Female Founder Spotlight: Caroline Sims

30 June 2021|Female Founder Spotlight, Latest Posts, Meet the Successful Founder

Botanycl was created in 2018 after founder Caroline suffered severe skin problems for many years.  After trying different products with no results, she started to research scientific studies and testimonials which led her to natural, plant-based ingredients.  Caroline created SkinClear Elixir which cleared her skin within a week.  She has since expanded the range to include vitamin supplements for immune support, skin health and energy.  We were delighted to catch up with her recently to discover more about her entrepreneurship journey.

Can you tell us a little about your background and the company?

Prior to launching my business, I was a mental health nurse for the NHS. I studied Psychology at university which helped me with the research around founding my brand and my skin problems. My business Botanycl was created in 2018 after suffering from skin problems since I was a teenager and well into adulthood. After trying different products with no results, I started to research scientific studies and testimonials which led to natural, plant-based ingredients which completely cleared my skin.

How did the idea come to you for the company?

After suffering skin problems for many years and trying products that didn’t work, I decided to take matters into my own hands and develop my own product. Trying over-the-counter products like retinoids further caused damage to my skin. Additionally, I tried laser treatments and antibiotics – neither solved the problem. My research into plant-based ingredients to balance the hormones led me to create SkinClear Elixir.

How did you achieve awareness?

I placed an ad on Facebook which helped generate awareness for the brand. I am also very proactive with social media and customer testimonials work really for the brand. Consumers can see how beneficial SkinClear Elixir is and how successful it’s been in helping achieve clear skin.

How have you been able to gain funding and grow?

Botanycl has received no funding. Botanycl started using a small amount of personal funding from inheritance. I’ve managed to grow the brand using Facebook ads, Instagram and word of mouth through customers sharing their results.

What are the key successes? The product’s results speak for themselves as we’ve had a fantastic 73% with clearing acne in women. Many women describe SkinClear Elixir as changing their life due to giving them their confidence back – this is the most rewarding part. We also launched in Holland and Barrett last year and are now looking to expand internationally. 

What were/are the challenges and how have you overcome these? 

I started Botanycl as a one-woman band, with no business experience. I had to learn everything about running a business, on the job. It was challenging and anxiety-provoking at times, but I have learnt a lot! Also, I am used to working as part of a team with a boss and set tasks to complete each day, so I had to learn how to structure my own time and prioritise my tasks effectively. 

What are your plans now/for the future? 

My aim would be to continue to build the brand and expand the range with different supplements. So far, the range includes supplements for immune support, skin health and energy. We have a new hair growth supplement launching soon which has an exciting ingredient list!

What would you like to share with others to encourage them to start their own entrepreneurship journey? 

If you have passion, focus on the end goal and the steps to get there. Don’t focus on your doubts or reasons why you can’t do it. Focus on why and how you can do it. If you have a doubt, test it out and see if it’s real by taking a small step, you’ll likely find it is an imagined doubt. 

Don’t let other people’s doubts become your own. 

Don’t wait too long to turn your idea into reality-or someone else might beat you to it! 

Focus on customer testimonials and social sharing. Send follow up emails to all customers who have purchased your product and ask them about their experience and to share it in a review on their social media or your website.

Can you share your top tips for entrepreneurial success?

There are affordable/free resources out there to help you learn how to create and launch a business. Utilise them! For example, there are whole YouTube channels dedicated to successfully launching a product on Amazon which show you every single step from choosing a brand name, sourcing the ingredients/Materials, marketing your product and growing sales.

You don’t always need loads of money to launch a product (one of the mentioned doubts which stops many people) If you start with small orders of about 500 units, you may find you’re able to keep start-up costs low. Facebook advertising is really helpful when starting out as you can control your daily spend and only spend what you can afford, which you can scale as you start to grow.

Who inspires you the most? (with social handle please) and why. (just a sentence or two for each is fine). 

Richard Branson – He started a small record selling business at university and now runs multiple successful businesses. He didn’t let his failures deter him along the way and shows that anything is possible! 

What are your favourite inspirational /motivational quotes? 

– Go for progress, not perfection. 

– Try and fail, don’t fail to try. 

What are your social handles and website links so our readers can connect with you?

Instagram: @botanycl

Website: www.botanycl.co.uk

Facebook: Botanycl