We spoke to Isobel Perl, Founder of PERLCosmetics, on how she used lockdown to set up her own business after University…
Where did you attend University and what course did you study?
The University of Nottingham, Biology
When you graduated, what were your initial career plans for life after University?
After graduating I knew I wanted to travel, so I got an admin job in my local town to save money. That was my short term plan. I hadn’t really thought too hard of what I wanted to do once I returned. Whilst working, I ended up applying for a masters at Imperial to study Cancer Biology as I had really enjoyed my undergrad. But ultimately, I knew this wasn’t the path for me, and that I was probably just delaying the inevitable of finding a job.
How did you find the experience of graduating?
Straight after University, I felt okay, because I had a plan to find a job to save money to go travelling. Due to this, it didn’t matter what job I found as I knew it was only for a short time and there was an end to it. I never thought corporate life was for me, hence I applied for a masters and was happy to find out I was accepted to Imperial. The 9 months post-University were incredibly dull, having to save money and having moved back home it was definitely a different experience to University life. But as soon as I stepped on that plane to go off for 6 months, I knew it was worth it.
Were there any hurdles you had to overcome in the process of getting to the point you’re at now?
When I returned from travelling I started my masters, and lasted 3 weeks. I knew I was doing the masters because I had no idea what else I wanted to do. So there I was, now 1 year out of University, still living at home and back in the same admin job I was doing to save up money. I felt so lost, all my friends seemed to know what they wanted to do. Why couldn’t I figure it out?! I had an internal promotion and moved to the London office, where I then moved into a rented flat with my best friends. Finally, I felt like my life was going where I thought it should be. But, I was so miserable. I actually ended up in therapy to work on myself, and I felt so much better for doing so. In February 2020, I decided to take action and apply for new jobs. I managed to get to the final interview for 2 roles, one I was beaten by someone with more experience, and another got delayed due to COVID. It was like a smack in the face, I finally had things moving where I wanted but the world entered a global pandemic. I honestly didn’t think things could get much worse, but a few months later I ended up losing my job too. Despite it not being a dream job, it was a safety net for me and gave me some sort of purpose in life.
Whilst miserable in my old job, I was brainstorming ideas and really thinking about what my passions were. I’ve loved cosmetics, makeup and skincare for all I can remember. I even had a little foray into having my one MUA Instagram, which was short-lived. After seeing a Daily Mail article (yep, where all good ideas begin) about two young e-commerce lads starting a hugely successful skincare business in Australia, it got me thinking. What are the big British brands that specialise specifically in clay masks? I couldn’t think of any, and so I did some more research, and hence the idea of PERLcosmetics was dreamt up. But, I knew I’d never leave job security to pursue this dream. So, I guess losing my job was the push I needed to get my business up and running. Weirdly enough, I couldn’t be happier as I’m so passionate about what I’m doing. I’m able to have creative freedom and be my own boss!
How did you channel your emotions and experiences into your business (@perlcosmetics) and Instagram platform (@girlsinbusinessUK)?
As soon as I knew I was losing my job, I decided to focus all my time and energy on getting the @perlcosmetics up and running. It’s given me something to focus my time and energy on, allowed me to use my creative flair and to create something others can benefit from! From this, came @girlsinbusinessuk, as I wanted to connect with other women who have started their own businesses, blogs, Instagrams etc. I had joined Facebook groups, however, most don’t allow people to promote themselves. That is exactly what this platform is for, self-promotion! Giving women a platform to shout about their businesses, their experiences and to share and insights. I love hearing everyone’s stories and I’ve been able to connect with such wonderful women, I’ve had a girl in Australia do my logo and branding, another girl create some of my illustrations. It’s been incredible and I am so grateful!
What aspects of your experience at University have helped you reach the point you’re at today?
University taught me a lot of things, from managing my own time to being resilient. It allowed me to grow up, living away from home you can’t rely on family as much and you have to learn to be able to balance a lot of conflicting priorities, such as do I do my coursework or do I go to Crisis… I’ve also made such amazing friends from University who have been so incredibly supportive.
If you could go back and tell yourself one thing after graduation knowing what you know now, what would you say?
It’s okay to not know what you want to do. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to have it all figured out and try not to compare yourself to others. Just do what makes you happy and don’t give much thought to what others think!
Do you have any advice for recent graduates who want to go down a similar pathway of starting their own business / starting a creative project after University?
There will never be the right time to do it. There will always be something you can tell yourself as to why you can’t do it now. If it’s something you’re truly passionate about, there is no time like the present. If you’re doing something that makes you happy, then that’s the biggest positive. But you never know where it may take you, the people you may meet and the experiences you will gain. Try not to let the fear of ‘what if’ hold you back.
Leave a Comment