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How Urban Skin Rx founder Rachel Roff leveraged a gap in the beauty market to create a multimillion-dollar formula for success.

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It was when she was bullied in high school because of her appearance and weight that Rachel Roff, the founder and CEO of <a href="https://urbanskinrx.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Urban Skin Rx</a>, first discovered how solution-oriented she was."I got into aesthetics because I wanted to make myself look better and help others going through what I went through, look better," she explains. "I feel very empowered when I find solutions to improve my life."More than two decades later, Roff has built a multimillion-dollar brand – Urban Skin Rx – on exactly that, and her clinical-strength skincare line for darker skin tones empowers women all over the world.

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"I feel very empowered when I find solutions to improve my life."

A licensed medical aesthetician, Roff's first entrepreneurial undertaking was opening her own clinic in North Carolina in 2006. From the beginning, Roff’s Urban Skin Solutions, a medical spa and laser center, specialized in treating women of colour."It was an industry that had neglected to be inclusive of the needs of tan and darker skin types," she recalls. "There's no question that melanin-rich skin is more fragile and burns a lot easier, but just because there are hurdles it doesn't mean that you ignore an entire demographic's skincare concerns."<h2>Enlisting experts early on</h2>Roff found she had a natural talent for marketing. "I was like, 'Where can I tap into clients who care about the way they look and are investing in the way that they look?' So, I went to every barber shop and every hair salon in Charlotte and I'd pass out free blueberry muffins, coupons and flyers to stylists," she says.

"I knew that if I could get them hooked, they would keep coming back."

"I would offer them their first service for free or for half off. I built a rapport with them. I knew how good my service was and that if I could get them hooked, they would keep coming back and paying full price and they would refer their clients. It really worked to my advantage."<h2>Launching a skincare line</h2>By 2010, having performed over 100,000 treatments alongside her team of melanin experts and with the knowledge of which ingredients and formulations actually worked on diverse skin tones, it was a no-brainer for Roff to pivot into homegrown skincare products.

"I launched a skincare line when there was already a demand."

"People ask me, 'How did you develop such a demand for your skincare line?' Well, I launched a skincare line when there was already a demand," she explains. "Having a very robust medical spa led to a high demand to manufacture products."<h2>Attracting an A-list clientele</h2>Urban Skin Solutions quickly grew a high-profile client base. "I would say [American singer] Fantasia, my first celebrity client, was a turning point because that led other celebrities [such as singer Teyana Taylor] to seek me out."When it came time to market her new skincare range, Roff stuck to what she knew – and offered complimentary products and treatments to her celebrity clients."A lot of people do not believe in giving away services and products for free; they feel that it devalues them, but that was not my experience," explains Roff, who started giving away treatments and products to her celebrity clientele in exchange for Instagram posts."I didn't have $10,000 to pay for a post on social media but I knew the service I was charging $1000 for technically only cost me about $300," she says. "This isn't the most realistic strategy for everybody but, because I had the med spa, my cost of services and cost of goods was so much cheaper than paying to market my products.”A few months after Teyana Taylor (who currently has more than 15 million Instagram followers) posted about Urban Skin Rx's Even Tone Cleansing Bar in 2017, the brand launched in Target stores nationwide. A year later, Ulta Beauty and CVS joined the list of stockists. "Once one retailer takes a chance on you, it validates you and then other retailers are willing to take a chance," says Roff.

"Once one retailer takes a chance on you, it validates you to other retailers."

But nothing could have prepared Roff for the company's "biggest pivotal jump" in 2020 after a TikTok user posted a before-and-after video of herself using the now famous Cleansing Bar.&nbsp;"The viral moment financially grew our company in a significant way," explains Roff, who sold the med spa last year. "That year we grew by 100 per cent. We went from a $10 million company to a $20 million company."<h2>Taking on tech partners</h2>A substantial part of the continuing growth of the business is down to Afterpay. "When we launched it in 2018, immediately our average order value increased by $10, which is significant," says Roff. "It's so easy and seamless. I can't think of one reason not to have it."As a brand that offers products and collections at multiple price points, Afterpay is particularly useful for customers who are considering a higher-priced purchase, but don’t have the funds to pay for it all at once. It also allows customers to experience the full product range – and benefits – from the outset.“Our skincare value sets come with five or more products and average $100 or more,” explains Roff. “We push our customers to invest in them because they tend to get the best results, particularly if they’re looking for a quick solution for problematic skin.”<h2>Investing in staff&nbsp;</h2>Roff is also a huge believer in commission structure for every employee, from receptionist to customer service agents. She wants every single person representing the brand to be able to be incentivized by growth.

"Bonus structures help employees to invest in your business’ success."

“I have pretty much always had my employees on commission and bonus structures tied to sales because it helps people take more ownership in your business’s success and the customer experience,” she says. “With a growing business you can’t micromanage and audit everything, so this strategy ensures my team is paying better attention to details that can potentially cost the business money.”&nbsp;Now stocked in 10,000 retail stores across America, 50 per cent of Urban Skin Rx's revenue comes direct from the website (<a href="http://urbanskinrx.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">urbanskinrx.com</a>), which ships internationally. "And we have a 50 per cent retention rate of clients, which is very high for the saturated skincare industry," says Roff.&nbsp;<h2>Customer service as a secret weapon&nbsp;</h2>Her secret weapon? An in-house customer service team who operates five days a week. Over half of which are licensed aestheticians who offer free virtual consultations five days per week.&nbsp;"Our virtual consultations actually spend more time with current customers who have questions or concerns about the products and their results rather than selling to new customers; this really helps with retention," says Roff.So what does Roff think sets the company apart? It all comes back down to, of course, being solution oriented.&nbsp;"People love the results they get," she says. "The percentage of active ingredients are the same as you would find in an aesthetician or dermatologist's med spa – these are not fluffy, feel-good products, they are strong and efficacious."

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All references to any registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Afterpay does not endorse or recommend any one particular supplier and the information provided is for educational purposes only.

How Urban Skin Rx founder Rachel Roff leveraged a gap in the beauty market to create a multimillion-dollar formula for success.

Urban Skin Rx's Rachel Roff turned a skincare clinic into a global beauty brand. Read our interview

Urban Skin Rx's Rachel Roff on building an 8-figure brand

From spa owner to 8-figure beauty brand success

Their golden rule? A commitment to customer service and satisfaction.

When Vahan Avagyan co-founded jewelery brand WJD Exclusives in 2002, he would stand on street corners handing out business cards and fliers to promote the brand.“We did anything we could to spread the word: online ads, social media, my personal Instagram page.”&nbsp;

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Back then WJD Exclusives had a basic website and a handful of product listings. Today, the jewelry brand offers thousands of products and turns over millions in revenue. What hasn’t changed in that time is the brand’s commitment to <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/operations/customer-service-examples" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">customer service</a>.“If you take good care of your customers, in the long run, they’ll come back and they’ll bring their friends with them. We built our success by being persistent — very persistent.

“If you take good care of your customers, they’ll come back.”

“It was sometimes painful in the beginning because there weren’t a large number of orders every day. But even on the days when we didn’t have any orders coming in, we knew where we were headed.”<h2>Putting customers first</h2>Avagyan co-founded WJD Exclusives with the goal of creating high-quality, hand-crafted jewelry at affordable prices. He believes that the success of the business comes down to its customer-centric approach.That’s why WJD Exclusives offers 24/7 <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/customer-service/customer-centricity" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">customer service</a> and live chat - features that grew out of a focus on understanding what customers needed and wanted, beyond just making the initial sale.

“Everything that we do is customer-focused, even if the customer is a business."

“Everything that we do is customer-focused, even if the customer is a business. Start by listening from day one to the needs of your target customers, be it excellent service or a superior physical product.”<h2>Efficient service</h2>WJD Exclusives handles as many services as possible in-house: not only are jewelers on staff, but product photography, video, marketing and inventory are all carried out on site.This means the business can be quick to respond to customers. “Because we have on-site jewelers, including my business partner, we can make basic changes really fast. When a customer has a repair request, instead of sending it out to an off-site repair company, which can sometimes take weeks, we’re able to provide the service in just a day or two, maximum.

“We get a lot of happy feedback from our customers,” says Avagyan, who notes that the business prides itself on communicating well with customers. “[Customers] send in a chain and we notify them it’s here and then within two business days, they get an email saying, ‘Here’s your new tracking number, it’s on its way back.’ They’re like, ‘Did you even do anything to it?!’ Yeah, of course, we fixed it.’&nbsp;“We’re much more efficient today compared to that first year. We now have a little over 13,000 product styles with various colors, materials, and measurements. We’re still focusing on building up a larger and larger quantity of products,” says Avagyan.<h2>Why WooCommerce powers WJD Exclusives</h2>The WJD Exclusives website uses WordPress and WooCommerce. They chose WooCommerce because of its flexibility, low startup costs, and ability to have full ownership of what they build.

WooCommerce allows Avagyan to modify and show multiple product variations and features like product images and videos, as well as quickly make back-end modifications, update SKU variations, and add custom data fields.&nbsp;“There are so many good factors with WooCommerce, especially its flexibility, I think that was the main reason why we went for it,” he says.<h2>How Afterpay assists customers</h2>Another way to increase customer satisfaction is to offer a variety of payment options, which is why WJD partners with Afterpay.Today, Avagyan estimates more than 30 per cent of WJD Exclusives’ traffic comes from the<a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/categories" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Afterpay Marketplace</a>, and since activating the payment service, the company has not only seen improvements in their average order value (AOV), but fewer customer returns.

“Once that trust level goes up, your value goes up.”

According to Avagyan, Afterpay has also increased the trust level that customers have in the company.“Once that trust level goes up, your value goes up. Customers start thinking ‘Okay, if I can trust these guys for a $20 purchase, maybe I can go ahead and get this $10,000 necklace.’”“Afterpay is just insanely awesome. So many of our customers are benefiting from it that I don’t even want to think of a world without Afterpay. I don’t want to imagine our business without Afterpay!”

Find out WJD Exclusives' golden rule for success.

Vahan Avaghan, the co-founder of WJD Exclusives, on the jewelry brand's commitment to customer service and satisfaction.

WJD Exclusives: How this jewelry brand focuses on customer service

WJD Exclusives: How customer service helps this jewelry brand shine

How this jewelry brand went from selling on street corners to selling out 

EveryHuman founder Matthew Skerritt is passionate about offering stylish adaptive clothing to every body.

Ask Matthew Skerrit to describe the best part of his job and his answer is simple: the customers.&nbsp;“We have people writing to us, on a daily basis, saying ‘I absolutely love what you guys do, you’ve changed my life.’”It’s no wonder Skerrit receives such heartfelt feedback; as the founder of <a href="https://everyhuman.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">EveryHuman</a>, an online adaptive fashion e-commerce site, Skerritt offers stylish clothing and footwear to people with disabilities.That means shoes with zippers for those with mobility restrictions; seamless jeans for people in wheelchairs; or clothes with magnets instead of buttons.

Skerritt’s aim? “To empower and inspire people to be proud of who they are”… It’s something I’m really passionate about. Clothes matter – they allow you to express yourself,” says Skerrit, who frequently receives messages from grateful mothers who have shopped with the site.“We had one mother writing to us, saying ‘I’m in tears. My 25-year-old son has been able to put on his own shoes for the first time’. Before then, she’d been literally getting a pair of scissors and cutting a slit along the side of the shoe [to make it accessible for her son].“It’s absolutely amazing. I find it very powerful.”This month, Skerritt and EveryHuman are showcased in Afterpay's Make it your way series, which celebrates entrepreneurs who are forging their own path, and building businesses that are true to their passions and convictions.

<h2>Make it inclusive</h2>Today, Skerritt lives and breathes adaptive fashion. However, two years ago, he knew very little about the industry – or the fashion world in general.Before launching EveryHuman, he was an accountant, who then worked in his dad’s retirement home business – where he witnessed many of the elderly residents’ struggling to dress themselves on a daily basis.“When you get older your ability to do up a button-down shirt really changes,” says Skerritt. “They get very frustrated, and you really feel for them.”&nbsp;It was while researching solutions that Skerritt discovered adaptive clothing – and soon realised the need was even greater than elderly people, with one in six Australians living with some form of disability.

After months of preparation, including attending trade fairs and speaking to those with lived experiences of disability, Skerritt launched EveryHuman in December 2019.&nbsp;He admits that the first six months were turbulent. “It was pretty tough. We had logistical challenges because of Covid-19… we had <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-AU/business/access/boosting-profitability/cashflow-management-tools" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">cashflow</a> challenges. It was a little bit touch and go there for a while.”<h2>Make it empowering</h2>&nbsp;Through the challenges, Skerrit continues to be driven by a desire to help people with disabilities express themselves through their clothing. “Our clothes help empower people. We offer choice. For a long time, people with disabilities were overlooked by the fashion industry. Brands were nervous because they didn’t know how to approach it.“I think that’s wrong, but it’s slowly changing. And we’ve just got to keep persisting and working with people who are passionate in this space to make that change happen.”

<h2>Make it stylish</h2>A lack of stylish options for people – and especially young people – with disabilities can affect confidence, says Skerritt, who stocks brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Dr Martens on EveryHuman.“If you’re a young person – a child or a teenager – with a disability you’re already on the outer. To be wearing clothes that aren’t cool makes it worse.”<h2>Make it your way, with Afterpay</h2>Skerritt says that Afterpay has helped make EveryHuman’s products even more accessible to those with disabilities.&nbsp;“Afterpay has helped us attract customers. We put [the Afterpay logo] on all our social media. It’s very, very visible throughout the checkout process and on the homepage of our website,” says Skerritt, who adds that through Afterpay’s Cross-Border Trade Programme, EveryHuman has also found new customers in other regions such as New Zealand.“Afterpay provides choice] and we provide choice. We allow people to express themselves through choice… and be independent as well. Afterpay has been a great supporter of ours.”

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All references to any registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Afterpay does not endorse or recommend any one particular supplier and the information provided is for educational purposes only.

EveryHuman founder Matthew Skerritt is passionate about offering stylish adaptive clothing to every body. 

EveryHuman founder Matthew Skerritt is passionate about offering stylish adaptive clothing and footwear to people with disabilities 

EveryHuman: Making fashion feel good for every body 

How EveryHuman makes fashion feel good 

[US] Make it Inclusive: Every Human

When hairdresser Rumbie Mutsiwa launched her salon, she wanted to creative an inclusive and empowering space for women with Afro and textured hair.

Step inside <a href="https://www.rumbie.co/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Rumbie &amp; Co</a> hairdressing salon in Sydney’s inner-city suburb of Chippendale, and the atmosphere is warm and welcoming – and that’s exactly the way founder Rumbie Mutsiwa wants it.Mutsiwa founded the business in 2014 after discovering how few Sydney salons catered to Afro and textured hair – and after being turned away from several salons because of her hair type.“[Hairdressers] would actually say: ‘We don’t work with your hair texture.’ And the more I experienced this [reaction] the more frustrated I became.”That frustration eventually led to the launch of Rumbie &amp; Co, and today, the business employs two hairdressers, offers a haircare range and works with thousands of clients from a bustling inner-city salon.

<h2>Make it expert</h2>Mutsiwa never set out to be a hairdresser. Originally from Zimbabwe, she migrated to Australia in her teens and studied nursing. But, a few years into her career, her sister began struggling with hair loss due to stress.It was only after she searched, and eventually failed to find a hair specialist who could help, that Mutiswa realised there was a gap in the market.&nbsp;“Eventually, I just thought: you know what? I’ll just do it. It can’t be rocket science.”

I just discovered myself in that space. I became a hair nerd.

<h2>Make it my way</h2>For Mutsiwa, switching from nursing to hairdressing meant breaking with her family’s expectations. “My family convinced me to study nursing,” she says. “My career path was actually discussions with other people.” But after plenty of soul-searching, she decided to forge her own path as a hairdresser.

<h2>Make it inclusive</h2>From the beginning, Mutsiwa was determined to creative an inclusive space that represented the best of Western and African cultures.“Hair is such a huge part of [African] culture. In most African cultures, you usually [devote] a specific day – like Sundays – to hair, where kids get their hair done to look presentable for school. It’s massive. And in most African salons, you’ll find there’s always a lot of people laughing, talking, sharing stories.”<h2>Make it transformative</h2>Mutsiwa admits that the early days of the business were challenging – and, at first, she struggled to set boundaries around her time. “Someone would call me at midnight and say, ‘I need to get my hair done for a wedding tomorrow!” and I’d say, ‘Okay what time? It was an emotional rollercoaster.”But she loves helping women look and feel their best. “I really believe in the transformational power of [good] hair. Our purpose is to build confidence in individuals.&nbsp;

“My favourite thing is those moments where [customers] look at themselves.. and their demeanour changes. I love hearing stories of people feeling more confident, more sexy, more beautiful.<h2>Make it with Afterpay</h2>&nbsp;When Mutsiwa spotted billboards advertising Afterpay, and researched the platform, she immediately realised she wanted it for her customers.&nbsp;

“Afterpay allows us to give our clients more options, so they can get what they need now.” Frequently, she says, clients will budget for their haircut – and then realise they’d like to buy products as well “and then they’ll ask can I Afterpay this?”This year, Mutsiwa participated in Afterpay Day Sale for the first time and saw her average order value double from two products to four. “Afterpay is genius!”

When Rumbie Mutsiwa couldn't find a salon that catered to textured hair, she launched her own. 

When Rumbie Mutsiwa couldn't find a salon that catered to textured hair, she launched her own, and today Rumbie & Co is an inclusive, welcoming space.

Rumbie Mutsiwa: The hairdresser who cares about curls

Meet the hairdresser who cares about curls

[US] Make it diverse: Rumbie Mutsiwa

Natalie Fitch never set out to launch a business, but her passion for meaningful jewellery has propelled her to success.

Natalie Fitch has her own spacious office, but prefers to spend as much time as possible in the showroom of her jewellery store on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. &nbsp;&nbsp;“I just love seeing people come and pick up their jewellery. It’s amazing to see clients see their pieces for the first time.Through the highs and lows of the eight years since founding her business – <a href="https://www.nataliemariejewellery.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Natalie Marie Jewellery </a>– this personal connection to customers still matters. “It’s very humbling and rewarding.”Fitch is one of the business owners featured in Afterpay's Make it your way campaign, which celebrates entrepreneurs and founders who are carving their own paths and building businesses that reflect their values and passions.

<h2>Make it beautiful</h2>Today Natalie Marie Jewellery employs 12 jewellers. But the business began organically, 13 years ago, with Fitch creating pieces for her friends from her kitchen table.“I never set out to have my own business or even be a jewellery designer. But I’ve always been a really hands-on, crafty person.”Within a few years, Fitch was selling her pieces, and in the early years, she would arrive home from her day-job, only to spend hours every evening in her garage slowly building her first collection.

I never set out to have my own business - or even be a jewellery designer.

“It was a passion project,” she says. “It was a hugely developmental period, but it was really full on… as anyone who has built a business will know. I just worked! I don’t remember much.”After three years, Fitch hired her first <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/staff-management/hiring-millennials" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">employee</a>, but even today, the brand retains a personal approach and a commitment to meaningful and intentional jewellery.

<h2>Make it meaningful</h2>“Everything we make is created with a strong intention and sense of meaning behind it,” says Fitch, pointing to a recent Mother’s Day piece, called the Polaris Bracelet, which features a central diamond set like a star to represent the role of mothers as a guiding light.It’s this purpose-led approach that Fitch says sets Natalie Marie Jewellery apart.“For so many decades, people have gone into a store and bought something off a shelf, whereas now I think there’s a resurgence in a desire for something that feels unique and meaningful.&nbsp;“We create modern heirlooms… pieces that become a tangible expression of a moment or feeling.”

<h2>Make it handcrafted</h2>The jewellers at Natalie Marie Jewellery use sustainably sourced materials and are trained in traditional techniques. “There is an art to jewellery making, and something has been lost along the way with technological advances. We’re trying to nurture [our jewellery makers] in the studio and help develop the next generation.”<h2>Make it an empowering workplace</h2>Part of nurturing the next generation of jewellers means ensuring that Natalie Marie Jewellery embraces and supports female jewellers. “We have a really strong female staff, and we have four pregnant <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/staff-management/employee-retention" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">staff members</a> at the moment, so we’re focused on [working with the] team in new or different ways.”As a mother of two young children, Fitch rates flexibility is one of the biggest benefits of running her own business. “I love running a business – but it’s not for the faint-hearted! Having flexibility is so valuable.”

<h2>Make it personal</h2>Many of Natalie Marie Jewellery’s pieces are personalised with engravings or unique touches, while others are completely custom-made for a particular occasion or anniversary.“We have a lot of couples who will come in for an engagement piece and then come back for a wedding band and then when they have their first baby or an anniversary.”“I still find it incredible that our pieces can become such a significant part of someone’s everyday life.”<h2>Make it with Afterpay</h2>For Fitch, offering Afterpay comes back to her desire to put her customers’ needs first. “It’s because I’m so engaged with customers and because I understand why they’re purchasing pieces that we decided to offer Afterpay.“We wanted to make our pieces as accessible as possible. Afterpay provides our customers the opportunity to buy a piece that really speaks to them – it’s about giving our clients options.”

Natalie Marie Jewellery founder Natalie Fitch never set out to launch a business, but her passion for meaningful, handcrafted jewellery has propelled her to success.

Natalie Marie Jewellery founder Natalie Fitch never set out to launch a business, but her passion for meaningful, handcrafted jewellery has propelled her to success

Natalie Fitch on making jewellery and memories

Natalie Fitch on designing her dream business

[US] Make it meaningful: Natalie Marie Jewellery

It takes a lot to win over Gen Z. But skincare brand Topicals, aimed at chronic skin conditions, has done exactly that with an inclusive, innovative approach.

When Olamide Olowe decided to launch a skincare brand aimed at chronic skin conditions, like eczema and hyperpigmentation, she was met with plenty of scepticism.“I had a lot of people saying, ‘How are you going to make chronic skincare cool? [People would say] ‘People don’t want to talk about this. It’s really shameful.”

People would say '‘People don’t want to talk about this. It’s really shameful."

A few short years later, Olowe and <a href="https://mytopicals.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Topicals</a>, the brand she co-founded, has definitively proved her critics wrong. Topicals has raised more than $2m in funding, and in March 2021 it launched in Sephora – and promptly sold out in 48 hours. Meanwhile, Olowe herself was recently included in Forbes 30 Under 30 list for retail and e-commerce.&nbsp;Olowe also features in Afterpay’s Make it your way series, which celebrates business owners who are forging their own path and building innovative businesses that reflect their personal values and passions.<h2>Make it expert</h2>The concept for Topicals was inspired by Olowe’s own personal experiences. Growing up, the 24 year old struggled with skin conditions including boils and in-grown hairs. “I vividly remember being so embarrassed and not wanting to put on a swimsuit in summer,” she recalls. “It was very painful and very visible."

From, the outset she was determined to make a difference to anyone struggling with skin conditions and only use ingredients that were scientifically proven.<h2>Make it compassionate</h2>Not only that, but Topicals aims to transform the way people feel about their skin through mental health advocacy.“A lot of times, with skin conditions, you’re not just managing the discomfort that comes with the skin condition…but also sometimes having to deal with the shame or the embarrassment [that goes with it].

I grew up thinking that there was such a thing as “perfect” skin.

“I grew up thinking that there was such a thing as “perfect” skin,” adds Olowe, who is passionate about changing the narrative around skin and partnering with mental health organisations. “We’ve donated around $50,000 to mental health organizations so far.”&nbsp;<h2>Make it courageous</h2>As a young African-American woman, Olowe is conscious that she faced challenges that other entrepreneurs haven’t had to deal with. “For example, raising capital was very difficult– investing is really about who you know, and if you don’t have access to networks, people aren’t as inviting. So, getting the capital and resources can take a little bit longer and it can be a little bit harder to get.”

She is also passionate about reaching under-served communities. “We’re a very <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-AU/business/access/marketing/customer-centricity" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">customer and community centric</a>-driven brand. We spend a lot of time listening to our customers.”<h2>Make it with Afterpay</h2>Those customers tend to be Gen Z and Millennial beauty lovers – the so-called “Skin-tellectuals” who, have grown up on the internet and who are famously savvy about beauty products and their ingredients.Olowe believes that buy-now-pay-later services are critical for reaching younger consumers, and she and Topicals partnered with Afterpay early on. “Not having Buy Now Pay Later, is [similar to] not having credit card processing, back in the day.”

Not having Buy Now Pay Later, is [similar to] not having credit card processing, back in the day.

As a business owner, she says that Afterpay is important for new and indie brands. “As a business owner, you’re always trying to get customers to make that first purchase – and shop with you for the first time – and Afterpay helps with that because [it lowers the barriers to entry and] customers can break up payments.”&nbsp;

For a brand like Topicals, which places a premium on inclusivity and accessibility, offering a platform like Afterpay to make products more accessible was a natural fit.&nbsp;“To know that so many people I’ve never met are now using [our] products and getting results from it… for any entrepreneur, that’s your fuel.

It takes a lot to win over Gen Z. But skincare brand Topicals, aimed at chronic skin conditions, has done exactly that with an inclusive, innovative approach.

It takes a lot to win over Gen Z. But skincare brand Topicals, aimed at chronic skin conditions, has done exactly that with an inclusive, innovative approach. Founder Olamide Olowe shares her story

Topicals: The inclusive beauty brand that won Gen Z

[US] Make it inclusive: Topicals

Gladys Tamez is famous for her distinctive, sculptural hats, which are loved by A-listers.

As a child growing up in Mexico, <a href="https://gladystamez.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Gladys Tamez </a>pored over fashion magazines. Several decades later, the milliner, who has been dubbed Hollywood’s favourite hatmaker, frequently appears in the pages of the very magazines she once collected.
“I feel so lucky that today I can do what I love and enjoy every day,” she says.

What Tamez loves most is creating distinctive, sculptural hats. From her atelier and shop in downtown Los Angeles, Tamez has produced hats for everyone from Johnny Depp to Cher and Lady Gaga, who famously wore a pink Gladys Tamez hat on the cover of her 2016 album, Joanne.

To me a hat is a sculpture.

“To me a hat is a sculpture. It’s an art form, that’s how I see it,” says Tamez.This month, Tamez features in Afterpay’s Make It Your Way series, which celebrates small business owners around the world who are carving their own path and creating businesses that reflect their personal values and passions.<h2>Make it handcrafted</h2>Tamez’ love of hats began in 2009 when she travelled to Spain and witnessed a fourth-generation hat designer craft a bolero hat. “I loved the process – the magic of how they made it,” she recalls.

When she returned to LA, Tamez sought out classes and honed her talents, using traditional, handcrafted techniques. “My hats are made with blocks,” she explains. “I have 1500 blocks from [as far back as] the 1920s….”

I don’t want my clients to look like they’re in costume.

A Gladys Tamez hat can take up to eight hours to make, and her work is known for its distinctive creases. “I do Western hats, I do cowboy hats… but I always want to do a modernized hat. I don’t want my clients to look like they’re in costume.”&nbsp;<h2>Make it personal</h2>Over the years, Tamez’ client base has grown to encompass celebrities, fashion lovers and customers from all around the world. “I have all kinds of customers – from 18 to 84. I have some clients who are fashionistas and super-confident… and other clients who come to me and they’ve never worn a hat before."

Whoever the client, Tamez takes a personal approach to her work. “At the beginning, I sit down and I ask them, ‘What colours will match with you?’ ‘What face shape do you have?’ And we start working together… I have some clients who now have 13 hats.”&nbsp;“I think hats [can be] a superpower. When clients wear them, they start noticing how hats compliment their look. And then other people start noticing and telling them how great they look – and then they don’t want to take the hat off!&nbsp;<h2>Make it with Afterpay</h2>The designer partnered with Afterpay after younger customers started asking for a buy-now-pay-later platform. “We had all these young girls coming in here and saying, ‘Do you have Afterpay?”

We had all these young girls coming in here and saying, ‘Do you have Afterpay?'

“And it’s been really good for us,” continues Tamez, who views Afterpay as a tool to ensure her luxury products are available to a wider audience. “I want more people to see and appreciate these hats made by hand with the old techniques. I want to preserve those techniques and give them the respect it deserves.”

Gladys Tamez is famous for her distinctive, sculptural hats, which are handcrafted and loved by A-listers everywhere.

Milliner Gladys Tamez is famous for her distinctive, sculptural hats, which are handcrafted and loved by A-listers everywhere.

Meet Gladys Tamez: Hollywood's favorite hatmaker 

Meet Hollywood's favorite hatmaker 

[US ]Make it sculptural: Glady Tamez

Dazey LA founder Danielle Nagel was determined to build a brand that matched her values - and her maximalist aesthetic.

When Dani Nagel launched her fashion brand <a href="https://www.dazeyla.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Dazey LA </a>she had one ambition. “I wanted to do everything differently. I wanted to do things the right way.”Six years later, the self-proclaimed maximalist and graphic-design obsessive has achieved exactly that – and more.&nbsp;Today, Dazey LA clothing is known for its bright, colorful aesthetic and its commitment to ethical and sustainable fashion. Nagel herself has also become a well-recognized figure in entrepreneurial circles, thanks to her willingness to share insights into her business journey on social media.&nbsp;

This month, she and Dazey LA are among the merchants showcased as part of Afterpay’s Make It Your Way series, which celebrates business owners courageously carving their own path and setting their own terms for success.<h2>Make it sustainable</h2>Before founding Dazey LA, Nagel spent several years working as a grahic designer for major US fashion labels. It was during this time that she came to understand the environmental impact of the fashion industry.“I remember once designing men’s t-shirts [featuring a graphic I didn’t like] but it’s what they wanted. And they ordered 5000 units of it, and I remember walking out into the warehouse – and being confronted with the sheer quantity of what racks and racks of 5000 t-shirts looks like. I [had] a very visceral reaction and [realised] I was inadvertently part of this terrible process.”To learn more about these strategies, and to read examples of retailers who have put these plans into action, download the latest Afterpay Playbook, From Trend to Recommend: The Retail Recalibrations that Will Attract Next-Gen Shoppers.

“I realised I was inadvertently part of this terrible process.”

When it came time to launch Dazey LA, Nagal was determined to institute ethical and environmental standards, and today every Dazey LA piece is produced locally in Los Angeles.

<h2>Make it your way</h2>In the early days, Nagel says the biggest struggles came from within.“The biggest challenge was actually gaining the courage to step out and [launch the business]… and also just maintain clarity and stability during that time.&nbsp;“Because I feel like the biggest beast is often [the one] in your head. [Starting a business] is just a constant emotional rollercoaster. And it really takes a few years of running your own business to realise that the highs and lows are just a part of the process. You have to learn to roll with the punches.”

“You have to learn to roll with the punches.”

Today, though, Nagel wouldn’t have it any other way. “What’s so fun about entrepreneurship is that there’s no ceiling to what you can accomplish. I just love pushing the envelope […] and reinventing and reinventing."<h2>Make it colourful</h2>One of Nagel’s favourite parts of running Dazey LA is the creative side. “We are a clothing line full of bold and colorful designs, and I create patterns and silhouettes to empower the wearer to be a little more bold in their everyday life."

“I’m obsessed with graphic design, fashion and interior design… and I love bold patterns, maximal design and color.”<h2>Make it with Afterpay</h2>Nagel also loves connecting with her customer via social media. “I love sharing the process with my audience. Ever since Dazey started it was all about connecting with my customers and being real and very transparent with our audience. I’ve really tried to bring them into this journey with me.”Early on, she realised that her young customer base would appreciate a platform that allowed them to spread payments over several instalments. “That’s why we brought on Afterpay. And as soon as we installed it people [told us] ‘Thank you, this is awesome’. And the day we installed it we had a huge sales day.&nbsp;“It’s definitely a game-changer for small business."&nbsp;

Dazey LA founder Danielle Nagal was determined to build a brand that matched her values - and her maximalist aesthetic.

Dazey LA: Color queen making style sustainable

The color queen making style sustainable 

[US] Make it colourful: Dazey LA

Luxury accessories brand founder, Mia Ray, explains how social media and persistence pays off.

The founder of affordable luxury accessories brand, Glam-Aholic Lifestyle, Mia Ray, will always remember the "mind-blowing" day she made $1 million in 24 hours - it was the same day her company turned ten years old."Imagine putting your blood, sweat and tears into your business for a decade and then all of a sudden it explodes overnight," she says of that pivotal moment, two years ago. "A lot of people think I'm an overnight success – I'm not."The reason for this sudden boom in business? Ray started utilizing Instagram Live by introducing a "Glam-Aholic Shopping Experience" every time she launched a new product.&nbsp;"It's always been a dream of mine to be on a home-shopping network like QVC so I started going live on Instagram in the same style," she explains. "I showcase the product, tell people the price [and] show them how it works or fits. Being in front of the camera really helped my business take off."

"A lot of people think I'm an overnight success – I'm not."

<h2>From blogger to business owner</h2>A college drop-out from Detroit, Ray started writing a fashion blog in 2009. From the very beginning she was the face of her brand and connected directly with customers – before she even called them that.&nbsp;"Back then, people weren't really thinking about followers," explains Ray, who only had a couple of thousand people reading her blog in the first year. "I was thinking more about the connection with readers. I wanted them to have something they could walk away with."&nbsp;Armed with a desire to make a "nice, affordable tote bag" as well as a friend's contact for a manufacturer in China (who she still uses to this day), Ray spent $99 of the $348 she had in her bank account at the time on producing a sample. She then posted a photo of the bag on her blog, instructing readers to 'pre-order now.' Having spent a year blogging without making much money, Ray was thrilled to receive more than 70 pre-orders.&nbsp;Almost 13 years on, Glam-Aholic Lifestyle – which spans everything from cosmetic bags to wallets, as well as the recently launched luggage and hosiery ranges – is on track to bring in $25 million in revenue this year.&nbsp;This is all the more impressive when you consider the brand's modest Instagram following (Glam-Aholic Lifestyle has 136,000 and Mia Ray herself 197,000). "I'm proud to say I have only a couple of hundred thousand followers on social media," says Ray who adds that engagement is more important than the total number of followers. "I like to say I'm pretty small but mighty. I'm only competing with myself. I definitely feel like I've found my own lane."

"I'm proud to say I have only a couple of hundred thousand followers on social media."

<h2>Get creative</h2>As well as relatable, personal direct-to-consumer marketing techniques, Ray says that Glam-Aholic Lifestyle's success owes much to a fun, creative approach.“[I recommend] definitely thinking outside the box and not doing what everyone else is doing. I always bring my customers a fun experience," she says. "Whether that's visually or through music, I like to dive deep when it comes to marketing."When new products drop, you'll find fun videos on the Glam-Aholic Lifestyle Instagram page starring Mia Ray herself. Think spoofs of the 1990s classic film Clueless or Sex and the City or recreations of pop videos. "When we dropped my hosiery line, we pretty much recreated the video for Beyonce's Single Ladies, and everyone loved it," she says.<h2>Listen to your customers</h2>"As a customer, you want to feel seen and heard and understood," explains Ray. "People who spend their money somewhere like to feel the comfort of, “Oh wow, they really care about what I want.” Customers want to feel comfortable spending their money with you."In order to achieve this, Ray prides herself on being transparent with her customers, inviting them to watch every step of the production process (via social media) and often using them as a sounding board when it comes to developing new products. In fact, it was her customers she turned to (by utilizing a poll) when she was deciding whether to take on Afterpay.&nbsp;"I am so pro being financially literate and financially strong that I feel like Afterpay speaks to my customers," she says. "It makes a big difference to them because while they are always excited to shop, a lot of them do like to budget. I would recommend Afterpay because it increases the profits of small businesses and it assists customers in getting what they want."

"Afterpay increases the profits of small businesses and assists customers in getting what they want."

<h2>Tenacity pays off</h2>Ray is open about the fact that for the first few years of the business, money was tight. “I went for seven to eight years without much income and without a car, and all the things I would have loved to have had.”In order to be successful, she adds, entrepreneurs have to be patient and persistent. "A lot of times people start a business and if it's not a success within six months they quit. You must stay consistent in order for it to pay off and in order for your customers to connect and believe in you," explains Ray.&nbsp;The benefit of slow sustainable growth, she adds, is that business owners have the opportunity to learn every facet of their business.Just two years ago, Glam-Aholic Lifestyle was made up of Ray and her assistant. Today, there are 12 employees including accounts, human resources and customer service.&nbsp;"I know how to do every single thing when it comes to my brand – I've worked every department! - but sometimes it's smart to hire help when it's needed," she advises.&nbsp;"You have to stay ahead of the curve, and not get so overwhelmed that you're not focusing on the bigger picture, so it's always great to hire help when you need it."

Luxury accessories brand founder, Mia Ray, explains how social media and persistence pays off.

The founder of Glam-Aholic, a luxury accessories brand, Mia Ray, explains how social media and persistence pays off.