Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in skincare but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Angel Lam, founder of Liv'Ez Co. - Conscious Skincare & Wellness, located in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Liv'Ez Co. creates science-based, sustainable, and ethically-sourced and -made beauty products and makes it EASY for conscientious retail customers to LIVE up to their ethical and sustainability corporate goals by offering impactful beauty products made from responsibly-sourced ingredients, packaged in recycled and/or recyclable packaging, manufactured in a low-waste facility, and distributed by an innovative brand that continually seeks out new ways to conserve the environment and natural resources.
We believe that when everybody can easily access sustainable alternatives that fit into their lives seamlessly, like Liv'Ez Co.'s natural and plant-based beauty products, it makes the overall sustainable impact of a community increase exponentially.
Tell us about yourself
After working in the marketing industry for about seven years, I began ideating and creating products for Liv'Ez Co. in 2019. However, due to the onset of the pandemic, we delayed our official launch to the public all the way to November 2020. At that point, the pandemic still didn't seem to have an end in sight. I have had no regrets in founding Liv'Ez Co. nor launching during a pandemic, as our brand has been well-received by customers and industry peers alike. We have been sent compliments on our formulas consisting of natural ingredients instead of common, unsustainable cosmetic ingredients, like palm oil and/or palm-derivative ingredients, petrochemicals, artificial dyes/colorants/fragrances, sulfates, parabens, or phthalates.
For me, every day, I wake up with the desire to do good: I want to leave the world a better place than I found it. Since my strength lies in the chemistry and cosmetic formulation, I feel the most alive when I know how many acres of land we are protecting by sourcing from sustainable farms or how many tons of carbon we are not emitting by avoiding petrochemicals in our formulations, etc.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My greatest success to date within the beauty industry is the inception and launch of Liv'Ez Co., which I single-handedly strategized, funded, and executed. Although the launch of this business meant breaking into an already-saturated market, I recognized that, because of my deep passion for environmental conservation and sustainable living—as well as a foundation in skincare knowledge, cosmetic formulation, and biochemistry. I had something very special to bring to eco-conscious consumers and skincare lovers.
In addition, we have been awarded the Gold Prize from Spring Activator's Growth challenge in 2021 for our efforts and achievements as a social impact and sustainable business. Our award press release can be found here: https://bit.ly/3hNsN9j
Finally, I was recently interviewed and profiled by the Richmond Sentinel for my recent successes and desire to make the world a better place through sustainable beauty products. This opportunity allowed me to share my "why" for founding Liv'Ez Co., as well as our hopes for the future as a small business in BC. Link to read the article: https://bit.ly/3HQKYFC
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Managing the use of my time and energy. As an entrepreneur with ADHD, time management is already an upward battle our entire lives
and compounding that with the somewhat chaotic nature of being a small business owner makes it even harder.
However, the stress that comes with entrepreneurship has forced me to gain more insight into myself and my own mental health, turning me towards medical research and ways to manage stress and other comorbidities that come with ADHD effectively. I have been so fascinated with the effects of ADHD, specifically on founders of businesses, that I have become somewhat of a mental health advocate for entrepreneurs.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Always remember your "why"; this is your guiding light that will always lift you up when you face obstacles, give you direction when you are lost, and draw customers to you each and every day.
- Make time for things outside of your business: work-life balance is so underrated these days in our "hustle" culture. Know that when you feel the effects of burnout, you are already too late and have overextended yourself beyond a healthy amount.
- Never stop learning and be curious about everything. This is one of the biggest gifts of being an entrepreneur: we can incorporate ideas and concepts from other parts of our lives into our business. There's no boss telling us our idea is too unorthodox, so there is nothing stopping us from continually learning from every facet of our lives to bring ideas to and improve our business.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.liveeasyco.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liveeasyco
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liveeasyco/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/liveeasyco
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/liveeasyco/
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.
Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.