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What I've Learnt - Natassia Nicolao (Conserving Beauty) · WHAT I'VE LEARNT

0:05
SPEAKER_00: Well, it's very timely that I'm interviewing Natasia Nicolao, founder and director of Conserving Beauty, Australia's first waterless beauty brand.
0:14
SPEAKER_00: Conserving Beauty took out the top honour at the ninth annual Australian Women's Weekly Women of the Future Awards, presented yesterday at a lunch ceremony at 12 Micron in Bangaro.
0:25
SPEAKER_00: The six Women of the Future finalists, aged between 18 and 34, were celebrated for their exceptional innovation, creativity, and business now.
0:36
SPEAKER_00: Well, if you've ever thought about the daily use of makeup wipes, something I use regularly, and their impact on the environment, then get ready.
0:46
SPEAKER_00: Each wipe takes a hundred years to dissolve in landfill.
0:50
SPEAKER_00: That alone is enough to inspire groundbreaking science-based wellness guru Natasia, who founded Conserving Beauty, Australia's first water-responsible beauty brand, in 2021.
1:02
SPEAKER_00: Inspired by her belief that waterless formulas could offer more, both of us and the planet, Natasia set out to create a range of pure, potent beauty products that were completely free from water to boost efficacy, protect our planet, and positively impact the community.
1:20
SPEAKER_00: Without water, the gentle ingredients chosen for conserving beauty's powerful formulas aren't diluted, which means they can be delivered directly to the skin, so our precious natural resources are never wasted and your results are never watered down.
1:34
SPEAKER_00: With a background in science and a passion for social justice, conserving beauty allowed Nastasia to merge her long-term love for beauty products with her unique commercial experience.
1:50
SPEAKER_00: So, Natasia, welcome to the What I've Learned podcast.
1:53
SPEAKER_00: Very timely, because you have actually, as of yesterday, won a pretty impressive award, which I know you're shy to talk about, but I'm going to actually think about it because I'm so proud of you.
2:06
SPEAKER_00: It's so impressive.
2:07
SPEAKER_00: So, do you want to just tell me a little bit about that and how that came to be?
2:10
SPEAKER_00: And then we'll talk about the product and the fact that it's now in Mecca because I went in there the other day and they're like, I said, I need some wipes.
2:16
SPEAKER_00: They went, these are the awesome.
2:18
SPEAKER_00: We've got you.
2:18
SPEAKER_00: They were like you.
2:20
SPEAKER_01: Okay, we'll see.
2:21
SPEAKER_01: So, all right.
2:22
SPEAKER_01: By the way, I'm so excited.
2:23
SPEAKER_00: Yay, pleasure.
2:24
SPEAKER_00: So tell me a little bit about the award that you won yesterday.
2:28
SPEAKER_01: So I applied for this award, not thinking much of it actually.
2:32
SPEAKER_01: Um, Women's Weekly put on an annual award.
2:35
SPEAKER_01: They've done it for the last almost 10 years, and it's to celebrate women who are on a mission to make the world a better place.
2:40
SPEAKER_01: So they call it Women of the Future because I guess you've got to have a hand in safeguarding our future.
2:45
SPEAKER_01: And it's for women under the age of 34.
2:48
SPEAKER_01: And so I applied and was a finalist, very excited to even be a finalist.
2:54
SPEAKER_01: And they flew us up to Sydney to celebrate with about 100 media.
2:57
SPEAKER_01: And then I was very excited to win.
2:59
SPEAKER_01: I couldn't believe it.
3:00
SPEAKER_00: It is really, really wonderful because I know how hard you've been working.
3:05
SPEAKER_00: And it really is an impressive product.
3:07
SPEAKER_00: And, you know, it's very innovative.
3:09
SPEAKER_00: Tell me a little bit about your background.
3:11
SPEAKER_00: I'd like to hear a little bit about, because you come from a science base, which I love women in science.
3:15
SPEAKER_01: No, thank you.
3:16
SPEAKER_01: I guess I don't really have the conventional background as like a normal beauty founder.
3:21
SPEAKER_01: And I guess even saying as I'm a beauty founder, I think we're kind of the intersection between beauty and impact as well.
3:27
SPEAKER_01: So I studied science at university.
3:29
SPEAKER_01: I majored in biochemistry and I loved research, I loved products, but I also loved the beauty industry.
3:35
SPEAKER_01: And I was always kind of a crusader for social justice and heavily involved in that all throughout high school.
3:42
SPEAKER_01: And so when I graduated, I went to work at Swiss Wellness, which was Australia's largest multivitamin business at the time.
3:50
SPEAKER_01: And I got a graduate role there, and I was lucky to join in the operations team, not really knowing what that meant.
3:56
SPEAKER_01: And I got to learn ethical sourcing, sustainable supply chains, and product development, basically the entire ethos of how you make a product, and fell in love, obsessed, stayed in that for years.
4:06
SPEAKER_01: And then I was lucky enough to go with the founding family when they sold the business for a really considerable amount of money.
4:13
SPEAKER_01: And they went and set up a private family office to invest in the next wave of beauty and wellness entrepreneurs.
4:20
SPEAKER_01: And so I got to work directly with all of the founders and do projects with the businesses that we invested in to help them with their supply chain, to help them with the sustainability claims, to help them with their innovation roadmap.
4:31
SPEAKER_01: So basically what I was doing.
4:33
SPEAKER_01: But then I just became obsessed with startup, obsessed with problem solving.
4:37
SPEAKER_01: And I saw so many inspiring people do great things.
4:40
SPEAKER_01: And I just kept thinking, hang on, there are so many great mini products, we don't necessarily need more, but why is nobody doing sustainability well?
4:48
SPEAKER_01: And I don't think people actually understand what that means for a product life cycle.
4:52
SPEAKER_01: And I think while a lot of people look to the end result, which is the packaging and think that refill systems or recyclability is the solution, there's like 30 things that happen before you even choose packaging where we've already had a huge impact to the planet.
5:07
SPEAKER_01: And so I decided to map a whole product lifecycle to look at how we can make best choices along the way to help save water, carbon, and waste.
5:14
SPEAKER_01: And when I did that, it was really obvious that water is involved at every single stage of a product lifecycle.
5:21
SPEAKER_01: We need a lot of water to make products.
5:23
SPEAKER_01: And then on top of it, the beauty industry uses so much water because we use it as typically the main ingredient in most products.
5:30
SPEAKER_01: And most products are filled with 70 to 90% water, and it's not necessarily in there to give your skin a direct benefit.
5:37
SPEAKER_01: It's usually used as a really affordable solvent.
5:39
SPEAKER_01: So I was like, well, hang on.
5:41
SPEAKER_01: We're selling bottles of plastic filled with 70% water, 80% water, crazy.
5:47
SPEAKER_01: It's just a sprinkle of the good stuff.
5:49
SPEAKER_01: And I'm just like, why can't we give people the good stuff?
5:51
SPEAKER_01: Why can't we do that?
5:52
SPEAKER_01: And why can't we work out ways to save water carbon and waste along the way?
5:55
SPEAKER_01: And so that was kind of my moment where I was like, we're gonna do this.
5:58
SPEAKER_01: And I think, Deb, you probably relate to like growing up in Australia.
6:02
SPEAKER_01: We've all had water conservation at some point in our lives, be at the top of mind.
6:06
SPEAKER_01: We've had times where we've, you know, timed our showers and had restrictions watering our gardens.
6:11
SPEAKER_01: And those times will come again because we're living in a water action decade.
6:14
SPEAKER_01: So I was just like, well, hang on.
6:15
SPEAKER_01: Water, our finite resource, let's save it.
6:17
SPEAKER_01: And so at Conserving Beauty, we create waterless formulations and innovations, everything we make without water.
6:24
SPEAKER_01: And we've partnered up with the Water Footprint Network and the Australian Water Association were the first to do that to actually measure our exact water footprint.
6:32
SPEAKER_01: So when you buy one of our products, you'll know exactly how much water you're saving and what we do along the supply chain to reduce our water footprint.
6:38
SPEAKER_01: And then we do the same for our carbon footprint with two non-for-profit partnerships with Sea Trees and Trace.
6:44
SPEAKER_01: And then we manage our waste footprint by you kind of mentioned it before, um, but using dissolvable, compostable, biodegradable, and recyclable materials, which we can get into if you want to.
6:54
SPEAKER_00: Oh, look, I have to say on that note, we're two things.
6:57
SPEAKER_00: We went on a bit of a tangent.
6:58
SPEAKER_00: Sorry, Deb.
6:59
SPEAKER_00: No, a very important tangent, though, to be honest, because actually, I suppose what I love about what you're doing is the overall and overarching mission to protect our planet along the way, as also offering a quality product.
7:11
SPEAKER_00: I mean, so for example, when I used the the wipe, it was very hydrating, like extraordinarily hydrating.
7:18
SPEAKER_00: It felt beautiful.
7:19
SPEAKER_00: And I'm sort of fascinated how you get that that impact, one.
7:23
SPEAKER_00: And then it just I put it under the tap and it dissolved.
7:26
SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, bam.
7:27
SPEAKER_00: So I don't feel like I'm throwing something away that's you know bad for our planet.
7:32
SPEAKER_00: So you're sort of multifaceted and it's a three-prong, if not a four-prong, attack.
7:37
SPEAKER_00: So talk to me a little bit about how do you maintain, because obviously people are not going to buy products unless they work or they feel good with them.
7:44
SPEAKER_00: For sure.
7:45
SPEAKER_00: So so how did you find that balance?
7:47
SPEAKER_00: And how how does it feel so incredibly hydrating when there's a reduction in water in that?
7:53
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
7:54
SPEAKER_01: There's a few things there, and I laugh that you're like, it's multi-layered.
7:56
SPEAKER_01: And like, I think you're right in saying that people are going to buy products unless they're good.
8:00
SPEAKER_01: I think that's a given.
8:00
SPEAKER_01: I also think if you're putting a product out there, like of course they should be good.
8:04
SPEAKER_01: Like that should just be.
8:05
SPEAKER_01: They have to be, yeah.
8:06
SPEAKER_01: And if they're many, right, they have to, you know.
8:09
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's funny because we talk about impact and sustainability a lot.
8:11
SPEAKER_01: And people be like, you don't talk about the benefits enough.
8:13
SPEAKER_01: And I'm like, but what do you mean?
8:14
SPEAKER_01: Of course it's good.
8:15
SPEAKER_01: Why would we sell a product if it's correct?
8:17
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
8:18
SPEAKER_01: We laugh.
8:18
SPEAKER_01: Um, but yeah, so we use anhydrus, so without water ingredients that are mostly oil-based at the moment.
8:25
SPEAKER_01: And we've got a few other whipped um butters and plant extracts and things.
8:30
SPEAKER_01: But the hydration in your skin doesn't necessarily just come from water because our skin is also made up of our own natural oils.
8:36
SPEAKER_01: And oil loves oil, if you think, if you remember back in Newton chemistry.
8:41
SPEAKER_01: Um, so yeah, we infuse our wipes and our sheet masks and all our dissolvable products with eight or less ingredients that are all oil-based.
8:48
SPEAKER_01: So they're super soothing, nourishing, hydrating.
8:51
SPEAKER_01: And I guess using our wipes, and you probably felt it, and you can tell me what you think actually, it's a completely different experience because normal wake-up wipes, um, they're like mostly water and alcohol, and you kind of have to use three or four to get all your makeup off and they feel quite wet, watery.
9:07
SPEAKER_01: Whereas ours, because they're oil-based, they kind of work like an oil-based cleanser.
9:11
SPEAKER_01: So they legitimately take everything off, and you only need the one.
9:15
SPEAKER_01: And then you can kind of like rub in any excess residue to really remove your makeup.
9:19
SPEAKER_01: So you're getting like a proper cleanse, like a proper um deep exfoliating kind of thing as well, because our fabric's slightly textured.
9:28
SPEAKER_01: And so, yeah, it's definitely a different experience.
9:31
SPEAKER_01: That's what I would say using our wax.
9:33
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I love it.
9:34
SPEAKER_01: I think I would love it.
9:35
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and yeah, but I think so you've got, so you're providing a good product, but then on top of that, as you've mentioned as a priority, there's the sustainability aspect is quite critical.
9:45
SPEAKER_00: And I'm just surprised that nobody has really, I mean, you've really tapped into something that that I hope starts to infiltrate the rest of the beauty sector because it is so monolithic and it's so, you know, um, when I think about the, as you just said in the in the beginning, how many different products are damaging our planet and our environment that are used in the and look, think how many, like all the plastic, all the mascaras, everything.
10:13
SPEAKER_00: So do you think this is the beginning?
10:15
SPEAKER_00: And have you found have you found other like-minded souls along your journey?
10:20
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think everybody, it's it's on everybody's radar, like how they can reduce their environmental impact of a beauty product for sure.
10:27
SPEAKER_01: I think um every big conglomerate or beauty brand they've got it on their radar or they've got a 30-year plan to try and get to you know net zero, whatever it might be.
10:35
SPEAKER_01: Um, but I think as a startup that's rooted in impact and that we only lead with purpose-based decisions, it's probably easier for us to build a product from inception to make sure it actually is um legitimately good for the planet.
10:48
SPEAKER_01: But I also think having a supply chain background really helped.
10:51
SPEAKER_01: Whereas I'm not sure if you know this there, but like a lot of a lot of products or a lot of brands don't necessarily have the deep knowledge in their supply chain because they partner up with contract manufacturers because we need them, and so do we.
11:04
SPEAKER_01: We need them to make our products.
11:06
SPEAKER_01: But they hold kind of the keys to the kingdom of all the answers between where they source their ingredients from, where everything comes from, how it's delivered, what the waste footprint was.
11:14
SPEAKER_01: And so us being able to partner directly with ingredient suppliers and actually work from um ground up right through to when it gets to be manufactured in Melbourne, Australia, really helps us track and measure our exact impact, whether that be water, carbon, or waste.
11:30
SPEAKER_01: So I think, yeah, I think that's one part, but I also think everybody is caring and everybody is going to do a great job over the next five to 10 years to try and come up with innovative solutions.
11:40
SPEAKER_01: But if we can be at the forefront of that and try and help inspire others to think about things that they might not necessarily have thought about, whether that be coming up with a dissolvable fabric technology or reducing their water footprint, then amazing.
11:52
SPEAKER_01: Would love to help any other brand that would want to even ask questions or learn more or be part of it.
11:56
SPEAKER_01: I think that's really cool.
11:57
SPEAKER_00: And I like the collegiate approach because I think that you can really, as you say, the impact on the industry, that's why you're at the forefront.
12:04
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you're a little bit of a trailblazer.
12:06
SPEAKER_00: Um, you are.
12:09
SPEAKER_00: And also the way that you engage, like as you know, I met you recently somewhere where I just was like, this woman is leading a global revolution.
12:20
SPEAKER_00: Because don't go right.
12:25
SPEAKER_00: But you know, we talked about how you're launching the UK.
12:28
SPEAKER_00: Do you want to talk to me a bit about that?
12:29
SPEAKER_00: Obviously, you're never, which is very impressive because they don't take on a brand unless it's particularly, you know, it meets a lot of criteria.
12:36
SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah.
12:37
SPEAKER_00: And tell me a little bit about the UK because that's the beginning of your global stepping stone, I'm assuming that's your first.
12:43
SPEAKER_01: It is the first of many steps.
12:45
SPEAKER_01: That is what I would say.
12:47
SPEAKER_01: Um we're stoked.
12:48
SPEAKER_01: I mean, so we launched end of last year direct to consumer.
12:50
SPEAKER_01: So it would have been late November, basically December.
12:52
SPEAKER_01: So we haven't even been around for a year.
12:54
SPEAKER_01: It's been, you know, 10, 11 months.
12:56
SPEAKER_01: And so when we launched in Mecca in May as their first ever kind of startup, that was quite profound.
13:02
SPEAKER_01: We really saw it have a huge impact and resonated.
13:05
SPEAKER_01: And that kind of also helped put us on the global map because Mecca are quite a global business, even though they're here in Australia.
13:12
SPEAKER_01: And so I would met a founder of a beauty brand, um, sorry, a beauty business in the UK at the start of the year, called Cult Beauty.
13:19
SPEAKER_01: They're awesome, met the team.
13:20
SPEAKER_01: And I kind of fell in love with them because they partnered up with a company called Provenance.
13:26
SPEAKER_01: And I don't know if you've heard of them before.
13:27
SPEAKER_01: You might not know them.
13:28
SPEAKER_01: Most people have it.
13:29
SPEAKER_01: Um, and they are basically like a tech startup in the UK that validates sustainability claims.
13:34
SPEAKER_01: So that their whole thing is they're trying to link any sustainability claim a beauty brand makes with evidence so that they're factual and they're accurate and um efficacy, yeah, creates credibility, and customers can can shot with their values and feel quite confident and happy.
13:49
SPEAKER_01: So I was like, wow, how cool that a retailer's partnered up with them and they're really leading the forefront.
13:54
SPEAKER_01: I want to be part of that.
13:54
SPEAKER_01: It makes complete sense for our business.
13:56
SPEAKER_01: And so we launched with Cult Beauty last week.
14:00
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, about a week ago.
14:01
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I know.
14:02
SPEAKER_01: So exciting.
14:03
SPEAKER_01: Thrilled.
14:04
SPEAKER_01: Um, and we're launching with another five retailers from February onwards.
14:08
SPEAKER_01: Isn't that crazy?
14:10
SPEAKER_00: It is crazy, and you're not even barely a year in.
14:12
SPEAKER_00: So that shows, but I think it's because it resonates, as you say.
14:16
SPEAKER_00: I also think that you're, you know, and we talk about women in science, of which I'm a big fan, but I think that you have a very um deep understanding of what you're doing.
14:26
SPEAKER_00: It's not just, you know, you're not just espousing, you know, as you say, there's lots of people talking about the impact revolution, but I think that you have a depth, which I feel is a very good example, particularly for women wanting to do things, not just women, but I do think there's a big move, particularly in the beauty space, of women moving into that sector, and also showing that science can be used in really lateral ways.
14:50
SPEAKER_00: And that you're a really good example of that.
14:53
SPEAKER_00: What what do you think that science has given you as a base?
14:56
SPEAKER_00: Like, is it Yeah?
14:57
SPEAKER_01: No, I'm actually thrilled I did my science train.
14:59
SPEAKER_01: You know what's funny?
15:00
SPEAKER_01: At the time, there was a period in my career early on where I thought, why did I study science?
15:03
SPEAKER_01: I should have studied business.
15:05
SPEAKER_01: I'm now in operations and supply chain.
15:07
SPEAKER_01: Like, I can't believe I did that.
15:08
SPEAKER_01: But then obviously, silly me.
15:10
SPEAKER_01: Um, of course, it was great.
15:11
SPEAKER_01: I think science in university in general keeps keeps and teaches you critical thought and how to attack a solution and how to analyze things and how to think about solving for things.
15:21
SPEAKER_01: And I think that's what's really given me my foundation to try and map a product lifestyle or try to map our solution.
15:27
SPEAKER_01: But of course, obviously understanding ingredients and formulations definitely helps when formulating, because I obviously formulate my own products.
15:34
SPEAKER_01: So, you know, yeah, that does help.
15:36
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, but I think critical thought in general and problem solving.
15:40
SPEAKER_00: I think that's a very good point.
15:42
SPEAKER_00: And you need a lot of that.
15:43
SPEAKER_00: What are some of the challenges that you've faced along the journey?
15:47
SPEAKER_00: And uh, you know, because it's it's daunting.
15:50
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
15:51
SPEAKER_01: So I know we always we've only talked about the good stuff, which makes me laugh.
15:54
SPEAKER_01: When I when I talk about these things, I'm like, it all sounds great.
15:57
SPEAKER_01: I'm like, let me tell you, like I've done plenty wrong.
15:59
SPEAKER_01: I've had so many mistakes.
16:00
SPEAKER_01: It's been an absolute journey and it's been really tough.
16:03
SPEAKER_01: It's really hard to run a business.
16:04
SPEAKER_01: It's really hard as any founder, especially being young and a female, um, to do this.
16:10
SPEAKER_01: I think I worked on my business plan and formulations for probably two years before I'd even launched.
16:16
SPEAKER_01: And, you know, you go through the motions of people telling you you're too young, you're naive, you need a co-founder.
16:22
SPEAKER_01: Have you thought about partnering up with the male to do this?
16:25
SPEAKER_01: I don't know about beauty, I don't think people care about sustainability.
16:28
SPEAKER_01: I mean, constantly.
16:30
SPEAKER_01: And so for me, if I reflect on what's probably been the hardest thing for me, I think it's people around me telling me all the reasons why I either shouldn't do it, can't do it, or won't be good enough on my own to do it.
16:42
SPEAKER_01: And having enough confidence consistently to tell myself, no, it's okay.
16:47
SPEAKER_01: I've got a mission and I've got a dream and I'm gonna help make the solution, I'm gonna do it, and I am enough to do it.
16:53
SPEAKER_01: I think that's probably been the hardest thing for me.
16:55
SPEAKER_01: Because as you can imagine, you know, being um younger, it sometimes does weigh on you and you kind of have those days where you're like, what am I doing?
17:02
SPEAKER_01: Should I have kept my cushy job?
17:03
SPEAKER_01: I can't believe I took a pay cut to do the, you know, you go through those emotions.
17:07
SPEAKER_01: Um, but I also think it's incredibly lonely sometimes as a founder because no one cares as much as you, right?
17:14
SPEAKER_01: And I work seven days, morning nights, I'm obsessed, I go to bed thinking about my business, I wake up thinking about my business.
17:21
SPEAKER_01: And I can sometimes feel a little bit alone and isolated in that.
17:25
SPEAKER_01: And I think that can become quite tough.
17:27
SPEAKER_01: Um, but having the ability now, after I did a raise to be able to hire brilliant people has really helped because now I'm kind of sharing the load with people who really care about what we're doing and they're very much aligned with that vision.
17:40
SPEAKER_01: So I feel like that's helping me.
17:41
SPEAKER_01: But to say it was all easy, I'd be like.
17:45
SPEAKER_00: Well, I actually I think it's really comforting for other young entrepreneurs and and startups who are trying to get a foothold because I suppose that's really how anything good starts and develops.
17:58
SPEAKER_00: And the fact really, your tenacity, your determination, and your commitment, as you say, working, you know, working pretty hard on a very um it's your passion and and you've made something quite extraordinary.
18:10
SPEAKER_00: But also I noticed that you, you know, I can see that the team around you, some of whom I've met, yeah, also support you.
18:15
SPEAKER_00: And there's a wonderful energy that I see in well, certainly what I've seen so far, not everything, but I haven't seen all of it.
18:23
SPEAKER_00: But it I do think you can come see all of it if you want to, Jack.
18:27
SPEAKER_00: Oh, don't you worry.
18:28
SPEAKER_00: I'll be there.
18:28
SPEAKER_00: I know where you are, I'll be there.
18:30
SPEAKER_00: Um, but I think the energy is, you know, very effusive.
18:34
SPEAKER_00: There's a sense of even when it's a hard day, even when you're getting through the tough stuff, you seem to have a very positive lens that this is what you need to do for you, but also for others.
18:47
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, absolutely.
18:48
SPEAKER_01: I think I was taught that at a very young age, that like there's always an answer, you'll always find a way, and everything's always going to be okay, and you're better off thinking about how you're gonna fix it rather than dwelling on like anything negative or like why it's gone wrong.
19:00
SPEAKER_01: And so I think with my team, I think they're definitely my proudest achievement by far and my best milestone because no one can do anything on their own.
19:08
SPEAKER_01: No one can do anything great on their own.
19:09
SPEAKER_01: You need great people around you to help you do it.
19:11
SPEAKER_01: And so, especially my core three people have been life-changing for me.
19:16
SPEAKER_01: And not only are we an amazing team together, but we're now friends as well outside of um outside of the workplace, which is really special.
19:24
SPEAKER_01: And there's a really nice separation between the two, and we never kind of have conflict, which is quite unique and definitely unusual that um we can hang out outside of work and not talk about work.
19:34
SPEAKER_01: When we're at work, everyone's just aligned with the mission and the vision and everyone's excited, and there's that like palpable energy where it's like, we're gonna help make an impact, we're gonna like help people's skin, we're gonna help the planet.
19:44
SPEAKER_01: Like there's that excitement, which I think is really cool, but I think it's definitely important as a startup.
19:49
SPEAKER_01: Like if you're not waking up to be like, let's do this, yeah, it's gonna be a very, very hard slog.
19:55
SPEAKER_01: So lucky to have found people that share the same shares.
19:58
SPEAKER_00: And also, does that make you feel so you feel less isolated?
20:02
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, definitely.
20:03
SPEAKER_00: So you did a fundraise, I'm assuming.
20:05
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
20:05
SPEAKER_00: You got um, was that startup fundraise?
20:08
SPEAKER_01: Yes, I did.
20:08
SPEAKER_01: So I did a seed raise.
20:10
SPEAKER_01: So I originally launched just me, and then I did a small pre-seed raise with the investment company that I'd worked at for years.
20:17
SPEAKER_01: They came in, which was really cool.
20:18
SPEAKER_01: And then I did a proper raise where I was like, hang on, I need to quit my job because I'm working a full-time job, and then on nights and mornings I'm trying to do this.
20:25
SPEAKER_01: And once I got the tick from Mecca, I was like, How am I gonna run a whole business?
20:30
SPEAKER_01: And plus have this like full-time job, which with, by the way, I had immense pressures with that.
20:34
SPEAKER_01: It's quite senior.
20:36
SPEAKER_01: And so I it was like, I need great people to invest, and I don't just want money, I want people that understand what we're trying to do and that will lead purpose because you can probably understand when you start to raise capital, there's a lot that goes with it, right?
20:49
SPEAKER_01: You've got tough pressures, immense responsibility, and there's accountability.
20:54
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, there's not one day I don't think about that.
20:56
SPEAKER_01: Like, holy moly, people have put their money on the line for me to achieve this.
21:01
SPEAKER_01: And so I was like, I really, really want impact funds.
21:05
SPEAKER_01: And at the time somebody said to me, There's no way you're gonna get an impact fund, they only do tech, like beauty, as if.
21:11
SPEAKER_01: Um, and I was like, Are you kidding?
21:12
SPEAKER_01: What we're doing is different.
21:14
SPEAKER_01: And so I was lucky enough to meet two, and they both came on board.
21:18
SPEAKER_01: Um, and we are the first ever beauty brand globally to have impact funding.
21:22
SPEAKER_01: Then we also got a um another investor from a government fund that only supports women in life science and technology.
21:30
SPEAKER_01: So women in STEM, very cool.
21:32
SPEAKER_01: And they came in.
21:33
SPEAKER_01: Very cool.
21:34
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and then the investment company that I worked at, and they're amazing.
21:37
SPEAKER_01: They're kind of like family now.
21:38
SPEAKER_01: Um, they're called ERA Ventures.
21:40
SPEAKER_01: They went again.
21:41
SPEAKER_01: And then I have another special investor, um, Rachel, who is a ex, she's ex Afterpay.
21:47
SPEAKER_01: She's been CEO of T2.
21:49
SPEAKER_01: She's just a seasoned pro gun retail extraordinaire, super smart, super hustly.
21:54
SPEAKER_01: And I feel like we just clicked immediately.
21:56
SPEAKER_01: And when she left Afterpay, she was able to invest.
21:58
SPEAKER_01: So that was really cool.
22:00
SPEAKER_00: Well, that is a pretty nice mix.
22:02
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we've got a really good mix.
22:04
SPEAKER_00: But also I note in that discussion, you talk about yes, there's the financial injection, but I love the notion that the mentoring is absolutely fundamental and that you look to people, like whether it's like Rachel or whoever, to come on board in a mentor role and to help guide you.
22:20
SPEAKER_00: Talking about that, um, you did some early, am I correct in this?
22:23
SPEAKER_00: You did some early work with the Elle McPherson brand.
22:26
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, way back.
22:27
SPEAKER_00: Can you talk to me about that?
22:28
SPEAKER_00: Because we're talking about, you know, a global wellness guru.
22:32
SPEAKER_00: Beautiful woman.
22:33
SPEAKER_01: That is that is Elle.
22:34
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, no, I think mentorship is everything.
22:36
SPEAKER_01: I mean, just before I get into how my relationship with Elle and um how she plays a role in conserving beauty, but I think I wouldn't be where I am without the people that have spent hours and hours teaching me and giving me advice and helping me.
22:48
SPEAKER_01: Like, you know, we when even with the award and things like that, I'm like, actually, it means so much to the people that have invested so much time in helping me get here.
22:57
SPEAKER_01: Um, and I feel like I've been lucky throughout my career to have had so many strong women in particular.
23:02
SPEAKER_01: So Elle McPherson, I worked with for many years.
23:05
SPEAKER_01: I was kind of her right hand at Welco.
23:08
SPEAKER_01: We invested in Welco.
23:09
SPEAKER_01: And so, as in the fund I worked at, yes, and so I did lots of projects for Welco, and we had some um really uh, really huge projects together.
23:19
SPEAKER_01: I spent a lot of time with her.
23:20
SPEAKER_01: And so when I was studying my own business, I kept thinking, I want to bring these strong women on the journey with me who have helped me for years.
23:28
SPEAKER_01: And how do I, how do I incorporate them into conserving beauty?
23:31
SPEAKER_01: And so I decided to set up an independent board of directors.
23:34
SPEAKER_01: So my investors aren't necessarily on my board.
23:37
SPEAKER_01: I've got um an independent board of all females.
23:39
SPEAKER_01: There's four of them at the moment.
23:40
SPEAKER_01: We're working on fifth, but there's four of them at the moment.
23:43
SPEAKER_01: And I asked Elle to be on my board.
23:45
SPEAKER_01: Um, thinking probably that she would say no at the time, just because she's so busy and she's got her own businesses and she's crazy successful.
23:53
SPEAKER_01: Um, but she said yes, which is anyway.
23:56
SPEAKER_01: So her mentorship's kind of transformed to being on the board of conserving beauty.
23:59
SPEAKER_01: And I don't think we've necessarily gone out there and told that big story yet.
24:02
SPEAKER_00: But um But that's a pretty new dev.
24:06
SPEAKER_00: I feel like I've got some major hot news from you today.
24:09
SPEAKER_00: I just want to say, like little did I know, you know, but no, I do I think that is a really good example, though.
24:15
SPEAKER_00: Also, women empowering other women.
24:18
SPEAKER_00: I love that cross-generational aspect.
24:20
SPEAKER_00: She's not gonna come on your board unless she and what has she taught you?
24:23
SPEAKER_00: What have you learned from that?
24:24
SPEAKER_01: She's amazing.
24:25
SPEAKER_01: Do you know what?
24:26
SPEAKER_01: Elle is a true pioneer.
24:28
SPEAKER_01: I think, and like that's what we're trying to do.
24:30
SPEAKER_01: She was the first iconic real supermodel to license her likeness and business and create businesses out of it.
24:38
SPEAKER_01: And now that's the norm.
24:39
SPEAKER_01: You see all these influencers every week doing collabs and sponsorships and everything.
24:43
SPEAKER_01: But I'm like, Elle was a true pioneer.
24:44
SPEAKER_01: She was one of the first to do that.
24:45
SPEAKER_01: Like, yeah, she trademarked the body, everyone called her the body, and she still, you know, had so much from that.
24:51
SPEAKER_01: And being in board meetings with her at Welcome and listening because I took minutes and things sometimes.
24:56
SPEAKER_01: Um, I was just like, she really gets it and she thinks about things completely differently to everybody else.
25:02
SPEAKER_01: And she always comes at it to challenge the status quo.
25:05
SPEAKER_01: So basically, say everybody's like, the sky is blue.
25:07
SPEAKER_01: Elle will be like, Bet is it?
25:09
SPEAKER_01: How do we know that?
25:09
SPEAKER_01: What have we done?
25:10
SPEAKER_01: Where's the clouds?
25:11
SPEAKER_01: Like, well, that's just a lame example.
25:12
SPEAKER_01: But do you know what I mean?
25:13
SPEAKER_01: She'll never just take something for face value and accept it.
25:16
SPEAKER_01: And she really tries to push boundaries to work out how and why things can be better.
25:20
SPEAKER_01: And I feel like that's the best thing that she's taught me for sure.
25:23
SPEAKER_01: And so I'm really lucky to have her guidance and her vision.
25:26
SPEAKER_01: Plus, she's got a great style and great eyes.
25:28
SPEAKER_01: So she'll be like, yeah, I got this.
25:30
SPEAKER_01: This looks crazy, but then um, which is funny, but she's awesome.
25:33
SPEAKER_00: But but also I love that also, you know, the notion that beauty and science and business were were never, as you said, you know, initially people were quite sort of skeptical.
25:45
SPEAKER_00: But you're right, she's a perfect example of she was a model, she was she's beautiful, but and and she believes in the beauty world, but it doesn't, it's not separate from a business brain or an entrepreneurial journey.
25:58
SPEAKER_00: And that that sort of simple separation that people think, you know, that sort of idea of, oh, well, you're model, so you don't really have a no, she's extremely intelligent.
26:08
SPEAKER_00: She's built this extraordinary business and extraordinary business.
26:11
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, Wellpose, huge, yeah.
26:14
SPEAKER_01: Well cooked, she's had lingerie businesses, so many successful businesses.
26:17
SPEAKER_01: She's extremely smart and she's a visionary.
26:20
SPEAKER_01: So I think, yeah.
26:21
SPEAKER_00: Like you.
26:22
SPEAKER_01: Well, you know, instead of even if I could be part of that, I'd be, you know, I'd be well.
26:26
SPEAKER_00: You're very blessed though, because I think you're attracting people for a reason.
26:30
SPEAKER_00: And I think that people believe in you for a reason.
26:32
SPEAKER_00: And I also think that I'm hoping that there'll be other young entrepreneurs in this space.
26:39
SPEAKER_00: What do you think?
26:40
SPEAKER_00: Do you think that the sort of energy that you're talking about, the change towards eco-friendly beauty products, is here to stay?
26:47
SPEAKER_00: And do you think it's you're confident that it's not?
26:49
SPEAKER_01: Definitely.
26:50
SPEAKER_01: I'm extremely confident.
26:51
SPEAKER_01: I think everybody at their core will fundamentally care for the planet.
26:54
SPEAKER_01: How can you not?
26:55
SPEAKER_01: It's where we live, it's our home.
26:56
SPEAKER_01: Like how of course everybody cares.
26:58
SPEAKER_01: I think where we need to change and where we need to move is um businesses in particular need to come on board with thinking about innovative ways to help create products that actually do have a measurable impact, but not just say that in a fluffy kind of um greenwashing claim, if you will, like let's get measurements, let's track changes, let's get actual numbers around anything that we're saying and let's get validation around credibility.
27:21
SPEAKER_01: And I think every business will look to do that in the next five to 10 years.
27:25
SPEAKER_01: But I also believe that the next younger generation are incredibly inspired.
27:30
SPEAKER_01: I think they really understand that sustainability matters.
27:34
SPEAKER_01: And I think we're going to see a huge wave of new businesses and young entrepreneurs think about innovative ways to help solve problems that could be quite simple.
27:43
SPEAKER_01: So I'm actually excited to see kind of like the next wave of entrepreneurs.
27:47
SPEAKER_01: Like I look at my 17-year-old sister and her friends, and the way that they act and they think about things was completely different to when I was 17.
27:54
SPEAKER_01: Like, you know, even in 10 years, it's come such a long way.
27:57
SPEAKER_01: So I feel like there's definitely hope for hope for the planet.
28:01
SPEAKER_00: And also, do you feel like, you know, you talk about the next gen, but also do you feel like in some ways that the investors, which are ultimately important and the startup, you know, the impact investors, are definitely on board and are definitely resonating.
28:15
SPEAKER_00: And that's going to that's already filtering in in many areas.
28:18
SPEAKER_00: But beauty is a quite an interesting one.
28:22
SPEAKER_00: And I suppose it's going to take time, but the most simple thing, like replacing a lot of those products with plastic, you know, instead of plastic, having some alternative to all of those millions of lipsticks or whatever it is.
28:35
SPEAKER_00: What do you see as the biggest offender?
28:38
SPEAKER_00: And what do you see as the next big frontier, if you like?
28:41
SPEAKER_00: I mean, the wipes is a, you know, and I know you're doing a few products, but the wipes is particularly um innovative.
28:47
SPEAKER_00: What do you see as next?
28:48
SPEAKER_01: I think, and I love that you said the beauty and shade is a bit different.
28:51
SPEAKER_01: I think any any consumer good, anything that we use that's tangible um needs to have a solution.
28:55
SPEAKER_01: I think beauty products in particular, right?
28:57
SPEAKER_01: Like if you really think about it, like why are we using beauty products?
29:00
SPEAKER_01: Because we want to help conserve our own natural beauty.
29:02
SPEAKER_01: We want to feel like we're empowered and we want to feel our best, but then we don't necessarily think about that beauty impact to the planet.
29:09
SPEAKER_01: And so I think what's next, I really believe that people are gonna look outside of packaging and go deeper within the supply chain to look at other ways to help reduce our environmental footprint.
29:20
SPEAKER_01: And I think carbon will probably be the next big topic.
29:22
SPEAKER_01: I think a lot of businesses are gonna start to go carbon positive and really start to measure their carbon footprint.
29:26
SPEAKER_01: But I also think that water is on the rise.
29:29
SPEAKER_01: I think we're living in a global water crisis.
29:31
SPEAKER_01: We've only got 1.5% of water resources to use sustainably.
29:35
SPEAKER_01: And we talk about that in other industries.
29:37
SPEAKER_01: We talk about that in the fashion industry and textiles or agriculture and food, but we haven't talked about that in beauty.
29:44
SPEAKER_01: And I really believe, and not just because we're obviously um trying to help conserve water, but I really believe that businesses are gonna look to waterless beauty innovation or at least for a reduction in their water footprint or try and get water savings because ultimately it is our most precious finite resource.
30:00
SPEAKER_01: We can't do anything without it.
30:02
SPEAKER_01: We need it.
30:03
SPEAKER_01: So why would we not look at ways to reduce it?
30:06
SPEAKER_01: Um and I really believe that things are gonna, things are gonna change.
30:09
SPEAKER_01: There's some other cool brands out there I've seen with some other formats, whether that's like a shampoo bar or you know, a powder and et cetera.
30:17
SPEAKER_01: And I think some other great innovators are coming up with cool ideas.
30:20
SPEAKER_01: And so I think there will be plenty more.
30:23
SPEAKER_01: There will be plenty more.
30:24
SPEAKER_01: I think we'll laugh when we look back on a time where everybody thought that sustainability meant recycling.
30:29
SPEAKER_01: But we'll be like, oh God, recycling, please.
30:32
SPEAKER_01: That's just that's just the start of it.
30:33
SPEAKER_00: That's in other words, so what you're saying is so you know the concept where you take your lipstick back in and they, you know, the recycling lipstick.
30:44
SPEAKER_00: So so that was another innovation.
30:46
SPEAKER_00: What do you see as the next, I suppose, frontier in terms of product in the beauty industry?
30:52
SPEAKER_00: Is it you know, compacts?
30:54
SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
30:54
SPEAKER_00: Is it um the way with perfume bottles?
30:56
SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
30:57
SPEAKER_00: Like I know obviously there's a lot of glass now, and there always has been in perfume bottles.
31:01
SPEAKER_00: Yes, but oh, like an actual like packaging material.
31:04
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, like what what you know, the water was brilliant.
31:07
SPEAKER_00: You've identified something brilliant with the wipes.
31:09
SPEAKER_00: Is there something that you see as a particularly without revealing?
31:13
SPEAKER_00: Obviously, anything you don't want to.
31:14
SPEAKER_01: No, totally.
31:15
SPEAKER_01: I think I also see because like obviously we look at um waste a lot, and you know, we've got a compostable sachet and we've got post-consumer recycled boxes, et cetera.
31:23
SPEAKER_01: So I'm always looking at other materials that people are coming up with, so whether they're biomaterials or bioplastics, et cetera.
31:29
SPEAKER_01: I think, and I've seen a few people do it, people are trying to transform algae into paper to then use it because it has a lower, a lower um carbon footprint than say just like an actual paper from tree.
31:41
SPEAKER_01: I've seen people try and use um algae to make it into plastics, which is actually working.
31:46
SPEAKER_01: There's a startup in Australia that's doing that, which looks really cool.
31:49
SPEAKER_01: And we're hoping to maybe do a bit of a trial with them on a lid.
31:52
SPEAKER_01: Um, I've also seen people use like potato starch to try and then create tubes.
31:56
SPEAKER_01: So I I think um I think there are some brilliant companies and some innovations out there.
32:01
SPEAKER_01: It's just we're waiting for them, I guess you could say.
32:03
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
32:04
SPEAKER_00: We're on the case, we're on the cast.
32:06
SPEAKER_01: We're rooting for them.
32:08
SPEAKER_01: But yeah, it's exciting.
32:09
SPEAKER_00: It's very exciting.
32:10
SPEAKER_00: And thank you so much for joining us on the What I've Learned podcast.
32:13
SPEAKER_00: I love talking to you.
32:14
SPEAKER_00: I I find your energy very addictive, and I think also you have a very serious mission, but you also have a great way of explaining and making a lot of I suppose the science and the process accessible for people.
32:28
SPEAKER_00: So, everyone go out and buy your conserving beauty wipes because they're just like amazing.
32:32
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, please try them.
32:33
SPEAKER_00: Please try them.
32:34
SPEAKER_00: I love them.
32:35
SPEAKER_00: Like I'm never going back.
32:37
SPEAKER_01: Deb, I'm so grateful.
32:38
SPEAKER_01: Okay, send me your address, I'm gonna send you some more.
32:40
SPEAKER_00: Yay! Wow, that's so cool.
32:43
SPEAKER_00: Um, but congratulations once again on your award, and I have a feeling we're gonna see a lot more of you.
32:49
SPEAKER_00: So you go, girl.
32:50
SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Deb.
32:51
SPEAKER_00: I'm so grateful for your time.
32:52
SPEAKER_01: Thanks for having a chat with me.
32:54
SPEAKER_01: Pleasure.
32:59
SPEAKER_00: Thanks so much for listening.
33:01
SPEAKER_00: The What I've Learned podcast will now be coming to you weekly with new episodes released every Tuesday.
33:07
SPEAKER_00: I'm blessed to have so many wonderful guests coming on the show.
33:10
SPEAKER_00: So check out my What I've Learned Instagram for updates.
33:14
SPEAKER_00: Meanwhile, stay tuned, be kind, and curious.
33:17
SPEAKER_00: Loved it.