Operational difficulties, international workshops and non-linear progress

Our Startup School is designed to provide women with all the foundational knowledge they need to turn their idea into an MVP, and then keep it running in a way that works for them and their life.

A big part of removing barriers for women in entrepreneurship is reframing the view that in order to found a company, the business needs to be your exclusive focus and your immediate aim should be funding.

That’s not realistic for a lot of people - nor does it need to be.

Being a founder looks like many different things, and we’re delighted to be able to share the stories of what this can mean for different women in our community. 

Roxanne Pedersen has spent the last year moving to the South of France, teaching international workshops on hair care, and delving into the operational difficulties of natural hair products - pretty cool, right?

Take a read to learn more about her company RAWLY, taking your product to new markets, and how non-linear progress is still progress.

Hi Roxanne! Do you want to tell me a bit about what’s been going on since you finished the Startup School? 

We finished by doing our pitches and that was an amazing experience for me, because even though I went to business school and worked with business and marketing, it was the first time I was able to present something that was so personal to me in such a concrete manner.

Frankly, I’d always looked at my company as more of a hobby.  It had made me money and I was servicing it in salons, but for some reason, I’d always looked at it as more of a passion than a business. 

This experience gave me such a boost in confidence to go out there and talk to more people about it.

I’m so glad you got that boost! Who are some of the people you spoke to?

One was a biochemist, based in Amsterdam, who works as a trichologist (a healthcare professional who focuses on hair and scalp) and also produces home-made products. 

It was great to get the validation of the concept from her, because one of my worries was: “I didn’t make this in a lab, I’m not a chemist or a scientist.” 

I was also advised by the biggest afro curly hair retailer in Copenhagen. This was extremely helpful and relevant, as she provided me with a lot of operational knowledge I was lacking.

It sounds like she’d be a really helpful contact.

Yes - she gave me some good advice on the retail route. The startup school helped me put together confidence and the vernacular to express myself regarding the business, and this was my next step of learning. It helped me consider things such as what sales channels would suit a product which has perishable contents? 

Meeting her was an eye opener for me - she didn’t just say “Hey this is a great idea!” She posed real questions that helped find the most viable way forward. She provided me with the insights and thought-provoking questions I needed to create sensible sales channels.

That’s important information to get! Did you speak to anyone else in relation to the operational side? 

The Rawly concept includes the use of overripe bananas and avocados, amongst other natural ingredients, so I had discussions with businesses in Copenhagen that upcycle and supply food waste.

Basically, I spent some months just putting myself out there and meeting different people and trying to find these missing links in regards to operations. 

Sounds like there’s been a lot of challenges in the journey. How did you stay motivated through all of this?

Well there was a goal to achieve, so the only way is forward! Moving with passion and curiosity always helps.  

Aside from that, I was contacted in May to lead and demonstrate a 3 hour haircare workshop introducing the power of Rawly. I was invited by an organisation called ‘Afro Hair and Identity’, who have a mission to empower parents of Afro-European children by creating pride and understanding about having multiple heritages.This felt like a step in the right direction.

That’s really cool! Can you tell me more about it? 

The organisation is co-funded by the EU, meaning this initiative is one they wish to advance to different countries within the European Union. There were 45 people at the initial workshop, and I was given the space to share the concept of raw beauty with others, which was also an opportunity to enlighten, inform and uplift! It was a really meaningful experience for me to speak to them about hair care.

As someone who has curly hair, I feel a fair bit of the struggle and need for knowledge!

Yeah definitely. It was an eye opener to see and understand the challenges of the audience. Frankly, this struggle you speak of is the exact reason I began making Rawly at home in the first place. 

I love that!

My favourite part of the experience, apart from meeting everyone, was the visual demonstration of the use of Rawly. It was an impromptu decision as I only planned to present the workshop on hair health and show the product - until two little girls bravely asked to take part in a physical demonstration.  I also think it was the best way to convince the target audience of the function of the product and get connected.

Very cool!

It is! Although, honestly speaking, sometimes I feel let down by myself because although I know my goals are within reach, it still feels as though I haven’t done enough.  And now, with my location change, I feel as though I have slowed down my own progress.

It makes sense, there’s been a lot going on. How have things changed since you’ve moved countries? 

I’ve been able to partner with a salon here in the South of France!

Congratulations - being able to set up in a new country is so impressive! What are your hopes for 2025? 

My hope right now is to figure out how to perfect my supply chain and to increase brand awareness. As a marketing professional, I really believe the way forward is to consistently show up online. 

Those sound like excellent focuses to have. What’s the thing that you’re most proud of that you’ve achieved with your company this last year? 

I would definitely have to say the brand awareness that I was able to achieve, because that’s what led me to getting the workshop, and the workshop in itself was also a very proud moment for me.  

It was out of my comfort zone, but  it was also a moment of realisation that I could really be paid for my passions.  Paid to travel to a location, paid for the workshop in itself, and additionally paid to sell Rawly.

That’s definitely something to be proud of. Any final thoughts to share?

Life’s not linear, so keep going if something is driving you. I will say I've definitely questioned myself about if and why I want to continue, but every time I don’t do anything about the company, I feel as though I’m missing something. 

Yeah it’s such a good reminder that when you’re doing something you love the path is never linear, but that doesn’t mean you’re going nowhere.

Exactly! The way you’ve just put it is perfect.

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