Inspiring Conversations with Zain Pirani of No Thank You

Today we’d like to introduce you to Zain Pirani.

Hi Zain, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My co-founder, Graham and I believed in the efficacy of CBD but were disappointed by how the ingredient was being misused and misrepresented by brands to lure in clients. The customer shouldn’t be deceived, they should be able to trust what is being sold to them and reap the benefits of the underlying ingredients without compromising on quality. If you use the right amount and the right type of CBD, it is quite an effective anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. We were adamant about creating a brand that our customers could trust; a brand that stood for uncompromising standards. We are not saying we are perfect, but we are transparent and honest.

Being minorities, me as a woman of color and Graham being a part of the LGBTQ+ community, we have both felt excluded in our respective career paths. We both worked in finance and that field is very cis-white male dominant and constantly made us feel like outliers. Thus, it is of utmost importance to us that we make everyone feel included with our products and our community, from folks working with us to those who use our products.

It was a culmination of our personal experiences and what we wanted to build that led us to birth this brand. Thus the name No, Thank You. It is personal.

When we started our company, it was just the two of us and an idea. Over time, very skillful and talented people began entering our lives and it only made sense that they joined in on our mission. From there, our passion project turned into a brand that represented us, our ideology and what we wanted to create and stand behind. It is this intangible feeling and the gut instinct that we have something here that people can relate to and want to be a part of that has kept us going. It is hard to believe that it has been two years now since we had an idea that we kept moving forward on, tiny little steps sometimes, but always forward, to what it is now. We are nowhere near where we would like to be, but the journey has been incredible and I couldn’t have asked for better partners.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It is all obstacles and challenges. You have to be in the headspace to want to solve problems all the time and not be deterred on your path. I do have days when I wake up and wonder that having a job with a regular paycheck would be nice but I am too married to the idea of running my own ship, although it might not be a ship but a boat and sometimes feels like a lifeboat. Adding COVID during our launch probably didn’t help, we decided to push forward anyways because we didn’t expect this to last as long as it has. Some handful of obstacles we faced included:

Launching with components we weren’t happy with, we made peace with it and constantly worked on replacing them. We are finally at a point where we are happy with our replacement components, that makes our line fully recyclable. Supply/chain has been a big challenge in the CPG industry. From raw materials to packaging and components, the wait time has been excruciatingly long.

We are finally seeing the digital advertising space for us open up, for the longest time CBD was lumped in with THC and it was impossible to push forward on any type of advertising. It is nowhere it needs to get to but it is much better than it was 12-18 months ago. We have some ways to go still.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We are a skincare brand with a range of products that are scientifically formulated with full-spectrum CBD for natural, everyday radiance. CBD is renowned as an effective anti-inflammatory and antioxidant; it works with other powerful ingredients and plant extracts to balance, complement, and amplify its effects for naturally kinder, glowing results. We care about all the little details and pride ourselves in having uncompromising standards, so our customers can reap the benefits of high-quality ingredients. We are not perfect but we are honest, even with our shortcomings. Our products are made with love and care for everybody. We believe passionately that, deep down, there is truly so little that divides us. Even on the surface, our skin isn’t what makes us different, it’s what makes us all the same. You might also have noticed our rather unusual name. It reminds us to say No, Thank You to things that no longer serve us. It reminds us to embrace ourselves as we are, not how others tell us we should be. And it reminds us that change comes incrementally through the smallest everyday actions.

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
To keep going. Not every day is going to be great but not every day is going to be bad either. Things will change, it is inevitable. Most importantly, be patient. If I had a penny for every time, I have to tell myself not to be impatient. At the end of the day, I am who I am, so I have to respect my journey and enjoy my time during it.

Pricing:

• A Balm For Lips – $18
• A Cream For Relief – $95
• An Oil For All Day – $85
• A Face Cleanser For Anytime – $45
• A Mask For Night – $85
• Discount code is GIFT25

Contact Info:

• Website: https://nty.co/
• Instagram: @nty.co
• Facebook: @nty.co