How I Got Here: Conserving Beauty’s Founder and CEO on rooting a business in purpose
IMAGE VIA CONSERVING BEAUTY
WORDS BY BRONTE WINNEM
“If you really believe in what you’re doing and what you’re creating, you can block out the noise and go make it happen for yourself.”
Have you ever stalked someone on LinkedIn and wondered how on earth they managed to land that wildly impressive job? While the internet and social media might have us believe that our ideal job is a mere pipe dream, the individuals who have these jobs were, believe it or not, in the same position once, fantasising over someone else’s seemingly unattainable job.
But behind the awe-inspiring titles and the fancy work events lies a heck of a lot of hard work. So what lessons have been learnt and what skills have proved invaluable in getting them from daydreaming about success to actually being at the top of their industry?
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Welcome to How I Got Here, where we talk to women who are killing it in their respective fields about how they landed their awe-inspiring jobs, exploring the peaks and pits, the failures and the wins, and most importantly the knowledge, advice, and practical tips they’ve gleaned along the way.
This week we speak to Natassia Nicolao, founder of the Melbourne-based sustainable skincare brand, Conserving Beauty. From a self-confessed beauty junkie to a biochemistry graduate, and now the Founder and CEO of an environmentally conscious skincare line, Natassia gives new meaning to the term ‘passion project’.
Brought to life just two years ago in the midst of 2021, the brand has made leaps and bounds in the market – it’s stocked at Australian beauty giant Mecca, and more recently the UK’s Space NK. Obsessed with social and environmental justice from day dot, Natassia tells us about the importance of believing in yourself and your vision, the challenges of founder-life and why she’s daring to do better for the planet below.
What do you do and what’s your official job title?
Hi! I’m Natassia and I am the Founder and CEO of Conserving Beauty.
Take us back to when you were first starting out. Did you study to get into your chosen field, or did you start out with an internship/entry-level role and climb the ladder? Tell us the story.
Since I can remember, I have always been super passionate and involved in social causes and volunteer work. When I was in high school, I led our social justice club. I volunteered weekly with several non-profits, including Very Special Kids, Red Cross, and Sony Star Camp. I became interested in ethics and equality, which led me to petition the swap to Fairtrade coffee and tea in my school’s canteen. I was so excited when I got it over the line!
I went on to study a Bachelor of Science, majoring in biochemistry and then worked at some of Australia’s leading beauty and wellness companies. My roles were predominately in ethical sourcing, sustainable supply chains, and product development. While I loved science and impact I also loved beauty products as a self-proclaimed Mecca junkie. At that time, I didn’t know that impact, science and beauty could all intersect. Reflecting on my interests growing up, it makes sense that I eventually created a business that is half an impact company and half a beauty brand.
What challenges/hurdles have you faced getting to where you are now?
One of the biggest hurdles I have had to face throughout my founder journey is that ‘founder life’ is an emotional rollercoaster. We carry all the business stress and pressure and are constantly fixing and problem-solving, which can be exhausting. The hardest part for me is taking time to look after myself. Putting everyone else’s needs before my own is easy – our customers, team, investors, retailers and suppliers.
I’ve learned that if I don’t look after myself, I can’t look after anyone else who is important to me inside and outside of the business. There are so many great days and some really tough ones as well. I spend most of my time managing my team, running operations, product development, cash flow and sustainability impact reporting because we are backed by impact investment funds, so this is a very important pillar for us.
What do you want people to know about your industry/your role?
When thinking about creating a beauty product, I would recommend making sure it has a true point of difference and a purpose because it’s a lot easier to get through hard days when you can remember that what you’re creating is ultimately having a positive impact on people and the planet. Purpose is what ends up driving you and all your business decisions so it’s important to know what that is.
On the flip side, I’ve also learned that having amazing disruptive products and a legitimate impact is not enough if no one knows about it or our messaging and marketing aren’t resonating and connecting with people. So, it’s also equally important to hire the right people who are going to be able to effectively communicate and market your product. I’m lucky to have hired the best people who help me do this.
What’s the best part about your role?
My favourite part about my job is that every day I get to work on a business that is rooted in purpose. Because our mission is at the centre of everything we do, it helped me attract the most talented team who joined the journey with me. Startup life can have negative connotations with burnout and exhaustion. I’m proud that my team has a wonderful work and personal life, and they don’t have to sacrifice their personal life, mental health or physical health in the process of excelling at work.
What would surprise people about your role?
That my day-to-day is constantly changing and mostly not glamorous. On the outside, it might appear that the majority of my role means attending a lot of fun events and travelling to the UK a fair bit. But the truth is I’m always deep in admin or in the lab with no makeup on and in gym gear. My team always joke that they know if I have a special meeting or an event because I’ve worn a bit of makeup to work and dressed up.
What skills have served you well in your industry?
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I’ve been working in the beauty industry for almost 10 years. Skills that have served me the most are being super resourceful, being able to problem-solve and never taking no for an answer because there is always a solution. The combination of the three skills makes running a business a lot easier because every day is a new problem that needs fixing or someone telling you that you can’t do something, but you know that you can. I always try and instil these qualities in my team because it’s essential in a startup, but it will also help their own career journeys.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to be in a role like yours one day?
Don’t let the opinion of others or their perception of you get in your way. I have faced many people in my life, whether that be mentors, investors or even family, telling me that I shouldn’t start a business because it won’t succeed, and no one cares enough about sustainability to buy my products, which at the time was really disheartening.
But if you really believe in what you’re doing and what you’re creating, you can block out the noise and go make it happen for yourself. Some days it will be harder than others, but if you truly believe in it and love it, you will end up creating an amazing business that you’re proud of.
What about a practical tip?
To not let the problem overtake your life. This relates to both personal and professional life challenges. Things go wrong more than they do right in business and especially the more responsibility you take on, the more problems you’re fixing. It can be easy to let it consume you, which negatively impacts your personal life because you’re not looking after yourself or not sleeping over it and that has a flow-on on effect to your mental health and happiness.
It’s important to remember in these times that there is always a solution, that you don’t have to solve it on your own, and that instead of wasting time worrying about it or dwelling on what went wrong, just focus that energy on how you can move through it and get past it. Work is important but not at the cost of your mental health and personal life.
Read the rest of the How I Got Here series here.
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