LifestyleFrom a graduate in Political Science to founding a pubic hair care startup at the age of 29: "I want to take away the...

From a graduate in Political Science to founding a pubic hair care startup at the age of 29: “I want to take away the shame”

The LinkedIn profile of lili vogelsang He gives the impression that he is a person who can get where he wants.

He completed an internship at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, worked at the German Foreign Office and at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK). Her first job after studying Political Science took her to the strategic consultancy of Wolfgang Ischinger, head of the Munich Security Conference.

He then moved to the public relations agency Finsbury Glover Hering in Berlin, but left his job after only 9 months.

Now she is a businesswoman, says Vogelsang over a cappuccino with oat milk in a Berlin cafe. It could be thought from his work history that he is dedicated to saving the world, climate protection, or something with a great impact on society.

But the 29-year-old smiles: “No, not directly. It is a self-care company ‘down there'”. And he clarifies that she wants to “take away his shame.”

18 events for entrepreneurs and startups that you cannot miss in 2023

It provides solutions to intimate problems that many know

sentou is the name of the startup that Vogelsang founded in September 2022 with which sells an aftershave lotion for the intimate area that does not distinguish between genders through its own online store. The 29-year-old says she is solving a “hot-button” problem.

The idea came to her by talking to her friends about intimate topics. Almost all of them have experienced the problems caused by pubic hair and shavingfrom encysted pimples or ingrown skin.

In the meantime, he has received the results of a survey, according to which one in 2 people has ever abstained from sexual intercourse because they have been ashamed not to be shaved or how they had their hair.

After explaining how the idea for the startup came about, there were more questions left, like if that was it, or if he really believed he was making the world a better place.

Vogelsang was ready, because she, too, had asked herself these questions: “The issue of impact on society is very important to me”, assures. For this reason, he comments that he meditated for a long time on these questions: is a new cosmetic product necessary?

“Only when I found enough answers about How did my idea contribute to society and improve people’s lives?I decided to put it into practice.”

A cosmetics company that doesn’t constantly point out people’s problems

His aim is to show that also you can be a “good cosmetics company”it states.

One that doesn’t constantly tell people what their problem is: wrinkles, dark circles, too much here and too little there. “It’s about feeling good, not being perfect,” says Vogelsang.

The imposed beauty fees are not applicable to your company, you also plan to add other products to the line of after shave: Soon there will be a body hair oil for those who don’t shave and a scrub for those who shave or wax.

And what will be next? Vogelsang assures that they will continue to work only for products from the pubic area. “The big vision is to build a skincare category exclusively for the intimate area,” he says.

From the university to the ‘startup’: the entrepreneurial spirit is born in the classroom

Right now, he’s starting to expand Sentou’s marketing. So far, I had done bootstrapping, that is, he had financed his company with his own funds. But he was also able to use resources from the Next Commerce accelerator program to build the company.

A few months ago, he searched for a tech-savvy co-founder through the Founderio network and found Felix Hartmann who is helping him raise funds. Last week she met with investors and the first commitments have already been made.

The network trick connects you with industry giants

What has driven the company is the Lili Vogelsang’s networking skills. Her energetic personality makes it easy for her to communicate and spread the word about her company’s purpose and how it is helping people break taboos around pubic hair.

While narrating how he connects with people, has revealed essential advice for making a good networking: “I approach people very decisively, but only if I think I can contribute something.” What they never do is offer “coffee meetup” invitations without giving more information about why they would be interested in meeting you. “I know how precious time is for people.”

His rule is always to offer something first and then see what results it gives.

Yesterday, for example, she spoke on the phone with a member of the board of directors of a large chain of beauty stores. At first he didn’t want to talk to her, but then he wrote her an email: Vogelsang had noticed how the company handled social media and gave them 3 suggestions for improvement. So he later wanted to meet her.

Estonia, the country of startups

Vogelsang learned about it through the Verena Pausder and Lea-Sophie Cramer podcast, Fast an Curiousabout what Estonia it was a place that investors liked to go for be the country of startups and that the presenters of the program wanted to go.

Vogelsang had been an intern at the Chamber of Foreign Trade in Tallinn for 6 months. So when she finished listening to the show, she wrote Cramer an email explaining that she could go there and help.

Meet those responsible for business creation in Estonia and he knows how to bring business and politics together. “I can organize your agenda with the events and places you can’t miss. Are you in or out?” After 3 hours, she says, the answer came: “We’re in.” In November 2022, Lili Vogelsang traveled to Estonia with Verena Pauser and Lea-Sophie Cramer.

The Spanish unicorn Fever exceeds 1,800 million valuation after a new round led again by Goldman Sachs

Since then, she and Cramer have kept in touch from time to time. The young woman comments that Cramer told her that she was such a talented founder, and He asked her why she was focusing on such a small niche market. and it was not focused on an area of ​​business in which it could have more influence.

Intimate care does not save the planet. It’s not rocket science, it’s not disruptive, it’s not innovative, and it’s probably not the next German Sentou unicorn.

For Lili Vogelsang, however, these considerations are not relevant. She is convinced that Sentou products make a difference for people in certain situations and that your company is good and pleasant for them.

In terms of market potential, nor is it far fetched to say that your startup can become something really big, points out. “But what we want—contrary to what is usually the case—is to build a long-term, sustainable company that can be profitable quickly and grow on its own,” says the founder.

“I don’t have enough e-commerce spirit to say that we are now going to focus all our resources on marketing and influencers and tell people they need it.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest Posts

Read More
More