On the second day of Giveaways, SoCozy gave to me…three awesome treats from One Love Organics! One Love Organics is one of our favorite brands for pampering mom (and even the kids). Not only is OLO packed with amazing ingredients – it was started by a mom, Suzanne LeRoux. We sat down with Suzanne to talk about being an entrepreneur and a mom and her ingredient philosophy.

Photo Provided By: Suzanne LeRoux

Q: You have a very similar background to our founder, Cozy – you both left a completely different field to enter the beauty industry. Can you tell us more about that experience? Do you have any advice for mom’s out there who are feeling the entrepreneurial itch?

Suzanne: Yes, I transitioned from the practice of law to the beauty industry. It didn’t feel like such a huge shift though because I crafted skin care products as a hobby for 10 years prior to starting the business. It was one of those things that I did for free and I finally decided to do it as a business. I am much happier today than I was practicing law.

For mom’s who are thinking about starting their own business, I would recommend taking a look at the things they actually do today and the things they really love and want to do. Starting your own business is tough, expensive and the hours are really long. So I would look at what you actually like doing today versus what you think you like to do and make sure those mesh well. For instance, being a lawyer sounded good but I did not actually enjoy it.

The other thing I highly recommend is a really good business plan. I worked on my business plan for a solid year before attempting to start a business and I found it was the single best thing that I did to start on the right foundation.

Q: We love that One Love Organics products are packed with amazing ingredients! Can you tell us more about your ingredient philosophy and how important what goes into your products is to One Love Organics?

Suzanne: Every ingredient we use has an essential benefit: no fillers, bases, or shortcuts. We carefully source and select only the highest quality ingredients from producers we trust, relying on plant-powered nutrients to provide fresh, luminous results. We scout and source the most amazing, effective ingredients from around the globe. It is part of what I love to do-find new ingredients!

Q: Can you talk about the importance of using products together in a regiment to achieve the best results?

Suzanne:  Yes! I think a healthy skin care regimen is absolutely the first step to results. Back in college, my routine was focused on makeup and immediate results: bronzers, highlighters, mascaras, the right lipstick. Those were key for me. I spent the most time and money on these products and yet my skin didn’t look that great, of course, and nothing I had ever tried worked to clear up my skin. I had not discovered natural and organic products at this point yet. I was focused on the superficial, too, and had no idea that the right products would create clear, glowing skin … and that I would no longer need to wear bronzers, highlighters or mascaras. My approach now is skin-care based, not make-up based. I am so much happier and feel so much more confident now that I have good skin rather than a good makeup collection.

Photo Provided By: Suzanne LeRoux

Q: Are your two boys involved in One Love Organics in anyway? Have they ever sparked an idea for the brand? Do they help out around the office?

Suzanne: My two sons, Chip (11) and Hayes (9) are both very involved in One Love Organics. I started the business when I took a break to stay home and raise my babies. I loved to let them test out the scent options and that is why many of our products use sweet and fruity essential oils — the boys loved these the best hands down. They are also my inspiration for multi-tasking essentials. Skin Savior Balm and Easy Does It Cleanser was created for families who want a few, supreme products to do it all for the whole family. They are still staples in every bathroom in our house today even though the boys aren’t little anymore. They also come in and help once a week or during busy times to put product in boxes and help clean up. They are so proud of me and definitely feel like a part of the OLO team since they don’t recall a time when I wasn’t talking about it with them!
Photo Provided By: Suzanne LeRoux

Q: Are there any aspects of motherhood that you carried over into being a businesswoman and an entrepreneur?

Suzanne: Absolutely! Patience, nurturing, guidance…these are all things that help me day to day in the business. Being a mother definitely helped refine these traits!

Photo Provided By: Suzanne LeRoux

To win today’s One Love Organics + SoCozy prize pack, head over to our Instagram to enter. Simply tag everyone on your “nice” list and you’re in! The more you tag, the more you win.

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