Tuba Sahiner is a mum to 3 girls, a primary school teacher from Melbourne & the Founder of Elesya Skincare.
All of the Elesya Skincare products are 100% natural, locally made, vegan, cruelty-free & suitable for all skin types including sensitive and problematic skin.
For more details, visit their website here.
Here we sit down with Tuba, to know a bit more about her journey as an entrepreneur.
Q. Tell us a little more about your journey as an entrepreneur – how did you get started? What inspired you?
Tuba: I’ve always wanted to operate my own skin clinic & formulate my own products, however, I became a mother at the age of 21 and life just became busy & my priorities in life changed. Fast forward many years – at the age of 35 I finally decided to start my own business. In the meantime, I found myself constantly searching for products suitable for my overly sensitive skin and I realised that I was limited in choice. Most products were designed for normal skin types using active ingredients. These might do wonders for some, but not for others like myself who have sensitive skin. Whilst trying different brands, even some that claimed to be ‘natural’ and ‘suitable for sensitive skin’ I came to a point where I ruined my skin’s barrier & wasted so much money on products that did not deliver results. Most of these products were just too strong and packed with unnecessary ingredients. I suffered from redness, dry patches, occasional breakouts, uneven skin tone and just easily inflamed skin! With a busy schedule I was also short on time and often cancelled skin treatment appointments at salons. So I started researching natural ingredients and decided to create my own products that were easy to use for busy women like myself in the comfort of their own home – and that’s how Elesya started.
This past July 2022 we celebrated Elesya’s 1st Birthday, which was a huge success! The month of July’s turnover was more than what I earn as a Teacher in a month!
Q. What are your long-term goals in business? Paint a vision for the future
Tuba: Our top strategy for growth so far has been word of mouth and we forecast this growth to rapidly increase in the new financial year. We already have a few wholesale orders from local salons, & we anticipate growing & seeing the Elesya range on the shelves of major beauty retailers.
Q. What motivates you?
Tuba: I’m not going to lie, this business gig definitely is not easy – especially when you’re a mum to three kids plus working full time! In saying that, every review and message I receive from my customers keeps me going. The feeling of a total stranger messaging you to thank you for saving their skin and making them feel confident in their own skin honestly makes my heart sing. These are always great reminders that keep me going. When starting this business one of my goals was to make women feel comfortable in their own skin with effective products that are also affordable, which I believe I am achieving through the reviews I receive.
Q. What business-related book has inspired you the most, or, what is your favourite book?
Tuba: This past year I have read many business and self-growth books. It’s a bit hard to choose one but if I had to, it would be ‘The new hustle’ by Emma Isaacs. It’s an easy read with lots of simple tips you can implement straight away to work smarter and not harder, which is exactly what I need as a busy mum.
Q. What is the most memorable thing you’ve done since you started your business?
Tuba: I’ve realised that the number one factor for growth in business is your mindset.
This past year I’ve definitely shifted my thinking from a limiting mindset to a growth and accepting mindset. I’ve learnt to stop negative thoughts that often impact your business growth and I’ve also stopped caring about what others think. Anyone who personally knows me can definitely see the difference and I often receive comments on this shift in my personality. I’m a true believer in ‘if she can do it so can I, in fact, I can do it better’.
Also as I’m currently working full time as well, I definitely ensure I am organised at all times. This includes everything from groceries to packing orders to content creation for social media. Being organised and keeping track of my to-do list ensures I also have free time over the weekend to rest and create memories with my family.
Q. If you were to write a book about yourself, what would you name it?
Tuba: To be honest this question is a bit hard to answer right now, as I believe my life is going through some major changes in terms of my career as well as my own personal growth, but it would definitely be a book about empowering young women to believe in themselves and not hold back in life.
Q. What is one of the best or most worthwhile investments you’ve ever made?
Tuba: As I mentioned earlier, this past 1 year has definitely been about my personal & business growth. As someone who is short on time, finding the right business coach and online course/readings was definitely important for me. I believe I have made the right choices so far, as well as being open to learning and accepting recommendations is definitely equally as important.
Q. Where do you see the future in your niche/industry 3-5 years from now?
Tuba: I definitely believe the beauty industry will continue to grow, especially as consumers are becoming more aware of the importance of using clean beauty products on their skin. As our products are 100% natural, I believe there is a huge opportunity of growth for Elesya over the next few years.
Q. What is your ‘one-sentence’ piece of advice you’d like to give to someone who wants to become an entrepreneur, coach, or business owner?
Tuba: Hard to fit into 1 sentence but I’d highly recommend starting your business journey with 100% confidence in yourself and your product or service – yes you will make mistakes but it’s important to see these mistakes as an opportunity for growth rather than a ‘mistake’ and keep working harder.
To keep up to date with Tuba and her journey, connect with her on Instagram.
