There’s women around the world — on and under the radar, past, present, and most definitely in the future who have and will motivate others.
They’re not afraid to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty, say what’s on their mind, and most importantly inspire others to thrive. For example, meet Daisy Jing, a entrepreneur and Youtube vlogger who founded and bootstrapped, Banish, a natural beauty product line. Banish products are vegan, cruelty-free (not tested on animals), sustainable, and gives back in a variety of charitable ways. The skincare products aim to help women feel confident in their skin. With Daisy being at the forefront of the brand, Banish, she was inspired by her personal battle with acne and self confidence growing up as a teen. From bullying to spending close to $20,000 trying to find products and treatments to aid her skin nothing helped and this inspired her to create her own products.
In 2009, she started sharing her personal battle with acne, acne prevention, skin tips, advice, and more. Daisy has received various accolades including: Banish being ranked #152 of the fastest growing companies according to Inc 5000, as well as, Daisy being included on the Forbes 30 Under 30 List in 2018.
Thrive interviewed Daisy Jing about her personal journey starting Banish, tips on starting a skincare line, and the future.
Thrive: Marie Flounoy on behalf of Thrive Global
DJ — Daisy Jing
Thrive: What were your top three challenges starting Banish?
DJ: I didn’t have a mentor or co-founder. I started on my own with no rule book or guide. I had to be self-reliant and learn things on my own. I had to believe in myself, trust my own instincts, and study things myself. I didn’t have money when I started. I had to find creative ways to hustle and one way was through YouTube videos and content so I could generate ad revenue. I learned how to market products and partner with brands as an influencer that time. From there, I learned the value of connections and engagement with my followers. I may not have had enough capital, but I had a good following that trusted me and my brand.
In addition, I had to be focused and not distracted by what others are doing — skincare is a very competitive market. It can often be a challenge to focus on your own brand. Instead of looking at what other competitors are doing or how big and scary the market is, I just focus on my to do list. I also focus on making progress instead of looking at competitors or what other people are doing.
Thrive: What tips would you give to young women who want to start a skincare line?
DJ: Focus on the business aspect. Your business state at the end of the day is going to determine if you can operate for the long term. People tend to focus too much on non-essential things, decisions, and waste time on the littlest details — so make sure you focus on the business aspect and allocate the other stuff to your team.
Thrive: In your opinion — besides sustainability, charitable components, etc — what is the future of skincare?
DJ: The future of skincare will be focused on more transparency. For example: how products are created and the distribution of the supply chain. Skincare brands will be conscious of their packaging and how economical and/or environmental-friendly everything is. As well, I believe more skincare products will become multi-purpose and more intentional in conveying their mission to the public. Skincare brands are envisioned to be understandable and not intimidating — trying to reach out and cater to everyone (all ages and ethnicity).
Thrive: What’s your favorite product from your line that you can’t leave home without?
- All Clear Mint Cleanser. Ever since I got pregnant, I’ve been suffering with dry skin and fatigue. This cleanser wakes me up without the need of drinking coffee. It doesn’t dry my skin nor does it feel tacky. I love how it is so beneficial to my face and body.
- Vitamin C Serum. My stretch marks aren’t obvious and my body still looks firm, fair, and moisturized because I use this serum on my body. There are times when I mix my lotion to the serum then apply it on my body — it relaxes me.
Thrive: Based on where you are right now in your business, what is one thing you would tell your younger self related to confidence and/or scaling your business?
DJ: “Daisy, you know a lot more and are smarter than you think you are. Have faith and trust your own instinct. Do not listen to what others are telling you. Hiring an expert won’t solve your problem. You know what to do best for you will always go back to your simplest mission in life. Believe in your passion and your ability to hustle. Everything will make sense in the future and you will be proud of the choices you made when things were difficult for you.”
Thrive: How do you balance work, life, and running a multi-million dollar company?
DJ: Priorities. Focus on the most important things, specifically those things that make you happy and be at peace. There are certain areas and weaknesses in my life that people don’t know about. This is why in balancing life, I learned how to prioritize tasks and activities that are irreversible (time, special events, opportunities etc) and intangible (relationships, learning, ideas, etc). You can’t do and have everything all at once, but you can focus on what’s important to you NOW and be sensitive and wise to what you need to do afterwards.
Thrive: What are five things (i.e. products, apps, tools, etc) that help you (right now) thrive as an entrepreneur?
1. Last Pass. I have a lot of accounts in Last Pass. It is very important to have the sole access to all your passwords and to share it accordingly for your team/role. Last Pass also reminds you of the certain apps and systems you need to access that day.
2. Spreadsheets. I am more fond of spreadsheets and how it helps you filter and study your options. I usually put everything in 1 document. I rarely make another document, because chances are that I can’t find what I’m looking for afterwards. Add a sheet and you’re already good to go!
3. Zoom. It records your conversations and allows you to have a smooth sailing meeting. The screen recording option is another way to file your knowledge base and use it to train new employees.
4. Cleaners. I see this as money well spent. You don’t have to think about dirt, making your bed, or taking out the trash. A clean environment allows you to think well and focus on what really needs to be done.
5. Water Everywhere. I make sure I have a water tumbler on all my desks and in every room of the office and in my house. Staying hydrated makes you healthier, energized, and saves time. Instead of going back and forth to refill your tumbler with water, you can just drink anytime, anywhere. Plus, it is an easy reminder that you should stay hydrated ALWAYS.
Thrive: What’s next for you and Banish for this year?
DJ: I will focus more on telling stories of those who are relatable, with good messages to share. I will be the voice of those who weren’t listened to. I will never get tired of sharing my company’s mission and vision, which is to empower people to feel like the best version of themselves. I will also continue to spread that mission far and wide until everyone understands that we don’t live to be perfect, we are meant to be authentic.
For more information about Banish, visit www.banish.com.
*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.