Every experience makes you grow, with every rise and fall. If you believe in what you do, you can’t go wrong.
Meet Simona Duron – Founder and Owner of one-of-a-kind Australian Native Bee Skincare, exclusively formulated with Propolis from Australian native stingless bees. Simona is one of the Australian beekeepers who raise native stingless bees sustainably – her focus lies on the health of the bees above all else.
Her story began when she first started using propolis, and realizing how amazing of a compound it was. As someone who regularly hand-crafted skincare for herself, family, and friends, her inspiration comes from nature, specifically when she bought her first hive of Australian native stingless bees and harvested her first batch of propolis.
As a Founder and Owner, she shares her perspective and goes on to tell us how entrepreneurship is not something you’re born with – rather, something you constantly learn, a never-ending process.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
Simona Duron: I am one of the Australian beekeepers who raise native stingless bees sustainably. Only a small amount of propolis is produced (up to 200g per hive each year), making this ingredient very rare. My beekeeping practices focus on the health of the bees above all else, as we want our bee colonies to be successful and self-sustaining without human intervention. My story began when I realized how amazing properties propolis has. I first started infusing this precious propolis, making it perfect for mature, dry, and sensitive skin. After seeing amazing results through our trials, I found the perfect balance and decided to share my products. Native Bee Skincare is carefully handcrafted in small batches to ensure the highest quality for each product. The propolis is harvested sustainably from our Australian native stingless bees kept in wooden hives, and then slowly and gently dissolved in high-quality organic oil to keep all the beneficial properties. By buying Native Bee Skincare, the customers support our local suppliers, beekeepers, and our precious Australian native bees.Was there somebody in your life that inspired you to take that specific journey with your business?
Simona Duron: I was always handcrafting skincare for myself, my family, and friends to use the purest, organic, and high-quality products on our skin. The inspiration came from nature when I bought my first hive of Australian native stingless bees and harvested my first batch of propolis. The smell was amazing. I started to search for more information about it and realized that there is no organic skincare made with Australian native stingless bee propolis, so I started creating my own unique skincare range. The handcrafted, mild and absolutely natural constitution for each product has been designed based on individual skin needs, and to cater to the needs of stressed skin with minimal efforts (as opposed to an extensive skincare routine).Often leaders are asked to share the best advice they received. But let’s reverse the question. What’s the worst advice you received?
Simona Duron: Every leader must realize that every business is unique and no two businesses are going to have the exact same needs. Even identical competing businesses are fundamentally different. I was advised that creating a social media page is one of the must-haves because everyone has it… but for me, creating social media posts was very time-consuming. I didn’t have enough time to focus on product development and the business itself. I started to have a bad feeling about it. Social media was full of other skincare brands’ ads. It was very hard to stand out there. Later, I realized that I’m wasting my time and money there for some likes. My business should have a different approach and be visible in a different way to share the message about healthy skincare,Has the pandemic and transitioning into mostly online shopping affected your company positively or negatively?
Simona Duron: “Thanks” to the pandemic, I came up with this business idea when I lost my job in 2020.What is most important to your organization—mission, vision, or values?
Simona Duron: The most important thing to Native Bee Skincare is to be transparent to the customers and educate them about dangerous ingredients that might be inside conventional skincare. The body is our greatest gift that stays with you all the time and thus, deserves the most care. Amazingly, the bodily mechanisms start to improve when you treat your body more lovingly. By establishing a proper self-care routine, your body blooms, and your soul sparkles. With consistency in your self-care rituals and self-loving practices, you allow miracles to materialize. Talking about the skincare routine, you do not need lots of skincare products for it. Just a few organic, natural, and non-toxic products are good to boost your natural beauty. The lightening effect of such a choice not only reveals from your well-nourished, glass-like skin but also from your peaceful mind. Native Bee skincare is a supreme skincare concept that empowers you with an invigorating skincare experience and an overall sense of wellness. The Guide to Success: How to Become an EntrepreneurYou are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success?
Simona Duron: Believe in what you do, do it with your heart and you can’t go wrong, and make the right decisions. Sometimes there are products or services that I need but don’t resonate with me. After some experiences, I know that it’s just not the right thing for me. The feeling must be ‘THAT’S IT’. Then I go for it and usually, it’s the right decision.How important do you think it is for a leader to be mindful of his own brand?
Simona Duron: It’s very important. Every leader should treat his brand as a real person. It’s the secret of success.What’s your favorite leadership style and why?
Simona Duron: Leading by example. You can create a picture of what’s possible and inspire people. I believe that beauty is something that radiates from within. It is our inner vibrance that sparkles through us. Thus, if we dream about this long-lived beauty, we need to learn how to love ourselves fiercely. If you love your body, you won’t put any toxic products on your skin and buy only organic or natural products. That’s why Native Bee Skincare is here, to help you boost your natural beauty. What is Servant Leadership? The Rising Trend in Modern BusinessDo you think entrepreneurship is something that you’re born with or something that you can learn along the way?
Simona Duron: Entrepreneurship is not something you are born with. It is a never-ending process, like learning. Every experience makes you grow, with every rise and fall. If you believe in what you do, you can’t go wrong.What’s your favorite “business” quote and how has it affected your business decisions?
Simona Duron: “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” — Steve Jobs I love what I do. It’s not the profit that makes me happy. It’s all about my passion and the happy customers. The feeling, when the customer is happy with our products, or when we can help nature, is priceless. This interview was originally published ValiantCEO.
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