Podcast 262: Why keeping your beauty brand small is an option

You don’t need to scale your beauty brand internationally for it to be successful. In fact, keeping it small is an option.

The beauty industry often glorifies rapid expansion – securing investment, launching in major retailers, and breaking into global markets. But growing bigger isn’t the right path for everyone, and you don’t have to follow this model if you don’t want to.

Last week, Lorraine Dallmeier –  Chartered Environmentalist, Biologist, and CEO of Formula Botanica –  spoke with Karmen Novak, founder of Flower and Spice, about her brand’s journey and her experience expanding into China. Karmen shared the challenges of managing operations remotely, working with distributors, and adapting to a whole new market.

While it worked for Karmen and her brand, not everyone has to follow this path. And this is something we don’t talk about enough in the beauty industry: the option to not scale.

In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Lorraine explores why keeping your beauty brand small can be a strategic and fulfilling choice.

If you’ve ever felt pressure to scale your beauty brand but wondered whether staying small could actually be the smarter option, this episode is for you.

“Not every beauty brand needs to scale to be successful. Growth for the sake of growth isn’t always the best path – some of the most impactful brands are the ones that stay small, maintain creative control, and focus on deep connections with their customers.” — Lorraine Dallmeier

Key takeaways:

• Success doesn’t always mean global expansion: Many indie beauty entrepreneurs start their brands because they love formulating and creating high-quality products. But sometimes, the pressure to expand (working with distributors, managing large-scale production, and meeting retail targets for example) can take founders away from what they love the most and their overall vision.
• Keeping your brand small has real advantages: Staying small gives you more creative freedom, closer relationships with customers, and fewer financial risks. Without the stress of scaling up, you can focus on quality, sustainability, and building a business that works for your life.
• The beauty industry isn’t one-size-fits-all: Some brands thrive in global retail, while others find success by staying niche and independent. Both models are valid, and choosing the right path depends on your personal and professional goals.
• Growth should align with your vision: Scaling up isn’t the only way to succeed, and you don’t have to do it if that’s not what you want for your beauty brand. Often, the most sustainable and fulfilling businesses are the ones that stay true to their mission, remain financially viable, and allow their founders to thrive.
• At Formula Botanica, we help founders define their own definition of success: Through our Diploma in Beauty Brand Business Management, we encourage students to decide early on what kind of brand they want to build, whether they dream of a global brand or a smaller, lifestyle business. Both are valid and both are achievable if you have the right tools and knowledge in hand.

Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed listening, please share, subscribe and review this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Youtube so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook and Instagram.

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Lorraine Dallmeier

Lorraine Dallmeier is a Biologist, Chartered Environmentalist and the CEO of Formula Botanica, the award-winning online organic cosmetic science school. Read more about Lorraine and the Formula Botanica Team.