MATHAN MAHEY | Volume 2 | Issue 3 | 2024

NATHAN MAHEY: DIVINENESS

From a sixteen-year-old knowing that the traditional path was not for him to an optical specialist venturing into the beauty industry, Nathan Mahey's dreams include friends and family

The idea of Divineness skincare began after Nathan's mother's 50th birthday. She became more concerned about the effects aging would have on her skin and wanted to ensure she found a product that helped her skin from aging and was ethically made. Before this birthday, she had never used anything for her skin except a few products.

With a schedule already packed - Nathan juggled a full-time position in the optical industry and attended full-time courses at the award-winning Blanche M acDonald Centre - all the while developing his beauty line.

Nathan launched Divineness into the world in 2022. With a beautifully designed website, his background in online/ IRL sales and dropshipping, and a strong network, he has begun to see the possibilities and has put together a plan for growth in 2024.

IN HIS WORDS

"I was around sixteen when I realized my path was to be an entrepreneur and create a brand and name for myself, but I needed to learn how to do so. After some thought and consideration, I launched my first online business selling through a furniture dropshipping business and curated a collection of carpets, home décor, and blankets.

"For the dropshipping business, the journey progressed slowly I learned how to reach out to influencers, create social media ads, create social media posts, grow social media followings, etc. Through learning these skills, I learned how to make sales online.

"I studied Tai Lopez and Oberlo's online courses to educate myself on selling online through dropshipping. Together, they were a wealth of knowledge on how to find/ source products, price products, and so on.

"The business model was attractive at first because everything shipped on my behalf, and all I had to do was focus on making the initial sale. Ultimately, after two years, I lost interest in online selling because I had lost my passion for selling home décor and really wanted to focus my future on something I was more passionate about - beauty products.

"I got into skincare at a young age through my sister. Growing up, we put on face masks together twice a week and slowly became interested in that. I was also influenced by the creative ads and campaigns that skincare brands designed for their marketing.

"When I used to go skincare shopping with my mom, I found she always bought the same few products but would be disappointed when they were discontinued. She always mentioned how they worked well for her skin and made her look and feel good. It was at that time that I knew that is what I wanted to move towards as an entrepreneur: to create a skincare line that was locally produced and ethically made and had the potential to impact people's lives positively.

"When I started the skincare brand, my first round of testing was with family, including my mom and sister, who tried the products before launching and were impressed with the results received.

"I felt empowered by their reactions and the testing results. At that point, I widened the availability and began to sell to my friends, additional family members, and the clientele I built from my full-time optical job.

"Creating a skincare line is no small feat There is a lot of research to do if you do not have a science background. You need to find the right partner to look after the formulations and manufacturing, especially if you want to keep it local.

"I researched online skincare lab manufacturers in Canada and found most were located in Toronto across the country. Through patience and diligence, I found one that was based in Vancouver.

"I reached out through their website Contact Form, and a few days later, a follow-up call explored my goals in creating a skincare brand, product types, who was my audience, etc. It was a great call as I was able to really widen the scope of my dreams.

"We began working together and created my first product, a moisturizer with an avocado and basil base. The manufacturer had a selection of roughly 8-10 different styles for the packaging. Of course, I chose the most elevated and elegant one, called ' Chanel.' The packaging had the most luxurious look and feel to it.

"The name Divineness came to me as the perfect name to capture luxury and was reflective of the person who would wear it - a divine persona - if you will.

"I launched Divineness in October 2022, with sales primarily to friends, family, and associates. In 2023, even though I was in school full-time at Blanche MacDonald for Fashion Marketing, sales grew over 450%. Finding the strength to balance school, my optical job, and building the brand was challenging, but the numbers and a passion for growth inspired me.

"Unfortunately, my first product - an avocado basil moisturizer - was not much of a success. This, of course, was disappointing, but everyone must learn from their efforts! It was definitely a learning opportunity to gain knowledge of the process of creating a product.

"Using what I learned from the first product launch, I used the feedback to create a second product, which was the Kombucha Crème moisturizer.

"The feedback was positive, and it was much more of a success than the first product, so I discontinued the original product and focused on the Kombucha Crème.

"I began working on a second product and launched Sheen Serum Hyaluronic Acid - named after my sister's nickname 'Sheen' - which contains caviar, which gives it a sparkly and shiny texture Based on industry trends and consumer demand in January, I launched an under-eye crème named M urumuru Butter Eye Crème.

"There are many who are supporting me along this entrepreneurial journey my family and my close friend Kuljeet Kaila. Before launching the brand, I asked everyone for their advice on what products to develop and where the growth focus should be for a skincare brand.

"Sadly, Kuljeet passed away from brain cancer on September 10, 2023. Before she passed away, she messaged me saying how proud of me she was and that she 100% supported me. She also mentioned that I would do great things in life, and I appreciated her message greatly.

"It was only a few weeks later that I found out she passed away. Hearing this news was so hard to take. She was among the few who believed in me and supported me throughout everything

"When I saw her in her casket at the funeral, I decided on the spot that everything that I achieve and all the great things I plan to accomplish in life will be dedicated to her.

"In 2024, I plan to continue to push Divineness to new heights. Knowing that the product line of quality ingredients and effective formulations will produce more positive reviews and testimonials, I will roll out effective marketing strategies, build distribution channels, and increase customer engagement/ loyalty.

"To date, I have been self-funding Divineness, and recently, I have begun working with a bank to access more funds to accelerate and grow the brand quickly this year.

"Managing finances is something I advise all entrepreneurs to be involved in. Early on, I engaged an influencer with a fee of $700 to promote the brand but did not request details about followers, engagement or statistics. She turned out to be a fraud.

"After receiving the fee, I waited for the promotion, but it never happened. I learned from that experience that you have to be careful who you reach out to and check the person's social media statistics before wanting to get involved with them!

"I am a people person, and from the beginning, I took it upon myself to jumpstart Divineness through networking with key persons in the city.

"This led to me meeting new people who would invite me to other events they knew about or events they were hosting, this was a successful way to increase my client base.

"By the end of 2024, I see Divineness reaching new heights in terms of new products, new partnerships and collaborations, and the development of an Amazon FBA to grow the brand to new levels.

"In addition to the online market, I want to expand to BC-based medical clinics and spas with stellar reputations, such as GlamMed Aesthetics, to reach a projected $5,000-$10,000 a month mark by the end of the year. From 2025 to 2027, the plan is to collaborate with high- level influencers within the city and celebrities such as Shay Mitchell. "