She Tapped What She Learned In Her Corporate Career To Create A $2.5 Million Haircare Business

One of the largest myths about entrepreneurship is that individuals who’ve been profitable in company careers don’t have the mindset to run a startup. In actuality, company America is a hotbed of future entrepreneurs—and lots of find yourself launching thriving companies by tapping what they’ve realized on the job.
That’s been the case for Sonsoles Gonzalez. At age 52, she began Better Not Younger, a Miami-based model that sells shampoo, haircare formulations, and dietary merchandise designed for older ladies, after 28 years at senior roles in firms akin to P&G and L’Oreal. She knew from her work that the majority new magnificence and hair merchandise focused ladies age 25-40. As she entered midlife, she would usually joke, ruefully, “What occurs to ladies 45-plus? Do they die?” 

But she noticed that manufacturers have been leaving cash on the desk by ignoring ladies in midlife and past who have been in search of merchandise to handle modifications of their hair. “With only a few exceptions, there was an assumption that girls have habits that by no means change,” she says. “That is perhaps true for toothpaste and deodorant, however not for make-up or skincare.” 
She knew that many ladies have been, in reality, on the hunt for merchandise to handle situations like dryness and thinning—and prepared to take a position cash in fixing these challenges. “It’s the right storm for the whole lot that is occurring together with your head,” says her enterprise companion and COO Augusto Moronto. 

Sonsoles Gonzalez realized massive magnificence manufacturers have been ignoring midlife ladies throughout her company … [+] profession. She’s got down to change that at Better Not Younger.

REF Soluciones AV,C.A.

After Gonzalez retired from company life for six months, she acquired bored and, armed with the know-how she’d constructed up throughout her profession, began Better Not Younger in 2018. She tapped her financial savings and about $600,000 she raised from family and friends. Then she raised one other $1.5 million from personal buyers. 

Almost from the beginning, Better Not Younger has been rising at a clip. The first yr in enterprise, the model introduced in $400,000 in income, with Gonzalez working as a solopreneur the primary 9 months. By 2020, income hit $2.5 million and in 2021, the corporate was projecting $10-12 million in income from its 14 core merchandise offered by its web site, shops akin to Sephora, and HSN. Along the way in which, the corporate has expanded to 6 workers and 15 freelancers. “We’re as lean as we might be with out being silly,” says Gonzalez.
Here’s how the tiny firm grew from a solopreneur startup to a fast-growing model. 
Get your product and packaging proper. The magnificence trade may be very aggressive. To stand out, Gonzalez invested closely in R&D for her merchandise, in addition to branding, packaging and net design. With her eye on constructing a significant model, she appeared for skilled companions who knew what they have been doing and, in a single case, supplied fairness to a top-notch company in change for work. “I knew they’d in all probability be round for the long term,” she says. 
Don’t go it alone. Gonzalez was an trade veteran however there was nonetheless lots to study operating a startup. She wasn’t shy about asking for assist. “I reached out to lots of people I’ve discovered on LinkedIn who’ve began a enterprise or who’ve been my colleagues and moved onto one thing else,” says Gonzalez. “I’ve at all times been tremendous impressed by how all people responds and desires to assist. I’m about to rent an advisor—somebody whose profile I noticed on LinkedIn.” 
Find the fitting expertise. Whether you’re a solopreneur counting on freelancers or constructing a tiny staff of workers, each particular person concerned with your online business is vital. Gonzalez has been in a position to faucet right into a deep world expertise pool by working along with her staff just about. “We are looking for expertise within the areas the place we’re going to discover progress quickest,” says Gonzalez. “We’ve introduced in somebody for innovation, as properly advertising individuals, designers and net builders—individuals who can assist us drive the enterprise.” To keep organized, she communicates along with her staff by way of Slack. 
Set clear objectives. Gonzalez has saved her staff centered on progress by setting particular benchmarks for progress and breaking them down into smaller key efficiency indicators (KPIs)  that may assist the corporate hit its progress objectives. “From very early on—it’s a part of my P&G coaching—you at all times do KPIs,” she says. “We at all times stated ‘You get what you measure.’” The staff critiques progress towards the objectives each Tuesday.  It’s paying off—in gross sales progress and repeat enterprise. “We’re pleased with the repurchase ranges,” she says. 
Keep your finger on the heart beat. To keep near her prospects, Gonzalez reads the entire critiques prospects put up about her merchandise. “I feel it is vital to maintain on prime of what they’re saying,” she says.
Protect your self from burnout. Growing a startup right into a sustainable model isn’t a dash—it’s extra like an ultra-marathon. Gonzalez has needed to practice herself to interrupt away from the 24/7 calls for of operating her enterprise to recharge. “I lived my complete life operating to the bathe, placing make-up and heels on, beginning the day in my workplace with espresso,” she says, reflecting on her company life. “Now, I don’t have an alarm. I attempt to go to Pilates day by day. I additionally attempt to wrap up by 6:30 p.m.” That means she wakes up refreshed and able to innovate the subsequent day.  She’s in it for the lengthy haul.