How do you build a clean beauty brand before clean beauty even exists?

Michelle Doan, founder of Emani Vegan Cosmetics, did it in 1998, after escaping Vietnam by boat, rebuilding her life in North America and turning her own battle with cystic acne into skincare for sensitive skin.

On this episode of FoundersOutlook, host Juliet Ochu sits down with Michelle to talk about starting a beauty brand from scratch as a single mom. They cover a major retail launch right before the 2007 financial crisis, a 60% sales drop during COVID, and how she kept adapting as her customers changed.

Michelle also breaks down her ”3 P's” for evaluating skincare: potency, penetration and proven results. She talks openly about immigration, identity, being underestimated, and what 25+ years as a beauty entrepreneur taught her about resilience.If you're a founder, a skincare entrepreneur, or someone turning a personal struggle into a business, this immigrant founder story is for you.

CHAPTERS00:00 – Michelle’s story: from Vietnam to building a beauty brand

02:10 – Escaping Vietnam by boat and seeking refuge

04:06 – Rebuilding in Canada and moving to California

05:01 – Cystic acne and years of searching for a solution

08:01 – Learning about ingredients and the roots of Emani

09:40 – When a personal frustration became a business

10:37 – Building a niche brand without outside funding

11:07 – How motherhood and menopause shaped the brand

15:53 – Starting as a single mom and building from her kitchen

16:25 – Launching in Macy’s before the financial crisis

17:23 – COVID’s impact and the decision to pivot

18:21 – Shifting focus toward skincare

20:08 – Why founders need to adapt to change

21:20 – Immigration, belonging, and feeling like an outsider

23:13 – Turning rejection into conviction

24:34 – Emani’s expansion into Nigeria

26:34 – Hyperpigmentation and developing products for different skin tones

27:03 – A simpler approach to skincare and Korean technology

28:31 – How ingredient-processing technology supports the formulas

29:50 – Where to find Emani products

31:35 – Self-awareness, family, and the cost of living in fight-or-flight mode

33:01 – Self-love, forgiveness, and letting go

34:56 – Michelle’s three P’s for evaluating skincare🔗 LINKSEmani Vegan Cosmetics: https://emani.comFoundersOutlook: https://foundersoutlook.com

Be a guest: https://form.jotform.com/foundersoutlook/podguest-form👉

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