Rebecca Saunders is the founder of Seekology, a new concept store and platform showcasing remarkable beauty + well-being brands. All the brands featured at Seekology are independent, British brands, many of which have never been sold in a physical retail store before. They all have a remarkable story to tell. Before launching Seekology, Rebecca worked with small businesses at notonthehighstreet and was the John Lewis Beauty Buyer. Seekology launched in November 2019 at No.5 George Street, Richmond.
The moment that ignited the spark in me to start a business was…
Realising that customers are looking for products that are different and individual in an accessible and welcoming environment. When I was the John Lewis Beauty Buyer, I was approached by innovative brands all the time that had sprung up to meet this need, but it is difficult for big, established retailers to work with very small suppliers. And in the beauty category, where customers want to smell and touch products, there’s no physical space that customers can go to in order to try these emerging brands in real life.
The toughest challenge I’ve faced is (and how you overcame it)…
The mental challenge of taking the plunge to start a business. Firstly I went freelance, which gave me some time to work on the business plan and connect with brands and others who could help me. And I went to a LOT of events for entrepreneurs to learn from their experiences. In the end this is what helped me start; that feeling that “if they can do it, why can’t I?”.
The biggest success has been…
Going from getting the keys to No.5 George Street, Richmond to opening the doors to the shop in just six days. Even the day before we opened, the place was a building site and we had hardly any stock! I’ve been lucky to have a great team working alongside me to turn the idea for Seekology into reality.
I’m very good at…
A bit of everything! Luckily being an entrepreneur is a career where being able to cross over between strategy, marketing, sales, operations and finance is a valuable skill. As a new founder, I’m in charge of everything from printer paper to business development. Fortunately I enjoy this variety and challenge.
The type of person I look to recruit is…
Someone who’s passionate about beauty + wellbeing, loves supporting other entrepreneurs and who comes to work with a smile on their face every day.
The part of my day I most look forward to is…
Being in the store, talking to customers and hearing their feedback on the wonderful brands that I have selected. And of course seeing money coming in through the till!
If I could give fellow entrepreneurs one piece of advice it would be…
Ask for help. I’m really lucky to have made a lot of industry contacts in my corporate career who have provided invaluable advice and connections; for those without such a support network I’d definitely start with social media. I’ve found a lot of my team this way (or they found me!).
Outside of work I can be found…
Playing the violin as leader of Orchestra of the City or running around after my two year old daughter.
My philosophy on life is…
Always offer to help others first – you never know when they might unexpectedly help you.
What I like about working with Ignition Law is…
The fact they’ve been able to help across multiple areas of my business – commercial, financial and real estate law. There was a week earlier in October where I was working on the legal aspects of all three of these simultaneously and I felt very confident that each area was being taken care of by an expert. They have been a great support to me as an entrepreneur and I’m sure we’ll be doing more work together in the future.
For more information on Seekology, check out their website on www.seekology.co or follow them on Instagram, Twitter and FaceBook at @SeekologyUK.
