In Conversation with Dimitra Davidson of Indeed Labs

Describe your business in a few words?

Indeed Labs is an award-winning, global skincare brand known for producing high quality, best in class products at an affordable price. Real results for real people everywhere!

What made you take the leap to start your own business?

I have always known the importance of taking good care of your skin but was frustrated by the lack of transparency in the industry. Being a consumer myself with real concerns, I was confused, couldn't find what I was looking for and/or didn't know who to trust. Those were the motivating factors then and they are still the factors today that drive me to create quality products for consumers everywhere.

What was your background prior to starting your own business?

I have a background in finance and Human resource management. I worked in banking and investments and have a bachelor of commerce degree. Early in my career I worked in management in luxury goods retail (with Tiffany & Co.) and later went on to do consulting work. A good business and financial acumen coupled with strong people and customer service skills have been a good foundation for me as an entrepreneur. 

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

Yes always. At a young age I often thought about running my own business and supporting other women in business.

Take us back to when you first launched your business, what was your marketing strategy to get the word out and did it go as planned?

Our initial marketing plan was to be loud and disruptive. Use messaging rather than fancy photos. We were so excited about what we had created and what was coming we just wanted to reach as many people as we could to share our story. Our business has grown by word of mouth; literally one person at a time. To this day, 10 years later, we have not invested in big marketing campaigns with celebrity endorsements or airbrushed models. Just real people. All over the world.

We always learn the most from our mistakes, share a time with us that you made a mistake or had a challenging time in business and what you learned from it?

I am a very trusting person and my first instinct is always to help others; I am open and honest. I don't know how to be any other way. Those are qualities I am proud of and I will never change but we are in a very competitive market and I have had to learn the hard way. 

What is the accomplishment you are the most proud of to date?

I would say the multiple awards we have won over the years. To get that type of recognition in this world where we are competing with literally hundreds of thousands of brands is such a huge accomplishment from my perspective.

When hiring for your team, what is your go-to interview question? Please share any hiring tips you can share from your experience?

The one question I ask all candidates is how did you prepare for our meeting? I want to know if they have done their research and deep dive. In this industry you always have to be on the pulse. I also want to know if a candidate is a beauty or skincare enthusiast. It's important to me that my staff are also passionate about this industry.

How has your business or industry been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic?

I would say, staffing is a challenge. People are so isolated. We are a creative environment and it's hard when you cannot safely bring people together to feed off of our each other’s energy. Also the supply chain has been greatly impacted.

What's next for your business? What can we expect to see over the next few years?

There are a lot of exciting things in terms of innovation we are currently working on. 

What is the biggest lesson you have learned in 2020?

We really don't need a lot. I have loved that 2020 forced us to get back to the basics. Life pre-covid was manic for me. I was always on an airplane or in a different city. I would come home for one week and have cabin fever; couldn't wait to leave again. I love that covid has forced me personally to slow down and appreciate the right here and right now. 

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were first starting your business?

Always being prepared. In this business you have to be more than a couple of steps ahead all the time. I have learned countless and often costly lessons. Many times I have asked myself can we keep going.  But those lessons along the way are my guiding light. 

How have you managed to stay grounded this year?

I have such gratitude and appreciation. I reset every day and give thanks and just keep going. I am also a very optimistic person by nature. I don't spend too much time getting stuck. 

Do you believe in work/life balance? What are some of your best tips?

Yes absolutely. I am a mom before anything else. What works best for me is to plan. I also am very realistic about how much and what I can accomplish in a day. Then I shut off and spend time cooking and baking and just being with my family. 

What's something our audience would be surprised to learn about you?

I have a very fun and playful side to me. 

What are your top 3 tips to stay productive each day?

• Meditate to clear my head in the morning and make room for productivity.

• I like to make lists and role things over to the next day if i cannot complete things the same day.

• I try to keep calls condensed. As a brand owner that is very tricky.

What does being an Entreprenista mean to you?

To me it means knowing your goals and staying laser focused. No matter what. Always knowing that there will be ups and downs, twists and turns; the path will not always play out the way you envision it but as long as you know where you are headed and what the end goal is. That is what risk taking looks like to me.