Today we’d like to introduce you to Maya Barlow.
Hi Maya, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
Hello Voyagers! My name is Maya Barlow. I am a 24-year-old CEO and founder of Sol Skincare. Sol Skincare is Where Health Meets Beauty. Sol Skincare is an all-natural luxury skincare company. Looking back, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly where I and Sol Skincare had our start. I can’t tell you exactly where we started, but I certainly can tell you why. My vision was to start a company that strives to serve as a beacon of hope, happiness, and confidence. Ever since I was a little girl, I always had an interest in leadership. Helping others has continually been a priority to me. Something that is taught in my family is, “if you have the ability to help others then you should because not everybody can help themselves.” I have always been an advocate for what I believed was right. I can remember as clear as day someone asking me, just by believing those things and being an advocate for my ideals, how did that actually help people? I thank that person because that helped me realize the importance of action and execution. I wanted to be a part of change, I wanted to help, and I wanted to be a leader, but I did know how. I wanted little girls to be able to look at what I have accomplished and say “See, it is possible. Anyone can start from anywhere and have all their wildest dreams come true. The world doesn’t dictate me; I am in control.” Sol Skincare was created to support people radiating confidence. There are so many companies out there that prey off of insecurities. I wanted my products to help people, improve their health, diminish their insecurities, and enhance their beauty. Sol Skincare is here with a purpose that is much larger than just skincare. Your skin is your largest organ, the health of your skin dictates so much of your overall health, and that is not spoken about enough. There are so many products that have such horrible ingredients in them, so it was very important to create something that benefited, healed, and nurtured with every use. Sol Skincare is more than just a skincare company. This is our reason. You all are our why.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
This question made me smile. Entrepreneurship is full of many amazing and rewarding things, but a smooth road is not one of them. I came into being an entrepreneur with such a flaming desire and expectation. I knew absolutely nothing about owning a business. Honestly, my confidence to knowledge ratio was strikingly admirable. I had a marvelous idea, but I did not have such a marvelous plan. It was always about putting one foot in front of the other and just going. I didn’t know what to do, but I knew that I needed to do something. Sometimes, I tripped and fell. Other times, I went 10 miles in the wrong direction. All I knew was that, someway, somehow, no matter how hard it was going to be, that I was going to reach my goals. Every day, I kept asking myself, “What can I do today? Can I just give my all today?” I know myself, I know my qualities, and I know my value. That was great and all, but when you own a business what matters is how much other people perceive and experience your value. How am I providing value to my customers, business partners, or the community around me? People don’t care until they know how much you care. I think, personally this was my greatest challenge. I had to learn to stop selling my products and start marketing the value of the products. Each and every single product was intentionally designed to give the maximum benefits and nutrients possible. There are many resources and ways to learn hard skills such as accounting, marketing, business management, etc. But learning how to be an asset and how to provide genuine value to others is something that must be done on your own. Running a company has taught me more about myself than almost any other experience in my life. It is a never-ending journey of growth and learning. It doesn’t necessarily get easier, but you do learn how to navigate a multitude of situations with confidence, grace, and logic. Genuinely, I love that it hasn’t been a smooth road; it has made for the most remarkably rewarding and fruitful experience. I don’t see any failures as a loss. Either I won, or I learned something. So far, I have learned a lot of things.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Sol Skincare?
My company is Sol Skincare (www.solskinline.com). We are an all-natural luxury skincare company. Our products are sulfate-free, talc-free, paraben-free, cruelty-free, and silicone-free. Sol Skincare’s slogan is “Were Health Meets Beauty.” What sets apart is that we don’t market perfect skin. We promote HEALTHY skin. If your skin is healthy, the glow and beauty that we see people, especially women strive for will follow. We truly and carefully craft our products with quality ingredients, well-thought-out formulas, and superb care. I am most proud to watch my brand grow. Recently we added a tote bag to our website that was originally meant as just a fun giveaway prize. It was unexpected, but the demand was so high we brought it to the store as a permanent product. It is extremely fulfilling to watch my store expand from the four original products we offered to the current product line we offer. Now, we also are selling more than just skincare products. Out of all the things my brand has done, nothing gives me more pride than seeing people use, enjoy, and believe in our products to where they become returning customers or refer their family and friends. I want to radiate confidence, health, and some joy to the whole world. Use Code “Voyage30” for 30% off and free shipping. Trust me on this one.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The most important lesson that I learned is that this is a journey. Life is a bizarre, unexpected, and wild ride. The ironic part is that my personality contains the essence of an organized planner who likes to know what to expect in every situation. Some call it apprehension; I like to call it paying the utmost attention to detail. I am continuously pushing myself to satiate myself in my experiences and to indulge in where I currently am as I continue to strive for my goals. Candidly, one of my favorite songs is “Vienna ” by Billy Joel. That song helps me to remember that Vienna, or everything I want, is still going to be there and that with time, I will get there. I will never know every stop, detour, turn, or bumpy road that will be encountered on my journey. Owning a company just adds to the possibilities of surprises. That’s the point of a journey, though. In the event that anyone ever finds themselves on a crowded path, I say find a new one. We are all unique, individually tailored, with our own abilities. So, how can we all have the exact same paths and journeys when every single thing about our existence is entirely original? I don’t think the point of life is to just merely hang on for the ride, I think we are supposed to make the ride worth the journey it took. Learning to fall in love with my process has been the most influential lesson along my journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.solskinline.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/mayanicole23 instagram.com/solskinline
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/solskinline
