Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal care but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Karika Patel, owner of Seed Phytonutrients, located in Dallas, TX, USA.

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

Seed Phytonutrients is a clean beauty brand on a mission to craft formulas that are more trusted than they are trendy, with minimal impact on the planet. The brand's ethos is a formula; first, sustainability always™ -- embodying its dedication to crafting clean, high-performance hair, skin, and body care formulas that you can trust are good for you and the earth. The Seed team believes the magic lies in what's inside a formula, not just what isn't. That's why all formulas are powered by seed oils and extracts— the seed is where a plant's nutrients are encased and protected from environmental elements, so they remain in their purest form. Each product is absolutely always sulfate, paraben, gluten, silicone, and synthetic fragrance-free, as well as cruelty-free and Leaping Bunny Certified.

The brand was founded by L'Oreal as an incubator brand, but I purchased the brand in May 2020. I was introduced to Seed Phytonutrients because my family's beauty manufacturing business was involved with the brand's development in product formulation and manufacturing since its inception.

Today, I proudly wear the badge of Seed Phytonutrients' ReFounder. Our small but very mighty Seed team is paving the way to take the brand to the next level via new product launches, major packaging updates, and deeper sustainability commitments, such as launching a refill program to help customers further contribute to their eco-efforts at home.

Tell us about yourself

Prior to refounding Seed, I led a career in corporate strategy and earned an MBA from McCombs School of Business. I went on to serve as a Senior Buyer at Target and then as the Lead Program Manager of Target's Beauty Accelerator program, Target Takeoff, lending me innumerable insights into how to grow and scale a brand. Within this position, I sourced and evaluated hundreds of indie brands, then worked in step with dozens of selected companies to help them build their businesses. I gained incredible insights and knowledge about beauty market trends, as well as hands-on experience with entrepreneurship and business operations behind the scenes.

A first-generation Indian American, I come from a very close-knit family that has always placed a strong emphasis on respect, compassion, hard work, and perseverance. These qualities are exemplified by my parents, both entrepreneurs that came to the US with very little to their names and have gone on to build and grow successful businesses from the ground up. I am extremely grateful to have such incredible role models and pillars of strength in my life, and now as a Mom of 3 kids (under three years old!) I hope to inspire them to reinvent the wheel and always aspire to achieve a new height of success - like my parents motivated and influenced me.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Taking over ownership of Seed is a life-long dream, as I have always aspired to own and operate my very own beauty brand. I've grown up in the beauty industry. I have had the distinct privilege of working with many beauty entrepreneurs, and I knew this was my calling. I just wasn't sure when and how I would get here - until Seed came along! I am so grateful for the opportunity to take Seed to the next level as the next big beauty brand.

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

The buck always stops with you. That's a big set of responsibilities that isn't for the faintest of hearts. Having worked in corporate America for many years, there is always some sort of cushion or buffer when the going gets tough. But when you own your own business, you as the business owner feel the full impact and responsibility of challenging situations. Especially as a small business, oftentimes, it can feel overwhelming to overcome difficult hurdles. But it's ever so important to surround yourself with a strong team and strong advisors to ensure you have the support you need to persevere.

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

  1. Ensure your network of teammates and advisors are strong! The saying "it takes a village" applies to everything, including with running and growing your business. And if you don't have a solid network today, intentionally build one by joining digital groups, participating in networking opportunities, and reaching out to people for mentorship.
  2. Don't bite off more than you can chew. Sometimes it can be hard to put boundaries on the possibilities or where you want to go or what you need to get done next. Be realistic and articulate about your short-term and long-term goals, and utilize your network of advisors to pressure test that plan.
  3. Don't be afraid to ask for help. It's impossible to know the answer to everything, so seek out guidance and advice when you need it. There are tons of free or reasonably priced resources available to entrepreneurs, so leverage those tools to get what you need to be done!

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

My career path and journey here were far from planned. My experiences have taught me that being open and receptive to new people, opportunities and networks will take you very far in life!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://seedphytonutrients.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seedphytonutrients/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seedphytonutrients/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karika-purohit-patel-a9b4a011/

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.