Barb de Corti is a passionate entrepreneur who has grown her business, ENJO Australia and Santé Skincare, from selling microfibre cloths at expos to achieving over a billion dollars in sales. As an avid learner and advocate for sustainability, she has built a carbon-neutral, ethical business committed to fair practices and reducing environmental impact. It has resulted in a cult following for her products over the years.

Initially, she aimed to educate consumers on effective, chemical-free cleaning through demonstrations, a novel approach at the time. Although the business experienced rapid growth, scaling from 150 to over 2,500 consultants and reaching $80 million in turnover, the success brought challenges, including overwhelming demands, financial missteps, and personal tolls.

Now, post-COVID, she focuses on cultivating a loyal customer base and adapting to shifts in consumer habits, including digital sales. Her current goal is to build a more sustainable, customer-focused business that emphasises affordability, safety, and environmental impact.

Takeaways

• Educating customers on the mental health benefits of sustainable cleaning practices builds trust.
• Starting with a direct-selling model, in-person demos foster engagement and boosted growth.
• Rapid growth can create operational strain and temporarily impact passion and purpose.
• Effective cash flow management is essential for maintaining financial stability.
• Balancing online sales with in-person demos aligns with evolving consumer preferences.
• Cult status builds loyalty through shared purpose and giving customers a voice.
• Eco-friendly products resonate with values around reducing chemical use, water waste, and plastic.
• A “better business” focuses on sustainable practices over high turnover.

Follow Barb de Corti
https://www.enjo.com.au/  
https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbdecorti/

Books on this episode

Predictably Irrational, Revised and Expanded Edition: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions by Dr Dan Ariely https://amzn.to/46ddBe8

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