What does IWD mean to you? It is a celebration of women and their achievements whether that’s economic, social, cultural or political. It’s also a good opportunity to meet (when we could) with likeminded women over a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and to learn from them.
What does your role entail? I am a brand owner, I’m Joanne Browne, founder and creator of Jo Browne Ireland. Jo Browne Ireland offers luxury and natural skincare, body care products both for you. And our most recent launch is our Bamboo Bedding range, What have been some of the biggest struggles and triumphs as a woman in business? There has obviously also been the struggles of the past year and having to let staff go. Otherwise, the business has literally grown organically, and our product quality and uniqueness has stood the test of time. There is a temptation to try to do too much too soon, but I am more comfortable rolling out new quality products and brand innovation when I am confident that we can deliver on current demand to a consistently high standard.
What skills are important to have in your sector? Tenacity above all else, plus belief in yourself and your products, because it’s a competitive area. What will be the biggest challenge for the generation of women behind you? That is a good question – I think that each generation has helped pave the way for the one coming after them. I think computer skills and social media skills as they are both changing daily, and I think self-belief.
Describe the 3 characteristics about yourself that you believe led to your success in business. Grafter, determined, and see the good in everybody. What woman has positively impacted/inspired you in your career, and what is one lesson she taught you? I would say that Marissa Carter is a tenacious businesswoman who never give-up despite any obstacles she encountered and is now one of the most successful and well recognised names in the beauty business, I love how she helps smaller Irish business. . What do you do on a regular basis to celebrate your woman self? Have a long and relaxing bath and pamper session using our scrubs, cleansers, and oils, and getting into our sumptuous bamboo bedding. I have 3 kids so going for a walk on my own can be heaven.
What is a daily or weekly ritual you have that contributes to your ongoing success? I am a big believer in journaling and everything that Jo Browne brings out must be different to any other products out there and that we are the first company in Europe to bring Bamboo Packaging to the market. I work 7 days a week and keep on eye constantly on the cosmetic global market and what’s trending in the beauty business.
What is something interesting you are currently working on? Personal or professional. We are renovating our house and big into interiors now and colours especially orange and Blue, I am working on new products but can take a year or more to develop but I love this bit the most formulating and experimenting with new ingredients |
