The 25-year-old discusses building Topicals.
As a collective, members of Gen Z are dynamic trendsetters and culture shifters.
At the helm of the disruptive brand is CEOOlamide Olowe.
As a child, what did you dream of becoming when you grew up?
I grew up in a very medical and entrepreneurial household.
My dad is a doctor.
He owns clinics, and my mom manages the clinics.
I went to UCLA on a track scholarship, and I was a pre-med student.
I didn’t realize how hard it would be to do both of those things.
Byrdie / Olamide Olowe
You helped develop SheaGirl, a subbrand of SheaMoisture focused on young women.
What was that experience like?
It was a great experience.
We learned a lot quickly.
SheaMoisture believes you’re able to do well by doing good.
That was so fascinating because I didn’t know a business could significantly impact people’s lives.
SheaMoisture was also so innovative with its marketing and messaging.
I think many brands don’t ever choose a position or situate themselves in the customer’s life.
I loved how SheaMoisture positioned themselves in the haircare space for women of color and Black women.
At what point did you have the idea to launch Topicals?
During the fall semester of my senior year, SheaMoisture was acquired.
The company had grown so much that they needed a partner to help take it to the next level.
I noticed chronic skincare was an area that wasn’t inclusive.
So, Topicals started as a kernel of an idea right after graduation in 2018.
It took me time to figure out what the brand was going to be.
I wanted to make other people aware of the connection between skin health and mental health.
Byrdie / Olamide Olowe
Topicals debuted last summer during the pandemic.
What was it like preparing to launch?
I’m someone who can really compartmentalize and keep it together, but it’s been a hard year.
I had Covid around this time last year.
It was very hard on my body.
The stress and isolation of being away from family were also challenging.
It was also hard to get packaging and ingredients because there was a shortage of workers.
It was tough to see people say:“This is something we want.
You’re the CEO of a successful beauty brand at 25-years-old.
Do you ever have those moments where you’re like, “I’m only 25.
What am I doing?”
If so, how do you work to overcome those voices of self-doubt in your head?
That’s an everyday struggle for me.
People think I am so confident, but I’m super goofy.
One phrase I have been living by throughout this process is"feel the fear and do it anyway.
“Everyone is scared, but some people don’t let that fear stop them from leaping.
There are also tons of people who are advocating for Topicals who’ve never met me.
I’m just really fortunate to have community.
How do you hope to make an impact using your platform?
I think privilege plays a huge role in how I’ve been successful.
Knowledge is power, and knowing certain things can change your life.
I believe I owe it to others to help them live out their dreams.
What are some of the pieces of advice you often share with other aspiring founders?
A lot of people ask,“How do you get customers?
How do you get followers?
Half the battle of building a successful business is just showing up every day.
Ninety-nine percent of people won’t show up every day or keep pushing when it gets tough.
I also tell people you have to understand your customer to build the solution they need.
A lot of young founders think all they need is pretty packaging to make their brand pop.
You have to be everything to one person.
“It’s crucial to figure out who your customer is.
Figure out where they vacation, what music they listen to, and their pathway of purchase.
Those things will help you better understand how to build your brand.
How do you hope Topicals makes an impact in the skincare industry?
Topicals has always been about choice.
That is something that gets glossed over in skincare.
We have always focused on psychodermatology and giving people access to knowledge to help them make informed decisions.
By doing that, some people will buy the product.
Some people will opt into our informational resources around mental health.
We’ve always promoted the idea of “funner flare-ups.”
It’s about making the choice that’s best for you.
What do you appreciate most about being a part of Gen-Z?
Gen Z is so much fun.
We don’t take anything too seriously.
I think everyone wants everything to be cut and dry, but life is fluid and messy.
It’s because you don’t have to have the perfect feed on TikTokyou have to be yourself.
That is the message Topicals wants to continue to push forward and what I hope the beauty industry becomes.
Whats next for Topicals?
you’re able to expect us to keep making products for underserved chronic skin conditions.
We just launched a hotline that explores the idea of psychodermatology.
