Snezna Kerekovic, Bellaboo, Teen skincare

Snezna Kerekovic, 43, was in the perfect position to see a huge gap in the skincare market.

She had worked in the beauty world for 18 years, first as a beauty writer and then running her own public relations business, Vivid Publicity, and says, “I noticed that in the teen skincare segment there was nothing available that really resonated with that younger market.” Snezna shares her business advice below.

“Teenage girls love fashion, colour and having lots of fun,” explains Snezna. “They have a busy social life and are really environmentally conscious, yet I couldn’t find a range that took these factors into consideration.”

Keen to put all her years of experience into her own beauty brand, Sydney-based Snezna took the plunge three-and-a-half years ago to create her teen skincare brand for girls aged 12 to 19 years. Since its launch, it’s found a wider audience of girls embracing its simple, natural approach and now has girls in their 20s and beyond loving the bright, fresh Bellaboo range.

Go for it! No idea is too silly or too big. I don’t know how many women have said to me it’s amazing that you did this. So many friends have said I have ideas too but I don’t think I could make it happen. I say, of course you can. The only thing that is stopping you is you. Yes, it’s a lot of hard work, yes it’s scary as there’s often quite a big risk involved, and yes, it is stressful. But, more than anything it is the biggest achievement, outside of your family, that you can possibly experience.

To have a concept, to have the belief to take it to the next level and then see your little idea eventuate is too incredible a feeling to describe. My mantra has always been that I don’t want to come to the end of my life and have regrets. I don’t want to think, “oh I had that amazing idea for a business and did nothing about it, I wonder what could have been?” Forget that, I want to know that I tried and that I lived life to the full. If I tried and failed, at least I tried.

Research. Do your homework and do it as you have never done before. Research the market you’re entering, competitors, your brand’s positioning, your target market, your unique selling proposition, your suppliers, your look, your marketing. Do all this before you spend a single cent. Research costs you nothing more than your time but it can save you a lot of money and heartache. Research will help you determine if your idea is a goer. It will also help you become an expert in your field and that will in turn will help you to fine tune your offering and get it right.
Business Plan. Yes, they are very tedious and require a lot of detail but they are crucial. This is your template and your navigation for your business. A business plan forces you to think systematically about your concept and craft it into a business. Just because you have a business plan doesn’t mean it is set in stone — it should be regularly revisited and revised.
Have a plan B. Even the best thought out businesses can hit brick walls but the most important thing is to always have a plan B. Know that if an approach is not working, here are the alternatives we can try. This makes you somewhat prepared for setbacks and alleviates panic- based decisions.
Take it slow. It is very easy to be so utterly excited about your business and just wanting to make it happen that you can lean toward rushing things. Rushing decisions, rushing concepts or just rushing headlong into spending without thinking it through thoroughly. If you think you’ve nailed the look for your product, wait, sleep on it, give yourself a week to revisit it, look at it, show colleagues, friends, people in the right demographic — gather all those opinions and thoughts and then wait again before making final decisions. Apply this go slow approach to everything in the business.
There is no such thing as an overnight success! You have a brilliant idea and you expect everyone else will feel the same. Truth is making a success of anything requires a lot of hard work and a persistent, creative and dedicated effort. It is very competitive out there and being an unknown entity means you have to make twice as hard to convince people to give you a go.
Marketing is king. If you can find the spin on your brand then you have an edge. Having a story, a unique spin, something that people want to hear about and that will get people talking about your business is invaluable. Creating buzz around your brand is essential — especially as you won’t have a million dollar budget to spend. So, come up with your unique spin and use it get your business in the limelight.

Some businesses are very economical to start, others, like creating a beauty brand such as ours, not so much. But, if you have a good business plan, you can present that to a bank to apply for a loan. If your business requires more of an investment than you can afford, bring in partners — they can be financial partners who can see the value of your idea or business partners who share your passion and will work with you to make this a success. There are so many options available to you and an incredible wealth of resources geared especially to women in business. Again, this is part of your research — find these resources, attend seminars, find out all you can about what you need to get your business off the ground.

It can be totally overwhelming. When I thought about creating a natural teen skin care brand I had so many ideas and thoughts running through my head that it was very easy to get completely overwhelmed to the point of it all being way too hard. The key is to break it down into small bites. So, first stage, research your market. When that’s done, think about the next step — it may be focus groups, or research about making your product. Have your big picture vision in mind but only every try to work on things step by step. It will save you from thinking — “this is too much, I can’t possibly do this. This step by step approach helped me keep my sanity during the process of creating my business.”

No, you can’t and that’s why it’s ok to ask for help. I get annoyed with this fixation on successful women doing it all. They don’t. They have help so don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you are single, rally on friends and family to pitch in. Outsource what you can if you’re finding it too hard to balance it all. If you do have a husband and kids get them involved.

We have spent many a night in front of the telly stuffing samples into envelopes, making up boxes. My seven year old loves “doing stuff for Bellaboo” and has become quite a hand at putting labels and stamps on envelopes! I work long hours and I am very lucky to have family to call on who can pick Bella up from school, who some nights will give me dinner to take home. I have a cleaner and my husband irons his own business shirts. I have no guilt about picking up healthy, ready made meals from my local organic grocer on nights when I have to work longer. All of it helps.

So, yes you can start your own business and still have time for your family and for yourself but not without a support network. Trust me, mega successful women usually have a team on hand from nannies, to housekeepers, to personal assistants and more. Don’t feel bad if you find it all a bit much, prioritise the things you have to do, outsource some things, get help for others and don’t take it all on your shoulders.

For me, personally, I thrive on what I am doing because I am passionate about it but equally I don’t let it consume me. I have a young daughter and a wonderful husband and they are my first priorities. We have lots of family time and I have my me time. It is truly about finding that balance, otherwise you can come to resent what you are doing and wondering why you had that goddamn idea and decided to anything with it!