Rachael Wilson is the founder and CEO of Dollsmash Cosmetics LTD.
I spent a large proportion of my career within the marketing industry, travelling nationwide supporting successful businesses to grow their client base. Following this, I explored the semi-permanent make-up industry which gave me the freedom and flexibility to raise my two girls while they were young. Dollsmash is a union of passions and personal strengths.
I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship I built with my clients and after a time I still wanted the same perks of working for myself, but I had bigger dreams. My goal was to create a luxury cosmetic brand that promotes diversity and inclusivity.
With so many amazing up and coming beauty brands, I had to manage my expectations about gaining awareness in this competitive market, however, we have gained awareness by investing in various advertising strategies and PR events. We have consistently promoted via social media and spread the word through our relentless dedication and commitment to the Dollsmash brand. My vision was always to grow a genuine following from the beginning, and we knew this would take time.
I have been fortunate enough to be able to personally fund my venture. I am truly proud to have grown my business from the ground up without funding or investments.
One of our key successes would be our Dubai launch which is upcoming in May this year. I am extremely excited about this and the opportunities this will present for Dollsmash. I recognise that Dollsmash has had many successes along the way but being recognised and approached by established household brands for collaboration is reflective of our current level of brand awareness. I am very proud of this.
Small businesses face countless challenges along the way, one of the biggest challenges for Dollsmash in the early days was finding the right team of people who have the same vision and commitment to the brand as I do. Unfortunately, this is trial and error. Some people work out and others don’t, and it can be really disheartening at times. I have spent a lot of money investing in the wrong people, but I have learned valuable lessons from this. Finding people you can trust to support your journey is absolutely key, one of the toughest lessons I’ve learned is that you can’t be naïve in business, not everyone is your friend or wants the best for you.
We are currently looking forward to getting stuck into our existing projects and continuing to focus on delivering our best for our customers. The plan for the future is to grow our brand by expanding into more retailers and producing more exciting lines of cosmetics. Right now we are happy enjoying this incredible journey, who really knows what will come next? I like to keep my mind open to the possibilities.
If you have commitment and dedication to the cause, you will make it happen! Be brave enough to overcome the hurdles and don’t be discouraged. Remember that all successful entrepreneurs face challenges along the way and you will encounter a lot of people who have their own agenda, get wise, stay strong and do it on your own if you have to.
Being resilient is definitely one of my top tips for entrepreneurial success! Work ethic is also really key, starting something from scratch takes courage and determination even on those difficult days. Keep your vision and don’t be talked into someone else’s plans or ideas for your business, staying true to yourself and your brand is absolutely non-negotiable.
I have a few people who inspire me it is too hard to choose. I am particularly inspired by strong independent women who are unapologetically themselves and work hard to break barriers in their fields. I owe a lot of my strong personality traits to my mum, she has been a constant source of support and encouragement my whole life. She was an inspiration to me growing up, my mum was a rock to me and my two sisters growing up. Seeing her overcome various challenges made me the super strong and determined person I am today, she will always be my inspiration to work hard and keep going.
My favourite quote at the moment is ‘no one is you and that is your super power!’. In a world where authenticity and uniqueness appear to be rare qualities, it is always good to remember this!
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