcasts, Zoom calls, and panels, and always vet a potential hire and see the results they’ve been able to produce for other people.

Did you hire an accountant? Who helped you with the financial decisions and setup? 

I do have an accountant and bookkeeper. They don’t help me with financial decisions, as that is typically left to both my boyfriend and my mom. It’s important to have an accountant or bookkeeper because you need to look at your numbers weekly to know if you’re losing or gaining money. In the long run, you are saving yourself time when you have to do taxes. Always know where your money is going. 

What has been the biggest learning curve during the process of establishing your business?

Marketing. Trying to figure out what makes people buy your product is a challenge within itself, and understanding how to move past “surface-level” marketing is an additional challenge.

How did you promote your company? How did you get people to know who you are and create buzz? 

PR of course! We also use the product in the salon and I've reached out to stylists and influencers. In addition, I secured inclusion in a subscription box in Germany. All of these ideas are a good way to get the word out and the product in peoples’ hands.

You’re an entrepreneur and a mom. How has being a mother changed your priorities and your focus in terms of your career? 

Being a mother makes me work harder. You really want to give everything to your child and it just makes me do more. Also, having a daughter helps me put things into perspective because there becomes a point where I say “enough is enough” and I have to step away from my workload and spend quality time with my child.

Do you think motherhood has made you a better business person? 

Absolutely, yes! Motherhood changes your mindset, your patience, your adaptability, creativity, and basically everything else I forgot to mention. 

Do you have a business coach or mentor, and would you recommend one? 

I don’t have a business coach, but I have “business besties” whom I talk to all the time. All of these women are at different points of their entrepreneurship journey! I recommend having people you can talk to openly who can give you insight on places you're trying to go, and how to get there.

What is one thing you didn’t do during the setup process that ended up being crucial to the business and would advise others to do asap? 

Have a strong marketing plan! 

What is your number one piece of financial advice for any new business owner and why? 

Make sure you know what you want to spend and add 10 percent more to that. The worst thing you can do is put all your time and effort into research, formulation, and development, and not have any money to market it.

Photo: Courtesy of Jamila Powell

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Ariana Sokolov co-founder trill project interview

Op-ed Overview

The pandemic has been a lonely time for LGBTQ+ youth for those who do not live in supportive households, making the need for inclusive spaces outside of the home even more important. With the pandemic, connecting with people outside of the home has been particularly difficult and we’re seeing youth turn to safe digital spaces as an alternative. I’m reaching out on behalf of Apple to introduce you to Trill Project, an app created by a talented, up-and-coming teenage developer, Ariana Sokolov. The young, LGBTQ+ ally created the app to ensure her best friend, who came out as bisexual, had a safe space online to express herself. 

After hearing how hard it was for her friend to come out, Sokolov developed Trill – a combination of the words true and real – as an anonymous social network with no usernames (it uses various colors instead!) where everyone can freely and safely express themselves. Created by teenagers passionate about coding, the app provides a supportive community to make new connections and have authentic conversations. 

Timed to April’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Ari can draft an op-ed that speaks to:

• How the Trill Project creates a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community and why that is so important for this community specifically during April’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month

• Her allyship to the LGBTQ+ community and inspiration for creating the Trill Project

• How she came to become an advanced coder at such a young age

• How her experience at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference and Apple’s Entrepreneur Camp built her coding skills

 photos: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1x-SR7fAL5TWniGQ5NXtI_NnMpXAPTEeo

Can you tell us a bit about your background and what you were doing professionally before launching Trill Project?

I started coding when I accidentally walked into a computer science class at a summer camp when I was eight years old. I loved getting to combine my interest in math and design to create something from scratch, and this is what drew me to app development. Growing up, I used the coding resources Apple provides online to teach Swift classes to myself. 

Eventually, I was awarded a student scholarship to the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). And my love for developing apps only grew stronger. Through this, I was able to unlock a community of fellow app developers that loved to create apps that impacted the lives of others. I was privileged to have the support of Apple engineers in labs and attend talks at WWDC that were instrumental in allowing me to become the app developer I am today. 

I launched my business when I was 16 years old. Before that, I founded my own app development company and was working on projects for a variety of clients with my work being recognized by Apple, South by Southwest, and the U.S. Congress. 

What was the “lightbulb moment” for Trill Project? What inspired you to start your business and pursue this path?

After hearing about my friend’s struggle coming out as a bisexual teen, I rallied together my Girls Who Code Club, and we sent out an anonymous survey to LGBTQ+ teens across Tumblr. We asked users, “What would you say if nobody knew you were saying it?” Through grassroots marketing strategies, we received hundreds and then thousands of responses to this survey. Responses trickled in around stories of feeling unheard, isolated, and alone. 

We were stunned to see that many LGBTQ+ teens felt this way, especially in toxic digital spaces, so we decided to address the mental health issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community. After interviewing LGBTQ+ teens in our high school and learning from our friends how difficult their coming out experiences were, these early connections in customer discovery, who believed in my team and me enough to share their stories with us, became our first beta testers. Trill was designed collaboratively with 10,000 beta testers, and our users have trusted us from day one to listen without judgment and build this community for them, with them.

After working on Trill for a bit, we were accepted into Apple Entrepreneurship Camp. Here we were able to get tremendous feedback on the design and structure of our app to make it more meaningful to our users. We also learned how to integrate Machine Learning technology that would direct users to relevant crisis resources. These improvements that we made over the course of the program were very important to improving Trill.

An entrepreneurial career path is so special because it allows you to identify real problems in your life, like my friend’s struggles with her identity, and take action. I didn’t set out to be a founder necessarily, but I did seek out to solve a problem for my friend. And now I’m able to create technology that is used every day by my classmates, the online communities I belong to, and my generation as a whole.

Did you write a business plan? If so, was it helpful, and if not, what did you use to guide your business instead? Why did you take that approach?

My team and I participated in the Technovation Challenge, a global competition encouraging female-identifying high schoolers to build an app to solve a social problem. Through this, we were able to write our first business plan. 

In the words of Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, “Plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” With regard to Trill, we actually have pivoted and evolved our business tons since participating in Technovation. That said, the process and exercise of taking time in the early days of our launch to consider moderation at scale, paid marketing campaigns, revenue strategies, and company culture was incredibly useful. If anything, writing a business plan gave us an opportunity to start thinking about some of the tough questions around building a business like how you make money and how you will grow community. Even if we didn't have all the answers when we first made our business plan, it gave us a solid foundation.

The primary guiding force we’ve always used when building our business (more than any business plan) is real-time user feedback. We are strong advocates for practicing collaborative and inclusive design processes that are user-centric. We’ve maintained a robust beta tester community with regular surveying, interviews, and focus groups to make sure we are building a product that users actually need, want, and are finding value in. 

How did you come up with the name Trill Project, and what are some of the things you considered during the naming process?

Trill is a combination of the words true and real. And Trill Project is an anonymous social network for mental health peer support. 

While it may seem counterintuitive, our experiences with Trill have given us the unique empathy and insight that anonymity and stepping away from whatever identities constrain you in the real world can actually allow you to more fully discover your true and real self. On Trill, we turn social media on its head. We replace followers with friends, emojis with True feelings, and selfies with Real people. 

We allow users to unlock their most authentic selves in a digital world, and it doesn’t happen overnight. The movement to make the internet a safer and more kind space for people from all walks of life is an ongoing process and project. It’s Trill Project. 

What were the immediate things you had to take care of to set up the business? 

Immediately after coming up with the idea for Trill, my first action item was to build out a team. My team and I believe in capitalizing on our strengths and hiring for our weaknesses. Personally, I am a technically minded individual and enjoy software development, graphic design, and product management. So I brought on a co-founder who was more inclined towards the world of operations and could handle marketing, external relations, and sales down the line. 

We worked right away to build team culture, setting expectations around responsibilities, commitments, and values. We did this by establishing workflow tools (GSuite, Trello, and Slack), setting up anonymous surveys for internal feedback, and identifying goals or OKRs for a given work sprint. We also collaboratively wrote community guidelines and strategized together on brand identity and company vision documents. With regard to logistics, we also had to set up our website, our social media channels, officially incorporate, and bring on an accountant and lawyer to advise us. 

What research did you do for the business beforehand? 

We were lucky to participate in an accelerator program in the early days of Trill. This gave us an excellent community right away to tap into for answers to questions around our business. We would recommend accelerators and incubators for first-time founders because it provides a valuable sense of structure, accountability, and routine. Additionally, you will be able to connect with other founders who can empathize in your journey and mentors and experts who are motivated to work with you.

How did you fund Trill Project? What were the challenges and what would you change? Would you recommend your funding route to other entrepreneurs today? 

We have been bootstrapped and only raised capital from equity-free sources such as pitch competitions and incubator programs. For us, this was the right decision and we wouldn't have changed anything around our fundraising journey. Given that we weren’t ready to work full-time on Trill and wanted to finish our college degrees, bootstrapping gave us the flexibility to run the business on our own terms and not feel pressured to grow in ways that weren’t authentic to our mission. 

I would recommend that founders take a critical look at what their ultimate goal is for their business. Do you want to grow very quickly? Is this a side hustle? Are you mission-oriented? Do you need capital to hit these goals? And then make educated decisions around fundraising from there. 

Do you pay yourself, and if so, how did you know what to pay yourself?

At this time, no one on Trill’s team takes a salary as we are all also still full-time students. 

How big is your team now, and what has the hiring process been like? Did you have any hiring experience before this venture? If not, how did you learn and what have you learned about it along the way?

Our team is now over 30 high school and college students from around the world all working as volunteers at Trill. Neither of us had any formal hiring experience since we started this venture so young, and for us the hiring process is something we put a lot of thought and care into. 

We recruit for our “trillternship” every new semester in the school year and during the summer. To do this we tap into women in tech groups we are a part of, personal connections, and outreach on campuses. We have a written component and interview process for all interested candidates. We evaluate possible hires not only based on their skill set but also their knowledge of Trill, support of our mission, and fit within our company culture and values. 

We’ve learned that it is critical to interview not just for skills but also for this mission alignment. Trill is a remote-first team, and most of us have never even met in person. Everyone is a volunteer. And so it’s important that we all like each other and the work that we’re doing. We conduct regular team satisfaction surveys and host a variety of team bonding socials such as movie nights, game nights, and showcases of our work. Our team is like a family, and we all support each other not only with our endeavors with Trill but also with our other academic and professional commitments and our own mental health and wellbeing. 

We are proud that our team is Gen-Z powered, BIPOC-owned, and majority female engineers. 

Did you hire an accountant? Who helped you with the financial decisions and setup?

We do have a bookkeeper who we are so grateful for! We would recommend finding and investing in a bookkeeper early on to keep all your expenses, taxes, etc. organized and in order. 

What has been the biggest learning curve during the process of establishing your business?

Learning how to manage running a business with also being a full-time student can be a challenge. We’ve discovered the importance of prioritization and sacrifice. As long as you and your team are on the same page around time commitments, goals, and accountability structures, then it is totally possible to be both a student and a business owner. In fact, college can actually be a great opportunity to take courses that make you a better entrepreneur, tap into professors as potential mentors, and network with classmates who may be future co-founders, hires, advisors, customers, or investors. 

How did you promote your company? How did you get people to know who you are and create buzz?

We first launched through a grassroots marketing campaign on Tumblr. From there, we have been growing our community organically mostly through socials. We have an active presence on all major platforms, and we work with influencers through our Trill Talks interview series who in turn promote our community to their audiences. We also have been able to achieve some wonderful press through various incubators and programs we’ve participated in, and we partner with other organizations as well for collaborative campaigns to mutually drive traction for each other’s products and missions. 

Do you have a business coach or mentor, and would you recommend one? 

Yes, we have a vibrant advisory board, and we definitely recommend building one out. Our business mentors give us tangible advice around our paid marketing campaigns, analytics tracking, moderation curriculum, and more. Additionally, our business mentors also offer less tangible advice sometimes, which can be just as useful. Such advice includes strategic input on time management, company vision, growth, and more. 

What is one thing you didn’t do during the setup process that ended up being crucial to the business and would advise others to do asap?

We only recently have started formally setting and sticking to company-wide OKRs. We would recommend that all business owners get into an early habit of goal setting collaboratively with team members. This allows for transparency around milestones, organization around prioritization and delegation, and accountability to hit your business goals.  

What is your number one piece of financial advice for any new business owner and why?

Protect your cap table with care. You will put so much time, energy, and love into your business, and you deserve to be an owner of the results of those efforts. Make sure you are building alongside teammates and investors who have been vetted and who share in your vision. 

Anything else to add?

Download Trill Project, and follow us on socials. Trill has a full schedule of upcoming Pride Month events, including social mixers, panels, and moderator orientations specific to LGBTQ+ issues. We're collaborating on these events with a variety of mental health and emotional wellness experts, including Blue Fever, a pocket-sized support group app centered around anonymous, judgment-free journaling for every chapter of life. Interested individuals can RSVP for our fireside chat on Mental Health for the LGBTQ+ Community here and for our “Ask Me Anything” Panel here.

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