Co-Founder of Rowse
Hi Gabriela - can you tell us a little more about you and your background before founding Rowse?
Of course! I was a business & marketing student, and I did one of my first internships at a big cosmetics company, which was my first business-focused introduction to beauty. I then moved on to start-ups and VC, which enabled me to learn more about the foundations of a business and the rising consumer needs when it comes to beauty, sustainability, simplicity. I was the city girl looking for nature and down to earth brands, and Nuria – my co-founder – is a globetrotter in constant search for beauty in nature.
What was your purpose in creating such a beautiful beauty brand?
To us, beauty meant simplicity, back to basics, back to the origin. We wanted to strip down the beauty routine to its core ingredients: what do you really need? Minimalism and nature are key in our concept & our aesthetic.
Can you tell us a bit about the importance of sustainability at Rowse? What is it you’re most proud of?
It’s important to understand that sustainability means a lot of things, but most of all it means progress, development, and reaching goals. Having said this, what we are most proud of by far is having our consumers tell us that they have been inspired to make changes in their lifestyle thanks to our values and vision – this is by far the most gratifying.What are some of the main challenges you´ve faced in your sustainable entrepreneurship journey?
What are some of the main challenges you´ve faced in your sustainable entrepreneurship journey?
The main challenge in general, and I think a lot of other “sustainable” brands can agree with me, is that it’s about choosing your battles and working towards progress. What may seem like an ethical choice today may be exactly what you should be avoiding the next year. The world evolves and our objectives evolve with it.
Your Branding Identity is natural and beautiful. Can you share what was your main inspiration with us?
Definitely, it’s about traveling and learning from different cultures; researching the history of beauty and what beauty really means: wellbeing. We are inspired by the roots of our ingredients and their original use & benefits.
Rowse is a duo, you co-founded your brand together with Nuria. What is your experience in co-founding your dream business?
The day we met, in Paris, we ended up talking for hours and hours, all of our ideas and visions clicked together like a puzzle. She has a unique eye, she’s creative, inspired and inspiring. And I am passionate, I translate that inspiration into action. Less than a year after our first meeting, we were already selling our first batch of raw goodness. The journey isn’t always seamless (#startuplife), but we are both very happy with the way ROWSE is growing.
What are your thoughts on the digital world and how important is it for you to maintain a highly curated social media and website?
Our social media feed is a window into ROWSE universe, it shares in pictures and words the mission of a brand. When you trust a company again and again, you are associating yourself to certain values, and social media enables niche digital brands to build a community of people with the same interests that are looking for a specific product, like ours. Since we are a D2C, our website and social media are our main allies at the moment.
Would you say having an influence in the digital world is important when creating your own business nowadays?
Since Nuria has a large fan base we were able to share the project and interact with a larger community at a bigger scale, so it definitely helps spread the word, it’s a great advantage.
If you had to give one piece of advice to someone wishing to enter the conscious beauty entrepreneurship realm, what would it be?
Entrepreneurship-wise I always say: surround yourself with bright people. Look for the best and don’t be afraid to ask for advice, you’d be surprised how many people can spare 30 minutes and a thousand ideas you had not though of yourself. Entrepreneurs are sometimes afraid of sharing their start-up idea for it not to be stolen, but remember that an idea isn’t worth much, it’s the execution that is key. Conscious beauty related: be simple & stay flexible.
DISCOVER her MEXICO CITY guide
gabriela – Wellness Guide
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It is a new form of indoor cycling - static, in addition to cardio and yoga classes.
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A Hot Yoga and traditional yoga studio located in the heart of Madrid.
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New space in Madrid where you can enjoy specialty coffee.
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Wellness Center in Madrid that offers holistic and natural therapies in modern life sciene.
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Extra Virgin Olive Oil made from organic and ecologically grown olives in Catalonia.
gabriela – SUSTAINABLE Guide
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Its mission is to create the first generation of recycled products with the same attention to quality, design and technical properties.
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A collection of pure plant-based skincare essentials. Love their solid shampoo bars.
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Because it makes big batches of coffee with no waste and sometimes we use the coffee grounds for homemade body scrubs on weekends.
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Sustainable, natural and organic fabrics ethically sourced from artisanal Spanish and French workshops.
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Organic hemp swimwears that are breathable, durable, anti-microbial and UV resistant.
