7 March 2021|Latest Posts, Meet the Successful Founder
Rebecca Saunders is the founder of Seekology, a curated website for independent brands in beauty + wellbeing. Having worked as the John Lewis beauty buyer and for retailers such as Tiffany, Fenwick and notonthehighstreet, Rebecca is as passionate about shopping as she is about supporting new brands. In her spare time Rebecca hangs out with her two young children and enjoys trying out new beauty products.
What would you love to share to encourage other women to start their own business?
Just start! My natural tendency is to be a real planner, but it’s impossible to plan once you’re an entrepreneur. In fact, it’s more risky to plan too much since it’s really important to respond to customers and to the market. By starting small and keeping the business as flexible as possible, I’ve managed to weather the Covid storm which has been so devastating to the retail industry. Start, get as much feedback as you possibly can (although you don’t always have to act on it), test and learn, and help others along the way.
What are your top 5 tips for entrepreneurial success?
- It’s a marathon, not a sprint: Although this is cliched, it is true. As an entrepreneur, the to-do list never gets done. To build your business for the long term you need to know how to set your boundaries and step away when it’s appropriate to ensure you are recharged and refreshed (plus, we have some products at Seekology that can help you with that!).
- Find your tribe: being a founder – especially a solo founder – can be lonely. Having a network of other founders at a similar stage is really important, and as well as having people to whinge to, there are other founders who have become firm friends and cheerleaders for Seekology.
- Put yourself out there: I’m naturally quite reticent when it comes to promoting myself, but I discovered that customers really like to hear from me as the curator of the brands we sell at Seekology. By showing more of myself through our marketing I’ve built personal relationships and engaged with more customers in an authentic way.
- Don’t worry too much about what other people are doing: focus on what’s important to you and your business. Others are only presenting a sanitised version of themselves, especially on social media, and comparisons tend to be unhelpful. Look to the competition so you know what’s going on, but forge your own path.
- Done is better than perfect: this phrase speaks for itself.
Who are the 5 women who inspire you the most?
Michelle Obama – I loved reading her book last year
Marin Alsop – I’m also a violinist, and it was inspiring to work with one of the few world-class female conductors a couple of years ago
Lilian Gilbreth – an early female tech entrepreneur, inventor of the dishwasher and mother to 13 children. An inspiration to working parents everywhere!
Jo Malone – the ultimate beauty entrepreneur who’s doing it all again for the second time because she’s so passionate about her craft
Jaime Schmidt – I’ve just finished her story of forging her own path as a beauty founder in the US. A must-read for anyone in this industry
What is your favourite saying/inspirational quote?
“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future”. – Steve Jobs
Website & Socials
@SeekologyUK on facebook, instagram and twitter
