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Jacqueline Yong: Redefining Beauty
Interview & Words Phadria Prendergast
Founded on the idea of bringing simplicity back to beauty, Jacqueline Yong launched her eponymous organic lip care brand just six months ago, amid the global pandemic. She talks entrepreneurship whilst having a 9 to 5, why she’s not afraid to ask questions and why people must be at the heart of every company.
‘Jacqueline has joined your Personal Meeting Room,’ the notification reads. I was running behind, still meeting. I had underestimated how long it would take. By the time the meeting had rounded up, five minutes had gone by and I had decided to ring her directly instead. The phone rings out. I presume it’s because she isn’t expecting a call. She finally picks up, her tone laced with curiosity which quickly warms as she realises it’s me. I apologise for being late and she tells me not to worry. She had been featured in the magazine previously, but this was her first time as a cover girl. She expresses her excitement.
“It's all about learning as I go,” she begins. I wanted to know how the business had progressed since we last spoke. “I always thought it was about getting the product right and obviously it is really important - getting a product down that I believe in. [That] I trust, that I love myself and the consumers would love, but more than anything, I've learnt that it's all about the people. Connecting the people, building a community of people and building a brand based on good ethics.” As a digital-first brand, Jacqueline is able to connect directly to the end consumer through recommendations, feedback and generally getting to know her most loyal customers who always shop at each product launch.
“more than anything, I've learnt that it's all about the people.”
Growing up, Jacqueline like many didn't know what she wanted to do and was strongly encouraged to follow a very traditional route; school, university and then into a stable job. “Coming from an Asian background like mine, you're either a doctor, lawyer or accountant and anything else was off the cards.” Mondays to Fridays, Jacqueline attended school which was then followed by tuition and piano lessons. She also attended church school. “It was kind of like my life was almost written out for me,” she states. “When you have so much going on, so much routine, you almost feel lost in life, because you lack that independence to see what your passion is,” she continues.
Now as a professional and an entrepreneur, her days begin at 6 a.m, where she usually invests time into Jacqueline Organic, before starting work. “My days start early and my days end late. What drives me forward is the fact that I have so much confidence in my own ability. I may not know all the answers for it, but I know for sure that I'm confident in my own ability and about my passion for it. That drives me forward each day to grow.”
Jacqueline launched with the Staple Collection, which followed two limited edition collections. A ‘His and Hers’ balm for Valentine’s Day including a Valentine’s Day campaign and most recently, a Women’s History Month tinted rose balm collection. “For the brand itself, I knew I wanted clean formulations, clean designs and high performing natural beauty solutions, but tailored it to someone very similar to me and my lifestyle. I understand it very well and I know there's a lot of people that relate to it as well. I'm from a very corporate background and I went through that traditional route of university, [then] getting onto the corporate ladder and within that lifestyle, you are constantly on the go. You live a very dynamic lifestyle. I wanted to create a brand where you have the skincare products that compliment that kind of lifestyle, whilst building a clean beauty brand that's just stripped back, natural, organic and simple.”
Jacqueline reveals that she sees the brand going down more of a skincare route in the future. “I know first hand that after a long week of deadlines, I just feel absolutely dead and my skin just needs a revival product. A lot of the products I'll be launching are aligned with 'getting your glow back'.
JACQUELINE’S TOP TIPS FOR ASPIRING FEMALE FOUNDERS
It's all about resilience and grit, especially as a start-up, because at the beginning, no one knows about you. You have to put the word out there. It's all about mindset and just having a positive mindset [even] whilst times may be hard.
I think it's all [a] sacrifice at the beginning. You have to be prepared to sacrifice your time in order to grow. There's no other way, really.
You learn as you go along and you get better at things. You get faster at things and it's all about building experience behind you.
Everyday we should be learning something new and I think you just have to put yourself out there, really, especially if you want to learn and you want to grow. If you have a question, the best way to learn within your field is by asking questions to those people that have already done it. It is so important to consume that knowledge, ask those questions, especially if it's from people that are successful.