Launching a Skincare Startup Amid a Pandemic with Sophia Hutchins

Sophia Hutchins is the Founder and CEO of Lumasol, a skincare company devoted to designing products to inform and protect their customer’s health. Their unique sunscreen formula revolutionized the way consumers protect their skin from harmful UV rays and has been featured in media publications like Forbes, The New York Times, and Allure Magazine. Sophia began her entreprenista journey soon after earning her Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Pepperdine University. In March 2019, she successfully closed her first round of venture funding. Prior to starting her venture, she served as the CEO of the Caitlyn Jenner Foundation. When she’s not busy growing her company, Sophia can often be found speaking and advocating for women and women’s equality in the workplace.

Sophia joins us today to share why she decided to revolutionize the skincare industry and how she launched Lumasol shortly after graduating from college. We discuss her experience with launching her brand in the middle of the COVID-19 crisis, the challenges and obstacles they endured during the launch, and how they pivoted their marketing strategy amid the pandemic. We discuss the lessons she’s learned about building her team and developing her company culture. We discuss the challenges she’s experienced by receiving negative press attention from tabloids, why she lives by the mantra to never be afraid of being told ‘no,’ and how she continues to power through the ‘no’s’ to receive a ‘yes.’ She also shares an insider’s peek into the innovative new product ideas Lumasol plans to launch in the future.

“Don’t be afraid to be told ‘no’.” – Sophia Hutchins

This week on SocialFly’s Entreprenista Podcast:

• What inspired Sophia to launch a skincare product and how she raised venture capital while earning her college degree
• What makes Lumasol different from other sunscreen products on the market
• What it’s like to launch a new product brand during the COVID-19 pandemic and how they shifted their marketing strategy amid the pandemic
• Why Sophia believes CEO should stand for “Chief External Officer”
• Sophia’s advice for utilizing influencer marketing 
• Sophia’s philosophy on building a team and creating a company culture, the mistakes she’s made while hiring her team, and the lessons she’s learned from these mistakes
• Sophia’s experience with raising venture capital
• How to identify when an investor is ‘fishing for data”
• The importance of surrounding yourself with mentors and people who believe in you
• How Sophia handles negative press attention and why she chooses to live by the mantra ‘Don’t be afraid to be told ‘no’

Our Favorite Quotes:

• “Marketing comes down to relationships.” – Sophia Hutchins
• “The ultimate definition of success is when you can’t tell the difference between work and play.” – Sophia Hutchins
• “Surround yourself with people that uplift you, people that believe in you, and people that are there to really support your vision and your journey.” – Sophia Hutchins

Connect with Sophia Hutchins:

• Lumasol
• Lumasol on LinkedIn
• Lumasol on Instagram
• Lumasol on Facebook
• Lumasol on Twitter
• Sophia Hutchins on LinkedIn
• Sophia Hutchins on Instagram

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