Today we’d like to introduce you to Sasha Suresh.
Sasha, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I always knew I wanted to work for myself. Growing up I watched my mother wear make-up, like most little girls do. She has a very subtle and elegant way about her. Beauty was always in the back of my mind. Living in NY I was working as a real estate agent, but as I mentioned the beauty industry always fascinated me. I thought about it and talked myself into taking a risk. Giving up everything to start something new. It was a scary feeling but I had nothing to lose, so I took that chance on myself. The desire to create something beautiful paved the path to my career path.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It’s been anything but smooth to be honest! Bootstrapping in itself is a stressful process that’s never ending. It requires commitment and discipline like none other. Being a first-time business owner and having no background in beauty were added struggles. This meant that not only did I have to incorporate a business but also build a brand while simultaneously learning how to do so. This includes product development, design, branding, social media to name a few. Having a mentor would have helped tremendously but I unfortunately didn’t have one.
Please tell us about Jolii Cosmetics.
Jolii Cosmetics philosophy is simple, clean beauty formulas created for any woman who is on her own mission, whatever that may be and wants to look fabulous doing so, without worrying about smudge or reapplication. My goal for Jolii is to be able to stand out from the crowd and one of the ways I do that is by customizing the packaging and producing in small batches so it feels exclusive rather than mass produced. Also, formulas being made in Italy already sets Jolii apart from the other Indie brands. I recently launched Jolii 2.0, which is our clean beauty line. I strongly believe providing our customers with the most ingredient safe and highest quality product. Jolii 2.0 is the product of the aim. What I’m the proudest of is that Jolii is self funded and I’ve been able to keep it that way until now.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I were to start over, I’d be better with the initial start-up costs. I’ve learnt that it’s always better to overestimate, especially if you’re bootstrapping. I’d also start networking before launching and get myself a mentor with expertise in the beauty industry. This can be a game changer!
Pricing:
- Mellow Sticks – $30
- Lustre Lip – $24
- The Elixir – $30
- Luxe Crème Mattes – $18
- Matte Velluto – $20
- Spektra Sticks – $26
Contact Info:
- Website: www.joliicosmetics.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: joliicosmetics
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joliicosmetics/
Image Credit:
Kimberly Tran
Claudio Robles
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