5 Minutes With Kira Walton, Founder Of VOYA

With over a decade of experience in the beauty, wellness and spa sector,?Kira?Walton’the founder of luxury organic skin care brand VOYA, has been instrumental in every aspect of the business, from bootstrap start-up and guided the business to its current position as a?pre-eminent global brand.

As co-founder of what started out as a business solely based in Ireland,?it has grown to become a major exporter of Irish beauty products and seaweed based treatments in 37 countries worldwide and with that all the challenges it brings. VOYA has won countless business, and professional awards and?Kira?was a finalist for the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the year, winner of Women Mean Business Female Entrepreneur of the year. A serial entrepreneur,?Kira?is involved in the creation of subsidiaries internationally and new brands, which will be brought to mark in the coming years. She is also proud to be the first Irish Global Wellness Day Ambassador and is actively promoting this day of Wellness to be celebrated nationally.

Ahead of her appearance?at our IMAGE Networking Breakfast this coming Friday, we spoke to Kira about her path to success, taking on business growth and creating a dream team in the workplace.?

What was the big game changer for VOYA?

We saw a huge opportunity in the high-end Spa market and found that we needed a substantial capital investment at our initial growth phase. We received funding from family and a substantial investment from Enterprise Ireland.

Your product is available in spas worldwide – what have you done that competing brands have not to get your business into that space?

I would say we have an offering that is unique as a spa concept and brand. Who else will wrap you in hand harvested Luminaria leaves complimenting the body with certified organic algae-based facial and body products in a spa treatment? It’s hard to imagine, but try to envision yourself wrapped up like a cigar but in luxurious surroundings and with long lengths of seaweed. VOYA is a firm believer in providing the best service to our clients and going above and beyond client’s expectations, as well as making bespoke products and creating bespoke treatments that complement our client’s spas here at home and around the world.

How did you handle your business growth??

A key factor was to build a strong team as we grew the company. I believe it’s imperative to hire personnel with skills that support your weakness’s and excel in their field of expertise. Being a part of an entrepreneur duo, it was all about VOYA being successful. To enhance and grow you need to build the dream team, and we have. ?Build it and they will come? and with that business opportunities. You learn to prioritise what’s important to your business and not get distracted by other issues.

Kira Walton will be speaking at our IMAGE Networking Breakfast?#GIRLBOSS on Friday,May 20th at 7.30pm, alongside Trish Long, Vice President & General Manager Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Ireland?and Dr. Mary Ryan, consultant physician and endocrinologist senior lecturer in University of Limerick Medical School. Find out more about our IMAGE Networking Breakfast?#GIRLBOSS?here.