S1 E.7 Taylor Frankel: Starting a Business at 17
In this EpisodeOn this week’s episode, we welcomed Taylor Frankel, the co-founder of Nudestix. Adriana and Taylor met a couple of years ago at an event, and have stayed in touch since then, since their journeys and companies had so many similarities.
Nudestix is a makeup brand that put a new spin on the no-makeup look. It started in 2012 when Taylor and her sister were just 17 and 15 years old, along with their mother who had over 20 years of experience in makeup and chemical engineering. Taylor’s mother found inspiration in the way that she saw her daughters doing their makeup. It was so different from the artistry in makeup that she had seen in her own generation. The new era of makeup consumers ushered in a time of natural looks, and a focus on feeling confident in your skin and makeup in a genuine way. Seeing this, the three women realized that there was a blank space in the makeup market for this kind of look, and they set out to fill that gap.
The goal for the three women with Nudestix was to create a makeup line that had no relation to age, or even gender, but rather that related to lifestyle. The modern consumer doesn’t necessarily have time for the glam and complicated makeup looks of the past; we’re all striving for more minimalism, and Taylor and her mom and sister wanted to create that line that felt authentic and necessary for today’s consumer. What’s even better about Nudestix is that all of their products are cruelty, paraben, sulfate, and fragrance free, and are good for your skin.
Taylor’s story in starting Nudestix with her sister and mother is inspiring in a lot of ways. First off, the simple fact that Taylor was able to start and manage a business all while still in high school speaks volumes about the dedication and passion that she has for the brand itself, as well as her personality.
What’s also inspiring to touch on with Taylor’s journey is the fact that she never actually finished college. She had started a business program at a university in Toronto, but quickly realized that Nudestix was her passion, and she wasn’t able to give her full attention to both school and building up her brand. We as women have a tendency to think that we are master multitaskers, and that we can do it all, but the truth for a lot of us is that we can’t do it all. And that’s okay. Taylor’s mom and grandmother always told her that it’s alright if we can’t do it all, as long as something gets done. So, Taylor took this advice to heart, and decided that her something to get done was Nudestix rather than school.
While it’s not a black-and-white line to say that a college degree is or isn’t necessary, something that Adriana and Mariah - and Taylor, of course - have learned, is that you learn by doing. So, in that regard, dropping out of college wasn’t such a bad decision for Taylor. She was learning so much more about business while working with Nudestix that she felt it was more important and worthwhile to follow her passions there rather than in school. A word of advice to anyone going through this struggle of whether or not to stay in school, though - make sure that the business you are creating or thinking about is something that you feel good about, and something that you truly believe can be successful. And, on a similar note, you kind of have to have a sink or swim mentality – if you’re going to do this, you have to see it through, even through all of the hardships and all of the obstacles that come along with being an entrepreneur and business owner.
During this episode we also touched on the importance of finding a source of motivation to get you out of bed every single morning. For Taylor, that was Nudestix. She was very open with us about her mental health struggles during the time around when she started the company with her mom and sister, and luckily, it became something that was a bright spot in her life, and something that helped her keep going. She was in a period of her life where she felt hopeless at not having a clear path, and didn’t feel like she had control over her life. So, when she started Nudestix and she saw how much passion she had for it, it gave her not only an opportunity to gain more control over her life, but something that would keep her going.
Another topic that Taylor talked about was not focusing on the next week, month, or year when you’re feeling stressed or losing motivation. All you have to focus on is the next 24 hours to get you through. Or maybe, if that’s even too much, just focus on the next hour. Focus on what you can do in that hour to make yourself even just the slightest bit happier, or what will help you find motivation in that next hour, and just hone in on that. Focus on what you can control, and let your passion fuel you.
This episode with Taylor was a true gem, and we hope that it inspires you as much as it did us. Listen to the full episode for more insightful moments, and we’ll catch you next week.
Important Times2:28 - A little background on Taylor
4:48 - Welcome Taylor Frankel!
7:23 - The birth of Nudestix
14:33 - Taylor’s college journey
22:57 - What does Taylor’s mom say about the business, how much was she involved
27:40 - What keeps Taylor showing up every day?
31:59 - Was there ever a time where she considered being done with Nudestix?
38:04 - What does Taylor do for self care?
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Welcome bestie.
We’re so glad you’re here.
We’re Adriana and Mariah. Co-hosts, entrepreneurs, BFFs, and girls just like you trying to figure it out as we go.
