Today’s episode of How To Start Up dives into the reality of building a business from the ground up or bootstrap, so without investors, without a big marketing budget, and without a safety net. Joining us is Aimee Connolly, Founder and CEO of Sculpted by Aimee and Sculpted: The Academy, the global beauty brand she launched at just 23 in 2016 using the €10,000 she saved from her part-time job.

Less than a decade later, Sculpted is a multi-award-winning brand with over 140 products, stocked in nine countries and shipped to 68 markets worldwide - all built from a bootstrapped beginning.

In this episode, Aimee shares what it really takes to fund your own idea, stay lean while scaling, and build a global brand by relying on resourcefulness, grit, and an unshakeable belief in your vision.

Aimee’s advice:

• Grasp opportunities when they present themselves
• When starting up, take each task one at a time and don’t allow yourself to be overwhelmed by considering the enormity of the whole project
• Think ahead about a year so that you have resources
• Be patient, things may grow slowly
• Always have a grasp of the finances and don’t be afraid to confront the realities of demanding payment
• Play on your special strengths
• Show your authenticity by telling your own story
• Applaud yourself for each win
• Customer feedback is essential; cultivate a community in your customers (social media/direct messaging) which will help you move forward constructively
• Take care of yourself: sleep, exercise, diet all support you mentally
• Aim to have a support network where you can find advice
• The pros of being boot-strapped are that you are in charge, not just financially
• But the cons could be that you have fewer contacts and less flexibility financially
• Take care when picking partners, as although this could be a huge asset, if it were to go wrong it could be very damaging

FF&M enables you to own your own PR & produces podcasts.
Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2024 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

FF&M recommends: 

• LastPass the password-keeping site that syncs between devices.
• Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
• Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory
• Canva has proved invaluable for creating all the social media assets and audio bites.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link &  Licence

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