Resilience is a Daily Job

You can’t make this up...“When ILIA launched in 2011, my intention was to keep it as organic as possible with a mission to make your skin look and feel alive. It took 5 years to build out a line that was primarily natural, and struggled when it came to eye and complexion products—they didn’t last. I did look to use safe synthetics since the start, but when doing so, certain products were criticized for not being “pure” enough. In 2016, I hit rock bottom. Alone with a 1 year old, a widowed mother, a distraught brother (who was my business partner), and a husband who traveled 8 months a year, it was a very challenging time. So much, that I wanted to quit and throw in the towel. In my gut, I knew much of the product line needed to change in order for the brand to evolve and survive. That meant taking a risk and leaning into a hybrid formula that mixes natural and synthetic ingredients to create efficacious formulas that really work. It was the birth of clean and a commitment to building this category in color cosmetics. If I didn’t take that risk, or listen to my gut, there is no way the business would be where it is today. You can’t create something new by doing the same thing as everyone else. This ideal is now what drives me forward every day in life and at ILIA.

Being a business owner is a journey and it will test every cell in your body. The day you choose to not solve a problem or quit is the day your business will begin to face more challenges. Being honest with yourself and accountable for your actions matters. Always trust your gut, and never give up on an idea that you believe in with all your heart.” - Sasha Plavsic, Founder of ILIA 

When was the last time you exercised resilience? This morning? Yep, me too. 

Entrepreneurship should come with a disclaimer: Warning! Prepare to experience the highest highs and the lowest lows in the same hour. The big falls feel like getting punched in the stomach and having the wind knocked out of you. Once I catch my breath, I start asking: How did this happen? What could I have done better? What do we do now? 

The last question matters most as a leader. The conviction to brave the seemingly impossible can’t be underestimated. We shouldn’t be adapting to our environment. We should be adapting our environment to us. This week, we hear how Sasha and Malai Founder Pooja Bavishi overcame barriers to achieve their goals.

Every milestone you reach in business comes with its own set of roadblocks. Shutting down Greene Street for our fashion show? Months of negotiations down to the very last minute. Uri’s vision to become a tech-forward brand? All we heard in 2012 was: It’s way too early! Raising money? Every founder has a long string of no’s. Resistance is par for the course when you’re doing something that’s never been done before. This isn’t a bad thing. It’s reality. No opportunity just falls into your lap. 

Pooja shares what it takes to make it to the finish line…

“In late 2019, as I was planning Malai’s goals for 2020 (before I could ever predict the pandemic that would completely derail the business), expanding our CPG channels was at the top of my list. As I began contacting prospective customers, I was elated to secure a meeting with a dream retailer; I immediately sent samples of our products and booked a flight. Once I arrived, the buyer told me that he hadn’t tasted the samples, laughed and noted that his market would not even be able to pronounce the name of my brand. This set the tone for what was to come, as he continuously interrupted me, attempted to explain my own company to me, and ended the meeting by telling me “that I was in over my head.”  

I left the meeting appalled. I had researched the buyer and asked many others in the food industry about their experience with him, and received only glowing responses. The “man-splaining” and discriminatory undertones of his feedback led me to believe that this may be a lost opportunity.  Still, I was confident that my product would speak for itself.  

When these situations arise (and trust me, they will) and you encounter people who believe that you don’t belong in the room, the best course of action is to make the effort to prove that you do. I followed up with a comprehensive package of my numbers and projections, which proved that Malai would, in fact, do well at his store. I also presented creative ways in which my brand would be able to fit with his target market and for Malai to create a presence. These were strategic and thoughtful points that he was not able to argue with. 

After a lengthy email exchange, I was pleasantly surprised to receive his response noting that not only were Malai’s ice creams the best he had ever tasted, but that he thought that I was one of the most impressive entrepreneurs he had met, and that he was proud to introduce Malai as a partner at his store.” 

The motivation to overcome obstacles like these isn’t just fueled by your dream. We have a duty to our companies. You’re not in a position to quit when you’re on a team. The choice to sit on the sidelines influences the rest of your players. I think of the alternatives: What happens if we miss this opportunity? Do I want my team members to lose their jobs? Or my customers to get disheartened? Of course not. So, you keep your chin up. Staying in the game is the only option.

I wanted to highlight resilience for our last edition because it’s been a heroic effort to keep our companies alive this year. One of the best ways we can honor that hustle is to shop from women-owned small businesses this holiday season. Imagine the impact we could have if each of us bought even one gift from a woman-owned brand. Every purchase makes a difference.

2020 may have been a grueling year to be a founder. It’s equally a time when the traits we need in this role - grit, tenacity, and ingenuity - enabled us to weather the storm. We banded together to fight another day and emerged stronger than ever. 

Happy Holidays and thank you for joining me on our You Can’t Make This Up journey! See you for more amazing stories in 2021! 

What stories do you want to hear from female founders next year? Let me know in the comments!