Clean Beauty Startup: Words of Wisdom from a Female Founder - A Conversation with Natalia Monnard

SolPods Cassie Freyeisen sits down with Natalia Monnard, founder of SQIN Ø, an all-natural, artisanal, sustainable cosmetic products company exclusively made in Switzerland.  Natalia describes what inspired her to launch a clean beauty company during the Pandemic, the challenges she has faced and her success today.  She is an advocate for natural skin care and good health and explains why staying informed and educated on the products you put on your skin is so important. 

For more information on SQIN Ø: https://www.sqinzero.ch/
Follow Natalia on Instagram @sqinzero_naturalcosmetics
Learn more about Formula Botanica an Organic Cosmetic Science School: https://formulabotanica.com/

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Transcript

Lucy 00:03

Welcome to SolPods Studio. We're not your average social network. We're a community of professionals, enthusiasts and students taking sustainability to the next level. Join us on our journey and get inspired by earth heroes just like you.

Cassie 00:20

Welcome back to another episode of SolPods Studio.  I'm Cassie Freyeisen based in Nashville, Tennessee, and I'm joined here today with a dear friend and former colleague, Natalia Monnard, founder of SQIN Ø, an all natural artisanal sustainable cosmetic products company based in Switzerland.  Natalia, I'm so proud of you for bringing the idea of  SQIN Ø to life.  At SolPods, we are true believers that individual actions can make a difference, and we believe the products we choose to buy and our lifestyle decisions do matter. I'm super excited to share your story with others. You are dedicated to the health and well-being of both people and our planet, and as an entrepreneur, I am sure you have lots of great ideas to offer to our members and others listening, who are thinking about launching their own business. Thank you for being here today.

Natalia 01:07

It's an absolute pleasure, Cass.  So good to be here.

Cassie  01:10

Awesome. Well, let's jump right in.  Natalia, I understand you started SQIN Ø during the Pandemic. Can you step us through your background and journey and explain the timing of the launch of your business?

Natalia 01:21

Sure. I mean, it's funny because I feel like I've had several lives in, in the lifetime so far. And actually I originally come from Mexico. I was born and raised there from with a Swiss mom from the French side and an American father. So I always had a little bit of this "multi-culty" angle to, to my life. And that exposed me to a lot of different things.

I started my career in philanthropy in Mexico. I even volunteered in a refugee camp in Nepal for quite a bit. And then life brought me to Switzerland where I started sort of like my second part , or second life. So if I can say it like that.  Which is where you and I met actually. So I'm very grateful for that part of my life. And I started working in banking, always in management, first in Geneva and then I moved to Zurich.

And in 2018, I started my executive MBA, and that was quite a defining aspect of starting SQIN Ø because what it did for me is it kind of lifted my, my view of things, and it just showed me that there was more to do other than banking and that there were more opportunities out there and that I was actually capable of doing more. And when I finished my executive MBA at the end of 2019, I thought, ok, it's time I've been in banking for a decade, and I want to do something different.

But what?  That was the real question there. And I tried having conversations with other founders. I went to startup forums, et cetera, and I couldn't really find something that felt close to my heart. It just felt like I was just looking for a startup instead of feeling the startup. And then I realized what am, I start asking myself like, what am I passionate about on a daily basis?  What do I on a daily basis that could be something? And I have been a user of natural skincare and natural cosmetics for over a decade for health reasons. And this is something that I do on a daily basis without thinking about it. And that it was actually really difficult to navigate because the regulatory environment is very tricky because there's not a lot of information, and the information that is out there out there is not clear.  So much green washing.  Anyway, a complex topic. And I had also done a Formulator certification. So with that, I thought, why not try this? And this was in the middle of the Pandemic. So in 2020, I registered the company, and we launched our first product, which was a natural deodorant in May 2021. And that's where it all began.

Cassie 04:15

And I'm just so proud of you for jumping out of your comfort zone. You know, both of us, we were both working in banking, and we've both, you know, we wanted to find something that we're passionate about and something that we've been practicing our whole life.  And I remember always sitting next to you, you always cared about the food you were eating, the products you were buying and I always admired that about you.  So I love how that has really come full circle. And you took that interest and passion, and you turned that into your business idea. So couldn't be more proud for you, Nats.

Natalia 04:48

Thanks

Cassie 04:49

And you know, more and more products are actually claiming clean beauty today. What does that actually mean?

Natalia 04:58

Oh, this is a trick question, actually. So it means different things in different parts of the world to start with. And that is a very important point because you need to think that, this is a topic that has been growing, not because the regulator has realized that there's something wrong with the industry and they need to fix it. But because the consumers realize that and have started demanding more transparency, better products, more regulation, et cetera.

So it's a consumer driven revolution, which I love in a way because it's very powerful. But on the other hand, it just means that the regulator is constantly catching up. The most stringent regulator out there, as for most topics actually, is the European regulator. So just to give you an example, last year, the European regulator banned an ingredient called Lilial.  And Lilial is a product that makes flowery odor last longer.

And it's very well known, for actually over a decade, that Lilial can, and most probably most of the times, has a negative impact in fertility for women. And almost every single perfume out there or flowery scented body lotion or anything that smells a bit like jasmine or stuff like this, will have Lilial to preserve the perfume for longer. 

Now that has been banned in Europe. So brands like Hermes, Olaplex and The Body Shop had to take out products from the European shelves and re-work their formulas.  But in the US where you're based today, this ingredient is not banned. So, if you go to your drawers and you start looking for ingredients in your products, you can very possibly find Lilial in them. And so this is why this is so difficult to navigate because.  Have you ever heard about this topic?

Cassie 07:06

I've never heard about this ingredient. I've heard about other ingredients but not this one, never.

Natalia 07:11

And this is so broadly used in so many products out there, particularly targeting women, and this is women are the most affected by this ingredient, right? So it's a very tricky topic. And in addition to this, so there's misinformation, there's lack of regulation, there's lack of transparency and there's a lot of green washing.

So "natural," "clean," "sustainable," I mean, you're in this area and in this topic as well, it's become a marketing jargon thing, and a lot of people use it just with that intention instead of using it for the benefit of the consumer. And this is a problem. And I think this is the biggest problem, right? So one of the things we did at SQIN Ø is we, in our website, you will find the ingredients that we use, the ingredients that we don't use.  And in every product that you buy, in the notice, you will have the chemical name. So what is called the INCI name, meaning the name that the regulator uses for the ingredient and the common name. Because for example, if I told you, would you buy a product that has something called Butyrospermum Parkii?  Would you buy that?

Cassie 08:27

I doubt it.

Natalia 08:29

You know what that is? That's shea butter. You should absolutely buy that. It's wonderful for your skin.

Cassie 08:35

See, I never knew! (laughter)

Natalia 08:36

Yes. But how can you? How can you? I mean it should be illegal for products to have the INCI name because that creates confusion for the consumer. And so what we do is we have, we you from a regulatory perspective, you need to have the INCI name. So we always have INCI and common name, and that's a little bit of what we can do to help the consumer navigate this very complex topic, but it's very, very challenging.

Cassie 09:07

Well, I love this practice of listing out the common name, and I was checking out your website, and I saw all the ingredients listed and I thought to myself, wow, I love this layer of transparency for your customers.  And we can tell, I can tell you are really dedicated to sustainability and are committed to helping your customers make healthier and better informed decisions about really what they're putting on their skin. Maybe. Could you go a little bit deeper and tell us about your SQIN Ø products and how you have really integrated sustainability into your approach?

Natalia 09:38

Sure. I mean, I can talk about SQIN Ø for hours. So you're gonna have to stop me at some point. But I mean, there are three things that were very important for me when creating this brand, and one was I wanted products that actually worked.  I was very, as a consumer, I was so tired of buying natural ingredient products that didn't give me the results I wanted.

So, or at the other end, that I had to reapply every two hours because otherwise I smelled, and this is an absolute no-go for me. The second point was I wanted transparency, which is a topic that we have already covered. And the third topic was I wanted excitement. I was also very fed up of natural ingredients that go a little bit on this. I don't know if I can call it like this, but a bit this hippie trend where it's just a boring aluminum tin with some product inside that smells like nothing.

I wanted something that makes me enjoy that moment where I use it. That makes me feel precious. That gives me these five minutes I have for me in the morning. They need to be awesome because it's what kick starts my day. And so all these were requirements for us when starting. So on the ingredient side, what we do from a sustainability perspective is we have actually only been able to find two providers that gives us the transparency and the traceability that we want. So every single ingredient that we use you, we can track it down to the farm where it comes from and that is useful in two ways. One, we can choose to support farmers that are using responsible growing or responsible farming or responsible even the harvesting of the ingredients. So that's really, really great. But also in, in ensuring that our products maintain a certain quality, we are a premium brand, and we want to provide that consistently to our consumers or clients.

And the other thing that we did is we fought very hard to have the kind of packaging that we have. We use only recycled bamboo. So our entire outside packaging is bamboo, and the inside is aluminum or glass. So 100% recyclable materials. This was very hardcore negotiations with our supplier who only had bamboo and plastic. So it was really months of pushing them over to try to do this new, this new packaging for us, and we managed in the end.

So that's a little bit about how we integrate it. And the last thing that we do is, I mean, I think companies have a responsibility to be more sustainable, but it's a shared responsibility with the consumer. It cannot be all in the weight of companies that's not how we really achieve sustainability. And to do that, we have reusing, a kind of campaign.  Where if you send us seven empty, cleaned properly, taken care of packages, we will offer you a free the other end with your next, your next order. And that is in the spirit of trying to partner up to do better for our planet.

Cassie 13:01

I love this. I love the importance of shared responsibility. I think that's so key, and you just, and your, your packaging is gorgeous. Like the bamboo look is just stunning. You look at your website like, wow, I want this deodorant. It's, it's so pretty. So all you need in the morning really is a nice cup of coffee, and your cute eco-friendly cream deodorant and then you're ready to go, you're energized for the morning.

Natalia 13:29

That's the idea. That's the idea.

Cassie 13:31

That's awesome. So you described your approach to sustainability, and I wanted to ask you, why do you feel sustainable consumption and production really is so important in today's world?

Natalia 13:45

I mean, there is, I don't know how the weather is in Tennessee, but I am in Switzerland, and I am melting, and there is no denying that we are doing something to the planet. Now. I don't wanna say that we are the cause of the planet warming. I think there is a natural cycle to temperature changes in the planet, but we are definitely an accelerator agent, right?

And the problem is that when we talk about sustainability, the truth is that nothing that we do will be sustainable because we're just too many people in this planet. But with that given reality, how can we actually have a positive impact and try to slow the acceleration that we have fostered for the the global warming? And that has to do with, obviously, plastic waste.  Which is why the packaging part for us was so important.  But it also has to do with how do we produce. So we produce everything in small batches so that we don't need to have huge machines running for hours, without end.  Everything is handmade, so we can make better use of electricity and storage space, et cetera. We produce also only as we need. So we don't produce huge batches that we are then just storing in shelves or in refrigerators, et cetera.

And these are little contributions that regardless of the reality of things can positively impact and decelerate the progress of this climate change and global warming and biodiversity. And we are responsible for that because if not us, who?

Cassie 15:40

I couldn't agree more, I couldn't agree more. And like you said, what businesses, what steps businesses can take, to just do small changes, just as individuals. If we can all do small changes that can add up, then we'll be, you know, on a better trajectory than we are today. So I could not agree more.

And really coming back to the launch of SQIN Ø.  I know you originally wanted to launch the business, you know, pure true Nat style, true Natalia style with nearly 10 products. But then you decided to simplify.  What contributed to this decision to really streamline in the early days.

Natalia 16:18

That's such a good question. So because you take me back and, and when I think about this, I'm like, what the hell was I, how did I even think this was at all possible? Like launching one product was already so ambitious, right? How, how did it even cross my mind? Ten products? So what kind of madness is this? Look when you are passionate about something, and it's something not only I'm passionate about the topic, but it's something that has changed the way I live, right? Using natural products. And it was such a such a challenge, finding the right kind of products for me that gave me these three things I talked about the efficacy, transparency and excitement.  That I just wanted to put the solution on the table for everybody and just say, look, here are your 10 essentials.  Go for it! This is the solution!

And as I move forward and I, I really grasp an understanding of what launching a product really is. I realized that was maybe not gonna be possible. And also it was not gonna be the right approach because every product launch is, and I know I don't have kids, so I say this with all due respect, but this is like having a baby.  You're baking the baby for over nine months, and you think that once the delivery is here, the the hardest part has been done.  But actually this is when the challenge really starts. Right, exactly as when you have a baby, the baby is here now you raise it for the next 10 years, at least.  It's gonna be quite difficult. And product launch is the same. We started with a natural deodorant because this was a product I struggled the most with, to find something that really worked.

And I remember sometimes being in the office and just not lifting my arms because I was so afraid that I was gonna smell because the products I was using didn't work. And we worked in a bank and that would not have been good to have a stinky, a stinky person around you. So, but it was always a stress. Right? And I wanted, I mean, that deodorant we have, I've been using it for years.  My partner uses it when he does CrossFit. And it's just wonderful to be able to rely on something like this. So it was, as soon as I realized that 10 products was not gonna be an option, I knew that deodarant was gonna be our first, our first product. Despite the fact that it's a very commoditized product.  It's not seen as a beauty product. It's seen as a hygiene product, which is a different angle for people.  But we're trying to change that because your armpits, it's such a sensitive delicate skin. You should be probably one of the areas of your skin that you should be the kindest to. And we forget about that because of how deodorant has been sold to us for decades. But that's a little bit how, how this came to be and how we went from 10 products to one deodorant launch.   Then another launch of a foot deodorant, which is a similar product, in November of the same year.  And last year in 20, not true, yes, 2022 we launched our three essentials of skin care through our crowd-funding, which was a unique challenge as well and, and a new learning. But that's a little bit the process.

Cassie 19:48

That's so exciting, and it really does, the process and the journey really does sound like a labor of love. Like you mentioned, you don't have any children, but this has been your baby, and you have really went through all the stages of life so far and so much more to come.

So it's, it's so, you know, exciting to hear about the journey. And so you've talked about the deodorant. Could you tell us a little bit more about where to next for SQIN Ø? Any other products? You know, what are, what are your goals over the next few years?

Natalia 20:19

So we've thought about this a lot because you can go in many directions, right? We thought about, do we now expand to other countries and, and, and spread outside of Switzerland? Because right now our products are only sold in Switzerland, although we have regulatory approval to sell in Europe. So it would actually be a natural step to do that.

However, we are very conscious of the quality that we want to continue to deliver. It's I think you said it perfectly. It's, it's a matter of love and self-respect for the brand. So we don't want to cannibalize the brand and, and the quality for growth. So we will only take the step once we are ready. So, no blitz scaling for us, we really want to take our time. We are planning a new, potentially having new products, but right now it's about stabilizing the products that we already have, about ensuring that we have sticky clients that can help us grow with them. And I am, I think my years in banking has made me extremely client-centric, and this is how I want to do it. So I don't want to grow the brand, and then have clients catch up to our growth. We want to grow with the love of our clients for our products. And that's a little bit the approach. It sounds underwhelming, but it's actually very exciting.

Cassie 21:50

I can testify. She is very client centric. Client goes first.  And education for you is really key too. And I see that through everything you're doing with SQIN Ø, whether that's through your social media, what you put on your website.  You're always trying to educate your clients, how they can become, you know, more sustainable consumers, but more knowledge consumers.  And I'm sure in your role as founder and CEO, you're really attending some cool conferences or trade shows or events to stay tuned into those key trends in clean beauty and to really help you stay ahead of the curve. What would you say are the clean beauty trends of 2023 that we should be mindful of?

Natalia 22:36

I mean, it's, it's a very interesting time, right? Because I also think now there's a lot of space for beauty and technology to match. And I wonder how AI will influence this space, but it will influence it. There's no doubt about that. But when we talk about current, really 2023-2024 trends, I mean, water-free is definitely something.  And this is something that we do. What water-free means is that if you go to your typical over the counter facial moisturizer, you will see that most of them contain 80 to 85% water in them. You know what water does to your face?

Cassie 23:22

Probably actually does the inverse, it maybe actually dries it out.

Natalia 23:27

Yes, that's what it does. So it's either does nada or it does some dehydration. So you are paying for a product that has 85% of an ingredient that does nothing or even does the opposite of what the product should be doing.  By having water free products, what you do is you have to have 100% active ingredients because oils and butters and emulsifiers have all vitamins and additives that will do something for your skin. So that is the beauty of water-free products is that you get 100% of the active ingredients. 

Another trend is also ingestibles.  And there's a lot of this, and I am very cautious with this topic, but you ask about the trend So I wanna put it on the table. I think you have to be extremely mindful of what you eat. So it's very important to be careful of what you put on your skin.  What goes directly into your stomach even more so, but this is a very big trend of beauty from inside out.

The collagen is a very, very big topic also in the beauty conversations in the beauty world. But it's a topic again, I'm very cautious about. If you're gonna do this as a consumer, you need to do your homework and do your proper education and make sure that you consult with the doctor.  And personalized. So I think this is also gonna be driven by technology, as we said, maybe AI  so products or, or companies that really test your skin and that create a moisturizer that is uniquely created for you and your needs. We're all different.  We all live in different parts of the world. Our health, our skin has different, different needs and this just makes sense to me. How will this work or look? I'm not sure yet, but this is something that will happen.

And last but not least, mental health, which I also consider as part of the beauty wellness, self-care, world. And this is a very important one that actually includes sexual health as well, right? So, this is the trends, these are the trends I see for the moment.

Cassie 25:44

These are super interesting. Thank you for sharing that. And I have one question that I really am dying to ask you.  If you could take just three eco-friendly beauty products for a long weekend trip. Let's imagine me and you were going to the Swiss Alps or maybe even down to the south of France. What would you pack in your suitcase? And why?

Natalia 26:08

So you owe me a trip is the first thing I would say because now you put the question out there so better, better make good on that one. I mean, deodorant, and no questions asked. deodorant cream for sure. It goes with me everywhere I go. I don't leave, anywhere without my deodorant. So this comes with me everywhere. 

I mean, probably a mineral based sunscreen. Sunscreen is again one of those that is very, tricky for me to talk about. A lot of people ask us, why don't you do sunscreen at SQIN Ø? And it's because it's such a difficult product to do properly. I still struggle with this one, but sunscreen is something I leave with four things out of my house every single time I step out my keys, my cell phone, my wallet and my sunscreen. I apply it if I'm outdoors and it's sunny, I apply it every two hours. It's, an absolutely essential one for me.

The third one, probably a butter-based moisturizer, that I can use in my body and, on, on my face as well. If I only have three, maybe those would be the ones.

Cassie 27:24

So the deodorant and the butter-based moisturizer coming from SQIN Ø, right? You have those both.  Awesome. 

So now I wanna change gears a little bit, and I want to talk around your educational background and your training and how it really has helped you in your journey into launching your own business. And what would you recommend to those looking to tap into organic skin care or the cosmetics industry in general? You know, what could you really recommend to these people that are investigating, but they're not sure yet if that's the way they want to go or they might not yet have the courage to to go there, but they're, they're contemplating it.

Natalia 28:02

I mean, concerning the, the organic skincare, I did Formulation training certification which lasts two years. So it's not the first thing I wanna say is not just like I will start doing some do it yourself, on my kitchen counter.  It's a proper investment, it's a proper training, and you need to have the time and the will to go through it. I did the Formula Botanica which is really, I after doing so much research, I think it's really the best and the most complete.

They also have not only Formulation training, but they also have a bit of an entrepreneur, how to go about setting up your business. So that could be a good angle. What I had done before is I did an executive MBA here in Switzerland. And that gave me the business tools I needed to set up a business and almost more than the business tools. The confidence.  Say, OK, I can actually do this.  And if I fail, it's OK to fail. And that is something that I didn't think I would take out of my executive MBA when I first started. But it did.  And the last thing that I would recommend is this has been a tricky one to navigate this marketing. It's such a well, it takes so much time. It's it's changing constantly, the algorithms out there.  Please, Instagram give us a break! And, and, and stabilize for over a year, please. But I did a digital marketing course at London Business School. And that was also very, very helpful in, in just giving me a big picture of how to navigate such a complex topic as well.

Cassie 29:51

I like that you thought about it from, you know, like a broad universe. So you had the traditional, you know, education, the experience your MBA which I feel like it benefited you so much, especially with your, your network. And I just feel like you.  I just could really see the light shining from you when you graduated from your program. So I think, you know, having that the that educational background, you then had the very practical training with Formula Botanic.

And I think that that probably has really served you wonders in terms of knowing, you know, the importance of the transparency of the ingredients and just knowing how these chemical, you know, formulations come to be. So I think you have that practical experience and then staying ahead of the trends, the marketing trends, knowing what's going on in the digital space is only gonna help you, you know, to boost and promote your business.

So I think these are three really great you know, training experiences that you have and I think these are awesome to recommend to, you know, others that are looking to tap into, you know, break into this market. And do you know Formula Botanic is that worldwide, is that offered worldwide or is that specific to Switzerland, people in Switzerland or do you have a little background on that one?

Natalia 31:02

Yeah, sure. It's, it's a British school and but it applies everywhere. So what the one thing that and I mean, it accepts students from, from everywhere, everything is online. So it's also it gives you that versatility. The one thing that might be a little bit different is the regulatory framework but again, because the European framework is the most stringent one.  If you, if you are compliant with European regulation, you will be compliant almost everywhere in the world. So it's the only angle that I could see that is maybe a little bit different.  But I mean, we had students from all over the world.

Cassie 31:42

That's super cool.  Ok. So you have one of the most positive spirits that I've ever seen in my entire life. You're, you have also have had a lot of experience in, you know, humanitarian work and you just have a commitment to helping others and you are definitely able to adapt in different environments.  You were born in Mexico.  You lived in Switzerland. You've traveled the world.  Putting that into good practice as well and helping others. And do you believe these characteristics are really what helped you in your career? Especially now as an entrepreneur?

Natalia 32:17

I mean, being an entrepreneur means being able to adapt on a daily basis. So I definitely think being exposed to different environments as a young kid already really helped me.  But it's, I think the, the key thing there has been that it has forced me to listen to different opinions constantly on, on single topics.  Because my mom thought about something different. My dad thought about it, something different. The country I, I lived in, thought about the same topic in a different way. And so it just has made it clear that there are different opinions out there and that to build your views of the world, you can just take the bits and pieces that you think reflect your values, reflect your views and you take a little bit of everyone and create your own vision about things.

And I think that is what entrepreneurship really is about. It's about taking single bits and pieces from here and there and building something that reflects who you are and how you think things should be done. So, yes, definitely. I mean, I think our background influences everything we do.  The way we raise our kids.  The way we set up our companies.  The way we relate to people at work. Definitely.  Big, big influence, 

Cassie 33:46

Totally agree.  And I love what you said, you know, take what, you know, take those single bits of little treasures from the people you meet.  The experiences you have.  You can really put that into building that business that you, that you would like to, you know, grow. What is your advice for other young professionals, especially young women who aspire to launch their own eco-friendly business?

Natalia  34:09

So, I think the key one for me, but it's also because of who I am. It's, it's ok to not have all the answers from the beginning. You don't need to be perfect to start, and you just need to go, and you will figure it out along the way.  It's fine it's fine to do that. And we, I think as women, we put so much pressure on ourselves to have everything perfectly before, before we take any step forward.

Take the step.  You will figure it out. Believe me, it, you'll find solutions and even if you were able to plan everything and you know everything before starting, the world changes so quickly that you cannot keep up. So just take the first step, is my my advice. Number one. 

The second is maybe a little bit of what we were saying about taking the bits and pieces that you think are useful.  Everybody will have an opinion.  Everybody will have an opinion, and they will know better, and they will give you advice and that's great. Listen to them, let go of the things that are not good for you, do not serve you and just keep the things that are useful and build upon that.

And maybe the last thing is it doesn't matter if you, if your business is successful or not, if you manage to build a company or not.  You have already won by just trying, because it will transform you forever, and it will make you a better professional, a better consumer, a better colleague. The internal transformation is such ,that there's no way you lose. So regardless of the outcome of the business, your outcome is positive.

Cassie 36:00

That almost made me cry, thinking about, you know, trying to create our own business, SolPods, and trying to make an impact, and like it really does take so much effort, but you're better for it in the long run. And I'm so proud of you today. Not giving up.

Natalia 36:24

Take a deep breath. My dear, Cass. Take a deep breath. You're changing the world. It's hard core.

Cassie 36:32

So, are you! Something lighter! Do you have any favorite clean beauty influencers to follow or maybe favorite books or websites that SolPods members or others out there have to check out.

Natalia 36:46

I have a very big conflict with this topic. First of all, because I think influencers are one of the reasons why we have so much misinformation out there.  So actually at SQIN Ø, we do not work with influencers. I think this is one of the things that is wrong with the world today because it goes hand in hand with the, everybody has an opinion. And everybody is now an expert on what you should be doing. And there are so many harmful things out there put in hands of people that, actually their job is to sell things to you, not to give you good advice. So I don't relate to this topic. But there are some people that I do look up to. For example, Annie Jackson, who is a co-founder of Credo and Sasha Plavsic, founder of Ilia Beauty, that also has really, really gorgeous products.  Have a look at the, the website that they do really, really nice stuff.  But the whole influencer thing, I have a very, very big problem with this. So, NO, I cannot recommend any influencer to follow.

Cassie 37:57

I like that.  You stand your ground. You are an authentic person, and you have, you know, source of inspiration, but you're not, your whole life doesn't just revolve around social media. You wanna be out there, you never miss a beat. So I I appreciate that. I like, I like that you're staying true to who you are. Ok. So probably one of the most important questions. How can those interested find out more about SQIN Ø?

Natalia 38:25

Well, it's fairly easy to find us. You can, I mean, the first disclaimer is that we, unfortunately, as I said, we only sell in Switzerland, right? So if you want to buy your products, you need to have a shipping address here in Switzerland. But you can use also our website or follow us on, on Instagram to maybe learn more about this topic and this you can definitely do all over the world. So our website is www.sqinzero.ch  for Switzerland. And there you have direct links to our Instagram, our Facebook and our Linkedin profiles where we put out a lot of information also mainly focused on, I mean, you said it really well, right. I remember the first meeting we had where with our advisory board, I said what we're doing here is not selling products. What we're doing here is educating people, and that's how we try to foster the content that we create on all our social media.

Cassie 39:31

So follow SQIN Ø, spelled S-Q-I-N-Z-E-R-O. And maybe today, you know, you can only buy in Switzerland, but maybe when the time is right, maybe another day, another opportunity you will be able to buy in other countries, but you can still follow Natalia at, @ SQIN Ø for inspiration and ideas and just learn more around why transparency and sustainable products are so important. And finally, the question we ask all of our guests on SolPods Studio, what would your sustainability superpower be and why?

Natalia 40:08

I think probably my bias to action. So I the moment I decide I wanna do, something I'm doing it.  That's good and bad. So because sometimes it takes you through complicated ways, but it just means that you take action, and you do something about it. And if I believe in something, then I just do it. And this is what happened with SQIN Ø.

And I think this is the way I can have the most impact on sustainability.  Positive impact on sustainability is sharing with people how to take better care of themselves, how to do it in a way that takes better care of our planet and raising that awareness through the action we have taken with SQIN Ø.

Cassie 40:58

I love that. It's an awesome superpower. I feel like you already have it today, and it's just gonna be amplified over the years. So thank you so so much for being here today and for everyone listening, we really encourage you to support small businesses who are out there trying to make a difference in the world like SQIN Ø. And please check Natalia out on SQIN Ø Instagram, LinkedIn, on her website and remember your individual habits and actions, they really do add up.  And if you're on the SolPods community, please don't forget to check out our Clean Beauty and Body Positivity Pod for more ideas and inspiration.  And Nats, again, it was so enlightening to chat with you today. Thank you so much for sharing your story and sustainability journey with us. We are so excited to see where SQIN Ø goes next.

Natalia 41:47

Thank you so much for having me. It was great talking to you Cass.

Cassie 41:50

Wonderful. Have a great day.

Natalia 41:52

Thank you. You too.

Lucy 41:57 

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