This article is brought to you by the AVEENO® Skin Health Start Up Accelerator. Filled with helpful resources, this entrepreneurial hub is part of AVEENO’s commitment to creating a more diverse and inclusive industry to impact the health and beauty of all skin.
You’ve got your amazing business idea, but now what? As you take your first entrepreneurial steps forward, you need to set yourself up for success. The best way to do that is to tap into leaders in your industry, learn from their experience and tap into their knowledge of the market to inspire your next move.
To help you begin your journey in the skin health field, we are connecting you with two women business leaders at AVEENO® who are ready to share their valuable insight with you. Sabrina Henry is a Research & Development Manager and an AVEENO® Brand Ambassador. In the skincare industry for 12 years, she has been at AVEENO® for seven years, where she has developed and launched body and face products and lead a team of scientists to manage the day-to-day product life cycle activities. And meet Pamela Brown, a Senior Digital Marketing Manager at AVEENO®. In her role, she uses her 20 years of industry experience to help strategize, champion and enable digital capabilities, consumer centric experiences and agile processes that fuel business growth.
Finding and fueling passion. For some people, the love of skin health starts with the products and for others, it is the process. See how your experience mirrors our experts. For Pamela, a self-proclaimed skincare junkie, she has always looked at skincare as part of her overall health and now, working remotely has fueled her fire. “I spend more time with skin care rituals I enjoy and that help to replenish and relax,” Pamela explains. “When you live into your daily cleansing, moisturizing and nighttime rituals you can feel and see the difference, it elevates your whole being.”
Introduced to this world through a college internship in manufacturing, Sabrina’s passion has grown into a true platform for diversity and inclusion. “Growing up, many skincare brands didn’t showcase a diverse range of beauty images or products that addressed my specific skincare needs as a Black woman,” says Sabrina. “It’s important to me to use my voice and R&D profession to be inclusive of different skin tones, skin types, and skin conditions in every product I work on.”
What is happening now. The industry is changing quickly and with many people staying home this year, Pamela has seen a rise in all things virtual, especially try-on tools. “With limited in-aisle browsing, artificial intelligence can provide product recommendation and purchase in less clicks.” Similarly, Sabrina thinks that skincare apps will expand to vitamins and supplements as holistic solutions continue to play a significant role going forward.
According to Pamela, this virtual reach also includes influencer recommendations, which have increased 4x on TikTok Instagram Reels. She advises that authenticity is always the most important, so if you select someone to speak on behalf of your brand, be sure they really love your products first.
Their advice for you. These experts have some great insight for entrepreneurs creating a brand in the macro environment we are all living in right now. “As you build, define what your brand will stand for and represent beyond the product or service you provide,” says Sabrina. “There are so many consumer needs that are shaped by life events, personal circumstances, geographic location, access to information, social status, race, gender, age, etc., so find and research “who” and “what” you want to solve for and go innovate.”
Likewise, Pamela says to get to know and listen to your target audience. “See how and where she shops,” explains Pamela. “Understand her sources for trusted skin care recommendations. Her mom, besties, derm or hair stylist, us Black women are not opposed to inquiring about the optimal care of our most important accessory… our skin and hair!”
For more expert advice and business tools for entrepreneurs, visit the AVEENO® SKIN HEALTH STARTUP ACCELERATOR. Click here to learn more.
