Growth Equity. 📈✨The Fab fireside chat with a beauty entrepreneur in NYC.
A conversation with Amy Gordinier, the founder of iconic beauty brand Skinfish and her investor partner Nicole Fourgoux, Stride consumer. A meeting hosted by Lin Chen Fab, co-chapter leader in New-York.
The entrepreneur ⚡️✨. Amy Gordinier. Started her career in L’Oreal, then went on to study MBA at INSEAD. Also worked at Jo Malone. Moved to Nova Scotia. Met a fabulous woman who had a formula to treat skin barrier issues; this formula was created by her grandfather who was a pharmacist. People raved about this formula! And she decided to become an entrepreneur!
The investor partner. Nicole Fourgoux. 🤝Has been working in the beauty industry for 24 years. Started in Germany, then moved to France, then to the US. Started her career in L’Oreal. Her last ten years at L’Oreal were spent working in M&A. She Decided to move to Stride Consumers and joined the team as an operating partner. Her role is to build Stride’s beauty portfolio.
Nicole: What did it look like to start Skinfix?
Amy: Captivated by the formula of the original Skinfix. The family who created the formula has received a lot of letters from customers who have had lots of skin barrier issues thanking them for developing the formula and treating their eczema, and psoriasis! I took the formula to a dermatologist. They liked the formula and they did a trial.
We believe in highly active formulas that are formulated to treat skin issues. Every formula is scientifically validated. 🔬🧪
“When I first bought the company, we produced the products in a garage (it was an approved and licensed facility!). It was only myself in the garage + one other person who also handled accounting, marketing”.
Nicole: What were your biggest mistakes in your early days and what did you do to overcome the early speed bumps?
Lots of things went wrong! We had a product that ended up not being stable. After producing nearly 50k units, the product started to separate. We missed a launch and we ended up incurring a huge financial liability, but it was a great learning experience too. We were able to identify that we needed to hire a QA person!
Nicole: What type of advice would you give early stage brands when they’re thinking about fundraising? 🚀
Ask yourself — is there a non-dilutive option for me? A debt option? As a group of founders, don’t give up too much — your time, effort, blood sweat and tears are worth a lot more than any other investment!
Nicole adding: Make sure you’re not up against running out of money and that there’s enough time to look at your financing options!
Nicole: What are your primary growth strategies given how saturated the market is? 📈
We are focused on our core vision and purpose — skin barrier health. We believe that skin barrier health is at the core of all skin issues. Our strategy is to continue to move science forward by constantly looking at new technologies and looking at ways to clinically validate that science. We don’t rely on too many products to fuel growth. Just one product because we’re good at that!
Nicole: How do you see yourself as a leader?
I see myself as a work-in-process. I strive for constant growth and constant mentorship. Self-awareness, patience, observation, mentorship, and self-forgiveness drive me!
Nicole: When you were choosing an investor partner, what were you looking for and why did you pick Stride?
I was searching for an investor partner who shares my vision, who has experience in the industry, and who has a high EQ (which is unique in the PE space, lol!). Stride is full of people who are curious, kind, and understanding. Stride has spent a lot of time with us and has shared lots of contacts, time, and analyses, …We wanted a partner that can help SkinFix scale.
Nicole adding: There’s a financial aspect and a partnership aspect. Stride likes to be an active partner — we like to help and we want to know where we can add value.
Nicole: How do you keep your work life balance? How do you stay sane?
You have to learn to let go and trust that your team has your back — it may not be perfect but almost often, your time is more valuable than perfection. Take your evenings, weekends, and vacations! 🧘♀️🏄🏾♀️🤸♂️
What are your hobbies outside of work?
I have teens, so their hobbies are my hobbies! I play chess with my son and I watch trash tv with my daughter. I was a comparative religious studies major. I love spirituality and astrology!
Questions from Lin (Founder of Pinkmoon, hosting the meeting) to Nicole: What is the criteria for receiving growth equity? 🤝
There’s a proof of concept, success in a distribution channel, a minimum number of sales. For Stride, we look at brands with $10mm+ in sales per year.
Is the brand in a growing category? Is it a truly authentic founder story? Not easily replicable? Is the product truly performing? What does the next stage look like after the growth equity phase?
Question to Nicole from the audience: Would you recommend scaling internationally as a seed-stage company? 🌎
International is complicated. Take your time.
Before going international, founders have to prove that there’s proof of concept!
Question to Nicole from the audience: Any advice about anticipating M&A and exits?
Stride talks about the company’s exit plans with the founder(s) before they invest in a company: what is the vision of the founder and can Stride support the business through the exit? Think a few years ahead — what is the goal and what is the best way to achieve it. You need to be aligned with your investors.
For fun, What is your fave city? ✈️ 🌇
Nicole: Barcelona. Amy: NYC!
Fave guilty pleasure?🍦🍔
Nicole: cold brew coconut ice cream! Amy: In n Out burger!!
Any exciting news of the year that you want to share? 🤗
Nicole: We can finally take our masks off when we go to restaurants!!
Amy: My step-niece had a baby on Monday named Daisy!
Thank you to our guest speakers and hosts (thank you Miranda for the great help!).
Next meetings? See here under and don’t forget to subscribe to the newsletter (free, and quarterly, we won’t spam your mailbox!) 👉https://www.beautytechcommunity.com
April 12 Sustainable fashion and inclusivity seen by the West Coast.
April 21 (in person). London!
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/fashion-beauty-tech-london-tickets-294465673757
Talk to you soon!
Lin and Miranda, Fab NYC.
