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Girl Bosses of Great Britain

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British #Girlboss Laura Lansley talks all things fitness and wellbeing with House of Coco. If you’re reading this and haven’t started your fitness journey yet, she gives you the low down on how to get started, because as Laura says, everyone had to start at the beginning at some point.

House of Coco: What inspired the creation of your fitness businesses Ballet Beats and the Strong & Happy Plan?Laura: I danced from the age of three until I was eighteen, dancing was and still is my passion. After college I went off to work in London, all the while training religiously at the gym. After having my daughter at thirty I decided to train as a PT. After I had my son in 2011, I left my job in London and started in the fitness industry, it felt so right working in a career that I loved.

Having been a PT, bootcamp and HIIT coach for a few years I knew that I wanted to bring an element of dance back into a fitness class. I wanted a class that everyone could take part in, feel the benefits of ballet inspired moves and with no dance experience required and so after a few brainstorming sessions with good friends Ballet Beats was born. The Strong & Happy Plan was created out of my own struggles with food and how I felt about myself. In my late teens I developed an eating disorder and consistently struggled with body image. At the time, like so many people, I chose to see what I saw in the mirror as negative (something that only later we begin to recognise as Body Dysmorphia).

Looking back, everything I did was about control, every other aspect of my life felt so chaotic, whereas the one thing I could control was my food intake. In the end, after seeking help I managed to change what I saw and in part came to the realisation that I am not alone – and that what I had learned I could put to use helping others.

The other source of inspiration was my frustration with the fitness and lifestyle industry’s approach to guiding people to make lasting change. Ignoring for a moment the sheer level of noise out there (the ever present whirlwind of superfoods, quick fixes and fads).

We all have shelves of books showing us how to exercise and cook the right meals (which of course I provide too !) but what the industry consistently underestimates is just how important it is to be tuned into your emotional state and the enormous impact this can have on the success rate of people trying to make a lasting change.

There are many pieces to this of course, but helping people to learn to recognise what happens to their thinking when they are stressed or tired or in pain (or all of the above) is critical to helping them realise when they need to employ a specific tactic to help them through. Sometimes this can simply be reaching out (certainly in the case of my plan) to me and/or a group of like minded people suffering similar challenges – often at the same time.

HoC: Who is the Strong & Happy Plan for and what can participants achieve?
Laura: My approach is really for anybody who wants to make a lasting change. My focus however has been on women who maybe have struggled to lose weight on their own, but feel they haven’t succeeded, just do not know where to begin or simply feel lost in their own fitness and weightloss journeys. In a different context, I also work with athletes who may benefit from small changes to how they fuel their bodies for upcoming sporting events. For example, I have recently trained a lady who took part in the London Marathon and helped her to smash through her PB.

To give people an idea of the type of results you can see, I consistently see clients who are losing 2-3lbs per week and see equivalent results in terms of inches. Whilst the body comp metrics are of course a focal point, this isn’t just about fat loss, but about starting with something and sticking with it.

The best thing people tell me they get (which also happens to the be the thing I love about it the most) is the sense of accomplishment and pride that people feel as they continue to achieve what they set out to. I don’t think there is a more powerful feeling than that and it is something that ends up radiating into the rest of your life.

Hoc: What impact do you think dance and fitness has on someone’s well being?
Laura: A huge impact both physically and mentally. I know that if I am feeling rubbish, getting outside or into the gym or studio will completely reset my mind and my emotions. I firmly believe that your mind follows your body – the idea that you can always think your way out of an emotional state is not my experience. Any exercise can have this affect, but dance for me is another level entirely – this as it combines movement, music and emotional focus into one activity. I have also recently returned to dance classes for myself and I cannot tell you how it has made me feel.

“For me movement is life.”

HoC: You believe in a holistic approach to fitness, what can our readers start doing today to start feeling better?
Laura: My advice would be to begin a daily routine that’s going to make you feel good, these pointers are a great way to start:

1. Wake up an hour earlier than you did yesterday, but don’t touch your phone for that first hour. You can exercise, or read or have breakfast – it doesn’t matter. If you own the start you will own the rest. If you are going to read, read something that inspires you – not the front page of the daily mail. (I love reading the ‘I Am A Badass’ series of books by Jen Sincero always makes me feel positive)

2. Get into your body – book a yoga class, start pilates, barre or simply start meditation. The benefits of these are endless.

3. Get into a habit of drinking 2-3 litres of water per day – the benefits are huge for your skin, hair, vital for the function of your internal organs, concentration and energy levels.

4. Work on getting your first meal of the day right, making sure it is protein based.

5. Make time for yourself and schedule exercise into your diary like you would an important meeting.

6. SLEEP. You body needs it. Repair, reset, recharge. This is the one. Be in bed, asleep by 10pm. No phones, no TV – no compromise.

7. Be grateful. The more you practice gratitude the more you appreciate what you have in life. This doesn’t mean you have to settle, but it removes the fear of not being enough or not having enough. This is liberating. I like to write in my gratitude diary every evening when I get into bed – gratitude diaries have been known to help depression, make you happier and can improve quality of sleep.

HoC: What do you think are some of the challenges of running a fitness business in 2019?
Laura: Running a small fitness business is tough these days as there are so many fitness professionals out there on social media all competing to win followers and members and they all have conflicting beliefs and messages. I try to stay true to who I am rather than trying to compete with anyone else. I know my plan gets results for all my clients and I just keep working hard to help them achieve their goals.

The biggest challenge I face with my barre classes is that I am up against big box gyms, class numbers are challenging sometimes, but I refuse to give up as I know nothing compares to the sense of community small fitness classes bring. It helps people feel like they belong and this is so important. You have to stay real and this will eventually attract your tribe.

HoC: What would you say to our readers who are at the beginning of their fitness journey and might feel intimidated by joining a plan such as Strong & Happy?
Laura: Remember that everyone has started from the beginning at some point, a few weeks into your new regime, you will thank yourself that you took a leap of faith. Try to imagine how you will feel when you are stronger, happier and more energised.

HoC: What piece of advice would you give to our readers who want to set up their own business?

Laura: Having your own business is extremely tough but so incredibly rewarding. I would say do your research thoroughly on your chosen industry and don’t be afraid to ask for help, when you start a business on your own, you are the admin, marketing, customer services, tech and planning departments and so much more, but it is the best thing you will ever do. “Celebrate those small wins as it is ALL about the journey” Don’t worry what other people think, if you are passionate enough about your business you will succeed – learn to be brave and fearless.

HoC: What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given in setting up your business?
Laura: Don’t be afraid to fail. One quote I liked was from Theodore Roosevelt, “It is hard to fail, but it is worse to never to have tried to succeed”.

The other great piece of advice I have been given is always deliver more than is expected. You always remember someone who goes the extra mile for you.

The Strong & Happy Plan

When new mum Natasha Bray hit rock bottom she wasn’t sure that she could ever build herself back up, but that’s exactly what she did with gusto, pride and an abundance of inner strength, and as a result #TeamCoco’s Rachel McAlley has been lucky to interview this strong business woman to find out more about her background and what Natasha Bray, Rapid Transformation Coach is truly all about.

One of the business straplines for Natasha Bray is; ‘Helping Women Unlock Their Success’ which is something we feel strongly about at House of Coco Magazine, and another of Natasha Bray’s straplines is; ‘Self Belief + Self Love + Self Worth = Next Level Success, and we simply love this motto for life.

Q. You had a successful career in the world of social work, at what point did you realise that this wasn’t the career path for you?

A. I actually began my first business whilst on my social work masters, and I felt torn between both when graduating. I applied for my dream social work job in a specialist intervention role and felt if I got it great, if not I would go full time into my business. I got the job and then had the task of running both alongside each other for a year when I found out I was unexpectedly pregnant after previously having fertility issues. It was after having my son and becoming a single mum, the enormity of life as a parent hit me. I realised I wouldn’t be able to run a business, have a full time social work career and be the mum I so I handed in my notice and took the leap to full time entrepreneur. I call it my ‘it’s now or never moment’. I haven’t left social work behind entirely though, I merge a lot of my skills and social work theory into my work in my business, utilising a holistic approach to success.

Q. When you started Natasha Bray, Rapid Transformation Coach was your initial aim to work solely with women, or did this just happen organically?

A. This just happened organically. I previously had a health business where 80% of my clients were women and I attracted more female clients. I believe sometimes your ‘niche’ finds you so in order to improve my marketing I decided to shift to working exclusively with women. I do believe there are gender differences in how women and men approach business and the challenges they face.

Q. As mentioned previously, one of your business straplines is; ‘Helping Women Unlock Their Success’, where do you start with this, as it can’t be an easy process?

A. It all comes down to mindset and relationships. Our relationship with ourselves is the most important relationship we will ever work on, it impacts every area of our lives,relationships with others, relationship with money, relationship with food, the level of success we feel we can have or deserve….everything. By improving our relationship with ourselves we can unlock more success in our lives. This is where the mindset work comes in: by changing negative beliefs, overcoming fears and breaking bad habit patterns I can impact success really quickly. I focus on helping women achieve 3 key aspects of self that are essential for success- Self love (the belief I am enough), self worth (the belief I am worthy) and self belief (the belief I can do this). The way I change these things is by healing past emotional traumas through a mix of integrated therapies, coaching and practical tools, providing a secure base for my client to go through the transformational process. This impacts on their personal life and business success.

Q. Do you use RTT (Rapid Transformational Therapy) with all your clients, and can you tell us a little more about what this is and how it can potentially help an individual unlock their success?

A. I do use it with all my clients yes. It is a revolutionary new super therapy developed by Marisa Peer, a renowned therapist with over 30 years experience. However I integrate this therapy with my own techniques I have developed from studying and working in psychology and behaviour change over the last 13 years. RTT mixes concepts from CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) Therapy and other therapies into one powerful session, it works by finding the root cause of the issue and changing the meaning associated to the root cause in order to free the person from the effect the event has had on them.

Q. Being a coach isn’t something that everyone can do – you need to have certain qualifications, plus an understanding of psychology and behaviours, and a great deal of patience, did you have these before embarking on becoming a coach?

A. I studied psychology for 8 years in total, all the way from a-level up to masters level and worked in many roles where I was coaching people to make huge changes to their lives and achieve their full potential. I work very much in a way that the client has all the answers within them just needing to be unlocked. In my previous career I was trained in various change psychology tools and interventions that I used on a daily basis in practice. My social work career was as a specialist rapid intervention worker so coaching was just second nature to me. I have a nutrition coaching qualification and I also trained with Marisa Peer herself in her RTT method. My current role actually involves a mix of coaching, therapy and mentoring but I felt coach was the best label for me and one that my client base resonate with.

Q. Tell us what being a Rapid Transformation Coach means to you?

A. Being a Rapid Transformation Coach means the world to me. Being a single parent and having gone through my own difficult childhood experiences that left me lacking in self worth, self love and self belief I know firsthand the huge benefit this deep transformational work can have on the lives of the women I work with. I have now helped hundreds of women achieve more success in their lives and businesses too and there is nothing more rewarding. It’s not just about impacting the women I work with, it’s about the positive ripple effect that then has on their children and their clients too. It’s not a job to me, it really is a passion. I get to spend every day doing what I love and making a difference, something I am very grateful for.

Q. You have been running your successful business for 2 years, did anyone offer you a core piece of advice before launching, something that you remember to this day, and that you still advocate?

A. I didn’t really have any advice before launching as I was on the journey alone most of the time. However if there was something I could go back and tell myself it would be…..be your true self. Let go of perfectionism, love yourself enough to be yourself. Having been in business a total of 5 years now, I used to hide the quirky parts of me and think I needed to appear perfect on social media etc. I didn’t embrace every part of me. Since doing my own deep inner work I started showing up more authentically online and with my clients, my business success exploded.

Q. Have you made any big mistakes that turned into a great learning curve since starting your business?

A. Oh gosh yes lots of mistakes along the way, but I don’t see them as mistakes – I see them as opportunities. For a long time I wasn’t charging enough for my services and struggled to say no to people who needed my support. I ended up burned out as a result. The lesson was basing my prices on what I was worth and the level of transformation I offered, not what I believed others could afford.

Q. If you were to offer one piece of advice to someone thinking of setting up a small business to help people through coaching, what would it be?

A. Really get clear about the transformation you want to provide for people and who you want to work with first. Very often the most purpose and passion is helping an earlier version of ourselves. There are many types of coaching- nutrition coaching, business coaching, wellness coaching….If you don’t already have experience or qualifications in coaching, look for the best qualification to support what you want to achieve.

Q. Can you leave us with a little nugget of rapid transformational coaching that would give our readers ‘food for thought’ about how they can make a start in unlocking their own successes?

A. Most people tend to look outside of themselves for success, but the key to rapid success in life and business is doing the inner work, the personal transformation. That means going back and healing old emotional wounds that have been left by feeling unloved, not enough or unworthy.

Thanks to Natasha Bray, Rapid Transformation Coach for taking the time to answer all our Girl Bosses of Great Britain questions for House of Coco Magazine.

With worldly influences from Brazil, South Africa and here in the UK, #TeamCoco were drawn to the precious beauty of Mosaico Jewellery’s co-founder Paula Kamers for our latest Girl Bosses of Great Britain series.

Along with Paula’s business partner Jenny, the two have designed some of the most beautiful, diverse, and unique collections of jewellery to date, including necklaces, bracelets, earrings and lariats.

We wanted to find out more about Paula’s background, why the island of Florianopolis is reflected in some of the Mosaico Jewellery designs, and what her future plans are for the business.

Q. What was your background before semi-precious gemstones, jewellery designs, and all things pretty?

I was born in Brazil, and lived in Florianopolis until I was 23 years old. It is a beautiful island in the South of the country with tropical temperatures and over forty beaches on which to enjoy them. It’s a hugely popular holiday destination nowadays. I went to school, and then University there, graduating with a degree in graphic design, before moving to London in 2005. We still return there each year though, as it’s a special place that never really leaves you.

I love travelling and learning new cultures and languages, so I came to London in 2005. Once here I studied English for a couple of years before landing a job in banking in the city where I worked for over five years. My passion was never in finance though and it was a complete change in environment from my advertising and design background.

Q. At what point did you realise that the world of working in the city wasn’t for you any longer, and how did jewellery become your next career path?

Throughout my life I have never been afraid to make changes, and never shirked from a challenge, and in 2015 I knew something had to change. I was working long hours at the bank and enjoying the environment increasingly less. In large companies you can find yourself drifting in the rat race for years, and when your passion lies elsewhere the schedule can take its toll.

By this point I had met my husband and we married in 2011, with our two young sons then arriving a few years later. I noticed that with each passing month the pressure of the work, the hectic schedule, and missing out on time with my little boys was proving very difficult. I wanted to be able to balance my career and family, but flexible working was not an option.

Jewellery has really been my love since I was small. I used to hang clothes labels on my ears when I was a child, to pretend they were big long earrings. When I was a teenager I was given my first pair of dangly earrings, it was amazing! ? I had been ruminating on the idea of selling semi-precious gemstone jewellery for a while, so I knew it was something I had to at least try, or live with a ‘what if’ question forever. While my youngest son was a baby I decided to go back to studying, taking a post-graduation in digital marketing. This gave me the boost I needed to go ahead with the business.

My friend and business partner Jenny has known me for years and was even bridesmaid at my wedding. She was always very supportive of my idea. She also has an amazing knack to create and design jewellery. One day over a glass of wine, I asked her if she wanted to come onboard. Luckily for me, she said yes and we are now very excited to have together, such a gorgeous product and brand!

Q. Now that you and your business partner are designing and producing jewellery on a regular basis, do you have a personal favourite from any of the collections?

It is difficult to pick just one! I really like the pieces that can be worn in multiple ways, such as our Mary Alice or Daisy necklaces. The fact that you can wear the short or long chains separately, or layer them up together, make them so versatile they can be used again and again while still feeling fresh. It is great to be able to own one piece that can evolve with you and cater for different looks and styles. I also love the Greta necklace which is pretty much on trend at the moment.

However, my absolute favourites from this collection are the Marigold Earrings. They are gorgeous and sleek. I love the stones’ natural markings and how unique and full of colour they are.

Q. How do you market your brand differently to other independent jewellery designers?

I think that stems purely from our choice of stones and designs, together with our International background. We have found that we are attracting orders from across the globe. We have friends everywhere in the world and have travelled extensively, absorbing and learning about many different cultures. You can see this international background reflected in the majority of our pieces in the form of colours and exotic shapes. That together with the natural beauty of the stones we choose to feature, created Mosaico´s luxurious, colourful and unique style.

Q. Do you remember the very first piece that you ever sold once your brand Mosaico Jewellery was up and running?

Like most fledgling businesses at first we received support from friends and family who quickly realised the quality of what we were producing. They bought pieces as presents for themselves and loved ones, this was really valuable in the early days. I do however remember our first order to someone who had seen us purely online, and they bought one pair of our Cascade earrings. We were even more excited when he returned to purchase a Constellation necklace a few months later. They remain one of our most popular pieces. That was a great assurance of the quality of our jewellery and brand.

Q. Can you tell us anything about the next collection and what we can expect to find nestled amongst the jewellery designs?

With each collection we are getting braver with our designs but always taking inspiration from nature and the changing seasons. As Autumn draws in you can expect to see earthier tones and new pieces that will continue to balance the elegant and the bold.

Q. As Mosaico Jewellery is entering its second year of business, what has been the biggest learning curve in the past 12-months?

Progress in business is not uniform, and that can be hugely frustrating at times. Starting a business is definitely daunting and I think I learnt that we can make mistakes along the way. You have to expect there will be ups and downs and that is part of the journey. Another thing I continue to work on is balancing the business demands around my family and children. I am learning to switch off from my business mode sometimes. This is really important to keep a certain quality of life.

Q. What was the best piece of advice you were given before you set up Mosaico Jewellery?

Do your research. It is important you know the market and test it a bit before you jump in head first. When you do any business course they emphasise so much about research, learn your competitors, etc. There is a reason for that.

Q. What advice would you give to someone who is looking to set up an independent business?

Passion for the products, doing your research and believing in yourself are key to this process. It is important to keep going and adapt when necessary. At times the workload can be overwhelming, but then every time we fulfil an order, or we receive a request for a bespoke piece of Jewellery, where we can create something specially made for that customer, I get a rush of excitement and know that this is the right path for me.

We are still quite new and what I’m describing is the journey I have faced so far. But each business will be unique, so do your research, start small and most importantly, go for it!

Thank you for sharing both your personal story and the Mosaico Jewellery business story for House of Coco’s Girl Bosses of Great Britain series.

Girl Bosses of Great Britain

JOBTODAY is the number one hiring app in the UK, and the fastest growing mobile hiring company in the world for casual jobs, that connects employers with millions of young job seekers in seconds.

In the frontline of an ever-changing work climate, Polina Montano, Co-Founder and spokesperson of JOB TODAY kindly answered a few questions for our #GBOGB feature.

Polina’s path to business success has been anything but smooth, working as a waitress, shop assistant and receptionist all while pursuing her dream. Now, as well as expanding JOB TODAY across the globe she’s encouraging young women to conquer male-dominated industries such as the tech sector, helping them build the confidence to pursue their passions and smash their business goals!

Q. What was the turning point, when you knew that things needed to change in your career?

Originally, I’m actually from Russia and I’m really proud of the fact that my mother was one of the first women to launch a small business in St Petersburg – a rare feat for a woman in Russia in the early 90s! She started up a small travel agency and when I was younger and I always remember watching her working late into the night running her business, facing some of the many challenges that comes with running your own business. But, there were also many highs and in particular, I saw the amazing respect that she had from her staff and it was in that time I knew that running my own business was my dream!

While nearing the end of my degree in Amsterdam, working multiple jobs just to get by and to pay my tuition (!) I knew that all I wanted to do was kick start my career as an entrepreneur. While I had a few ventures in my mind, ranging from the art to fashion industries which actually became full blown businesses a few years down the line, I knew very early on that pursuing my passions and my own businesses would be my lifelong goal.

Q. Why did you go down the route of developing a job app?

A few years after university I started a few different ventures, or side hustles if you will! One was a business that saw me manage several petrol stations, the other was the running of a fashion store. During the substantial growth of these two businesses my biggest challenge was finding staff, fast, to work shifts right around the clock. Facing a high turnover of staff and finding the right people was really hard. Out of this frustration and my own first-hand experience of casual work came JOB TODAY. I realised the hiring system for blue collar, casual and freelance workers was broken, outdated and not working for employers or job seekers. Creating JOB TODAY resolved these problems, making it easier for people to connect quickly by bringing immediacy and efficiency to the hiring process.

Q. JOB TODAY connects over 6 million job seekers in as little as 24-hours, did you envisage that this was how fast your app would be used?

While it’s incredible to see the pace at which both employers and job seekers are advertising and filling roles on our platform, finding the right people for the right position within 24-hours was always the intention for JOB TODAY and I’m so delighted to see this come to fruition. It really is how we stand apart in the market today because it truly meets the needs of the industry.

The jobs market continues to change rapidly. New research we’ve just conducted shows that 2-in-5 Brits now work in part-time or freelance roles and in addition, 1-in-3 Brits say they want to work outside of the standard 9-5 working hours so that they can pursue their passions and side hustles.

This means that more Brits than ever before are actually looking for roles that work for them, helping them to shape a lifestyle that they want. The JOB TODAY platform is helping Brits to do this by offering flexible, freelance and part-time roles to Brits, fast so they can layer multiple roles together – instead of conforming to one ‘job for life’ or the 9-to-5 grind, if that’s not what they want.

Q. Do you remember the very first job that was posted on JOB TODAY, and was that the point that you knew you had developed something brilliant?

In the very early days of JOB TODAY I was a part of our tiny launch team, and that meant I was personally visiting prospective customers and inviting them to use our platform. I remember that in most of those meetings I had to prove to them that the app actually does work and delivers candidates! This meant one thing – the live demo moment.

Basically, the prospective customer would post a job on my phone, I would then lay the phone in the middle of the table and we would wait for the first applicant to apply – remember that we are promising immediate results! Every time this happened I would count down the seconds and hold my breath for that first applicant to come in. I tell you…these are character building times! But, it would happen and every time it was an amazing feeling when you saw the phone buzzing as the applications came in. It truly is an incredible time, to see your original idea, a dream in your head, become a reality. That actually there are people out there miles away, people you don’t even know and have never spoken to, those are the people using the service you’ve created to find jobs that can help to shape their lives.

We also get a lot of thank you’s from applicants that find jobs. I will never forget the first one we received. It was a late at the office in the first few days after the launch of JOB TODAY and you have to remember, these are the days as a co-founder where you are both equally excited and stressed! You’re putting it all out there on the line to launch a service in a country that is your second home and you absolutely ask yourself, ‘am I a lunatic for trying to do this?’

Then, that first simple, ‘thank you’ comes in from a job seeker who has used your service. There is no feeling like it. That’s the moment you feel there is a light at the end of that tunnel, you are on the right track and you will make it. I truly do say, thank you to that first job seeker and to every comment we receive from our users over the last 4 years – they are the reason we do what we do.

Q. We hear that you are a mentor for the Founders institute in Luxembourg, can you tell the House of Coco readers what this entails and how you landed such an exciting role?

I was really happy to be invited onto the program! Being a mentor is all about listening and offering young people and companies advice. As a mentor with this organisation you get offered various topics to pick from that you think could provide the most value to your mentee which mostly covers different aspects of business but in particular serving the needs of very early stage companies. I love meeting entrepreneurs and hearing all their ideas – it truly allows you to see the world through their eyes, and it’s a really interesting world, I can tell you that!

Q. Now that JOB TODAY is flying high, can you see yourself developing any other apps, or dipping your toes into other business ventures?

As an entrepreneur, the bug to dream and come up with new ventures never ever leaves you! This kind of dreaming is what excites me, moves me forward and keep me motivated. However, I still have so many goals and dreams for JOB TODAY to make it even better for Brits – particularly for young job seekers who need a helping hand to first get onto the career ladder and to help them smash their career goals. The reality is, there’s so much left to do and there’s so many opportunities to help drive positive change in this industry!

Q. What business advice would you give someone who has an idea but just doesn’t know how to run with it?

We’re so passionate about helping young Brits go after their dreams and for many this means turning their passions into future career pursuits. But, while I talk to many young Brits who have this yearning to create their own business, they’re struggling with where to start and many just need a small boost to get going.

That’s why as a brand, we’re creating a bunch of initiatives to help Brits go after their business ideas and pursue them with confidence. Just this week we actually partnered with Forbes 30 under 30 entrepreneur and founder of SB.TV, Jamal Edwards (MBE). Jamal kick-started his incredibly successful music channel in his West London home at the age of 15 and is now reaching new heights with this brand at the age of 26.

Together, we’re giving one young Brit the boost they need to get their passion project off the ground through a chance to win an exclusive, one-on-one mentoring workshop with Jamal in London this summer. It’s incredibly easy to enter! Those interested can head to the @JobToday_UK Instagram page for more or click here to find out more. Good luck!

We would like to thank Polina Montana of JOB TODAY for taking the time to answer our #GBOGB Q&A.

Sometimes it take a life shift to make you realise what’s important – or to make a change in your working life. Today’s interviewee is Angela Hall, founder of innovative baby sleepsuit company ZIPPYUP who made a huge leap from working in-house in the fashion industry, to launching her own brand!

HOC: Great to meet you, Angela! What’s your elevator pitch for ZIPPYUP?

Angela: The award winning ZIPPYUP is an affordable, good quality, practical baby sleepsuit with a head to toe zip for easy, quick nappy and outfit changes. For parents of newborns, the zip makes night changes much simpler, with built in mitten cuffs it stops scratching too. Sizes go up to 18-24m so little wrigglers can be changed in record time before they make a quick getaway.

HOC: What is your journey to starting your business; we know you made a career switch from working for a corporate; what made you take the leap to running your own business?

Angela: Yes! I spent the majority of my career in the fashion industry working with factories making men’s and women’s clothing for high street stores. Working with designers and buyers to import and supply large retailers on time and on trend. I made the leap of running my own business when I became a mummy with my first baby. I realised there was a need for affordable zip baby clothes (I still have no idea why poppers are used on the majority of babygrows?!). I decided to put my experience of design and the clothing industry to good use and created ZIPPYUP. I can fit my business around family life and I only have myself to answer to.

HOC: What difficult choices have you had to make for the business?

Angela: I’ve had to compromise on the selection of colours I can offer due to budget. I would love to have a wide range of colour combinations, prints and stripes for customers to choose from but to keep costs down and the product affordable I need to order reasonably large quantities and so cannot risk a colour not selling well. Customers are also still very keen to buy pink for girls and blue for boys. Although Aqua has been my best selling colour to date!

HOC: What does the team at ZIPPYUP look like?

Angela: I am a solo team with the help of my two little boys aged 3 years and 18 months. I am the designer, buyer, marketing dept, social media guru, pick & pack and customer service. Everything from the logo design to the budgeting is down to me!

HOC: And how has your business grown since starting?

Angela: Since starting my business from nothing I’m really pleased to say it has grown steadily over the last 18 months. I have been able to buy more stock and I am in the process of designing and ordering the next range for Autumn/Winter 2019. I’ve had amazing feedback from customers which is most important to me.

HOC: How can someone prepare themselves for entrepreneurial life / can you prepare yourself? Is it a leap of faith?

Angela: It’s a huge leap of faith and I really do think you should prepare yourself for a few knocks. Also, take as much help as you can when it’s offered, make friends and enjoy the journey otherwise it can be stressful and lonely. I’ve found that while promoting the brand everyone has been very welcoming and friendly. The Mummy community especially on social media is very supportive.

HOC: How do you take time out between running your business and being a mum, do you ever find it difficult?

Angela: Running my own business and being a mum is a complete juggling act in itself, working between nap times and nursery drop offs is difficult. Time out with friends and my hubby is rare but very much appreciated when it does happen.

HOC: What’s your ambition for your brand?

Angela: The aim for ZIPPYUP is to become the go-to zip babygrow company, with a huge choice of designs, colours and patterns for customers to select from. It’s currently the best priced zip babygrow on the market at £15 for 2.

HOC: The ’10 years ago’ challenge is all the rage on insta at the moment, what advice do you have for the 2009 you?

Angela: I’d say to myself – make the most of every minute you have before having babies and a business because once you have both there isn’t much time left in the day!

See Angela’s designs over at ZIPPYUP.com

Follow her work on instagram at @ZIPPY.UP

Perhaps you spent last weekend spring cleaning, one hand dusting (I mean, how often are you supposed to do that?!), the other pinning like crazy, modelling your perfect living room albeit virtually. Or maybe your weekend jaunts around the shops include a dream like wander around Anthropologie? Well, interiors mad babe, this one is for you.

Basketry is considered one of the world’s oldest crafts and it’s back – in a big way. At the forefront of the trend is La Basketry, co-founded by Tabara N’Diaye. In fact, she’s just completed a beautifully bound book, Baskets (out 2nd May through Quadrille) all about the craft including stunning inspirational imagery and craft projects. We shared a pot of tea with her to find out more…

HOC: Lovely to meet you, Tabara. How do you go from owning a business to publishing your own book?

Tabara: I started La Basketry in May 2017 as a homeware brand offering baskets and home accessories handmade by a group of female artisans in a village outside of my parents’ hometown in Senegal but also as a platform to shine a light on basket-weaving – one of the world’s oldest crafts practised in pretty much every civilisation around the world.

Baskets have been (and still are!) having a moment over the past few years and I think the launch of the brand came at the right time. A couple of summers ago, I was approached by Quadrille Publishing who could see the popularity of baskets and was interested in my personal story, links to Senegal and the fact that I can weave baskets.

Although ‘Baskets’ is very different to La Basketry, I still see it as an extension of the brand and of my mission. The book delves into the history of basketry around the world and features some great craft projects like making your own basket bag or a plant hanger.

HOC: Tell us about a recent ‘Girl Boss’ moment you had on the journey to completing this book?

Tabara: Holding the first copy of ‘Baskets’ was such a great moment. I’m also particularly excited about the French edition of the book being released this Autumn as this means I’ll be able to take the book to Senegal and share it with my extended family and the artisans.

HOC: Tell us more about Senegal, if some of our readers were planning to visit Senegal, where should they start?

Tabara: Instagram is a great resource to find the best places to go to in Senegal. Some of my favourite feeds include @dakarlives , @spiritedpursuit / @aldidiasse and some very boutique hotels like @tama_lodge or @lavillamaisondhotes are also worth a stay!

Senegalese people are super friendly so don’t hesitate to reach out to people on Instagram for tips – I think it’s the best way to travel when you get insight tips from locals.

I get asked for so many travel tips so over the next year this is an area I really want to focus on by putting some city guides together and start organising trips that would take you to Ngaye Mkeke where our artisans are based and give you a full-on experience.

Tabara’s book ‘Baskets’ is out on 2nd May and available to pre-order on Amazon Worldwide at https://smarturl.it/baskets

All images by Penny Wincer.

There’s so many exciting happenings in beauty and beauty tech and Glam Doll are right there, in the spotlight! We sat down with Andrea, founder of Glam Doll, about her journey from aviation to Hollywood glam!

HOC: Great to meet you, Andrea; what’s your elevator pitch for Glam Doll?

Andrea: Glam Doll is the leading supplier of Hollywood inspired beauty products for homes and professional salons. Specialising in Hollywood Glam Mirrors, Speciality Lighting, Cosmetic Organisers, Vanity Tables and more Glam Doll’s goal is to help everyone ‘Bring Hollywood Home’. Our aim is to provide top quality products, attentive and personalised service that provides our customers long term value.

HOC: How awesome! What was your journey to starting your business?

Andrea: I was born and raised in Seattle and started my career in the Aircraft Leasing Industry which brought me to Miami and eventually to Ireland over the course of 15 years. Aviation is an interesting industry and I gained a wealth of experience including, commercial negotiations, managing technical specifications, cross border logistics and global marketing while travelling the world!

Given the experience I had gained I always wanted to build a company and brand that was received by customers as excellent, so when I came to a point in my life where I could take this step, I took it but it was not in the direction I had anticipated. While redesigning our daughter’s bedroom I identified a gap in the Irish & UK market for quality beauty products that provided customers a new experience with lifelong products. I set about researching, designing and manufacturing our innovative range of Hollywood Mirrors, Speciality Lighting and more.

HOC: We love when new business ideas pop up from unexpected places. Tell us more about what it was like when first starting up?

Andrea: Starting this business was a big leap of faith and I had to trust my instincts. We made a decision to position the business in such a way that we could protect ourselves in the beauty industry by providing scale. We decided that rather than initially investing in infrastructure or staff we would invest in a variety of quality products that would span the market and be available immediately. This meant designing for the future and placing large orders to satisfy our anticipated future demand at a price point where we could remain strong even with potential new entrants.

HOC: What does the team at Glam Doll look like?

Andrea: We are building an incredible team of strong, creative and brilliant women where we encourage each other and foster a sense of community. It’s important to me that we create a culture at Glam Doll of leading our market which I believe requires mutual respect, hard work and real customer-oriented innovation so that Glam Doll stays at the top of our market while developing new markets.

HOC: We’ve in awe of a strong female team! How has your business grown since starting?

Andrea: When I launched the business 18 months ago it was from my kitchen table in the Irish countryside! We had a small storage facility close by for our stock which was quite unglamorous, and we worked hard on building our brand and getting the word out about what we are doing and our Hollywood inspired products. We were fortunate in that word of mouth really spread as more and more clients purchased our products and connected with the Glam Doll brand. We grew from strength to strength and worked in getting our products into salons, training academies and client’s homes throughout the Ireland and the UK.

Due to our rate of growth and customer demand, last September we set up our HQ in a modern 3-storey warehouse in Celbridge, Co. Kildare. We have a showroom where clients can come and see the quality of our products first hand and I designed an elegant office space with future growth in mind.

It’s come quite far from the kitchen table and I’m just so proud of what we have achieved!

HOC: So inspiring! How can someone prepare themselves for entrepreneurial life?

Andrea: It really requires a leap of faith, to me it was an unknown frontier and I just jumped in and grabbed the reins, determined to succeed and I believed in my capabilities. To me, being an entrepreneur means very long days, sleepless nights, challenges that sometimes seem insurmountable but always persevering, pushing through with the next goal in mind and most importantly having an incredible team and network of supporters. To see our ideas come to life and be appreciated by so many people is the positive outcome from all the hard work and this fuels my passion to keep going and growing.

HOC: Alongside fueling your passion; how do you take time out, do you ever find it difficult?

Andrea: Life can be quite hectic and trying to find balance between running a business, a home, 4 children and pets is a lot to juggle. I have found that it really helps to try and be in the moment and not worry too much about what happened yesterday or what is on tomorrow just being mindful now, otherwise it can be overwhelming.

We do try to get away when we can whether it be a local getaway or something further afield, it’s important to take time out and recharge. We have lovely wooded paths near our home and just getting outside with our 2 dogs helps calm the craziness of the day!

HOC: What’s your ambition for your brand?

Andrea: When I created Glam Doll, it was important to me that we develop a brand that is synonymous with high quality, innovative yet affordable products. Our decision to build an ecommerce business rather than a brick and mortar high street shop was that we wanted to ensure our products were accessible to everyone no matter where you live. The on-line distribution costs we believe provide the best value for our customer and is the 2nd part of how we plan to protect our market position as we grow. We want to provide that Hollywood feeling for clients & salons so they can create their own Glam Stations at home or in their business. We hope to become a household name and continue to grow our business in the UK & Europe, Bringing Hollywood Home.

HOC: With your brand being built around the idea of Hollywood, we have to ask, do you visit LA much, where are your favourite spots?

Andrea: I absolutely love California, LA in particular, and the backdrop of Hollywood was my inspiration for the brand. I visit LA once a year and am going next week. I love staying in Santa Monica at Shutters on the Beach, it has such a laid-back vibe, it provides instant relaxation. A favourite is taking the bicycles and riding along the shore down to Marina del Ray for fish tacos. Shopping provides something for everyone from the open-air market on Melrose to all the glitz and glamour of Rodeo Drive. Dinner at Nobu in Malibu is always on the list; the food, cocktails and the views are amazing!

HOC: Let’s finish with a classic question! The ’10 years ago’ challenge is all the rage on insta at the moment, what advice do you have for the 2009 you?

Andrea: In 2009, I was a single mother living in Miami working very hard to advance in my career while balancing family life. Looking back, I would tell myself to relax, enjoy each day and all will work out. Everything happens for a reason and these experiences makes us the person we are today. I would also advise how important it is to build a supportive network around you, the greatest feeling is when you can trust that someone has your back and you can hold each other up.

Wonderful to speak with you, Andrea!
To find out more about Andrea’s business head to GlamDoll.ie and follow @GlamDoll.ie

The shiny, instagram friendly side of small businesses is hard to escape but sometimes, we need to get real and into the numbers! Today we chat with Camille, founder of leading semi-permanent make up brand Camille Beaute .

We loved speaking to Camille as she’s so real and inspiring – I mean, she went from starting her business from £2K to having clients travel to her from mainline Europe to snag an appointment spot in her 4 month waiting list…

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HOC: So nice to meet you, Camille! Can you tell us why you do what you do?

Camille: Hello! I guess first of all, it’s about my clients! Seeing happy faces and making lives so much easier (I can save them time every day as they don’t need to draw their eyebrows every morning!) For some clients this can change their life. I’m so passionate about my work!

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HOC: What is your journey to starting your business; we know you started with only £2K…

Camille: Yep! I started three years ago, with just £2k. I didn’t have a job at that time and my mum offered for me to do some training. Throughout childhood I was an artist. And I see permanent make up as being art, because you are drawing on faces!

I came across courses for Micro-blading; and did them all! Getting started was really hard because I was new in the beauty business. Of course, semi permanent make up it’s not easy, you need to put in lots of practice and hard work! .

HOC: What difficult choices did you have to make when starting the business?

Camille: When I started, day by day I kept practicing and learning from my mistakes! The beginning was very difficult, but every day I woke up and thought ‘it’s new day to make something good for my business!’ At the beginning I was working so hard just to survive in London. When I became busier and got used to seeing so many happy faces and getting good reviews, I started to love what I’m doing. That feeling just makes me work harder and harder!

It took me half year to become busy. And now I’m a woman-in-demand; this is what my clients call me! The most important part of my business is that I love meeting amazing people from all the world. Having clients from Australia to Canada including New Zealand, Middle East, Asia, Pakistan, Mauritius, Nigeria, Zambia, Canada, USA, and South America! I even have clients who travel to me from all over Europe just for their eyebrows! It might sound crazy, but it’s amazing to have such a great clients, who say that they only trust me!I will always keep training with best trainers in the world especially as my industry is such a big business at the moment! There’s always something new to learn, for instance there are lots of more natural looking techniques; it’s nothing like the old fashioned permanent tattoo eyebrows or lip contour!I started with one client per week and now I have a 4 month waiting list! It’s so important to never give up! .

HOC: What does the team at Camille Beauty look like?

Camille: Because I’m so busy, I found a great assistant! I’ve trained her, showed her all my skills and step by step she is becoming an amazing Micro-blading artist!

At the beginning it was challenging for my clients to trust her work as well as mine but now she is doing so well! Hopefully soon she will become just as in-demand as me!

I’m also on the lookout for more girls to work with me but it’s tricky finding the right people that me and my clients can trust.

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HOC: How can someone prepare themselves for entrepreneurial life?

Camille: You need to find something you love to do. And then it doesn’t feel like work anymore. Starting anything new is difficult and mistake after mistake! But if you keep learning, you won’t repeat your mistakes!

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HOC: What’s your most popular service?

Camille: Semi-permanent make up is very popular at the moment. Clients here in the UK are still really into Micro-blading but also ombré eyebrows or soft shading it’s also amazing treatment which looks natural. Many clients are still scared of semi-permanent make up, probably because of bad experiences with old fashion tattoo make up on faces. Everything is so much better these days! It’s looks natural and doesn’t go so deep into the skin and last around 12-18 months. For sure, everyone needs to do lots of research into where they go and who they are going to trust. This business is very popular and many girls think that it’s easy! In every salon you will find a beautician who’s doing Micro-blading or semi-permanent make up. But of course… not everyone can be good in this business! ..

HOC: What’s your ambition for your brand?

Camille: My dream is to be one of the biggest brands of semi permanent make up treatments and academy in the UK. I always want to offer the best and the highest quality service for all my clients and – of course- always keep them happy and pleased.

HOC: What trends are coming up in semi-permanent make up that we should look out for?

Camille: There’s new trends coming through: hyper realistic hairstrokes, natural looking lip colours, permanent BB cream, shaded eyeliner, scalp micro-pigmentation…. everything that enhances your beauty without changing your face!

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HOC: The ’10 years ago’ challenge is all the rage on insta at the moment, what advice do you have for the 2009 you?

Camille: Omg! At that time I was just a child! Honestly, I didn’t care about anything ; I was just thinking about each day and living flippantly! I made so many mistakes but now I’m thinking that I was learning all lessons all the time. If I hadn’t have enjoyed my careless life I wouldn’t be where I am now! Everything comes at the right time and everything has a reason. Even if something bad happens, it doesn’t matter; just learn from it and keep moving. If you believe in yourself and also believe in karma you’re on the right path.You can’t ever expect someone else to create your future. Only you can do it! .Learn more about Camille’s business at CamilleBeaute.co.uk Follow @microbladinglondon

Starting and running one business but having multiple is another world entirely! Today we chat with serial entrepreneur Dianne at Pop Noggins who has shares some words of wisdom for budding entrepreneurs and general life advice we wish we’d heard earlier…

HOC: Hi Dianne, so great to meet you. Let’s start with your elevator pitch for Pop Noggins?

Dianne: Pop Noggins is an all ages hat and kid’s accessory store. I specialise in snapbacks from babies to adults. I am proud of my little business having over 50,000 fans worldwide! We are proud of our unique yet fun designs and I love the passion that my customers have for my products.

It is the cutest when parents twin with their babies!

HOC: How fun! Can you tell us about is your journey to starting your business? We know you made a career switch; what made you take the leap to running your own business?

Dianne: I had reached a time in my life where I needed to make a change that suited my lifestyle. Whilst I loved the hustle and bustle of corporate life, I found that commuting to work and long hours weren’t great for my family life. So, after 17 years in Human Resources, I took the first step into working full time in my small businesses alongside my husband.

It was a hard decision to make! I don’t feel like I gave up my career for my family life. I felt that my journey had come to an end, and it simply wasn’t me anymore. I am now loving life. I don’t have any of the workplace stress I once had. I work at my own pace and around my family schedule. I have amazing flexibility in my businesses, and it’s all determined by me!

HOC: Sounds fantastic but you must have had to make some difficult choices when starting up?

Dianne: Oh, definitely. My husband left his job 4 years before I did to start up the businesses. At first it was really scary for so many reasons. Gone was my security blanket of receiving my pay at the same time every month, and knowing how much I was going to get.

When you own your own business you carry a lot at risk and a lot of financial instability, especially at the beginning. It’s part of the reason why I held onto corporate life for as long as I did. I was always worried about the risk. What if it didn’t work out? How would we pay our bills? Will we be successful? All the types of insecurities I had.

At the beginning we were both working full time jobs and after hours and our weekends would be spent on building our businesses. For years we saved every cent and every cent earned went back into our businesses. This continues to be the case. We continue to invest back into our businesses to allow them to grow!

HOC: So inspiring to hear about the realities of business when we all get so overwhelmed by the instagram version! What does the team at Pop Noggins look like?

Dianne: There is me; I focus on the day to day running of the business, customer and influencer interaction and management of our logistics company. I do the hat designs and also work with our suppliers on a regular basis to make sure we have the best quality products . My husband Paul does a lot of my behind the scenes marketing and ad management. I have 2 amazing Operational coordinators (both casual around university and their other work commitments) that help me with operational management and quality assurance.

I work on my business not in my business. I don’t personally pack and ship my products. I have engaged in a third party fulfilment company and they do a fantastic job at filling our orders. This allows me to focus on my business growth and other targets.

HOC: In addition to Pop Noggins, you also run another 3 businesses ; how on earth do you balance it all?

Dianne: It is hard! I try to be balanced across all 4 businesses, being a parent and keeping up with the endless pile of laundry at my house. My youngest son is in day care 2 days a week and my eldest is at school. So when they are asleep, school or day care I am on my computer or phone managing my businesses. Every week I have assigned days for work (day care days) and the rest of the time I actually do a lot of my work out of hours. It means sometimes I’m working till 11:30pm every night and working on the weekends if I need to. My kids don’t get up till 7am, so I still get 7 hours sleep every night!

The secret to my maintaining my sanity is…..I have help!

My husband and I tag team with the kids. We share everything, school drop offs, after school activities, homework, bath time and domestic chores (yes that includes cooking!). There is no “mum” or “dad” roles in our house. Work wise my amazing operational coordinators are great, because they help with work and also the kids.

HOC: Sounds like a great team. How do you maintain that work/life balance when running a business with your other half?

Dianne: Talking about work is inevitable; I feel like we work 24/7 lately! But we have a strong team dynamic and the only way we have been able to work together peacefully, is to stay in “our own lanes”. We are both equalists (there is no definition of hers and his or mum/dad), and it’s amazing that we work together like yin and yang.

We both have different strengths, we know what each other is responsible for, and we do what we need to do. If the other is struggling or can’t get to something the other steps in. Outside of work we have a great family life. Both of us get to spend lots of time with our kids, with each other and more importantly we take time out for ourselves. I love that we continue to develop both as a family, a couple and as individuals. It’s really strengthened our relationship.

There is no room for BS in our relationship!

HOC: You mention that your life is crazy but balanced, being busy is sometimes a disease and we just can’t stop! How do you take time out?

Dianne: I feel like everyone is “busy” these days. In fact you ask someone how they are or what they’ve been up to and the answer is nearly always “busy!”

I don’t find it difficult now that I am older and wiser. When I was working in Corporate I did, but not now. Because I know if I’m feeling stressed or overworked now, 60% of the time it’s something I can control.

With my business I set the pace, I’m in charge. But I know, the harder I work, the greater the reward. If I slack off the results aren’t as strong. If I need time to myself, I just do it. Same goes for my husband. There is no time or need to feel miserable in life. If you don’t have time, make time.

HOC: Love your perspective! Do you have any advice on how someone can prepare themselves for entrepreneurial life?

Dianne: Be prepared to work hard. Sometimes you don’t get a weekend, but eventually you do!

Be prepared to take risks. Some pay off, some don’t. But ultimately it’s about finding something that works. Be prepared to not always win. But take any losses as a lesson to better yourself.

Don’t live your life based on someone else’s opinion. Don’t let someone dictate every action you do based on their opinion. People are too quick to be negative. More often than not it has nothing to do with you, and everything to do with where they are at in their life.

Don’t be fearful of judgement from others. Challenge the status quo and push forward in everything your heart and mind desires. Seize the moment.

The only voice that counts is yours. I can’t sit here and say, if you want to be an entrepreneur this is what you need to do. Because what I do and what I believe in isn’t going to be right or fit everyone.

All I can say is that I genuinely wish everyone in my situation all the best of luck. We should be raising people up and encouraging them to succeed no matter what they do, not tearing them down. Jealousy is a curse!

HOC: So many wise words! The ’10 years ago’ challenge is all the rage on insta at the moment, what advice do you have for the 2009 you?

HOC: The mistakes I’ve made and the journey I’ve had, have all led me to be the person I am today. But I would definitely tell myself to be more brave and to stop and enjoy the journey. I would also not be so hard on myself, I was always my biggest critic. I would tell myself that money and success is nothing without your health and happiness.

HOC: You mention you are launching a new brand this year, tell us about that?

Dianne: Ohhhhh… it’s still top secret! I can say it’s a bespoke mens lifestyle brand. Watch this space!

To find out more about Dianne’s business Pop Noggins head over to Pop-Noggins.com.au and follow @pop_noggins on insta.

From mineral-infused skincare to precious metal eyeshadows, natural elements are becoming increasingly popular in the UK beauty world, but other countries have been harnessing their power for centuries. One woman who is bringing south-east-Asian inspired skincare to the UK is Katherine Quist – CEO of Elixier London Beauty. Our writer Jenna caught up with Katherine to find out more about her transition from choreographer to skincare entrepreneur and the real benefits of gold-infused beauty…

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JC: After reading more about your brand, it was awesome to see you took inspiration from South East Asian beauty culture. What is it about their beauty culture that inspired you?

KQ: My previous career as a dancer and choreographer took me to Southeast Asia from the age of 19 where I fell in love with the region’s culture and history. On my rare days off, I would wander the streets and take note of all of the naturally beautiful women. I became fascinated with their skincare regimes and what they were putting on their faces. They seemed so much more advanced, forward-thinking and experimental in terms of the ingredients they were using and I found myself becoming truly inspired. Asian women are meticulous about their skin and the more I started learning about their way of life and balance, I knew they were doing something different to the West and also their ethos, diet and attitude of life show in their face and I wanted to eliminate that for myself. I began experimenting with Asian skincare product and given the nature of my work at the tie with all the heavy stage makeup and lighting I was delighted I could make my skin feel cleaner, more healthy and glowing, even after a long day of rehearsals, sweating and pore-clogging stage makeup. Basically, I was hooked!

JC: I definitely share your love of discovering new beauty products! Can you tell us more about your background before founding Elixier?

KQ: I trained at The Legat School of Ballet then went on to become a professional dancer and choreographer and then later dance teacher touring all over the world. I returned to the UK 18 months after my daughter who was born in Bangkok. I worked as a professional trainer for vocational dance and musical theatre students in London’s leading vocational schools and the West End but felt it was time for a change. I then decided to study Interior Design once my daughter was 16 years old and qualified as a professional interior designer training at The National Design Academy. I am passionate about design and aesthetics.

JC: We’ve seen and heard about the benefits of Gold in beauty serums – what is it about this luxury product that benefits skin?

KQ: Since gold doesn’t corrode when exposed to the elements or submerged in water it is a well-known antioxidant.Other antioxidants that your body needs are vitamin A and vitamin C.

Whenever the oxidation process damages your healthy skin cells, the collagen breaks down and looses elastin. This is the major cause of wrinkles, fine lines and other signs of ageing. It is antioxidants that slow this process down and stop this damage from happening. This is what makes Gold the best antioxidant out there. When you combine gold with other antioxidants it makes them more effective at a molecular level. That is why our serum is packed with vitamins, nutrition your skin loves. Simply put, this beauty serum is able to penetrate at the skin’s lower dermis levels, thus protecting new cells and encouraging collagen’s growth.

JC: Elixier’s 24 karat gold beauty serum really is a gorgeous product, can you see yourself branching out into other skin care products in the future?

KQ: Yes, I am now in the early stages of working with my laboratory to develop a cleanser, toner and night cream. All enriched with 24K Gold as well as many other incredible ingredients and I am moving back out to Asia this summer to be closer to research facilities and the development process. I have some prototypes now but it’s a matter of cost and building the business steadily as I am funding this project entirely alone and want to walk before I can run or end up in debt.

JC: We see that you sell your serum exclusively via your website – if you were to begin selling in stores, do you have a dream stockist in mind?

KQ: I think this product is ideal for a middle eastern clientele as well as women worldwide who appreciate something new so the obvious choice would be Harrods, Harvey Nichols as well as other incredible luxury department stores but with Brexit and Elixier London Beauty being a new brand they would be talking on an unknown at a time of economic uncertainty and from what I gather they like a full range or a good history of sales. I think their customers would love this product but getting buyers from these places to even reply to you is not easy.

JC: Who would be your dream influencer/celebrity to work with?

KQ: Karen Bradey as she’s an amazing businesswoman, as for influencers? I am still on the lookout. The Kardashian’s would love this product and I think also the Pixiwoo sisters would but again, when you are new it’s a case of knocking and knocking on doors. Also many have their own brands now so it’s tough.

JC: Can you tell us about a recent ‘Girl Boss’ moment?

KQ: I have been featured in Vogue UK in both March and April’s editions which was pretty amazing as they contacted me. I have also been featured in The Natural Beauty Magazine twice due to the natural and ethical creation of my product. Finally…I am waiting to hear if I have been shortlisted for The Natural International Beauty Awards which take place in July. Elixier London’s 24K Gold Beaty Serum has been entered into two categories

1) Best New Beauty Product of The Year

2) Best Beauty Serum

Watch this space!

JC: What has been the hardest part of running your own cosmetics business?

KQ: When you create a product from scratch it takes over every aspect of your life and you live, sleep and breath it. I am a one man band so it’s tough as getting the break into the market is challenging but even if I go through a phase of feeling “Is this worth it?” I give myself a good talking to and get on with it. It can be a lonely journey as every decision big and small is on your shoulders so you never sleep soundly! I believe in my product and am living proof at 41 years old that this serum can completely change your skin. My customers love it and it works, the hard part is telling the world!

JC: What’s in the pipeline for 2019?

KQ: As I mentioned earlier, the development of other products to the range and making Elixier London Beauty a trusted and respected brand which is proud of its humble beginnings! To work in the beauty industry you have to have balls of steel but in my case “balls of gold!”

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To discover more about the benefits of gold and to purchase Elixier London’s 24karat Gold Beauty Serum, visit https://exilierlondonbeauty.com. For more skincare inspiration, you can also visit Elixier London on Instagram.