January 28, 2021
Rare Global Interview
The biggest turning point in my career for my growth personally was when I realized that I no longer wanted to work for “success” and decided to focus on my “why” instead. It helped me reframe my mindset better-- I started looking at my company differently-- instead of looking at my work as my means to live, it became me, my life, and my source of happiness.
But the other ”career” turning point for the brand when we got into Sephora and I got my book deal, as both opportunities helped give the brand authority and credibility that supplement brands need initially.
Pieces of advice I would like to share with other young female entrepreneurs:
1. You have to wake up everyday so in love with what you’re building-- and know that there is nothing in the world you love more than what you’re building— and that you will regret for the rest of your life if you DIDN’T choose that. Because not every day is going to be a good day-- if anything-- a lot of the days will be more bad than good, especially in the beginning (i.e. you’re going to lose friends, money, yourself-- everything in between)-- and if you are not in love with your passion, then you physically will not have the energy to do what you have to do.
2. When things get tough-- remember that you GET to do the things you have to do-- because you’re lucky enough to be able to be have the issues that you are problem-solving right now.. Where you are now, you prayed for, 5 years ago.
3. Failure is okay-- failure is actually a given-- you just have to learn to keep pivoting and re-pivoting, so you don’t fail in the same way, the next day. And one day, as your failures begin to evolve into less and less of a failure, it will start to look something more like success. And that’s when you’re going to be happy you didn’t give up. But without your failures, you will not have the experience keep afloat any bit of your success— and success isn’t born overnight; it’s a volumes game.
But the other ”career” turning point for the brand when we got into Sephora and I got my book deal, as both opportunities helped give the brand authority and credibility that supplement brands need initially.
Pieces of advice I would like to share with other young female entrepreneurs:
1. You have to wake up everyday so in love with what you’re building-- and know that there is nothing in the world you love more than what you’re building— and that you will regret for the rest of your life if you DIDN’T choose that. Because not every day is going to be a good day-- if anything-- a lot of the days will be more bad than good, especially in the beginning (i.e. you’re going to lose friends, money, yourself-- everything in between)-- and if you are not in love with your passion, then you physically will not have the energy to do what you have to do.
2. When things get tough-- remember that you GET to do the things you have to do-- because you’re lucky enough to be able to be have the issues that you are problem-solving right now.. Where you are now, you prayed for, 5 years ago.
3. Failure is okay-- failure is actually a given-- you just have to learn to keep pivoting and re-pivoting, so you don’t fail in the same way, the next day. And one day, as your failures begin to evolve into less and less of a failure, it will start to look something more like success. And that’s when you’re going to be happy you didn’t give up. But without your failures, you will not have the experience keep afloat any bit of your success— and success isn’t born overnight; it’s a volumes game.
3.
4.And lastly to girls-- in every industry-- you are beautiful, you are so beyond your weight, your height, your looks, your number of followers, who likes you, who doesn’t like you. There is beauty in you not fitting in, not looking like the rest of them. Because if your world was perfect, you would never feel the need to change it-- and thats why you were born-- to make this imperfect world, a little bit more perfect.
3. The book that molded me the most I would say is Principles by Ray Dalio.
It helped me realize that communication is the most important vessel and arsenal that humans have.
Without communicating, you are either left wondering what someone wants from you, or flat out falling short of what someone wants from you.
And vice versa-- you are not happy with your end results, or you didn’t get what you needed, because you failed to communicate.
As for who has molded me as a person the most— there is no one I am inspired by more than my grandmother, who escaped from North Korea at nineteen and made a living for herself since without any of her family. She raised me to be the person I am today— to always be kind, empathetic, open-minded, and learn to lose to those you love, as such is the greatest form of winning.
4. What’s next: we see our brand expanding into cafes and launching ready to drink bottles and other amazing supplements!
5. The biggest challenge I face right now is how my brand can stay relevant in such unprecedented times.
In addition, the niche is constantly evolving-- so are the channels-- whether it’s re-learning how to speak to a different generation, or platforms (tiktok vs Facebook), etc. and always being on top of the game in quality and caliber and accessibility without sacrificing our values!
I was fired from my first job because the only other female senior Associate at my Investment Banking firm told me that I had gotten the job because I was “pretty”— and not by merit. She told me that I was probably the best cut out for a job like sales and should give up on all things entrepreneurship or investing— thank God I got fired, because now I have bootstrapped an ingestible beauty brand that is in 7 figure valuation and we have worked with partners like JetBlue, Sephora, and Equinox.
When it all first happened, I believed them— that I wasnt good enough to be a businesswoman, and I should stick to something far from it. My life turned upside down, because this was my dream job, and something I worked my entire life for.
However, when I got burned and found collagen, I became so passionate that I knew I needed to do something about it. And once my friends, family and colleagues at the next job (I ended up moving to an even better company, with better pay and salary — M&A and strategy for Conde Nast) loved my formula, it was all I needed!
The best twist? They asked to invest! :)
4.And lastly to girls-- in every industry-- you are beautiful, you are so beyond your weight, your height, your looks, your number of followers, who likes you, who doesn’t like you. There is beauty in you not fitting in, not looking like the rest of them. Because if your world was perfect, you would never feel the need to change it-- and thats why you were born-- to make this imperfect world, a little bit more perfect.
3. The book that molded me the most I would say is Principles by Ray Dalio.
It helped me realize that communication is the most important vessel and arsenal that humans have.
Without communicating, you are either left wondering what someone wants from you, or flat out falling short of what someone wants from you.
And vice versa-- you are not happy with your end results, or you didn’t get what you needed, because you failed to communicate.
As for who has molded me as a person the most— there is no one I am inspired by more than my grandmother, who escaped from North Korea at nineteen and made a living for herself since without any of her family. She raised me to be the person I am today— to always be kind, empathetic, open-minded, and learn to lose to those you love, as such is the greatest form of winning.
4. What’s next: we see our brand expanding into cafes and launching ready to drink bottles and other amazing supplements!
5. The biggest challenge I face right now is how my brand can stay relevant in such unprecedented times.
In addition, the niche is constantly evolving-- so are the channels-- whether it’s re-learning how to speak to a different generation, or platforms (tiktok vs Facebook), etc. and always being on top of the game in quality and caliber and accessibility without sacrificing our values!