Feature Friday - Myroo Skincare & Milly and Flossy

  

We're really delighted to be bringing you our sixth Feature Friday - today we're featuring Rachael Dunseath who runs both myroo skincare and Milly & Flossy. 

Hi Rachael, introduce us to yourself and your company! 

Hello! I’m Rachael Dunseath and I am the owner of myroo skincare and Milly & Flossy.

Both brands are dedicated to hand-creating natural skincare that is desirable but ethical. Milly & Flossy is my baby range.

I use only the best natural ingredients and my products contain no sodium laureth/lauryl sulphate, no parabens, phthalates or silicones, no petrochemicals, no palm oil and no artificial fragrances or colours. I only use synthetic ingredients where they are unavoidable, for example to preserve.

My shea butter is organic and fairly traded. All my packaging is recyclable. I don’t test my products on animals and nor are any of the raw ingredients tested on them either.  The whole range is suitable for pregnant women and the baby range is suitable from birth.

The entire range is handmade by me in small batches in my tiny workshop.

Where did the idea of running this as a business come from?

I have always wanted to run a business that made the most of my creative side and my business and marketing background. Myroo came about when double redundancies in our house set me looking for homemade gift ideas. A few experiments later and some fantastic feedback from my testers and an idea was born. Things have moved so fast, the products are more sophisticated but the basic idea remains the same.

What do you love most about your business?

I love my cupboard full of ingredients. I feel privileged to be working with such lovely raw materials; beautiful butters, luxurious oils and fragrant essential oils. It is a joy.

I also love it when a customer takes the time to give me feedback. It’s wonderful to hear that people enjoy what you are making and that it works. Several people have actually taken time to email me to let me know how much they love my products, which is amazing.

Finally, it gives me an enormous sense of pride whenever I set up my stall at a craft fair. To think it’s less than a year since the original idea, my little business has had quite a journey.

What would you like to change?

Ugh, bookkeeping is the bane of my life. I’d love to be earning enough to pay a bookkeeper to do what they’re good at, so I can concentrate what I’m good at. Soon, fingers crossed.

What is your aim for the next year?

I have ambitious growth plans for the business. I plan to launch several new products in the next twelve months, starting with my new Milly & Flossy baby butter which will be available very soon. My website is undergoing a major transformation so there will be lots of activity focused online too. I’m also working hard on PR and would love to see my brands featured in some national publications.

Where do you ultimately see yourself?

My ultimate aim is to be stocked in a high-end high street store, my dream would be to be on the shelves of Space NK. I want to achieve that whilst remaining true to the ethical values of my business and keeping the products handmade.

What are your Top 5 tips for new Business Women?

Tip 1: Do not forget to include your time in the pricing of you business, be it a service or a product. If you cannot make a profit when your time is factored in, then your business will not grow. It’s harsh but true.

Tip 2: Network. It can be isolating being self employed, especially if you work from home. Meeting up with like minded business people can help develop your business and keep you motivated.

Tip 3: Make the most of social media. It is hard making a name for yourself in your chosen field and it’s unlikely you’ll have a massive marketing budget. Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and other social media formats all offer a chance for you to get your name out there and you don’t need to part with any cash; remember though, your time does have a value - if you’re doing nothing but social media, your business won’t grow.

Tip 4: Prioritise. It can be tempting to focus on the things you like doing and the things you are good at, especially if your business is based around a skill or craft, but you need to focus on the things that are going to grow your business. The reality is that a small amount of your time will actually be spent doing the creative side and a lot of time will be spent doing the business and marketing elements.

Tip 5: Enjoy it! Being self employed is wonderful, it’s rewarding, fulfilling and challenging. It has ups and downs but that sense of pride in knowing it’s all yours is unbeatable. You’ve done it, you created your own business, you are an entrepreneur!

A few last words - How do we contact you?

You can buy online at http://www.myroo.co.uk/ and http://www.millyandflossy.co.uk/. 

Find out more on http://www.facebook.com//myrooskincare and http://www.facebook.com/millyandflossy or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/myrooskincare and http://twitter.com/millyflossy.

If you live in Harrogate, you can also buy our products at The Stalls, a lovely boutique stocking all handmade products, 3 Bower Street, Harrogate, HG1 5BQ

Thank you so much Rachael for talking us today, your products sound utterly fabulous and we love your use of natural ingredients in all your products.
 
Next week, we'll be featuring a special guest company - check back on next Friday for details!!!