Robyn Smith founded Faithful to Nature – a successful online eco-retailer – 15 years ago. And it all started with a drive to make the world a better place…
Faithful to Nature has always been customer-centric: its customers are at the heart of everything the biz does. Robyn tells writer Ondela Mlandu why the brand works so hard to empower consumers to know what’s in the products they use, and how it supports them in their journey towards ethical, conscious and sustainable living.
From Faithful To Nature to spiritual trainer – how to diversity yourself as a woman
Robyn is passionate about truth. “I started to make this my life’s work with the birth of Faithful to Nature,” says Robyn. “We were the first retailer of its kind on the planet – the first retailer that made a commitment to its customers to only procure according to a strict and thoroughly researched ingredients policy, where honesty, transparency and product integrity were always first in line.”
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This grew from a desire to empower customers on their own way to more conscious, ethical living. And now, of course, that desire is furthered by the one-on-one work Robyn does with her clients seeking healing and spiritual guidance.
“About four years ago, I started to diversify my own path, and now work as a healer and spiritual trainer as well, teaching classes and guiding others more personally on their spiritual journey. I’m still involved with Faithful to Nature on a board level and oversee any major ethical decisions related to the company, but have continued to evolve my own personal desire to help others find their purpose and paths of joy,” says Robyn.
Ethical retail: how to get your foot in the door…
Walking the talk is so important in the ethical retail business. “The best way to get to know the market is to live it. Whether you dream of being employed in this industry or starting your own business, the best way to get your foot in the door is to submerge yourself in the world of ethical, conscious and sustainable living,” she says.
Resources and platforms that could help you
“We run our internship programs through SETA (a government-funded platform to help students get practical experience in the workplace),” says Robyn. “Through SETA, we are able to place an application at the beginning of the year, and upon approval, we can then create a 12-month intern position in any department of the company, or across departments.”
LinkedIn and Bizcommunity are both great tools for staying up to date with local industry movements and trends, as well as offering readings across all sectors. The website Startup Grind offers global insights. Think: events, talks and insights for start-ups.
How Faithful To Nature ensures gender equality in the workplace
There’s a universal discrepancy in all industries, so Faithful to Nature has made a point of ensuring equality across the company. “Our gender distribution is 66 women: 43 men, and this is across all levels of management. We are a female-founded company, with a male CEO, and three men and three women in upper management, so we’re fostering an environment of equal gender input and opportunity,” she says.
The hardships Robyn has encountered – and how she overcame them
“The first [hardship] was believing in myself and carrying the Faithful to Nature concept through. The business model itself was built around long-term growth and after a few years of slaving away, friends and family started to show their concern for not only our well-being but also the company concept itself. So, unfortunately, it was having to fight off that negatively while still staying strong to my idea and the work I was doing…
“The second [hardship] was cash flow because it took so long for the company to turn a profit,” says Robyn.
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She overcame the first through consistently practicing self-development. “As anyone who has started their own business will know, your company becomes a reflection of you – and the strengthening of you feeds strength into the company. [I focused on] making sure my own cup was full, that I could mentally and physically deal with the emotional challenges that come with starting a business,” she says.
Robyn overcame the cash flow problem through becoming wildly inventive, innovative and operating “lean”. “We didn’t have a marketing budget for the first few years, but rather focused on building the customer experience; turning our customers into our marketing through the exceptional service they received from Faithful to Nature,” she explains.
Leadership lessons learnt along the way
1/ Never stop believing in yourself and your ideas.
Self-belief, self-care and self-awareness are all we have as individuals.
2/ Never give up on the thought you had and where you want to take it.
The only difference between one woman who makes it and one woman who doesn’t is that one woman didn’t give up.
3/ Start with a strong foundation.
Put the work in at the start and constantly go back – recheck and rework your business strategy to keep it relevant and strong. Cash flow should also be a huge priority. You can have an incredible concept, and create an amazing business, but if there isn’t strong management of your cash flow, it will fail.
Connect with Robyn
Check out Faithful To Nature. Contact Robyn directly through her website or find her on Instagram
