Founder Stories
Available in over 1,200 stores, tbh Skincare is quickly becoming the most popular, easy, and affordable way to treat acne!
Before launching tbh Skincare in 2020, Founder Rachael Wilde was working in the medical devices industry. In the course of her work she was introduced to an innovative skincare technology that actually worked to help control breakouts.
After trialing the product on her own skin and loving the results, Rachael realized there was a massive opportunity to bring this patented product to market and create a brand and product line she could have only dreamt to have when she was dealing with the troubled skin as a teenager and still into her early twenties.
Creating the brand and the community around tbh Skincare was so important to me personally. This category lacked innovation, fun and human connection. The link between experiencing acne and the prevalence of mental health conditions s
Rachael Wilde
Introduce your business and tell us your story: How did you decide on what to sell, and how did you source your products?
Creating the brand and the community around tbh Skincare was so important to me personally. This category lacked innovation, fun and human connection. The link between experiencing acne and the prevalence of mental health conditions such as depression is pretty well researched, and it is something that I lived out first hand.
There wasn't anyone in the category talking about this, it was all super clinical, white bottles, a whole bunch of jargon and definitely no fun! Acne is shrouded in a lot of shame and I really wanted to challenge this with the brand and bring something fresh into the space.
That's why the packaging is bright and playful, the naming of the products is cheeky and we always talk about skin and acne in a way that normalises it and never puts it in a negative or shameful light.
In one year we went from having no retail shelf presence to having over 1200 stores stock the full range of products!
Rachael Wilde
What were some of the the key milestone moments for your business?
We launched 4 years ago and I think our first major milestone that comes to mind was when we reached $1M in sales, which was 18 months into starting the business. I think the next major milestone came another 18 months later in March 2023, when we launched in retail for the first time. We secured a partnership with Priceline that saw the brand ranged in over 400 stores. The next major milestone followed quickly after when we launched into 850 Coles stores. So in one year we went from having no retail shelf presence to having over 1200 stores stock the full range of products!
In addition, one of the highlights has also been growing a team of wonderful and talented individuals along the way. There is something so special about having these people that want to work with you to achieve the mission of the brand and also to have these people to share all the wins with.
For such a long time it was myself and my mum who co-founded the business. Now we have a team of more than 20 and have worked on some crazy campaigns including dressing up as Margot Robbie, working with Abbie Chatfield and Olivia Molly Rogers, hosting events and being able to really shake up the acne category. None of this would be achievable without the team's support and creativity and for that I am so thankful.
What tools and apps do you use to run your store?
With the rising Cost of Customer Acquisition through Meta what strategies do you believe are essential for brands to think about to scale growth?
Never let a piece of creative die on one channel! A viral Tik Tok can be turned into a news story, which can be turned into ad creative or another viral Tik Tok, and the cycle continues!!!
Creative strategy in my opinion is the number one way to combat rising acquisition costs. The quality of creative determines how much juice you can squeeze out of each marketing dollar. So whether its on a Meta ad, a billboard or a TV ad, make your creative work hard for you.
Was there an ah hah moment that launched your growth? What was your secret sauce?
I think for us it was definitely that retail expansion. A lot of business owners can see the margin you give up as something that detracts from their overall business. I have seen the complete opposite happen with tbh Skincare. That retail shelf presence is more effective than most other marketing dollars that we can spend.
Whatever margin you are giving up to be on the shelf is probably less than what you would have to spend to get in front of that customer on a digital channel. And if you have an already thriving online business, it is like fuel poured on top of that - it just amplifies everything you are doing online. That physical availability is a huge unlock if you have an already existing loyal customer base and enough awareness to drive a sell through at the shelf.
What are your top resources for aspiring entrepreneurs?
Any Tim Duggan book! Cult Status and Killer Thinking are two of my favourite ever business reads. Otherwise I would say make sure you don’t absorb so much content or resources that you don’t actually have time to action anything. Don’t live too much in theory - get out there and put that new knowledge to the test.
Also, having clear space to just think will bring so many fresh ideas (sometimes a lot more than listening to a new podcast or reading a new article will). And definitely don’t spend lots of time looking at competitors - if you spend too much time looking at what everyone else is doing you aren’t spending time thinking of new ways of doing things or finding ways to be different (which is a superpower).
If you want acne treatment options that provide an alternative to benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid treatments, whilst also providing a supportive and safe space to get you through the treatment process, you need to check out tbh Skincare!