As part of the Morning Lazziness series about empowering women who encourage and do incredible things with their ideas in society, I had the pleasure of interviewing Chandra Davis.
Founder, and beauty studio owner, Chandra Davis is a licensed Esthetician in Illinois with over 7 years of experience in performing cosmetic services. Throughout her career at NWÄR STUDIOS (pronounced noir), she has worked with various skin types and conditions ranging from hormonal acne to premature aging skin. She enjoys crafting skincare products at home and researching innovative plant-based ingredients inspired by the food and packaging industries.
In September 2024, she launched an innovative skincare product called the SĒID™ film, an entirely new category in beauty. The products are 100% plant-based and allow people to travel up to three (3) months with their skincare routine without worries of spills, refills or TSA restrictions. With an avid interest in the growing climate crisis, Chandra believes the key to creating sustainable change lies within the community experienced by brands and consumers.
She aims to educate the brand’s fan base on sustainable ingredients and product packaging, all while celebrating the beauty of collective consciousness. That is, in essence, the intention of NWÄR SKIN…
Here’s what we found out about Chandra’s daily routine, followed by an exclusive Q+A.
What inspired you to become an entrepreneur, and what sparked the idea for your business?
I come from a long line of entrepreneurs on both sides of my family. I’ve always aspired to be an entrepreneur since my youth but what sparked me to get into the Esthetics industry was my love for beauty. I made body exfoliants and lotions from common kitchen items when I was a teen and shared them with my friends. Becoming an Esthetician was the perfect segue into entrepreneurship and my desire for creating skincare products.
As a woman navigating the business world, what challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them?
I’d say my biggest challenge in navigating the business world is accessing funding capital at fair interest rates. I rarely received funding offers through reputable lending institutions but I always qualify for predatory loans. It’s very frustrating. But I managed to build both of my businesses through bootstrapping, personal credit cards and creative funding sources like crowdfunding a loan from my family and friends.
How do you balance the demands of running a business with maintaining a healthy personal life?
Systems. Systems. And, more systems! Any part of my business that can be automated is. Having an automated system or process in place to handle the mundane and repetitive tasks for my business is paramount to keep it running smoothly. This really helps take the bulk of the load off so that I can focus my time and energy on larger complex tasks.
Which networking strategies have most effectively built meaningful connections within your industry?
My best networking strategy is to strike up conversations with strangers. It’s a bit odd but highly effective. The key is to start the conversation in a genuine way that puts the interest on the person you’re talking to. A compliment or a humorous statement about them said aloud where they can hear it.
I did this a lot when I was developing my SĒID™ film products. I needed a way to give out the skincare samples without being obviously salesy or obnoxious. This strategy is effective because it can brighten the stranger’s day granting the honor of the spotlight all while being personally introduced to a product or service they didn’t know about or haven’t considered.
When I launched the SĒID™ film products in September 2024, one of the orders I had that day was from a woman I met in a coffee shop two years prior. She had signed up for my launch list the same day I gave her the samples. The strategy works!
How do you approach mentorship, and how has it shaped your entrepreneurial path?
I don’t have a mentor per se but I do like to talk to other people who have or have owned businesses. Hearing their experiences has helped me see other perspectives and strategies from people in different industries. From there, I’ll take what I’ve learned and apply it to my business. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. The important thing is to be exposed to as many different ideas as possible and to keep developing my business model.
What strategies have worked best for selling your products and reaching your ideal customers?
My best strategy so far has been investing in the infrastructure of my business. Building my digital presence on channels that I own like my website rather than social media platforms. Using third party apps as a part of my business strategy is great, but I don’t want them to be a part of my core infrastructure. When using third party apps, I always feel as though I’m at the mercy of the platform’s algorithm. I much rather invest my efforts in platforms that I own and control.
Which marketing techniques have been most successful for your business, and how do you track their performance?
Word of mouth has by far been my most effective strategy. I track performance through referral codes or notes left in the order message at checkout.
Can you share a significant setback in your business journey and the steps you took to overcome it?
My biggest setback in business has been the pandemic. It derailed me by two years and nearly wiped out my business altogether. But I was able to pivot my service offerings and schedule to keep things afloat. The rest I left up to God and the universe to handle it was beyond both my control and pay grade 😉 My best advice is to hold yourself accountable for the things you have control over, laugh about the things that you don’t and lean into those tough times. Take in the entire experience of your journey and learn to love it, when it’s good and when it’s bad.
What’s the most important advice you’d give to women just starting their entrepreneurial journey?
Identify any parts of your life that are toxic, harmful, draining or otherwise, unhealthy and get rid of them ASAP! Those people, places or things will drag you down faster than life itself; and it makes doing an incredibly difficult task such as starting and maintaining a business ever harder. You’re worth the effort.
Is there a mantra or quote that guides your actions and decision-making as an entrepreneur?
My favorite business quote is, “Done is better than perfect.” I stand by this statement as it pulls me out of that horrible perfectionist loop and frees me from the self imposed obligation of being perfect. As long as I try my best, I don’t sweat the small stuff anymore. That’s what revisions are for.
