Creative Conversations
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Creative Conversations is our conversation series that works with our Rosé Friday IGTV and podcast. Get a snapshot of some of the amazing conversations we have here and you can jump over to our podcast or our IGTV channel for an extended chat to get to know guests even more.
Ariana Hendry | Beysis
@beysisofficial
Who are you and what do you do?
A frustrated lawyer, I left legal practice at the age of 27 to start my first business. 10 years later, the business had grown to a franchise network of 86 retailers across Australia and New Zealand and I was approached by private equity to buy the business in 2015. I mourned the loss of my first business baby and it didn’t take long before I got itchy feet again. That is when the idea for Beysis came along. Beysis isn’t just a personalised accessories retailer. We are on a mission - to make using eco-friendly products a way of life for everyone. Up to now, living sustainably has often come at the expense of good design. We are flipping that notion on its head by creating re-usable products with a strong design aesthetic that don’t cost an arm and a leg. We put the power of personalisation in the hands of our customer, so they can create something truly unique that they love taking with them everywhere.
How did the business come about?
The idea for Beysis came about in 2019 when I was on a walk with my close friend and sister. We were carrying water bottles and one of us joked how uninspiring they were. Why did buying eco-friendly products have to come at the expense of good design? Fast forward a couple of months and we had done enough research to conclude that we could disrupt the market and develop a range of simple yet stunning sustainable products. Products that did not compromise on quality, but did not cost a fortune either.
Best career advice you have ever received?
Living in a fast-paced world, it is easy to put your blinkers on and not stop occasionally to ask yourself if you are happy in your career. I know when I started working life as a lawyer, there was a small voice inside which longed to do something different but I kept suppressing it. Women are intuitive by nature, but I think we often give greater weight to other external factors in making a decision rather than just going with our gut. The best advice I received was from a female partner at the law firm I was working at when I was debating whether I should take the plunge and start my own business. She told me to block out all the external noise and take some time to research and reach my own conclusion around its viability. She said “If it feels right, go for it and don’t let anyone deter you. Instead of being discouraged, turn the feeling of being doubted into the fuel that drives you.” She was right - if I had listened to the first banks, manufacturers and work colleagues I spoke to about my idea, my first business would never have got off the ground.
Worst advice you have ever received?
I was once told in the infancy of my business to set a business plan and never deviate. In the current environment, to refuse to deviate from a plan is ludicrous. Marketing channels are constantly evolving, consumer habits and tastes are always changing and adaptation is key to survival.
What is one thing we should invest in for our business?
Great people. The best tech, the right IP, a schmick office - sure, they all help put you in good stead, but nothing beats investing in amazing people.
What is one thing you wish you had known when starting your business?
There is no such thing as having your cake and eating it too. To start a business, you have to be willing to make sacrifices and be comfortable with the compromises you will inevitably make.
What is your favourite part of your day to day?
Afternoon Spotify sessions with the team. We each rotate the role of DJ and it is not uncommon to walk in our office at 3pm and hear all of us belting out a power ballad as we work.
What was an unexpected joy of creating your business?
I underestimated the rewarding feeling of building a team around you that is diverse, yet unified in its goal of building something together. The uncertainty that comes with owning your own business is completely offset by the joy of surrounding yourself with great people. We all come from incredibly different backgrounds and experiences, but we all have a similar attitude to work and really respect each other.
Leave us with some words of wisdom?
This isn’t necessarily business related, but lately I have become acutely aware of how connected we are and how the actions of one can affect us all. It reminds me of the words of Woodrow Wilson: “We are citizens of the world. The tragedy of our times is that we do not know this.”
3 words to live by for 2022
Challenge the norm.
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