We were lucky to catch up with Mackenzie Jorns recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Mackenzie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?
It all started back in spring 2020, the world was in the midst of the beginning of the pandemic, I just had our first son and after years and years of giving friends and friends of friends skincare advice, I built a website to conduct virtual skincare routine consultations. My site was simple, but the concept really resonated with people. When I went back to my high pressure executive day job after maternity leave, I quickly learned I couldn’t do both, so I searched for a similar concept to recommend to my clients and I couldn’t find one. Two babies later, my third baby, Protea, is launching a virtual consultation platform for licensed estheticians to support clients anywhere, anytime mid-March 2023.
In October 2023, I launched the SkinConfidence™ Skincare Kits for unhoused women.
On November 1, 2023, I launched our skincare products with the business model of for every product sold, Protea donates a SkinConfidence Skincare Kit to an unhoused woman.
On Monday, December 5, 2022 I felt like I was at my breaking point with my current career in the Department of Defense (DoD) federal government contracting space. My job required more than the standard 9-5pm hours at unpredictable times (ie. at 6 months pregnant with my first son I had to pull an all-nighter for one of my government customers). Protea was becoming a full time 8-hour a day commitment at a minimum. We also have two young sons who were both under 3 years old at the time, so I knew I needed to make a significant change. I did not want to give up the traction and momentum I was on with Protea, so in my mind it was clear – I needed to leave my current career to allow Protea to flourish and bloom into what I knew it could become.
In tandem with the product launches, I have been bootstrapping the tech arm of our business. On Thursday, March 23rd we will be launching a first of its kind platform that allows people to connect with licensed and vetted estheticians to receive tailored product recommendations and education to help them feel more confident in their skin. I didn’t like how raising would take me away from making progress on the both sides of the business. However, I do see raising capital as a potential option for our company’s future, so we can better support our estheticians through more advanced technology and support.
Not everyone has the time to go from nothing to launch in three months like a lot of well known start up founders, but that doesn’t mean you can’t execute on your idea. Your idea is special to you, you had the idea for a reason. What is standing between your success is execution. Show up every day, put one foot in front of the other, and keep chipping away at your idea to make it a reality.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Of course!
My love of skincare has grown as I’ve grown. While other high school teens were getting jobs at restaurants, I convinced the local med spa to hire me. This solidified my love of skincare. Then in college, I got diagnosed with Lyme Disease and had to learn a lot how skincare products can affect the body. After college, my now husband and I moved to Utah where I suffered from severe cystic hormonal acne and it absolutely crushed my confidence. After living in Utah, we moved to Colorado where I started volunteering with a low-barrier women’s shelter. I saw first hand how self care practices and rituals boosted the confidence of the women using the shelter. This experience has stuck with me ever since. Now for each skincare product we sell, we donate a SkinConfidence™ Skincare Kit to an unhoused woman.
My personal and professional background have led me to starting Protea. I named our business after the South African flower because it means courage, diversity, and strength. I’m grateful that the stars have aligned and I’m able to build a company focused on helping women feel more confident in their skin no matter their economic status.
My goal is to build a company that is in the business of doing “good” by those around us. My personal life mantra is “I want women to feel more confident because I was here.”
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
NPR’s “How I Built This Podcast,” specifically Sara Blakely’s episode from 2017. It was the first podcast I ever listened to back in 2017 driving back to Colorado from my bachelorette party in Utah. I’ve since listened to that episode thousands of times, but what really stuck with me was her confidence and how she continually worked on herself to better her business. People tend to think that entrepreneurs have to pull all-nighters, work for days straight, and neglect themselves. Sara truly implemented grit AND working “smarter not harder” when she was starting Spanx. Her story helped give me the confidence to believe in myself and my quirks.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
Sure you can post trending sounds and dance videos to potentially “go viral,” but what lasts and what’s sustainable is creating value and meaningful connections. I will always engage with our customers and estheticians through our social media accounts (Instagram and Facebook). Authentic engagement has allowed our following to continue to grow and sustain the growth. You’ll never find me on there using a filter, but what you will find is a woman who shows up as herself to share what she hopes is value to your day.
Contact Info:
- Website: bookprotea.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/book.protea/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/book.protea/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/p-r-o-t-e-a/