Fighting Back the Fear — Lessons from Failure

If I said that Jenna Owens, Founder of Fitish CBD Skincare, wanted to be a criminal profiler while she grew up, I’m sure most of you would look at me in utter disbelief. Well, WBMBers, it’s true! She ultimately, however, ended up studying journalism in college where she hoped to write for the Rolling Stones. This was short lived – not long after, she learned that the industry was not creatively stimulating nor liberating enough for her. Cue the jump from journalism to radio!?

I was surprised to hear that her very first radio gig was with the biggest morning show in the United States. For 13 years, Jenna woke up at 4:00 am every morning. Now that’s what you call dedication!?

Her shift from radio to the world of athletic beauty came as a response to a dissatisfaction she felt from not being creative enough, and from the imbalanced lifestyle she led as a result of the crazy hours. So, alongside a devoted community of women who supported her during her time on the air, she decided to take the big leap into the world of fitness. Most would shy away from the possibility of their new business failing, but not Jenna! Instead, she conquered the ‘what ifs’ to create the brand we all have come to know – Fitish Beauty. We discussed the nature of this fear and what drives it: where does the fear of failure come from? Perhaps it comes from a fear of being publicly humiliated or a fear of other’s opinions of you. Whatever the reason, one thing I’ve learned from my experience is that life’s a lot better when you live in your truth and without regrets!?

She began with creating 30 min workout videos geared toward fitness-forward women. Once she had enough money stored away, she decided to move the brand into athletic beauty — starting with her own CBD cooling spray. What started as a remedy for, what she calls her post-workout ‘tomato skin’, turned into a solution for all types of skin problems!

Finally, we discussed how she went about growing Fitish from a small-scale athletic beauty brand to a household name. Her solutions? Make sure to maintain a successful D2C business model, actively encourage customers to come back and focus on advertising. And last (but not least), if you’re a small business, avoid selling in big retailers. You’ll end up spending more than you earn!?

Though Jenna wasn’t sure at first, she still decided to take a step into the deep end. And look at where she is now!?

Does the fear of failure hold you back from doing things differently? Have a listen, and maybe you’ll change your mind!