We were lucky to catch up with Serena Nicole Rudisel recently and have shared our conversation below.

Serena Nicole, appreciate you joining us today. Getting that first client is always an exciting milestone. Can you talk to us about how you got your first customer who wasn’t a friend, family, or acquaintance?

I got my first customer from instagram! When I first started formulating skincare products I documented everything on social media. In my first 30 days of using the first products I ever made my skin was GLOWING. I posted a photo of this glow on my personal instagram (before I even created the business, and named products) and people began DM’ing me wanting to know what I was using and how they could get some! I decided to name the products I was using based on their natural ingredients, and I took a photo of them in their bottles with pricing and orders came in! I would get DM’s for products, getting payments through cashapp, tracking orders on excel and sending off orders weekly at USPS! As my community posted about getting their products, I began to see orders from people who I didn’t know previously- Now their apart of our community!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am Serena Nicole, the sole founder of Serena Nicole Skincare based in NYC. Passionate about holistic wellness, I’ve spent the past six years empowering countless individuals to prioritize feeling good. I dream of a world where we fulfill our potential and inspire others to do the same. My personal brand is a space for self-love and a passion for life, and I create uplifting experiences through my holistic wellness business. I channel my energy to create a world where people care for their mind, body, and soul because everyone deserves to feel good.

About six years ago, propelled by this passion and armed with a background in holistic wellness, I took a pivotal step towards merging my love for skincare with my love for holistic wellness. During an intensive period of research, I delved into understanding the complexities of the body’s largest organ—the skin and created product formulations backed by my knowledge. Serena Nicole Skincare creates natural, inclusive and diverse skincare products. We believe you deserve to have skin that feels good. Our products have a wide range- from internal to external use, for face & body. Every product created will transform your skin with golden hour energy.

My dedication to creating a community that values the interconnected nature of holistic wellness and skincare has been a constant thread throughout this journey. From holistic wellness practices to in-depth skincare research, each step has contributed to laying the foundation for Serena Nicole Skincare. The brand stands as a testament to my commitment to build an inclusive community to inspire holistic ways for people to feel good, transforming your skin with golden hour energy.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

When I started my business, I was working in corporate, and I had the opportunity to build my credit. I leveraged my personal credit score to apply for a business credit card and used that business credit card to form an LLC. From there, I used that card to purchase everything—inventory, packaging, website creation, and anything else that needed funding. I’ve been self-funded ever since with some funding from family and friends, and I’ve been growing my business from there!

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I’ve been consistent and transparent from the start. Before I even created my business, I was showcasing how I formulated and created everything on YouTube (there was actually a large amount of detail, so I ended up taking it down), and I brought that same energy to Instagram. I’ve shared photos and video’s of everything from behind the scenes, product information, skincare tips, etc. to help my community get a view of the brand and our mission. I have and continue to learn more about the skin, and holistic wellness to leverage my knowledge to create the best for my customers. My customers not only know the brand but know me, and by building trust you build your reputation.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://serenanicoleskincare.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/serenanicoleskincare/

Image Credits
Marissa Alper -photographer