Resilience, Celebration, & Self-Care: The Journey of Carmen & Jeremy, Founders of Libra Wellness

We’ve all heard of the American Dream - moving from a home country to the United States of America in hopes to build a new and successful life. But have you heard of the Malaysian Dream? That’s how Libra Wellness was born. Husband and wife, Jeremy and Carmen, moved away their corporate lives in the US to the beautifully diverse and booming Malaysia to start their fast-growing plant-powered and eco-friendly personal care brand.

From navigating the competitive world of public relations to crafting the essence of Libra Wellness, their story is a testament to resilience, determination, and an unyielding commitment to their vision. As they weave through the maze of challenges, they've held tight to three guiding principles: to remember, to celebrate, and to care for. When hurdles loomed large, they didn't just throw in the towel; they remembered their why. For them, celebration wasn't reserved for grand victories alone; it was about savouring every triumph, no matter how small, along the path to success. And in the chaos of building a brand from scratch, they never forgot the most crucial element of all — self-care. Join us as we delve into their inspiring journey, where passion, purpose, and a commitment to mental and physical well-being fuel every step of the way.

Interview with Co-Founders Carmen and Jeremy of Libra Wellness

Could you share a bit about yourselves and how the journey to creating Libra Wellness started? We'd love to hear the story behind it!

We met in college in Chicago and now we’re married to each other and started our business together in Malaysia. We both worked corporate jobs before founding Libra Wellness; Jeremy was in B2B advertising and Carmen worked in the public relations department for a corporate law firm. Starting a business venture together was an unexpected endeavour but has certainly challenged us to grow and expand beyond our limits as individuals and a business team. 

Transitioning from corporate careers in the US to entrepreneurship in Malaysia must have been quite an adventure! What were some specific challenges you faced during this transition, and how did you navigate through them?

It’s like that famous saying that goes “you quit your 9-5 to work on your business 24/7” -- we can attest that it’s true! While our corporate jobs were demanding, starting a business, especially during a global pandemic, can be physically and emotionally taxing, and requires a level of resilience and diligence we have never experienced previously. During times like these, we lean on each other, on our small but mighty team, and learned to ask for help. 

Thinking back to your time in the US, was there a particular moment or experience that inspired you to start Libra Wellness?

Both of us have had the privilege to work on projects for some impressive global brands and have always been curious about the innerworkings of founding and building a brand. When we relocated to Malaysia and Jeremy could not find personal care products that suit his sensitive skin, we had a light bulb moment and thought we should start our own brand! 

Could you tell us about some of the cool initiatives or practices you've put in place to make your supply chain more sustainable?

The first thing we looked at was product packaging. Our goal since the brand’s inception is to reduce the use of plastic as much as possible. After much research and testing, we’ve settled upon aluminium for bottled products and kraft paper for refill pouches. Both materials are more commonly and widely recycled compared to plastic. It was important for us that we manufacture locally, and source materials from local suppliers and printers whenever possible to reduce the environmental impact of fuel consumption and transportation. Admittedly, it is not perfect and not always feasible, but we strive to do better during various stages of our business. 

Mental health is super important, both for employees and customers. How does Libra Wellness make sure to prioritise mental well-being? Are there any special strategies or programs you've implemented?

As founders, we’ve come to understand that the viability of our business requires everyone on our team to be at their very best. Our team practices a hybrid work model, which allows for greater freedom and flexibility. We encourage team members to find work-life balance so they could come to work with a clear mind, expanded creativity, and increased levels of productivity.   

Holistic self-care sounds amazing! How does Libra Wellness stand out from other beauty and wellness brands in this regard? We'd love to learn more about your approach!

We’ve always believed we’re in the business of self-care, and that the practice is beyond skin-deep. We’ve collaborated with mental health experts to provide realistic tips on taking care of your mental and emotional wellbeing. In addition, we also partner with other businesses to organise fitness and wellness events to encourage our community to connect with each other, strengthen their physical and mental health, and hopefully live their happiest, healthiest lives. 

How has Libra Wellness worked to make your brand accessible to everyone, considering the different lifestyle needs of consumers?

Inclusivity is important to us at Libra Wellness. We set out to create products are inclusive to the greatest number of people. Our formulas are free from sulfates, parabens, and many common irritants as we seek to accommodate those with dry, sensitive skin. They are gentle yet effective and are purposefully designed to work on all skin and hair types. Our products are vegan, cruelty-free, and Halal certified. We also developed our signature botanical scent, which is a refreshing, neutral scent that is suitable for women and men. No matter your gender or lifestyle, we hope you’ll find your next everyday essential amongst our collection.

How does Libra Wellness stay innovative while staying true to your values?

Trends come and go, and we aim to create quality products that will not go out of style. We observe there is a growing demand for eco-friendly products and practices in the Malaysian market as people are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of taking care of the environment. Knowing this, we’re hoping to innovate new ways to inflict less harm to the planet, whether it be expanding our refillable options to encourage consumers to reuse existing containers or making the collection process for recycling more accessible. 

Can you share a time when things didn't go as planned for Libra Wellness and how you turned it around?

Since we founded Libra Wellness during the tail end of COVID-19, In addition to regular challenges you would expect with building a start-up, we were also faced with unprecedented barriers and hardship that came with a global pandemic. There were mass suspensions in almost every stage of the supply chain, and indefinite delays from regulatory approvals to order fulfilment. The tumultuous start to our journey taught us an invaluable lesson on resilience and agility, and to exercise creativity while navigating uncharted waters in entrepreneurship, all while prioritising the consumer experience and making sure we deliver a quality product. We cultivate an open-door policy and encourage team members to approach us with issues and challengers so we can problem-solve and overcome as a unit fighting for the same goal. 

With so many beauty products out there, what makes Libra Wellness stand out?

We like to think of our products as the best of both worlds. They look and smell good, but do not compromise on efficacy. We’ve come to discover that many of our customers suffer from specific skin conditions, most commonly eczema, and have found that our personal care products do not trigger an outbreak. We do understand that everybody’s skin is unique, which is why we always encourage customers with ultra-sensitive skin to perform a patch test before diving into any new beauty or skincare product. 

Formulating products must be quite the process! How do you ensure that Libra Wellness products are gentle on sensitive skin while still being effective?

After conducting preliminary research, we found that many skincare and personal care products use SLS and sulfates, which can irritate dry and sensitive skin, as their primary cleansing agent. Taking a hard look at our products ingredient list, we knew we had to be strict and ditch sulfates, parabens and artificial dyes. Our products are also formulated with plant oils and botanical extracts for healthy locks and soft, supple skin. 

How does Libra Wellness connect with your community, both online and offline, to build trust and a sense of belonging?

As a business, we create for our community. We’re constantly asking for feedback from our community members on how we can improve, what is important to them, and what else would they like to see from us. We stay in touch with our community through our social media platforms and newsletter, and as often as we can, organise meet ups and wellness events to further the connection and to exchange ideas and experiences. 

What's next for Libra Wellness? Any exciting projects or developments on the horizon that you're eager to share with us?

We have a new product slated to launch in the latter half of 2024, which we think will be a nice addition to our existing botanical scented collection. And it’s finally a product that you apply and do not need to rinse off!

We’re also working diligently to expand our distribution to reach more customers and make our products more easily accessible, both on online platforms and brick-and-mortar stores. In addition, we’ll also be focusing on building a platform that advocates for the importance of mindfulness, self-care, and holistic wellness.

Their story is one of inspiration and their products are definitely worth the click on “add to cart”. So what are you waiting for? To check out what came out of Carmen and Jeremy’s inspiring journey visit Libra Wellness.

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