What’s your favorite podcast?

Green Beauty Conversations by Formula Botanica

Do you prefer to have a coffee in the morning or some tea?

Tea. I overdid it on coffee in college so I’m good with tea.

How would you describe your personal style?

French capsule. Classic. I love timeless quality pieces, cashmere, Japanese denim etc. I love gold jewelry. I love everything I own, I wear it again and again.

How would you describe yourself? At work, at home?

I’m pretty much the same at work and at home. I’m a straight shooter, what you see is what you get. An outgoing introvert. I like to think I’m kind and generous. I’m ambitious and love making progress so I’m continuously working on all areas of my life.

How did you get where you are?

Honestly, I believe everything I’ve done in the past has lead me to where I am today. From working in different industries to following my interests. I have always loved skincare and worked in the industry for years before venturing out on my own. Long story short, I paid my dues and invested in my vision.

Did you always want to start your own business?

Absolutely. I’ve been in management roles since my early 20’s. I love the creative freedom of owning my own business and the accountability. To know that the health of my business is a reflection of me is both stressful and exhilarating. Plus I don’t like being told what to do. Even on days when things don’t go quite as planned, I go to sleep happy knowing that all of my efforts are going towards building a business for my family.

Did you grow up surrounded by entrepreneurs or those who had an impact on you that led you to start your own business?

My dad started a business when I was eleven. He had a day job and at night he worked on his business. I was his first “employee” and handed out flyers with him after dinner every night. I loved being with him and helping in any way I could. I saw how much time and dedication he put into the business. The cards were stacked against him but he just kept going. These days we see entrepreneurs/businesses on social media and assume they were an overnight success and think we should be hitting their goals or volume. I’m glad I saw first hand just how long it took for my dad’s business to start making a profit not to mention the years of hard work with no guarantees.

Like my dad, I’ve always had ambition whether it was learning a new skill or taking risks. Although we are in totally different industries (he’s in finance and I’m in beauty) we root for each other and understand the discipline it takes to succeed. So yes, I would say my dad’s determination and discipline rubbed off on me.

What initially sparked the idea or what inspired you to start Mica Organics?

I was working in the beauty department of a major retailer in my 20’s when I learned about the ingredients that went into skincare and makeup. I trained with big international beauty companies. I started researching these “beauty” ingredients and discovered that most were toxic. I was in disbelief that the products I loved so much were toxic and cancer causing. I started learning about making herbal medicine in my personal time which led to making salves, tinctures and herbal tea blends. I loved infusing herbs in oils and experimenting with DIY recipes. After making my first lip balm I was hooked.

Fast forward a few years and I was a new stay at home mom. I needed to do something for myself and making organic skincare brought me joy. Around the time there were a few indie beauty brands who started to emerge and I knew small scale artisan made products were starting to get attention and people were tired of the same old mass produced products. The term “clean beauty” was on the rise and consumers were becoming aware of toxic ingredients. I wanted to create organic skincare that was truly nourishing for the skin and partner with small organic farmers for the ingredients.

What's the one piece of advice you would give your younger you starting out?

First off, I would give myself a high five for starting. I’d tell my younger self to start small, like really small. Read the book Profit First. I don’t have to do everything all at once. Slow and steady progress (something I’m doing today) because endurance is the name of the game. Be patient, learn as much as you can, your time will come.

What does Women’s History Month mean to you?

I’ve always been a girl’s girl. Meaning I root for other women. I believe in sisterhood. One woman’s success is another woman’s inspiration. I think about all the women who came before us, including our ancestors who were brave enough to stand up for what they believed in and paved the way for us to be here today. It’s great we have an entire month dedicated to amazing women. I think it’s important to study and learn from women all year round.

The pandemic had a drastic effect on many small businesses. How did you keep your vision and hustle alive?

Before the pandemic, I saw many businesses starting to invest in their online presence. Then once the pandemic hit, almost every business shifted gears to online. Luckily my business was mostly online from the beginning so I kept working on building our presence and customer base. I used the “down” time to network and connect with our customers. You know in the movies, when they show prisoners in jail and some prisoners are bored banging on the rails and then there’s the one prisoner who’s doing pull-ups and getting ripped. I wanted that to be me, I knew they’d eventually let us out and when they did, I wanted to be stronger than ever, personally and professionally.

In business and life, we all experience roadblocks. Tell us about some of the roadblocks you’ve experienced along the way and what were some solutions that helped you overcome them?

Some of our products contain organic CBD. Educating the customer about the difference between THC (the molecule that gets you “high”) in hemp versus our CBD which doesn’t contain THC was a bit of a challenge. Some people just assume when you say CBD, it’s the stuff that gets you high. We’re not in that business. CBD works by stimulating our own endocannabinoid system which is responsible for regulating stress, hormones and mood. It’s a powerful antioxidant and treats all kinds of skin issues. That’s why it’s great in skincare. I’d say it’s more of an opportunity to educate and connect with our customer than a real challenge because whenever we can have an honest dialog with our customers, it’s a win for us.

How can women-owned businesses differentiate themselves in the marketplace?

Whether you’re a woman or not, I think knowing who your customer is, communicating the value of your service or product is important. Showing your face and showing up for your customers is key.

For women entrepreneurs, what specific advice would you have for young or any age women who would like to become an entrepreneur?

I think you gotta lead with gut and intuition. For quite some time the business scene has been male dominated and they frown upon words like “gut feeling” or “intuition.” Typically in business, everything is calculated, hyper analyzed, planned and methodically executed. I believe women have this sixth sense especially mothers (maybe I’m biased because I’m a mom) and when something doesn’t feel right, it’s not. When the odds are not in your favor but you know in your gut to take the risk, do it.

Are there specific advantages, disadvantages to being a woman business owner?

In the industry I’m in, most if not all of the major beauty brands are owned by men. So it’s about time that women make beauty products for women. Being a woman is the advantage.

What has your experience been as a female founder in the small business world?

Most indie beauty brands are woman founded so I’m happy to be in an industry where being a woman is celebrated. It’s been nice connecting with other WOC entrepreneurs as well.

Do you face additional challenges as a female entrepreneur?

Well, I’m an entrepreneur and a mom. Working moms often have “mom guilt” where we feel bad about the amount of time we are spending at work and feeling like we are not spending enough time with our children. It took me a while to let go of the “mom guilt.” I don’t come from a line of women entrepreneurs so I’m first generation in that sense. I love what I do and dedicating my time and energy to my business has brought me an immense amount of joy. I’m obsessed, I think about my business day and night. At the same time, I love being with my son and I’m glad he can see me doing what I love. I’m modeling for him what a female entrepreneur goes through and that’s something I’m proud of.

What has your business meant for you and your family?

Building our own wealth, on our own terms. Learning with each other and supporting one another. It’s a lifestyle, an art we dedicate ourselves to each and every day.

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