We were lucky to catch up with Whitney Cooley recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Whitney, thanks for joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

In my line of work, I’ve learned that you have to create all of your successes. There is no such thing as a loss when you are the driving force behind your company. Being a Formulator means, that you have to invest and go through many trials before you can even get close to the final product that’ll be worthy of the standard you have set for your company. Through each trial you will learn, create samples, build new connections, create prototypes needed for promotions, and most importantly you will spend a LOT of money. However, as long as you apply the old saying “It takes money, to make money” and always keep a thorough trial plan then I believe, from experience, that’s where your success will begin.

Whitney, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I first entered the beauty formulation industry, just wanting to learn how to make products for myself. Skincare and nail care were really my beginning focus and drive, because during Covid I would encounter a lot of different products that furthered irritated my already sensitive skin.
Once I learned different beauty ingredients, their meanings, and how beauty products are formulated, I knew I had to create something that was not only safe for me but the environment as well.
Since that time I’ve been able to grow my company by adding more handmade vegan and nontoxic products.
Our company now offers a wide range of vegan candles, cosmetics, skincare, and haircare.

Have you ever had to pivot?

The first pivot that I had to make in business would definitely be the moment I realized that I needed to re-brand my company. When I first launched Luxurious Vegan, I was simply excited to get my products out to the public because I knew the results would speak for themselves. However, I had to learn that results do not matter if you can’t get a customer to buy your product without you being there to talk them into why they need it. Packaging is one of the biggest driving forces behind a product. I’m guilty of buying beauty products without reading too much about them, simply because I thought the product was pretty. So once I was able to put myself into a consumer’s shoes while looking at my products, I was then able to make a huge turnaround for my company.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

The way that I would initially fund my business, was through whatever finances that I would have at that time. But once I re-branded my business, I learned that while funding your own business is fine; you have to sacrifice time and productivity. You don’t want to take out a loan, in my opinion, too early due to many risk factors. Instead, you can take a year or two to slowly buy all of your luxury items needed to make a successful product and then apply for a loan once you’ve built revenue.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.luxurious-vegan.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/luxuriousvegan
• Facebook: Facebook.com/LuxuriousVegan
• Other: Contact: [email protected]

Image Credits
Photographer: Suzy Gorman www.suzygorman.com