Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal care but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Carol Pincione, Founder of Bolle di Natura, located in Paris, France.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Bolle di Natura is a brand of vegan, cruelty-free, and ethical solid cosmetics. All our products are made with plant-based ingredients sourced from artisans with ethical missions. Our products are plastic-free. We help busy women elevate their self-care routine with a high-quality product for their skin while making a positive impact with products that are respectful of people, animals, and our planet.
Tell us about yourself
I grew up in Italy and now living in Paris after spending 13 years of my life in NYC working in the corporate world. In the past, I made soap to reduce the plastic waste in our home but never had time to make it consistently due to my hectic work life. Then COVID-19 happened. Washing hands with soaps became a necessity, and also making gentle soaps to make sure our hands were clean but also not too dry from the frequent usage, especially for my little one who started having rashes from the store-bought soaps and detergents.
This passion grew each day and made me realize many things about my current lifestyle. When my family and I decided to move back to Europe for family reasons, I then decided to take this side hobby to the next level as an opportunity to inspire people about making sustainable choices while seeing the difference on their skin after using natural products, support small business ethics and mostly reduce plastic pollution. That is what motivates me each day.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
The biggest accomplishment is when you see you make a difference in people's lives, the improvement in my customers' dry and irritated skin, the smile when they open their box when they finally take the time for themselves, and the fact that in your little day to day job you are making a difference into this world by inspiring people in making more sustainable choices.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
When I moved to France with my family, I worked on moving my small business from New York to Paris and navigated through all the bureaucracy in France to open a business on top of the strict French cosmetic regulation, all in another language; this was very challenging. The hardest part is to work on motivating yourself not to give up and to keep going: keep that mindset while working on many aspects of your business.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- MINDSET: stay motivated all the time. The imposter syndrome hits when you don't expect it. It's a good start if you can recognize when you are having those down moments, embrace them, and work on them.
- KEEP GOING: do not stop. When nothing seems to work out well, do not give up. Keep going towards your goals. It takes time to build a small business.
- SET A TO-DO LIST: a short list with the top 3 things you need to accomplish each day. I use my Outlook calendar, and it comes from my old job habits, it helps me organize my days. This way, I do not get lost while multitasking.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://bolledinatura.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bolledinatura/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bolledinatura/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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