Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in beauty and cosmetics but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Meryl Marshall, President of Hynt Beauty, located in Manalapan, NJ, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

My name is Meryl Marshall, and I am the co-founder of a vegan, organics-based, clean beauty brand called Hynt Beauty. Our loyal customers are those that expect their makeup and skincare to be effective, highly pigmented, and perform well with the confidence that they are made with safe ingredients.

Tell us about yourself

My prior career was 20 years in the diamond and jewelry business. I was a gemologist specializing in fine diamond jewelry. Long story short, I was a 9/11 widow that remarried a widower in May of 2004. We blended our families and were hopeful for a new start to raise and love our children together. Six months later, I was diagnosed early with aggressive breast cancer. After surgeries and treatment, I started to research and question everything from food to cleaning products, lawn care products, as well as health and beauty products.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

With my husband Craig as co-founder, we proudly built a beautiful brand that is sold all over the world. Our products are sold online as well as in numerous brick-and-mortar stores. Our website currently has over 25,000 customers. We are still known as a small indie brand, but we are very hands-on and work with a small team. We put love into our business, and we value what we have built.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

We have survived one of the largest hurdles. During the pandemic, many were not interested in or needed to wear cosmetics. Three of our manufacturers went under. We persevered and are now rebuilding. We now have an amazing new factory that we are working with. This year we have experienced new growth, and it is exciting as well as motivates us to move forward with increasing inventory, awareness, and new products in the line.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

It takes a large amount of capital and time to build a brand. With that comes many sacrifices, especially if you are self-funded. Make sure you have ample funds in place. Be wary of bringing on a business partner, as you both must have the same work ethic and vision; otherwise, there will be a breakdown in the business structure. Customer service is a priority. It doesn't hurt to be nice, although there are times you need to remain firm.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://hyntbeauty.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HyntBeautyOfficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hyntbeauty/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HyntBeauty
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/merylmarshall/

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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