LAUNCHING:
NIA DAVIES
Company:
Yūgenial
THE BIG QUESTIONS
WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSIONAL TITLE?
Founder.
WHAT DO YOU DO ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS?
It varies from day to day depending on the priority really. I have a to do list where I write everything down and spend however long it takes getting through that. At the moment it involves liaising with the branding team to create a website and create an image that matches the vision, as well as manufacturing – sorting through sizing, pricing, ingredients – everything. There’s also packaging as I’m trying to source the best sustainable options, organising accounts for investment and then doing a few freelance projects on the side (blogging, some commercial work and personal investments).
WHAT DID YOU WANT TO DO WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD AND WHAT CHANGED?
I remember wanting to be a vet at one point. I loved animals but fate changed my path when it gave me allergies. I also loved web design and coding but at the time I was only 14 or so and I didn’t really understand what career options that gave me.
WHAT ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS DO YOU HAVE?
I studied medical science at university and got an intercalated BSc in Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
WHAT’S THE BEST CAREER ADVICE YOU’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN?
Whatever the risks, follow your heart. I feel like I only really learned that last year and I’ll never force myself to do something I don’t actually enjoy again. If you can ask yourself ‘would I be doing all of this even if money were no object?’ and the answer is yes – you know you’re in the right place.
WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL AND WHY?
I have a mild obsession with Emma Watson – she ticks all the boxes and is almost a bit too perfect. In terms of where I want my brand to be, I still admire Deciem as a stand-alone brand, Brandon Truaxe was an idol of mine until the recent anti-marketing rampage where he seems to have lost his way a little bit, along with a lot of his fans.
WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR CURRENT WORKING ENVIRONMENT?
I love working on my own terms and having a huge amount of variety and creativity, I get out of bed every day excited to work on each project and I just keep praying that it will last!
WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT YOUR DAILY WORK ROUTINE IF YOU COULD?
Most of the team work remotely so we only really communicate via Skype, email and text. It would be nice if we could spend a bit more time face to face but there are always co working spaces and it works well for now.
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF PROFESSIONALLY IN FIVE YEARS’ TIME?
I want to be the next Mrs Rodial – aim high!
DO YOU FEEL YOU CAN BE THE SAME PERSON AT WORK AND IN PRIVATE?
I think especially as I look younger than I am, I try to be more professional and ‘grown up’ during work meetings. But all always be honest if there’s something I don’t understand and at the end of the day, everyone’s just a big kid really, it doesn’t matter who you are.
WHERE AND IN WHAT ROLES ARE WOMEN IN THE LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE AT YOUR COMPANY?
Well there’s me and then the lead cosmetic chemists who are mostly female, the manufacturing coordinators are female, branding is mostly male and the developers and investors are all male.
DOES DIVERSITY MATTER TO YOU?
Yes, it does and my team is very diverse culturally – with branding being done in LA and Mexico, development in Poland and manufacturing here in the UK.
HOW GOOD IS YOUR WORK LIFE BALANCE?
Very good at the moment, especially because work doesn’t feel like work.
WHAT QUALITIES DOES BEING IN YOUR ROLE NECESSITATE?
Organisation – keeping all the right emails and invoices and paperwork in general organised. Persistence – if you’re told you can’t do / make something there’s always a way you just have to look elsewhere. Self-motivation – you hold yourself accountable for things that need to be done by certain deadlines.
ANY FINAL COMMENTS?
Thank you for interviewing me, I look forward to meeting some of you at the next event and please do follow my blog for progress updates on how the startup is coming along!