Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal care but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Rachelle Séguin, co-founder of Omy Cosmetics, located in Québec, QC, Canada.

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

Omy is the first company in Canada to create custom skincare using an online artificial intelligence tool and a team of passionate scientists! Combining technology, science and nature, Omy is a young local company that stands out for its rapid growth through e-commerce and its sense of innovation.

Our clientele is anyone (men and women) with skin concerns. Our target customers are those who cannot find anything suitable for their skin concerns (acne, redness, wrinkles, spots, etc.) on the current market.

Tell us about yourself

When I was a teenager, I was very complex about my skin because I had redness and acne, and I couldn't find a product for me. And I wasn't the only one. Then, I decided to start my own cosmetics company to find a solution to those problems because we all have different skin. With my associate, we decided to include three different actifs in our product to correspond to three various skin problems.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

In three years, we have built a company with almost 30 full-time jobs and a turnover of nearly $3M by the end of 2021. We have created a technological innovation in the field of dermocosmetics that shines throughout Canada and internationally. Our artificial intelligence software has reached more than 30,000 consumers around the world. We currently have 18 products available on our transactional website, including three custom products, representing more than 8,000 possible combinations for the consumer to meet their needs.

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

I have learned with my journey to be resilient and to follow my dreams despite the difficulties. I believe that the most important thing when starting a business is to have a clear vision and values. With Omy, I want to change the world in my own way by offering products that will change customers' lives and give them confidence. We made mistakes early on by outsourcing formulation. We quickly realized that keeping quality control and innovation in-house is paramount, so now we have a lab equipped to do everything directly in Quebec.

Our products are of excellent quality, and we have an innovative business model which, according to our forecasts, will make it possible to create wealth for the province, but especially jobs in our sector. I have a clear vision, and I learned to assume myself as a businesswoman and follow my heart. I see the potential in people, and I manage to place them in the right places in my company so that they perform and flourish.

I believe that having an atypical career with difficulties has allowed me to be the woman I am today and to appreciate life in all its facets. At the beginning of Omy, we were students with low income, but a big dream. We were really creative with the money we earned in the different contests. It is important to keep that same level of creativity with the funds, with the growth, each penny can make the difference. Testing and innovation are the key.

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

  1. Start a business to solve a real problem that you desire to solve.
  2. Surround yourself with people who are better than you.
  3. Talk about the project to as many people as possible to mobilize.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://omycosmetics.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/omycosmetics
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omycosmetics/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/omy-laboratoires/

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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