Transition to Clean, Green, Beauty - Green Beauty Curator
Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in skincare but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Maria Velve, founder of Green Beauty Curator, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My business, Green Beauty Curator, is a service and product-based business offering green beauty products and services to women. We help women transition to cleaner beauty products through product consultations, makeup lessons, and application, all while supporting local product makers. Our mission is to remove the overwhelm that exists when it comes to taking care of your skin and focus on simple routines that work.
Tell us about yourself
I've always been in the beauty industry in one form or another. I've worked in the retail, film, and spa industries and even taught middle school students in South Korea special effects makeup. My formal education is in teaching adult ESL, but I missed the artistic expression of makeup too much to give it up completely.
When my second son was born with severely reactive skin, I dedicated all my time to finding ways to heal it. This is when my relationship with products completely changed. After that, I knew I had to share what I had discovered with others to help them heal their skin too. Seeing a woman comfortable and happy with her skin is my biggest motivator!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Balance is always hard to maintain but essential to any business owner. I would say that my biggest accomplishment is maintaining that delicate balance between my business and personal life. As a mother of two energetic young boys, finding ways to take care of me, my children, my relationship with my husband, and my business so that they all thrive is the goal of gargantuan proportion! Nobody has extra time during the day. Taking 15 minutes in the morning to squeeze in some yoga or 15 minutes in the afternoon to share a snack with my kids and talk about their day is how I balance it all out.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
One of the hardest things, especially if you're an overachiever (and I am), is letting go of some of the control. It's not that you can't do it all, but whether you should be doing it all. It's not about proving to yourself if you can do it - yes, you can! You must think about the success of your business and where your skills make the most impact. Everything else you can outsource!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Do the work to make sure it's what you really want - take workshops, journal, research, talk to people - because it's not easy to get a new business going. And when you do, you want to give it a fighting chance!
- You're not going to be a pro at everything! Open your mind to learning everything about your business, and if some tasks are not your cup of tea, outsource them!
- Ask for help! I suggested outsourcing above, but if you can't afford it, there are lots of kick-ass entrepreneur groups out there that you can join for free. I joined one in 2017 when I was just starting out, and it was the best thing for my business. I made business connections and friends that I hold dear to this day.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Follow your heart and your instinct. If you've been thinking about starting something of your own for a while and that feeling has not gone away, it's for a good reason. Be fearless and take the leap. You don't know where that leap is going to take you unless you take it.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://greenbeautycurator.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreenBeautyCurator/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greenbeautycurator/
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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