Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in beauty and cosmetics but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Parisa Durrani, co-founder of BASMA Beauty, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We are a beauty brand that sells makeup inspired by real skin. At the age of two, my co-founder Basma Hameed suffered third-degree burns on her face in a kitchen accident. Despite hundreds of surgeries and treatments, she was left with a bright red scar. As a result, she turned to makeup at a very early age, and she immediately saw how confident it made her feel. But she always felt overlooked and neglected by beauty brands - both in terms of representation and products. She promised herself that one day she'd start a beauty brand - the brand she wished existed when she was younger. That's how BASMA Beauty was created! BASMA celebrates everyone's uniqueness, personal stories, and triumphs and wants people to feel their best - in their own skin.
Tell us about yourself
I am the co-founder of BASMA Beauty, but I never once imagined I'd be where I am. I studied journalism in university because I love basketball and wanted to be a sports reporter. Although I never worked in sports, I did work for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) in several capacities and shows! After a few years, I switched gears. I completed a Master of Science in Marketing Communications from Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois. I landed a role at a tech startup back in Toronto and worked my way up for four years. It was only after I completed my maternity leave with my first son that Basma - who is my sister-in-law - approached me about the beauty brand she wanted to develop. As a beauty fanatic myself, I volunteered myself for the role - and the rest is history!
Basma is my motivation, in all honesty. She epitomizes strength and determination. She has worked so hard her entire life to get to where she is, and she genuinely wants people to feel their best. Understanding how beautiful the formula is that she developed and her mission - it keeps me going and excited to bring this brand to the world.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Being selected to join the Sephora Accelerate program. That was a HUGE win for us. Every year, Sephora selects a handful of relatively new female-founded brands to be part of their incubation program. Sephora works with each of these companies to grow their brands and guide them into the world of retail. To be selected from thousands of brands and be recognized by the powerhouse that is Sephora has truly been the highlight so far.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
The beauty space is incredibly competitive and saturated. It is extremely difficult to break into the market and equally harder to stay relevant. This requires not only a lot of marketing tactics - but also money. And when you're competing with beauty brands that have been around for decades and have what feels like an unlimited budget, it can feel tough to keep up. So while that has been difficult, it has also forced us to be creative in how we market ourselves!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Live and breathe your space. You should know every move, every launch, every brand story, every marketing tactic in the books. Only when you truly understand your industry and the key players, will you be able to better position yourself and your brand in the market.
- Be very clear about why you're launching a business. What's your mission? I know that sounds so cliche, but every business decision should become clearer when you understand what you are trying to achieve.
- Google EVERYTHING. There is an unlimited number of resources online where you can learn anything and everything. You don't know how to find a manufacturer? Google it. Want to develop a pricing strategy? Google it. And don't be shy to ask questions when you don't understand something. Reach out to your network on LinkedIn. Go for coffee meetings with old colleagues or call up mentors.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.basmabeauty.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/basmabeautyofficial/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parisa-durrani-48625b50/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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