Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in skin care but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jarin James, Founder, and Owner of Purus Allure, located in Hendersonville, TN, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am Jarin, and my business is Purus Allure. Purus is a Latin word meaning 'pure' or 'clean,' and Allure is another word for beauty. As a clean beauty company, I handcraft high-quality, natural skin care products for those who want to eliminate harsh chemicals and artificial ingredients from the products they use on their skin and their family's skin. Anyone eager to use wholesome, healthy ingredients - the ones that truly love your skin - will love the ingredients I use and the products I make.
Tell us about yourself
When one of my daughters was 6, she was diagnosed with a rare skin disease that made her skin very thin, delicate, and incredibly dry. As a chemist with a background in toxicology, I started to look a little harder at the labels on the products we were using on our skin. There were many ingredients that have a history of being skin irritants or have the ability to be stored within the body, building up over time. See, as society has advanced, it has created cheaper and faster-to-make alternatives for basic products, often at the cost of quality and health benefits. These ingredients that I found to be a problem were a result of society's advances. Of course, my daughter wasn't the only one suffering
it is estimated that a third of the earth's population is affected by some type of skin condition.
These ingredients prompted me to start handcrafting our own skincare, starting with soap and lip balm, to ensure that her skin was absorbing only the best ingredients - oils that would not only moisturize but also protect her skin from losing that moisture. I made a commitment to use only natural ingredients, such as foods and essential oils, to give the color and scent of my product. As I experimented, I would pass on my extras to family, neighbors, and friends who told me, "This is the best soap I've ever used!" and shared stories with me of how their eczema had disappeared or their teenager's acne had cleared up.
I realized that the products I was making were helping people, and I was thrilled knowing that God had used my skill set to create something that would bring people joy and hope. Now that I've turned my passion into a passionate business, I am motivated each day by chance to change someone's life for the better.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
As an entrepreneur, I believe my biggest accomplishment is being an example for my four children to never give up on goals and to always continue learning and growing. I am always reading books on topics I want, or need, to learn about and set big goals that need consistent effort if I'm going to reach them. I hope they grow up learning that nothing is impossible as long as we are willing to work for it.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
I find that the hardest part of being a business owner is achieving the balance between work time and family time, especially for those of us who work from home. I love what I do and can quickly lose track of time, especially when I am excited about trying something new or having a flood of creative thoughts. To create that balance, I like to schedule my day to ensure that my kids have all of me during family time and work has all of me during work time. I'm not perfect at it, but this strategy has helped me not feel guilty about how I spend my time, and it has helped my kids not resent my work.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
First, start right now. You don't have to have a perfect website, or the best packaging, or be good at social media to start a business - you just have to start now.
Second, write down the top 3-5 things you want to accomplish in your business in order of priority. When you are overwhelmed, look at your list - it will tell you what the most important thing is, so you can focus only on the tasks that will help you accomplish your priorities.
Third, surround yourself with people who will lift you up, brainstorm impossible goals with you, and be your biggest cheerleaders. These are the people who will walk next to you on your journey, celebrate your wins, hold you up when you stumble, and remind you that you are amazing.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Entrepreneurship has been one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had. There is little that compares to the freedom of being your own boss and the joy of seeing your vision come to life.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.purusallure.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PurusAllure/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/purusallure/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-green-chemist/
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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