Jun 4, 2019
Today we’re honoured to welcome Susie Ma, Tropic Skincare founder, to the Ikonns Podcast. Appearing on the iconic Forbes 30 under 30’s 2018 list, Susie often left us in awe as she spoke to us about her compelling career story and how her entrepreneurial spirit was carved out by her experiences in childhood.
Born in Shanghai under the one child policy, Susie describes the stark contrasts she faced in early childhood moving from China to Australia and then finally settling in the U.K. After seeing her mother struggle as a market seller in London’s Greenwich Market, Susie’s desire to gain a better life for herself and her mother led to her starting her own business.
“We were in this horrible trap, and I just thought my mum can’t physically do any more work, she’s working the maximum hours that her body can physically handle, it’s up to me now” – Susie Ma
Susie founded Tropic Skincare when she was 15 years old, pursuing the only goal to help her mother out. After creating first home-made skin care products packed in jam jars and originated from her Chinese origins and experiencing some initial success, Susie tells us how her company – the fastest-growing skincare company in the U.K. – was born from her appearance on BBC’s television series The Apprentice in 2011 and how Alan Sugar firing her was also a blessing in disguise.
“Have that vision, believe that you can do it, but you have to be prepared to work damn hard at it” – Susie Ma
We’re sure you’ll experience the same goose bumps we did as Susie’s motivational spirit shines through in every word she speaks!
Here’s what else we talk about:
- The building blocks needed for creating your vision
- Building an honest business with a hands on approach
- Being risk averse and building organically
- Learning lessons from your peers
- The infinite purpose of your business
Hope you enjoyed this week’s episode with Susie Ma, you can find out more about her here:
Full show notes: https://www.ikonns.com/podcast/episode33