An Interview With Eden Gold
Learn to embrace being an outsider — I always think back to a conference where I was the youngest person there, and people kept asking me whose assistant I was. And while it was uncomfortable, I reminded myself that I deserved to be there just like everybody else and did end up finding people to connect with. There are times that you’ll feel like an outsider, but you have to embrace it.
The entrepreneurial landscape is more vibrant and challenging than ever, with young entrepreneurs at the forefront, driving innovation and redefining the boundaries of success in the business world. These dynamic individuals are not only creating new products and services but also building sustainable business models that thrive in today’s fast-paced, technology-driven environment. Their journeys are filled with lessons of resilience, strategic innovation, and the relentless pursuit of growth. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Fiona Frills, CEO and founder of teen cosmetics brand Frilliance.
A lifelong beauty enthusiast, Fiona began her popular YouTube channel at just 10 years old. Dismayed to discover that most cosmetics companies are run by corporate bigwigs who have no idea what teens need in their skincare routine — she set out to change the industry and by 13, had founded her very own teen-friendly skincare and cosmetic brand, Frilliance. In less than a decade, Fiona has grown the brand to e-commerce prominence with over 1 million subscribers, 150,000,000+ views on YouTube and 100,000,000 #frilliance tags on TikTok, as well as secured distribution deals in the competitive CVS, Walmart, Amazon and Superdrug UK beauty departments.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion about cultural sensitivity, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
When I was 11, I got really into makeup and skincare. I started reviewing products on YouTube — at first, it was just for fun. But around age 12, my skin started really breaking out. I was like, ‘What is going on? Why is this happening to me?’. I turned to my family and friends for answers, but all they said was: ‘It’s just puberty — you’re going to have to deal with it.’ I decided that no, I wasn’t going to just deal with it — I wanted to figure out what was causing my acne. I started researching all of the ingredients in the products I was using — and I was floored. I couldn’t believe that companies were putting these ingredients in products targeted to people who have sensitive skin. It was then that the light bulb turned on — I decided that I wanted to start a brand specifically designed for teen skin with really good ingredients that wouldn’t break anyone out.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?
Years ago, an investor group reached out to me and my mom for a meeting. It went well, and they decided not only to invest in the business, but to take a hands-on approach in helping with photo shoots, events, and the business as a whole. I was excited, and while I didn’t love the percentage they were taking, I figured — hey, they’re the experts. But at our meetings, I noticed that they never listened to me as a teen who founded a teen-centered brand — they didn’t care about my opinions and what I wanted for the company. And while we had great experiences with them, about 8 months in they called a Zoom meeting with us and said: “Florence by Millie Bobby Brown just came out, and we think you should shut down your business — we’re going to pull out our investments.” I remember leaving that Zoom call and crying. I called two of my friends, who came and picked me up and let me bawl my eyes out in the car. I wasn’t willing to give up, so we didn’t. And now, I’m very glad that we didn’t listen to them.
You are a successful individual. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
The first two I’d mention are discipline and consistency. I think that discipline is a learned trait. It’s something that you have to master — otherwise, it’s hard to stick with a business, and with most businesses, you don’t see instant results. Sometimes it’s hard, especially when things aren’t going your way, but you have to just stick with it — be consistent and be disciplined in your work. I also think that being a genuine, authentic person matters. Don’t take advantage of people, don’t compare yourself to other people, be kind. At the end of the day, I think good things happen to good people, or at least I hope so!
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview about young entrepreneurs secrets to rapid growth and success. To start, how would you define success?
To me, success is when I see people we’re working with feel good about their work, feel listened to, feel heard, and feel that they are a part of something bigger — I love seeing people happy. This leads directly to our customers being happy — and having happy, satisfied customers is what I consider success.
What unconventional strategy did you employ that significantly contributed to your startup’s growth, and why do you think it was so effective?
Something we’ve worked hard on is encouraging creativity from everyone we work with and who works for us — we try to make sure that we don’t have many rules that crush creative work. There are no bad ideas, which has always led us to innovative marketing and product ideas.
Can you share a critical pivot point in your startup’s journey and how you navigated the decision-making process?
A huge pivot point was when we pitched Walmart. They hold open calls to discover smaller brands that fill a niche they don’t currently have. I was so nervous about our presentation — Walmart is so big! Our buyer was very enthusiastic and we got an immediate ‘yes’ on our call — which is so rare! But that led to, “Oh my God, we’ve never produced in such high quantities! We’ve never shipped to different DCs! We’ve never had products in physical stores!” It was overwhelming and we had so much to learn. But now, because we have learned so much about retailers, we’re in CVS — the Walmart pitch prepared us for the retail world. It was stressful, yet at the same time turned into a huge success.
How do you balance the need for rapid growth with maintaining a sustainable and healthy company culture?
When I think of a healthy company culture, I think it’s about making sure that everyone is passionate about what they’re working on — that they’re doing something that they genuinely love. When people work on something that they love, we have the best people for the task and the company flourishes.
In what ways has your personal definition of success evolved since the inception of your startup?
I was really young when I started Frilliance — I didn’t fully understand what it took to create a business. I didn’t realize that things don’t happen overnight, and even when they do, you still don’t always see everything that went into the business to get there. It took me some time to realize that it takes time to learn, to grow, to fail, to succeed — it’s a roller coaster, but it’s a fun one!
Based on your experience and research, can you please share “5 Things You Need to Succeed as a Young Person in Business?”
1 . Have a thick skin — try not to internalize every opinion you hear! There are going to be a lot of people in your life who dismiss you as being too young and don’t take you seriously, and you’ll need to learn how to respectfully stick up for yourself and not let that negativity seep into your confidence.
2 . Be able to jump around and pitch in where you’re needed. You’ll need to learn new skills quickly and be able to fill in for others at a moment’s notice — remind yourself that it’s ok to struggle a bit and learn on the go.
3 . Learn to embrace being an outsider — I always think back to a conference where I was the youngest person there, and people kept asking me whose assistant I was. And while it was uncomfortable, I reminded myself that I deserved to be there just like everybody else and did end up finding people to connect with. There are times that you’ll feel like an outsider, but you have to embrace it.
4 . Be a leader who listens and learns — I’ve had my experiences with know-it-all CEOs who are terrible to be around because they don’t give anyone the time of day and just don’t listen. I think as a leader you need to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and be empathetic, ask questions, and be willing to learn. No one is a natural born leader and it’s always worth learning from the people you work with.
5 . Be a good storyteller — you want to be able to describe your business in a compelling way. People can tell if you’re rushing through a presentation or if it seems too vague. They can tell if you’re passionate or if you’re just reading from a slide, so you want to make sure that your passion shows through — you have to be convinced to convince others!
What is one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring entrepreneur that you wish someone had given you at the start of your journey?
Start now. Don’t tell yourself that you’ll start next week. Set a timer for five minutes to work on your idea — and I bet that when it goes off, you won’t want to stop.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I would love for us to be able to give one-on-one skin consultations to middle and high school students. It’s such a hard time in your life, and there is so much bullying — I would love to create a program where teens can feel heard.
How can our readers further follow you online?
@fionafrills and @frilliance on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram!
Thank you for the time you spent sharing these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
About The Interviewer: Eden Gold, is a youth speaker, keynote speaker, founder of the online program Life After High School, and host of the Real Life Adulting Podcast. Being America’s rising force for positive change, Eden is a catalyst for change in shaping the future of education. With a lifelong mission of impacting the lives of 1 billion young adults, Eden serves as a practical guide, aiding young adults in honing their self-confidence, challenging societal conventions, and crafting a strategic roadmap towards the fulfilling lives they envision.
Do you need a dynamic speaker, or want to learn more about Eden’s programs? Click here: https://bit.ly/EdenGold
Startup Savvy: Fiona Frills Of Frilliance Shares Their Secrets For Rapid Growth and Success was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.