SMU LOOK welcomed the founder of Fitish on Monday evening in the Umphrey Lee Center. In her presentation, Jenna Owens shared tips on how to grow a business, hosted a giveaway and even provided free samples to event goers.
Owens started off the night by talking about the inspiration behind her company, Fitish, a CBD and wellness e-commerce skincare brand. Owens started her business five years ago as a side-hustle.
Her initial interest in beauty and skincare began during her time working in radio for over 14 years. She desired to have a creative outlet beyond her job and was inspired to dive into the skincare industry after her personal struggles with Rosacea and the complications of finding products that worked for her.
“I wanted more control over my life, I woke up at 3 a.m. everyday working for that job,” Owens said.
Owens discovered through her husband that CBD, a cutting-edge component of marijuana, has anti-inflammatory properties. After seeing the wonders it had worked on her skin post-workout, she realized that there was no skincare lines sold in workout businesses and that it could be a niche way to advertise skincare products.
“In Mexico, they would use marijuana leaves to put on horses to alleviate swelling and pain,” Owens said.
The name Fitish was inspired by Owens wanting a brand persona focused around living a healthy and balanced lifestyle. She wanted to convey the message that one can be healthy and eat french fries, emphasizing that it doesn’t have to be all or nothing.
She also advised students to find their passions and the importance of finding their audience.
“It’s about learning what you don’t want to do with your life,” Owens said. “I was a journalism major, and it took me 6 years to get that [radio] job out of college.”
She shared that students should keep the job that pays the pills while they figure out what they want to do. Owens also stressed the importance of putting oneself in a position to learn.
Students like Shae Walker, paid apt attention as she explained that it might mean losing friends throughout the process of starting a new business, as people are supportive until the business starts doing well.
“While it was not always a smooth journey for her, she is proof that with a driven mindset, you can truly accomplish anything,” Shae Walker, Assistant Editor of the SMU LOOK website said. “As a young woman entering the professional world she is such an inspiration.”
Owens prides herself on never asking others to lend her money for her business. She started by selling short workout videos to see if people were interested in her content; then, she invested her money into Fitish all while maintaining a full-time job.
“I couldn’t have afforded it any other way,” Owens said. “I’m not in debt to anyone.”
She advised students to buckle their bootstraps, noting that their businesses are more attractive when investors see they haven’t raised any money for it. It’s vital to create demand, she said.
“I like to be affordably elevated,” Owens said. “Appeal to the masses.”
Students like, Meighan Ashford, appreciated how transparent Owens was about the trials and tribulations of being an entrepreneur as well as the struggles of starting a business.
“It was good to get a new outlook on how to build a business and how to get things started,” Meighan Ashford, digital writer and content creator for LOOK said. “It was also good to know that there is still hope and you don’t have to figure everything out right away.”
Owens is currently hiring and looking for interns. For more information on internships, e-mail [email protected]
