We chat with the founders of Girl Lane, Deborah Williams, Kristie Jinks and Antoinette Truda…
Tell us a little bit about Girl Lane.
Girl Lane is a new range of skincare, bodycare and haircare, pharmacist formulated for Tween skin. Designed specifically for girls, aged 7-14+, the range includes everything from face wash to moisturisers shampoo and sunscreen, created using a balance of science and natural botanicals to mimic the natural functions of the skin. Girl Lane promotes a safe, fun, colourful and enjoyable personal care experience as part of a daily routine. At the heart of our brand, we are all about protection, nourishment and empowering girls to be their healthy best, and promoting that an early skincare and haircare routine makes a difference.
Girl Lane is the product of three mothers, Deborah Williams – an award-winning pharmacist – and two successful businesswomen; Kristie Jinks and Antoinette Truda.
What inspired you to start Girl Lane?
The lack of choice available on the pharmacy shelves meant that our daughters were having to use adult skincare, which is too harsh for delicate Tween skin. It was on a family holiday that I, Deborah, got chatting with my sister-in-law Kristie about the idea. So many of the products our Tween girls were using were either expensive or age-inappropriate.
We recognised that there was a real need for a product which would be suitable and age-appropriate for young girls to use. It became obvious that we could not turn this idea into reality without the experience and drive of our good friend Antoinette, and from there Girl Lane was born.
How is Girl Lane different from other products on the market for tweens and teens?
There’s actually very little out there targeted at Tween skin. Girl Lane products have been made using a unique blend of natural and botanical ingredients to protect developing Tween skin and hair from harsh environmental factors such as UV and pollution.
The range is pharmacist formulated, so that mothers can have the confidence that ingredients have been carefully selected by a trusted healthcare professional, and a mother first and foremost. All products are scientifically tested and provide optimal nourishment, as well as being appealing and enjoyable to use, creating an experience girls want and a brand mothers can trust.
Did you face any challenges when launching Girl Lane?
Launching a new business will always come with its many challenges. We have certainly made mistakes along the way when setting up the business and investing in certain partnerships, but it’s what we’ve learned from these mistakes that has made us stronger in the long run. It would have been great to have had it all go our way, but the reality is that we are an evolving business, and learnings are bound to occur.
What advice do you have for those wanting to start a new business?
Be brave, bold and courageous and follow your passions! No more excuses, the perfect time doesn’t exist and life is always going to get in the way but if you have the drive to succeed then the rest will follow.
Surround yourself with like-minded people, think carefully about what your skill set is and if you’re setting up on in a partnership, work out exactly what you need from the other individuals involved.
We are blessed to work as a team of mums at Girl Lane. We all share the same passion and the same dream. We all bring something different to the table, which allows for a more considered approach to strategic decisions for the business.