We think it’s a crying shame that there are so many women doing amazing things in Ireland and not enough people know about it.
There are women at the helm of startups, women who dreamed up a new career while on maternity leave, women who went back to college after having kids, women who have gone into business alongside their besties, women who are owning it and with all this talent, we want to tell everyone about you and your skills.
We put a call out recently, asking you to get in touch to tell us about your pal who’s doing great things, or maybe it’s your aunt or you know, maybe you’ve worked up the courage to explain why you are the success story.
Meet Gillian Moore-Brady of Fuschia Makeup.
Fuschia Makeup was established in 2005, from its beginnings in Drogheda to being stocked in multiple salons around the country and now, receiving orders from all over the world.
The brand’s mineral makeup is one of its bestsellers but it’s also branched out into brush sets, contouring kits and eyeshadow palettes.
With that in mind, Gillian explains how and why Fuschia was born.
“I saw a niche in the market for a premium make-up brand with professional application service, which focused on inspiring confidence in the women who came through the door, and treating them likely royalty, rather than intimidating them. Every woman should be able to get her make-up done easily and flawlessly whenever she wants to, and the process should be enjoyable, relaxing and ultimately rewarding”.
It wasn’t without its difficulties though as Fuschia’s launch coincided with the start of the recession and you can imagine the headaches that involved.
“Fuschia Make-Up was originally set up with the overall business plan and the financial backing to open several retail units in a relatively short space of time. However, the recession hit just as the first store was finding its feet and the funding for new stores didn’t materialise. Timing is everything!
“So we had to completely overhaul the business plan and change direction (going into wholesale) to have any hope of surviving the recession or building the brand successfully. It was incredibly challenging but – ultimately – the new direction has actually worked out really well for us long term, and the B2B element is now a massive part of the Fuschia brand. So as hard as it was at the time, I wouldn’t change what happened for the world now”.
Unsurprisingly, Gillian has a wealth of knowledge on what makes a beauty brand work and below is her top tip, which we can all take on board. This is a life lesson as much as it is business advice.
“Make sure you are surrounded by people who have your back, and whose strengths complement your skillset perfectly. No business can be successful without a great team behind it”.
It’s taught her a few lessons too and if she could go back in time and change how she reacted in certain situations, there’s one specific thing she would do differently.
“I’d breathe more. I’d take the time to appreciate each step along the way and I’d make a roadmap to illustrate every little win. We are all so hard on ourselves these days in business. And it’s great to be ambitious and driven and to keep looking for the next challenge, but it’s no fun if you can’t enjoy the precious moments when things click and go your way”.
This is worth remembering too as when striving to do so much, we sometimes forget to celebrate how far we’ve come.
When it comes to schedules and finding the time of the day that works best for you, Gillian’s ‘quiet time’ is when everything starts to slow down.
“I love that time at the end of the day when the office starts to empty and that sense of peace comes over the place. I bask in the bit of quiet, sit back and assess how the day/week has gone, what my major priorities are and what my next steps are going to be. I make my action plan for the following day(s) and it’s like wiping the slate clean… I know where I am, where I’m going and I don’t feel overwhelmed, once it’s all down on paper”.
Gillian doesn’t need to hesitate when asked about what makes the hard work, long hours and neverending to-do lists worthwhile. Her family helps her to unwind, relax and take stock of all that’s gone on.
“Family. I have an amazing husband and 3 beautiful kids and I love the bones of them. They are my world, outside of Fuschia. They bring me back to earth and keep me grounded, but they also build me up when things aren’t going perfectly and maybe I need a little lift. No matter what’s going on, with a bit of family time behind me I can get back out into the world, no problem”.
Refreshingly, Gillian is of the opinion that Ireland is a good place to kickstart a business which is sure to be of any interest to any budding entrepreneurs.
“Yes, I think so. Irish people are great entrepreneurs and very creative in business, but we are also good-natured people generally. Not as dog eat dog as it might be in other places. We have some hugely successful female entrepreneurs on this island and as a nation, we are quite creative”.
We want to hear from you so you have a friend/mother/cousin/sister/like-minded female doing something great, we want to hear from you. Drop me a line at [email protected]
