Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal care but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Alexandria MacFarlane, founder of Truly Lifestyle Brand, located in Surrey, BC, Canada.

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

Truly Lifestyle Brand is a vegan, leaping-bunny certified natural skincare company! Having started off catering to the lower mainland and Abbotsford, where Truly was born, our customers are now worldwide, and Truly ships both domestically and internationally! Truly's innovation stems from wanting to create high-end, luxury skincare at an affordable price with simple ingredients. We are proud to be a small business that incorporates a well-rounded line of active ingredients, products by skin type, and hair + body care lines!

Tell us about yourself

When I first started Truly, I was actually working at a credit union, and my boss asked me at the time, "what do you want to do in 5 years?" I knew right away that I wanted something big for myself, I didn't know it at the time, but I realized shortly after... "hey, wait a minute, I love skincare!" I began making my first product on my living room table in my basement suite, which is now the best-selling "Truly Clear Spot Treatment." I continued to create more and more products with the same simple yet effective philosophy.

Being a micro-influencer on Instagram at the same time, I utilized the communication tools in front of me to create real relationships between myself, my brand, and my community. I was lucky enough to move into my first warehouse space last year, along with creating a wonderful team of employees while outsourcing and scaling the business due to rapid online growth! What motivates me every day is the genuine confidence of customers writing and expressing how much Truly has changed their skin for the better.

It's crazy - we have people that have struggled with cystic acne for years or hormonal acne, you name it, who've gained all the confidence in the world when it comes to their skin. Because I have always been so passionate about community and sense of self, knowing that products we are bringing into the world are changing people's ideas on skincare and helping them, that for me is worth everything.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

As of right now, I am incredibly proud to have been recognized by BC Business as a Top 30 under 30 award winner! As a business owner, there are so many things that make you proud, but one of the most amazing things we have been doing is implementing long-term, sustainable plans to reduce our carbon footprint and give back to our precious environment. Our newest initiative is the "Truly Gives Back" program, where we pick up five pieces of garbage for every order placed. Each quarter, our entire team hits the streets to collect garbage until the job is done! You can follow along with our progress through Instagram!

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

One of the hardest things about being a business owner is learning how to adjust your business model to a changing demographic. In this day and age, it is more important than ever to be engaged in Tiktok, reels, and visually engaging content that a few years ago may not have been at the forefront of your business module. In skin care, the latest and greatest trends often result in new and innovative products. If you can be the one to get ahead of the trends and read into a changing market, your success is totally amplified. Utilizing social media properly and understanding how to get the most out of your marketing is definitely a challenge, but so well rewarded!

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

  1. Be prepared to scale! You might be small right now, but thinking big and anticipating large volumes and capacity allows you to be prepared for larger volumes and can help you say "yes" to more opportunities that come your way! Scaling your business can come in many different ways, whether that be buying the bigger machine, keeping a bigger backstock than you ordinarily would, and essentially keeping yourself in a position where your business can produce more than your current need. Growth happens incredibly fast, and if you are already in a position to deal with it, you're coming out ahead!
  2. Be kind. There is so much opportunity in every industry to learn, mentor, and applaud the success of your fellow business owners! Some of the best collaborations that have skyrocketed Truly have happened by collaborating with like-brands! You never know what business relationships can prosper! Help each other!
  3. At the very beginning, don't forget the little things! Make a checklist of important requirements you'll need to ensure future success. These are things like opening up a business bank account, creating a website and registering a domain name, taking care of the books, and registering products to their appropriate regulatory bodies!

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Thank you so much for this opportunity to share Truly's story and for encouraging the entrepreneurial spirit of future business owners; the world needs more of you!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://trulylifestylebrand.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trulylifestylebrand
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trulylifestylebrand/

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.