Today we’d like to introduce you to Ellen Clark.
Ellen, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Destiny in Skin
If acne could ever be described as a blessing then I suppose mine, which lasted well into my 20s, turned out to be just that. My own skin problems gave me the understanding and motivation to find ways to help others avoid the pain I had suffered. As our public face to the world, our skin is a fundamental feature of our self-image and consequently plays a huge part in our inner psychology as well.
Growing the Business
After college, I realized I wanted to do something that I felt passionate about. I began getting facials, my skin soon cleared and realized that this was it! I started out renting a room in a physician’s office, focusing on problem skin, always hoping to start my own line. This turned into fast growth, expansion and the opening of two skincare clinics that grew to the point where I decided to sell them. That gave me the capital and focus to start Control Corrective Skincare Systems, a collection-based, education-fueled, problem/solution, advanced clinical skin care line sold to Estheticians nationwide. I continued putting funds from sales back into inventory to build the business slowly but surely. Working this way also allowed me to be home with my daughter when she was young which was very important to me.
Now
Since I started the company, we have grown quite a bit (from my home office), to a wonderful staff of over 20. We are respected as a professional skin care brand, really work hard to educate others and develop the highest quality products on the market.
Has it been a smooth road?
It has not been a “smooth road”. Growing a small business, with your own funds and in an extremely competitive market in itself can be daunting on a regular basis. Instead of the word struggles, I would say that every year we have had some issue or another that we have had to adapt to. Whether it be employee related, product related, customer related, finance related, marketing related or contract related, there is always something we are dealing with. A typical example: We had an extremely large product order freeze in transit during a snow storm and UPS would not cover the damage, as they called it “an act of God”. We had labels that peeled off bottles and jars and had to replace them. We had our largest customer go out of business practically overnight; we have dealt with theft, unfavorable contracts signed in the early days of the business, a sales rep group over promise and under deliver, and many more “learning experiences” that have made me wiser, but still excited about the future.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Control Corrective Skincare Systems story. Tell us more about the business.
Control Corrective Skincare Systems is all about transformation. Our purpose is twofold – first to attain results and then to maintain the health and beauty of the skin. Offering comprehensive, collection-based skincare with a deep problem/solution focus. Control Corrective formulas deliver clinical skincare results in practical and accessible way. Whether you have cystic acne, dark spots, rosacea/sensitive skin, or mature, we have products that can help.
An important aspect to our skincare products is quality, consistency and professionalism. All of our formulas have been tested for efficacy, and the active ingredients are extensively researched for true potency and results. We take great pride that we adhere to GMP standards, we do not test on animals, and are completely paraben-free.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I foresee the trend going toward protecting professional brands from being diverted to internet sales. Spa owners and estheticians want to offer their clients great products along with their expertise in taking care of their skin, and when their clients purchase off internet sites, they’re not only risking getting fake product, but they’re missing out on having the professional guidance to use the products properly for best results. Control Corrective recognizes this problem and we have contracted with experts in this field to work towards making sure our products aren’t being sold anywhere other than through our own site. The internet has had a big impact on how this industry is perceived, and I think more and more brands will move in the direction of changing the negative effects that internet diversion creates.
Contact Info:
- Address: 10015 Muirlands Blvd., Ste. C, Irvine, California 92618
- Website: http://www.controlcorrective.com
- Phone: 866.290.4290
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/controlcorrective/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/controlcorrective/
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/ControlCorrective
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