Straight From the Source, Made by You

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Valerie George, Founder of Simply Ingredients, located in Los Angeles, CA, USA.

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

Simply Ingredients empowers the DIY beauty creator to discover the most unique ingredients, explore a hands-on approach to making beauty products, and leave behind a slightly smaller footprint while doing it. We scour the globe to find unique, effective, and eco-conscious ingredients and share them along with their stories. Our ingredients are perfect for those who like to create beauty products for themselves or have a small brand of their own.

Tell us about yourself

Simply Ingredients is my passion project come to life. I am an award-winning cosmetic chemist and co-host of The Beauty Brains podcast. In working with large beauty brands, I’ve come across some of the coolest ingredients in the world that we didn’t get to use in projects for a multitude of reasons. I felt these ingredients were too unique and special not to share with the world, so I launched Simply Ingredients, where I can share them with DIY creators. I love being able to share my knowledge about ingredients sourcing and formulation with others. If I can even help one person discover something cool or widen their perspective, I’ve accomplished what I set out to do!

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner has just been getting the business up and running. Establishing a business and doing it well takes a lot of work. I’m proud that I could do it while working full-time.

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

One of the hardest things that come with being a business owner is navigating the ups and downs. Things feel really great when orders are coming in, but when slow periods come, it’s difficult to stay motivated. You have to show up as excited to get to work these days as when you opened the doors. And that can be challenging!

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

You have to really love what you’re doing to not only put the passion behind it but show others your passion as well. You will need lots of external support, and if you’re not excited about it, it’s hard to convince others to help you.
I also recommend that you outsource anything you don’t excel at. I’m a scientist and leader, and I know my strengths don’t lie in branding, marketing, and web design. I’ve outsourced these aspects of my business so I can focus on what I’m good at.
Establish relationships with other people who have started their own businesses. It’s great to have an ear to bounce ideas off of or find different ways of approaching things.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://simply-ingredients.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cosmetic_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.

Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.