Key learnings from a skincare guru:
- Find a support network to rely on — whether it be staff, friends, or family, find people you can count on throughout your business journey.
- Do one thing and do it well — growing your range by investing in one product or service at a time ensures a higher quality output.
- Apply your expertise in new ways — leveraging extensive industry experience in new ways can pay off.
After a tough time falling pregnant, news of a bub on the way gave Bec Connolly and her husband the push they needed to change things up.
“I decided it was time to do something for ourselves and create flexibility in our lives,” Bec says.
Leveraging 16 years of skin therapy experience, Bec founded skincare company Botanicals by Luxe in her hometown of Geelong not long after.
“I wanted to bottle all my education, knowledge and passion, and put that into a skincare range,” she says.
“I formulate it with the help of a cosmetic scientist and focus on results-driven skincare.”
Developing a product for market is a huge achievement in itself, but Bec is driven by more than operational success.
"Success to me is creating something that helps people."
Bec Connolly Founder | Botanicals By Luxe
“We focus on making people feel better about themselves and more comfortable in their own skin.”
Creating a first-rate range, one product at a time
Bec kicked off Botanicals by Luxe with just 200 units of hyaluronic serum. With no website set up, she decided to sell her stock through Instagram instead.
“It was nerve wracking,” she says. “That's why we just launched with one product.
“I remember saying to my Mum, ‘You’re going to get serums for the rest of your birthdays and Christmases, because I'm sure they're not going to sell’.”
But it soon became clear that Bec needed to think up a few new gift ideas for Mum.
“They all sold in 12 hours. I was blown away.”
It was then Bec realised Botanicals by Luxe could become a serious business. But rather than get ahead of herself and expand her range, she decided to stick with her tried-and-true approach.
"We focus on one product at a time to minimise risk and get it spot on the first time with our formulator and manufacturer."
Bec Connolly Founder | Botanicals By Luxe
Business growth calls for cloud accounting glow up
After learning firsthand how difficult it was to run a business without a website, Bec looked for ways to simplify her business’s finances.
“We chose MYOB because my accountant told me it was amazing,” she says. “I signed up and haven't looked back.”
In particular, the flexibility of cloud accounting and business management tools that Bec says she values most.
"MYOB has added so much value to our business and the balance of our lifestyle."
Bec Connolly Founder | Botanicals By Luxe
“It can be accessed anywhere, so working on the go has been fabulous. Being able to jump on my phone or the laptop wherever we are makes things really easy.
“If we're away in the caravan or down at my family's house down in Warrnambool, I can still send an invoice.”
Streamlining the numbers
As an enthusiast of simple yet effective methods, Bec reckons MYOB’s invoicing feels like a breath of fresh air.
“I just click on a product, add the quantity, and send it off to the wholesale customer. It tells me when I've been paid, and it tells me when anything's outstanding as well.
“I'm not having to go and flick through paper invoices and chase things up.”
The move from manual accounting has also helped give Bec back more time to spend with her family.
"I really like that my little boys get to see what Mum and Dad do and see us work every day."
Bec Connolly Founder | Botanicals By Luxe
“I'm not having to get the calculator out and add things up,” she says. “I can see what I've spent on stock, on advertising, on packaging, and postage and how we're tracking with different parts of the business.
“I don't have a shoebox of receipts anymore. Everything can be captured, transmitted and accounted for online.”
Find your team and lean in
Bec believes much of her success was made possible because of her support network, so she offers a timely piece of advice to all budding businesspeople out there.
“Make sure you have a really good team around you to bounce ideas off,” she says.
And a team isn’t just made up of employees. Bec considers a team to be whomever is there by your side during your business journey.
"Whether it be your family, or people that work for you, just have people in your corner."
Bec Connolly Founder | Botanicals By Luxe
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