After some life-changing decisions, Vaiva Zvirblyte sold everything she owned but, in return, received an idea to change the world for the better. We sat down with this inspirational entrepreneur to discuss the story and mission behind SOLIDU cosmetics.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND & WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO START YOUR OWN COMPANY?
Born in Lithuania, I lived in Shanghai for seven years. Once I decided to leave China, I went traveling around Asia. I gave away all my things and had to fit all my life possessions in one backpack. That’s when I discovered solid shampoos and they blew my mind! I was amazed that I had never heard about it, nor had any of my friends. I always thought that shampoos and conditioners were liquid. It never crossed my mind that they could be solid.
After this trip, I returned to Lithuania and started making solid shampoo and cosmetics by myself. This was a complete career change for me, as I was working in sales, branding, and consulting until then. Before it was a business, I was experimenting with lots of different products and was giving them away as presents to everyone – my friends, and family. When I ran out of new people to gift these creations to, I thought to myself: I need to start selling it!
In 2018, I started selling solid products in street fairs and different events and this was a very new concept in Lithuania. I had to insist people try it, even give it away for free. People realized that it works and it’s a good product, so they came back and bought it for themselves and as presents for their friends.
Since the beginning, three and half years ago, SOLIDU has expanded to a larger facility and I now have a small team of people working in production, marketing, design, and sales. Everyone here has come with a desire to work with an ethical product, something they can feel good about.
WHAT MAKES YOUR BRAND DIFFERENT FROM OTHER BEAUTY BRANDS?
While your everyday haircare products contain around 80% water, SOLIDU bars are made only from the necessary elements: skin-loving active ingredients, botanical oils, extracts, and natural essential oils. By eliminating water, the volume of the product is reduced up to 80%. This in turn reduces the amount of packaging and transport needed, cutting waste and CO2 emissions significantly.
SOLIDU is also packaged in an innovative, home compostable packaging. Once the product inside is used up, the packaging doesn‘t have to go into the recycle bin. It can be safely put in a compost bin or simply into the ground, where it becomes a nutrient for the soil. In today’s society, we simply cannot avoid taking into account the environmental impact of any business, and the low-waste philosophy is at the heart of SOLIDU.
DESCRIBE YOUR BRAND IN THREE WORDS.
Honest, effective & sustainable.
WITHOUT GIVING AWAY TOO MANY OF YOUR SECRETS, WHAT DO YOU ANTICIPATE YOUR GROWTH TO BE THIS YEAR AND WHAT IS YOUR DIRECTION FOR THE FUTURE OF THE BRAND?
North America is an important market we are excited to expand into. There is also a lot to be done in Europe, where we are just starting to find partnerships in countries outside of the Baltics. We expect to see around 70% growth this year. As for the brand, we are planning on launching more products: for body, face, and sensitive skin. We are a small team, so we always have more ideas than is possible to realize in any given year, but we are preparing a few exciting products to be launched soon.
WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE SOMEONE GAVE YOU? WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE A BUDDING ENTREPRENEUR?
The best advice came from my boyfriend Robert who is also part of the business. He told me to start doing as much as I can myself, and choose the path that is achievable and affordable. This meant doing what is feasible at that particular moment, without thinking about all the possibilities and lost opportunities. It also meant taking matters into my own hands and learning new skills whenever possible. It doesn‘t come naturally to a perfectionist like me, as I want everything to be 100% perfect before I proceed. Looking back, I can‘t believe how much we‘ve done by ourselves with no funding, external help, employees, or consultants. My main advice for entrepreneurs is to always put customers first. At SOLIDU we create products with our customers in mind and we treat everyone the way we would like to be treated. Anything can be sold once – the question is, will the customer come back for more? If the answer is yes, you are likely to succeed.
FINALLY, WHAT’S AN INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOU PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO HEAR?
I am one of a few people in the world who can translate from Chinese Mandarin to Lithuanian. It‘s a rare combination, and it‘s so different from my current occupation!
Learn more about SOLIDU here.