Discover the Miriam Quevedo interview about the super-powers needed to be a female entrepreneur
What motivated you to start your own cosmetics brand?
I believe I was always destined to make my brand and business my life’s work. From a young age I worked in my family apothecary shops and I was always fascinated by products, ingredients, raw materials and plants, as well as treatments. Beauty was a part of me and this exposure to the business unlocked a passion that has guided my journey.
I still enjoy developing products with ingenuity, researching the best in ingredients and seeing high efficacy results just as much as I did when I was a child working alongside my mother in the apothecary. That is the formula I saw and I've set to emulate when launching my business. It’s what’s kept me going through tough times, pushing me to move the business and brand forward.
What do you wish you’d known when you started your brand?
I wish I’d known the many things I’ve learned from the mistakes I made along the way. No one gets everything right 100% of the time, and that was the case for me too. Knowing then what I know I’d probably avoid some mistakes but make others instead. But that’s not a bad thing. Over time I’ve learned to keep a positive attitude and maintain confidence, trusting my gut instincts and seeing mistakes as learning opportunities instead of as deal-breakers.
What is your favourite part of being a business owner? What feminine super-powers have helped you succeed?
My favourite part of owning my business is that I can help women look and feel their best, following in my mother’s footsteps. She was a strong influence in my life and set an inspiring example of a working mother, a creator, and an entrepreneur. She taught me important values that I use as my beacon, to lead and live by: honesty, hard work, and integrity. More than feminine super-powers, I see them as essential human traits that apply in equal measure to business and life.
What does a workday look like for you?
Part of what I love most about my work is that no two days are alike. Some days, it’s a mix between researching new ingredients and working with the laboratory on how to best incorporate them. Other days I spend more time in the office, connecting with our distributors around the world or planning new product launches or campaigns. We also do beauty parties or masterclasses, so on those days I’ll be spending time helping women discover our products and how to use them for best results. It’s great to interact with them and learn more about their needs and concerns, because it also counts as research towards creating new products. Whatever the day might bring, the best reward, beyond happy clients is spending time with my two daughters and my husband when I get home.
Which are the biggest challenges in your work?
The beauty industry is very fast paced and can be so trend-driven that it keeps me on my toes. But I love a good challenge! So my response to it is to stay adaptable and nimble, but always true to myself and the purpose, values and philosophy of my brand. We don’t create new products based on what is trendy; we focus instead of what our clients need: efficient products that they can seamlessly integrate in their beauty routines and turn into staples for years to come.
What are some big projects you’re working on now or that you’ve finished up in the last few months?
We recently launched a haircare collection based on our bio-adaptative Black Baccara Rose Youth Concentrate that has shown such spectacular results in our skincare products. Many women use their hair to express their personality but also as a mark of their femininity. So we wanted to create a full line that is an ally for them taking control over their hair. The products work to repair damage while also stimulating growth- whether hair thinning is a serious concern already or they are looking to prevent it. I wanted this new collection to also be an important step forward in our sustainability journey, so the Black Baccara haircare collection is fully vegan and comes in I’m GreenTM biodegradable packaging.
We also have some new and exciting launches planned for later this year. I won’t give up too much now, but you should stay tuned!
What’s your advice for women who want to follow in your footsteps and start a business?
I see many women thinking they are either too young or not young enough anymore to start their own business. So my main advice to those looking to take a step towards entrepreneurship is to ignore age and focus instead on whether the product or service they want to bring to the market has a real purpose. To find out, they should just take a leap, do their research, conduct trials and be prepared to work. There really is no quick road to success. But hard work, integrity and a team that believes in the purpose as much as you do can help you move mountains.