The Business Wales Barriers Grant helped a full-time carer from Ceredigion start her own natural beauty business.
Suzanne Burgess managed to overcome a number of challenges and launched her natural beauty and cosmetics business, Green Heart Aromatics. She approached the Welsh Government’s Business Wales service for help and was successful in securing funds via the Barriers Grant to help with start-up costs including packaging, label design and website development.
- £2000 secured through the Business Wales Barriers Grant.
- Successfully started.
Introduction to business
Started by Suzanne Burgess in Tregaron, Ceredigion, Green Heart Aromatics is a brand new natural beauty and cosmetics business.
Why did you decide to set up your own business?
Being a full-time carer to my disabled child, I had to find a way of making money from home. At the beginning of last year, I began an online course in Organic Hair Care Formulation with Formula Botanica. As part of my final project, I perfected my unique formula for an organic, vegan, solid shampoo bar made with natural oils, butters and fortifying extracts.
I was very happy with the result and decided that I was ready to launch my own natural hair care brand, Green Heart Aromatics, with the shampoo bar being part of my capsule range. All I have done is take baby steps to turn my hobby and passion of making natural cosmetics into a small business.
What challenges did you face?
As I didn’t want to get in debt to start my business, I have only managed to launch with one product – my fortifying and conditioning shampoo bar which is organic, vegan and packaged in a biodegradable Kraft paper pot. This is in line with my clean and green ethos to work in harmony with the environment.
Why did you apply for the Business Wales Barriers Grant?
As I have been unemployed for 10 years and a full-time carer, I decided to start my business, working from home, but needed funds to get it off the ground.
I applied for the Barriers Grant to allow me to pay for the eco-friendly Kraft paper pot packaging, specially designed with a 100% biodegradable oil resistant lining. Moreover, I needed funding to finalise my label design, website and for printing. Due to the current pandemic, I cannot rely on my market stall to sell my products, so the website development would attract a larger audience to my brand.
Outcomes
- £2000 secured through the Business Wales Barriers Grant.
- Successfully started.
The Barriers Grant gave me the incentive to package the shampoo bar and develop my marketing strategy to include the all-important logo and website.
If it weren’t for the Barriers Grant, I would still be a hobbyist but now see myself as an entrepreneur and small business owner. This has given me hope and a huge amount of self-worth as life as a carer is lonely and tough.
Future plans and ambitions
My aspiration is to develop my capsule range of natural hair care products to include a pre-wash botanical hair mask and an added post wash conditioner.
I am limited by funds to buy stock, so the business will grow slowly and organically just as nature intended it!
If you want to read more success stories of how Business Wales has helped other people like you to start or grow their businesses, visit https://businesswales.gov.wales/case-studies or follow @_businesswales / @_busnescymru on Twitter.