Rachel Roff, Founder & CEO of Urban Skin Rx, has been a Licensed Aesthetician and Certified Laser Technician since 2004 first founding Urban Skin Solutions Medical Spa & Laser Center in Charlotte, NC, in 2006 and then starting Urban Skin Rx in 2010. Rachel is on a mission to bring more inclusivity to the skincare industry especially for the consumer with melanin-rich skin by creating innovative products & solutions while also being an advocate and ally for important social and racial injustice issues.
What does “entrepreneurship” mean to you?
Rachel Roff: It means to live fearlessly. To be an entrepreneur there tends to be a level of risk that isn’t often seen with being an employee. It also allows you to take every opportunity to pursue your passion, innovation and leadership.
How did your company come to be?
RR: I grew up in California. When I was younger I had a large nevus mole on my face and struggled a lot with acne, so I was unfortunately a target for bullies. When I was 15, my mom took me to a dermatologist to help treat my acne. I fell in love with the idea of becoming an esthetician and owning my own medical spa.
In 2006, I launched Urban Skin Solution in Charlotte, NC specializing in skin and laser treatments for deeper skin tones. I used to see so many clients of mine being left out of the conversation when it came to problems/ solutions for darker skin tones so in 2010 I launched my own skin care formulas in an effort to make skincare more accessible to a demographic that had been truly ignored.
How has your business changed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic?
RR: We actually saw huge growth at the beginning of the pandemic. It had to do with so many people being home, staring at their skin on zoom combined with having time to take care of themselves which was amazing for our business.
However, it hasn’t been all good. We have struggled with supply chain delays, rising costs and inflation, as well as the “resignation era” which has led to employees having to shift priorities, pivot our strategies, and adding more benefits and work-life balance into their lives. Recruiting new employees has become hard and more costly with our country suffering from employee shortages.
What is your proudest and darkest moment so far?
RR: My proudest moments are always when I see our diversity and representation numbers across the company. Total Company: 61 % Black, 71% BIPOC, and 92 % Female. Also, the first time I saw my products on my first major retailer shelf, Target. Or when I brought in an eight-figure investment from a private equity firm.
The changes to IOS privacy and how that has affected our digital advertising performance has been hard to handle.
How is your company changing the landscape?
RR: For more than a decade, we have been on a mission to advocate for accessible, inclusive, clinical skincare for all skin tones. It’s so exciting to see other/more brands focusing on this, too. We were truly the first clinical brand at Target for diverse skin tones and over the last 4 years I have seen the category grow. I have received feedback from brokers and even buyers at the retailers that my brand’s success led them to really try to pursue finding other brands like ours, thus expanding the category, which makes me really proud.
What do you wish you knew when you started? Is there anything you would do differently?
RR: I’m not the most process-oriented person and it’s crucial for growth so I wish I had been stronger in that area and paid more attention to it.
What advice/credo do you live by as you grow the business / what is your professional and personal mission statement?
RR: My mission statement has always been that failure is not an option. Also, never compromising what’s best for the consumer first. I’m always open to feedback and want to make sure I’m doing what makes them happy and gives them the best results.
Where do you find inspiration when faced with challenges?
RR: Melissa Butler, the CEO and founder of The Lip Bar as well as other Beauty Founders I have developed relationships with. It has been a godsend to be able to call them when I’m struggling, or my company performance isn’t what I want it to be, and they reassure me that it’s not just me. Having people in those positions that are transparent with their struggles offers such reassurance during hard times.
What does “success” look like for you? What do you think will help you achieve it?
RR: Success to me is #1 customer retention, because it lets me know the products are working and their overall experience with the brand is a positive one. Next is having great brand awareness, which is essential to our growth as a company. We have great retention. Over 50% of customers purchase again and again but our brand awareness is low. For a while now I have relied on social media, influencers and digital advertising for marketing and it’s no longer working the same. I have been exploring getting into outdoor advertising as well as a major celebrity endorsement.
Most importantly, success is about a lasting legacy, continuing to push innovation in a category that was ignored and then building a thriving work culture with talented employees that will help me deliver on that.
Has personal or professional “success” changed for you since the COVID-19 pandemic?
RR: My company doubled in size when Covid first hit, which caused utter chaos. For the past 12 months we have had to concentrate on undoing some of the non-strategic decisions that were made during that growth as well as work to put better processes in place since our team more than doubled internally.
Through the pandemic, I realized that even though the business was growing so fast, just adding employees alone would not alleviate the challenges.
What’s it like to work alone or with your partners? What advice do you have for fellow entrepreneurs about building and leading teams?
RR: Foster an environment where people feel empowered to speak up and challenge you.
Many entrepreneurs continue to perfect their daily routines to support their work and greater vision; would you mind sharing your morning routine or a regular ritual that grounds your work each day? How has it changed in recent months?
RR: The first thing I always do is drink coffee, wake my daughter up, I always make sure it’s clear to her that she’s my priority every day. I always give my family a hug and kiss, and then check my emails. I’m always working to have better self-care. My goal is in 2023 to get up earlier and always work out in the morning and drink 32 ounces of water first thing, because once my day gets going with work often my workout plans change, and I start to drink too much coffee.
What keeps you motivated during this time?
RR: My customers’ before and after pictures and my desire to create a brand that my daughter feels proud of one day.
What kind of an entrepreneur do you want to be known as, as in, what do you want your legacy to be?
RR: The one that always pushes people to not take no for an answer, and just overall challenge themselves and those around them for better and bigger.
What is a quote or some words of wisdom that help get you through the tough days?
RR: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” -Theodore Roosevelt
Have you experienced mentorship in your career? Do you feel it was easily available to you?
RR: It’s so important to look for mentorship as a two-way street. Not just when you need them but also to be present when they might need you. I’ve experienced mentorship through my fostered relationships with other beauty founders throughout the years. We have a big network group of beauty founders and entrepreneurs where we constantly support each other and help each other make this category a bigger one!
Who are the people who have mentored or influenced you in your life or career? How has their influence changed the trajectory of your entrepreneurial journey?
RR: Lisa Price, Founder of Carol’s Daughter, has been a great mentor and helped me through this journey. I’ve had great conversations with her.
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