EPISODE 497: Rowena Bird
Sustainability Leads to Better Products
EPISODE SUMMARY
In today's episode, Rowena discusses her vision for Lush when she first launched it, as well as the importance of maintaining the company's culture. She also talks about working out demographics for people who are just starting out in business.
KEY TOPICS DISCUSSED
The Vision Behind Lush: Rowena Bird shares her original vision for Lush when she co-founded the company, focusing on the creation of natural, high-quality cosmetics that avoid synthetic preservatives. She discusses the journey of building Lush from the ground up after the collapse of their previous venture, Cosmetics To Go, and how this vision has shaped the company into a pioneer in the British beauty industry.
Maintaining Company Culture: In this episode, Rowena emphasizes the importance of maintaining the unique culture that Lush has developed over the years. She talks about how the company's commitment to ethical practices, including non-animal testing and the use of organic ingredients, is deeply embedded in its culture and continues to guide its growth and operations.
Advice for New Entrepreneurs: Rowena offers valuable advice for entrepreneurs who are just starting out, particularly on the importance of understanding and working out demographics. She discusses how identifying and connecting with the right audience has been crucial to Lush's success, and how new business owners can apply similar strategies to build their own brands effectively.
CONNECT WITH ROWENA BIRD
Instagram: @rowenabird
ABOUT THE GUEST
Rowena Bird is the Lush Co-Founder, a pioneer in the British beauty industry, and a lady of many passions. She trained and qualified as a beauty therapist before joining the creators of Lush in their small manufacturing company at that time. Lush emerged from the demise of a previous venture, Cosmetics To Go, which collapsed through a combination of over-trading and flooding. The goal was to create cosmetics that were as natural as possible while avoiding the use of synthetic preservatives. As a result, every Lush product is packed with high-quality - and, more importantly, organic. Lush encourages and supports the development and validation of non-animal test methods, and will actively advocate for their use rather than outdated and cruel animal experiments.
