After years of having struggled with acne, entrepreneur Rachael Tyers, alongside her mum Bridget Mitchell, set out on a mission to build a beauty range for customers (like herself) that were specifically struggling with acne-prone skin. Fast forward just two short years and tbh Skincare has helped thousands and hit more than $1 million in revenue— no small feats. The brand's scientifically-backed formulas have become cult favourites and a welcome additions to beauty arsenal everywhere, be it through the its cult Acne Hack Cream, Patch it Up pimple patches, or recently released Rebound Serum, launched alongside pharmaceutical scientist and beauty influencer Hannah English (@ms_hannah_e). As part of HER BLACK BOOK’s Festival of Her, a shopping event to support female-founded businesses, Tyers shares some insight into the her business journey so far.
“Don’t be afraid to be the dumbest person in the room and don’t be afraid to ask questions. What you will learn along the way is that a lot of people don’t know as much as you think they do.”
“I hit roadblocks every day, every week! It's really so different to how it looks on the outside. People on the outside looking in might see how much you sold in an article, or see lots of orders being sent out or lots of people following your brand. It looks like overnight success, but really it's nothing like that. A business costs a huge amount to run, and often we might not be making that much, if anything, on our sales after we take the costs out of it. People don’t realise what goes into it and how much things cost in both time and money. We have had many challenges along the way, but usually, there is a solution to whatever you are going through at that time. You just have to believe in the work you are doing enough to push through the tough times.”
“I am most proud of the impact we have had on people’s overall wellbeing. We have so many customers email us to tell us how much the product has changed their life. I know, having lived through acne myself, just how hard it can be. To hear people are leaving the house without makeup on and gaining back their self-confidence is so rewarding and I am definitely proud for facilitating that.”
“I have a high amount of energy and just enough confidence to carry me through challenging times and really maximise the good times as well. I feel like I always have energy and excitement for my work, and it makes it so much easier for everyone else to get onboard when you believe so deeply in what you are doing. I am also just a huge people person, and it has been such a blessing to meet so many talented minds along the way. I have been lucky to form bonds with some great brains that I now have in my network to turn to when I am needing a sounding board or some expert advice in certain areas.”
“We work in a very casual, startup office environment, so my go-to-work outfit is usually jeans or bike shorts (depending on the weather), with some cute sneakers, a plain crop and an oversized blazer (and some cute hoops).”
