When we interviewed, J. Nicole Baca, we discovered she didn’t want to be put on a pedestal. Oh, no! J. Nicole wants her message to be simple; she loves helping people. Her business is J. Nicole Skincare; it launched in 2016. She funded 95 percent of it herself, with the rest coming from silent investors.
As a successful entrepreneur, she finds labels can be a little tricky; having to live up to a particular image can put pressure on your hopes and dreams, which in turn, can affect your goals.
Nicole says: “I’ve been called skincare guru, a businesswoman with beauty and brains and a top entrepreneur, and though I am flattered by all the comments if I am honest, it just creates more pressure. I do what I love to do, and I like to help people to find the answers to achieving a better complexion.”
All of the labels fit, of course — J. Nicole is, precisely what the experts say she is. She is a businesswoman with beauty, brains — a top-rated entrepreneur and creator of the critically acclaimed skincare product – ‘Overdose.’
She said: “When I was younger, I didn’t have the answers, I didn’t have anyone to turn to, to help me fix my problem skin. So, I went out there to find the answers, and eventually, I created ‘Overdose.’
Baca believes no one should be defined by another person’s idea of what they can and cannot be — or become. “If you think it, you can create it,” she said.
“I am learning all the time. I am now about to grow my business and take it to the next level. I am super excited for what lies ahead.”
Other products in her range include ‘Moon Soap,’ a luxurious facial soap formulated with organic oils and antioxidants to remove dirt, oil, and impurities without stripping skin of its natural radiance.
“There’s so much knowledge about wellness and health; it’s continually evolving, I am learning every day,” she says. “There’s always more work to do. I love creating, and I love helping people.”
For Baca — ‘Overdose’ is a work in progress. Like her own identity. This is why she doesn’t like the idea of putting it in a box. With many more products in the planning stages, J. Nicole Skincare is a company to keep a watchful eye on in 2020.
Let’s ask J. Nicole Six Quick Questions on what it takes to be a self-made entrepreneur.
How did you know when you had the right idea?
That’s the beauty of being an entrepreneur! I have a feeling – a belief, and I knew that I had to get this idea into the hands of everyone in the world. The right approach is about believing in something so much that you risk everything, and you are willing to give up everything to go all in! I sold everything I owned to start this business because I knew that I would see it through until the end. It was a very scary couple of years, but I have no fear! I have grit, and I can turn and idea into a million dollars. I have done it before, and I am doing it again right now today.
What’s Your Approach to Marketing?
Marketing takes a lot of patience. I learned from my father that patience is a virtue. The beauty market is very competitive, and you can fail very quickly without the right strategic plan. I am patient with the marketing game. I like to sit back, watch, and predict the beauty trends. As soon as it is the right time, and when I have all my data, I will sweep in and take the prize. That is how I play the marketing game.
What are some of the mistakes you could have avoided?
A successful entrepreneur and business owner can take failure with a grain of salt. I fail every day, and I embrace that failure to learn, grow, and build character. There is no success without failure. One thing I am more careful about now is the people I choose to partner up with. It’s hard to find someone that understands your vision. When it’s your vision, you are willing to live every day for that vision till death do you part. It’s tough to find someone that respects that and is ready to live that experience. Making mistakes takes drive, determination, and 110% dedication every day.
Did You Experience Failures? If So, What Did You Learn from Them?
I learned how to succeed from failure. I also learned a lot about people, family, partners, who you can trust, who you can’t, and who will stand behind you when times get tough. For those who do have trust in me and my company, they appreciate the process and the sense of satisfaction to invent something from the ground up. To see it through to become something “real.” I am living a life that people are afraid to live. It’s too easy to fail and to go work for someone else and live a “safe” life. I am not a person that takes the easy way out. I am truly living life on my terms, and I am building a billion-dollar company here on silicon beach in Santa Monica. I have the will to lead the way! I have a fantastic family that believes in me, and they love to watch me fail because they know that when I throw that air ball, I rebound and complete the shot with even more confidence and success the second time around. My best failures have all ended with a victory, and that makes me happy. I will be the next billion-dollar brand, and I am truly blessed.
How do you plan on growing your skincare business?
I have been building this skincare business for over 25 years. I have three inventions that I am bringing to market to address aggravated skin conditions. Over 40 OTC skincare products are coming down my pipeline, as well as a pharmaceutical product line and a therapeutic injection. The injection can be given every 3 to 6 months and can treat skin allergies, rosacea, dermatitis, skin cancer, aging skin, and eczema as well as some food allergies. It’s a new drug invention and a cure! It’s not another bandaid because it stops the allergy before it happens and before the reaction occurs in the body and the skin. It has been a life long mission that I bring this to market, as I have been suffering – my whole life – from allergies to everything including cosmetics, fragrances, insects, food and all sorts of random weird things. I carry an EpiPen with me and a bag of allergy meds- that doesn’t work anymore. There are people like myself that struggle every day with allergies, and I have the drive and determination to cure it finally.
What does it take to be a Good Leader?
It’s all in the genes! My entire family are all entrepreneurs and learned from the best! As a leader, I have perseverance, constant evolution and no fear! When I am faced with an uncertain future, I innovate, build a team, and compete! I have compassion, yet I don’t let the personal bullshit and drama get in the way of my vision as I build an empire. When the strides take too long, and doubts creep in, I am resilient, savvy, and tenacious. My people have faith in me because they know that I am their fearless leader. They trust that I can hold the business together, and they know I have the guts to see it through. I am direct, to the point, reasonable, understanding, and I have a clear mind. I lead teams of people, extend my knowledge to them, share my vision of what the future holds for not only the company but for my people and the systems behind the company. I have just enough trust in those systems to allow the company to flow. That trust is what builds a strong team, and that teamwork makes the dream work- and from there, as a good leader, I will then compete and win!
