Ep 7. From natural therapist to a $45 million empire, with Megan Larsen and Sodashi

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15 years ago, Megan Larsen was running a small natural therapies store in Perth. Now, her range of Sodashi beauty and spa products generates revenues in excess of $45 million and are sold in some of the most luxurious hotels and spas in the world.

In this interview, Megan uncovers how growing up in small town New Zealand meant the fear of ‘putting her head up too high’ was instilled within her. But how, luckily for the rest of the world, she didn’t let the fear hold her back on any opportunities and her company now markets over 1000 products in 29 countries, either online or in five-star luxury spas.

Naturally, I wanted to pick the brain of this renegade pioneer of the skincare industry and reveal the skin-deep truth behind her success.

In this episode we delve into:

How to burst out of the crisis of confidence stage
Megan’s techniques for building credibility from her kitchen research lab
How to tackle the growth to meet unexpected demand
Reverse engineering to build a brand around what is selling
Tips for securing partnerships with luxury brands
How to approach other established brands to leverage and build your own (when you’re a ‘no-one’.)
Being prepared to do what it’s going to take
Finding your niche and running with it
Unpicking how Megan and her brand have generated influence
Why business is about your own personality and how to express it without ‘shameless self-promotion.’
The motivation and lessons behind Megan’s big business
How to break through the doubts
Being prepared to admit when you’re wrong
Megan’s team mottos, ethics and tools for creating a harmonious environment
Securing partnerships through leading from the front – how to build them, grow them and keep them