My Start-Up Story: Kinvara Skincare founder Dr Joanne Reilly
Dr Joanne Reilly is a scientist-turned-skincare pioneer who founded Kinvara with just €1,000 and a dream. She shares with us the ins and outs of being a business owner, building a team, and the importance of having a crystal clear vision.
What was your lightbulb moment?
I was looking for products to help my own tricky skin and I was getting nowhere. My skin was really reactive, red and uncomfortable and nothing seemed to help. I was really frustrated because products were expensive, or perfumed, or contained questionable chemicals and precious little plants or a combination of all of the above. I found it really hard to find products that helped me at a price I could afford that were effective and plant based. So that need drove me to start making products to look after my own skin with Kinvara Skincare.
What inspired you to set it up?
I was looking for a way to make money that would give me a sense of purpose, use my science background and allow me to work for myself and take care of my small kids.
What is your ‘why’?
To make a difference in people’s lives by making a difference to their skin. I know we do that in Kinvara through our products which have changed people’s lives and how they take care of themselves and their loved ones for the better. Knowing that we help bring that change to thousands of people every day and offer them the opportunity to feel good about themselves is everything to me.
For me it’s about customers and product, everything else is the business of business.
What’s your big business goal?
We entered the Canadian market last year and it’s been exciting, positive and encouraging. I’m looking to identify our next market to enter when we’re ready.
Personally, I got a lot of satisfaction from launching our dual packaging offering customers English and Irish through a campaign we called We Speak Your Language. Offering people choice and leading through innovations like these are goals for me.
How did you raise the capital needed to start your business?
I had 40th birthday money and used that to fund the business, bootstrapping along the way. It suited me and the slow pace I had to have in the early days when I was learning everything for the first time and being a stay at home mum at the same time.
Did you do any business training/schemes (before you set up your business)?
I did a LEO course on how to start your own business and I did a ATU course in entrepreneurship that ran over a few months. Both were really invaluable but they’re theory, nothing beats starting, getting stuck in and finding out for yourself. I didn’t realise it at the time but I had a ‘training scheme’ of sorts from seeing my Dad and my brother in their respective businesses. I saw them in action and that really did give me confidence plus an insight into what to do and more importantly what not to do.
What’s the best piece of financial advice you ever received?
It’s less financial advice and more general advice and applicable to everyone in all situations, namely treat people fairly and never do a ‘shoddy turn’ as my grandfather would’ve put it. Your reputation is really important, especially in Ireland where everyone knows everyone pretty much.
Do you think the Irish education system supports entrepreneurship?
No. Certainly not in the 1980s when I was in school. Honestly it’s something you need to do not learn so encouraging programmes that come at entrepreneurship from a practical versus a theoretic or academic perspective would be my suggestion.
Did/do you experience any fear or doubt about being an entrepreneur? If so, how do you deal with it?
Less doubt and more a kind of measured dread if I’m honest, that sounds odd but I’d seen the toll being in business can have first hand with my Dad and I was under no illusions that this was going to be easy. I think I dealt with it by taking things very slowly as I didn’t want to take on debt and I didn’t want to expose our family to risk with so many uncertainties. That suited me well enough as it gave me time and any mistakes I made at the start were small and surmountable.
Tell us something that is personally important to you as a business owner?
It’s very important to me that I do my best. We may be a small business but we are absolutely the very best small business we can be. Our culture at work is very collaborative and open. You have to be able to work in that environment to thrive in Kinvara.
How do you feel about risk-taking?
Better if I can be informed and quantify the risk as much as possible.
What does ambition mean to you?
I see ambition differently and it goes back to doing your best and being brave enough to follow your own path. Kinvara is an established, respected brand now and for me the ambition is to grow that. That’s not about sales or socials, it’s about service, relevance and shaping culture.
Name one thing that supports your wellbeing as a business owner?
My support group that meets twice monthly is called SMACHT. We’ve been going for years and we listen, support, encourage, cajole and cheer each other on. We all need that safe space.
What qualities do you think someone needs to be resilient as an entrepreneur?
Number one is self belief because no one is going to buy something you are equivocal about. You need grit, determination and confidence to keep going when you hit obstacles and there will be obstacles! You need to be able to see down the road enough to keep going and dream about your future. You need to be optimistic.
How do you feel about building a team?
It’s a privilege to be part of people’s working life and career development. Your work colleagues spend more time with you than some family members so it is important that you all get along. We do personality and skills testing which is really useful in helping us understand our roles and communication styles. Seeing people grow and flourish is really special. If you’re not growing at your work you should really consider leaving.
How do you feel about delegating?
I love delegating, it’s a must for me but also for the team. If I hang onto everything then I become the bottle neck. Also if you’ve hired right then your team should be better at their job than you!
What are your thoughts on work-life balance — a myth or achievable?!
Myth until you build a team around you.
What’s your favourite thing about running your own business? And the thing you dislike the most?
I love creating products, everything about it ticks my boxes. Identifying the need and seeing how to solve problems. But the best bit for me is when I get to experiment with ingredients. It never fails to amaze me just how much abundance we have in the natural world and how it evolved to produce things we need.
What advice would you give to someone just starting or considering starting their own business?
Be very clear on why you’re doing it and what you want from your business. That honest insight will shape everything. Then cost it clearly and include all costs. Any grey areas where you’re humming and hawing is where you’ll have recurring problems and lose money. Clarity allows correct action.
Photo by Julia Dunin Photography.
Also Read
