Starting a business from scratch is never easy, and it’s even harder in the beauty industry, especially with all the regulations around products like sunscreen. But that didn’t stop Ava Matthews and Rebecca Jefferd. They founded Ultraviolet, a brand that’s shaking up the sunscreen market.
In an interesting interview, the co-founders talk about their journey of coming up with the idea, launching, and growing Ultraviolet over the past five years. They share valuable lessons for anyone looking to start their own business.
Ava Matthews and Rebecca Jefferd
Identifying an opportunity and validating the idea
The seeds for Ultraviolet were planted while Ava and Rebecca were workmates at Australian beauty retailer Mecca. They spotted an opportunity to transform sunscreen from a seasonal, functional product into a daily skincare essential. "Sunscreen had traditionally been in mass channels, available in supermarkets or drugstores," Ava explains. "Consequently, all of the base formulations were suited to that low-cost environment. There was not a thought about making things feel nice on your face."
This realization sparked serious discussions about starting a business together. "We spent probably the next 60 days in Beck's living room on a whiteboard, just ideating the brand and looking at everything from names to products to positioning, how much money we'd need, product cost of goods, targets, retailer distribution plans, how much money we were willing to earn or not earn and for how long," Ava recalls. "We really dug into everything."
However, committing to the leap took time, given the co-founders were at different life stages. "Beck was my boss, so I guess we had a good relationship, but I must have known that she would have been receptive to it," Ava notes. "She had two small children, a mortgage. I was in my late 20s, nothing holding me back except paying rent. So there was a bit of time between that first conversation and the second one."
After stress-testing the concept, seeking feedback from trusted advisors, and aligning with their families, Ava and Rebecca gave notice at Mecca in early 2017 to focus on Ultraviolet full-time. It was a clean break, as they felt it wouldn't be right to build the brand as a side hustle.
The product development hustle
One of the steepest challenges in bringing Ultraviolet to market was formulating sunscreens that met their premium beauty standards. Existing sunscreens were designed for mass market retail and lacked the sensorial and aesthetic qualities Ultraviolet wanted to be known for.
"The first challenge, and why that two years started to eke away so quickly, was trying to find a formulation base that would meet our premium beauty aspirations for this brand," says Ava. "When you're trying to change a category, those formulations didn't exist, so we really had to work very hard in finding what we could start with and then really adjust and tweak and work on elevating."
Rebecca emphasizes the importance of having a clear vision for what "good" looks like: "Whilst we didn't see what good looked like in our space, we knew what a beautiful moisturizer looked like, what a great primer looked like, what a glow serum looked like. It was combining those attributes with a sun protection element that we were really looking for."
Packaging was another complex piece of the puzzle. Ultraviolet needed componentry that would feel at home on prestige beauty shelves and vanities. The brand also had to develop a distinctive voice and identity. "Obviously the branding, the tone of voice, the language - when you're creating something that hasn't existed before, that had to overlay," Ava notes. "There were lots of streams working together."
Making the first inventory bet
As Ultraviolet geared up for its official launch in 2019, Ava and Rebecca had to make a hefty upfront investment in inventory. They placed an initial order for 40,000 units – a nerve-wracking decision for the bootstrapped startup.
"I think we had 40,000 units in total for our first buy, with no customer, no website, no distribution," Rebecca recalls. "And sunscreen has an expiry date. If you don't sell it within 2 or 3 years, you have to throw it out. So there was a ticking time bomb of how long that stock could be around."
Rebecca insisted on purchasing two rounds of stock: "If we could afford to buy two rounds of stock as well as a website, trademarks, whatever else we needed, that would be enough to get us going. I didn't want us to be in a position where all we had was enough to buy the first round and then we were like, what do we do now?"
The magnitude of the bet didn't fully sink in until a conversation with another founder. "She nearly fell off her chair," Ava remembers. "Up until that point, I don't think we'd really thought through the physical space of what 40,000 units would look like. This is someone who was successful in our eyes and had done a really good job, and she was horrified. Only at that point then you start to think, what if we never move it?"
Thankfully, those concerns quickly evaporated. Ultraviolet placed its first replenishment order within 6 months of launch. "That's when we thought, okay, we don't need to worry about moving those 40,000 units of stock," says Rebecca. "We now need to worry about affording the second buy and keeping this business going - which is a different problem."
Preparing for a successful launch
To generate pre-launch buzz, Ultraviolet seized an opportunity to be featured in a magazine article two months before the official debut. Although they weren't entirely ready, the co-founders hustled to make it happen.
"At first when we made the order for inventory, we weren't ready to launch, we didn't have product, we probably had the bare bones of a website," Ava says. "So we thought, we've just got to make this happen." They convinced their manufacturer to produce a small batch of press samples that could be sold as limited edition pre-launch sets.
The article drove sign-ups to a waitlist and helped Ultraviolet gather over a thousand email subscribers and Instagram followers by launch day. The brand focused on organic earned media and word-of-mouth to power initial traction. Distinctive branding and packaging helped the products jump off the screen.
"The packaging was vibrant, the colors were neon and blue," Ava describes. "We kind of knew at the time in 2019 it was that shelfie kind of Instagram era, when you would stand out on flat lays and whatever else was happening on the platform."
Launching strategy
Ultraviolet officially launched their e-commerce store and initial product lineup in 2019. "We launched first with an online, our own website, ultraviolet.com.au," Rebecca explained. "With that website, what it means is that we were getting cash instantly, and we had a higher margin."
The pre-launch article and limited edition sets had helped Ultraviolet gather an email list of interested customers. On launch day, the co-founders focused on converting that list and driving traffic through earned media and organic social media buzz.
Gifting products to beauty editors, influencers and personal contacts sparked a flurry of media coverage and social media chatter. A highly engaged Facebook group of 10,000 beauty enthusiasts added more fuel to the fire. "People were talking about it in this Facebook group," Ava says. "At that point, that was it, that was the start."
Although Ultraviolet did test performance marketing on Facebook and Google, the budget was modest. Organic advocacy driven by a standout product experience was the primary growth engine early on. "We used those 40,000 units, we gave away a lot of product," Ava notes. "When you've got good product, you can rely on that as a really strong marketing tactic."
Taking control of product innovation
As demand for Ultraviolet soared, the co-founders realized they needed to invest in proprietary formulations to manifest their ultimate product vision and defend against copycats. Off-the-shelf formulas from contract manufacturers couldn't keep pace with their ambitions.
"We wanted to be playing at the more premium end of the market, combining the best UV filters and skincare actives, and have a level of innovation that is quite frankly hard for copycats to keep up with," Ava explains. "Contract manufacturers largely make lowest common denominator formulations because their main clients are mass market. There's not a lot who are willing to invest in the UV filters and the innovation that we wanted to put into our brand."
Developing owned formulas required building extensive in-house capabilities. "It's another great reason why we just focus on sunscreens, because we can go deep," Rebecca says. "If we had to then do cleansers and masks and electronic equipment, there's no way you can have a good depth of knowledge on all of those different industries with a small nimble team."
She cautions founders not to underestimate the complexity: "It's really hard and you've got to upskill yourself on manufacturing processes, methods of manufacture, formulation sheets, raw materials, regulatory requirements, testing requirements. You need to understand, because you've got a lot more troubleshooting coming your way. If you don't actually understand what the process is and what all of the ingredients do and why they're there, you are not going to make good decisions and you can end up with an absolute hot mess at the end of it."
Still, Rebecca believes the long-term advantages make the heavy lifting worthwhile: "It's harder to get going, a lot more work up front to make sure you understand, but once you're going, there actually is a real benefit to scaling if you've got those owned formulations." Ava concurs: "It's painful, costly, stressful, but worth it."
Owning their IP allows Ultraviolet to obsess over every detail, rapidly iterate based on customer feedback, and efficiently localize products for different international markets. It's a powerful competitive advantage, even if the upfront trade-offs are substantial.
Scaling globally
From the outset, Ava and Rebecca envisioned Ultraviolet as a global brand. "We knew that this was solving a global problem, not just an Australian problem," Ava explains. "We knew if we wanted to play at the more premium end of the market, then to get scale we had to be global, because Australia is such a small market by comparison. Having that global mindset from the outset was really important and that really drove some key decisions for us."
Launching exclusively with Sephora as their retail partner was one such decision. "Sephora is global and not only are they in lots of countries, but they have a global function that really does look at emerging brands and helps them grow in international markets much quicker than they otherwise would," says Rebecca. "Having that in mind from the outset meant we made very different decisions early on than you might expect, and it's definitely playing out."
Now in over 28 international markets, Ultraviolet is preparing to enter its biggest one yet: the United States. The co-founders are leaving no stone unturned to ensure they get the launch right.
"The US has really challenged everything that we've put into the market, for good or bad, and challenged our way of thinking," Ava reflects. "We've just seen so many people get it wrong, but also if you get it right, that's the rocketship. So there's a lot of pressure on that. It's exciting, terrifying."
Prioritizing customer centricity
Looking back, Ava and Rebecca credit much of Ultraviolet's success to an uncompromising focus on product quality and customer centricity. "It speaks to having inherent respect for the consumer," Ava says. "We were not out buying followers, we were not out shoving a label on something so that we could quickly meet a deadline. There was genuine care and thoughtfulness put into that product. Having that inherent respect for the consumer is really important."
This ethos permeates every aspect of the business, from product development to marketing to customer service. By consistently putting the customer first, Ultraviolet has earned fierce brand loyalty and advocacy.
Q and A with Ava and Rebecca, the founders of Ultra Violette
Q: What inspired you to start Ultra Violette and what gave you conviction the market needed another sunscreen brand?
A: The idea for Ultra Violette really came from our own frustrations as consumers. We were beauty industry veterans who wore sunscreen every day, but we didn't love the experience. Most formulas on the market were designed for the mass market. They didn't feel good on the skin, especially for daily use on the face under makeup. Texture, ingredients, packaging - it all felt optimized for low cost over performance and experience.
At the same time, we saw a major gap in the market in how sunscreen was being marketed and sold. It was seasonal and mostly focused on the beach and outdoors. There was very little emphasis on daily UV protection as part of a skincare routine to prevent premature aging. The messaging was all about skin cancer prevention which doesn't resonate as much with a younger audience.
So we had conviction there was a big opportunity to completely reposition the category and create a premium, skincare-like sunscreen experience that consumers would actually look forward to using every day. Our vision was to change how people thought about sunscreen and make it a desirable part of their daily ritual.
Q: Once you had the concept, what were the key things you focused on operationally to bring the brand to life?
A: On the operational side, a few key things we focused on:
- Product development: Getting the product experience right was absolutely critical and we spent close to 2 years working on it. Ava has an extensive background in product development, so she led those efforts to work closely with a contract manufacturer to develop elevated formulas that weren't available on the market. Sampling, testing, iterating - we put a lot of time into ensuring the product delivered on our vision.
- Brand identity: In parallel, we were developing the brand identity and visual expression. We knew we needed to show up distinctively on shelf and on social media to cut through. We worked with a talented designer to develop the vibrant color palette, custom packaging components, and overall look and feel. We wanted to be visually striking while still looking premium.
- Go-to-market: We were very strategic about our go-to-market approach. We launched DTC first to have a closer connection with the customer and maintain margin. Then we were extremely selective about retail partnerships. We chose Sephora as our exclusive launch partner because of their prestige positioning and their ability to help us scale globally. Building those relationships took time but having alignment with the right retail partner has been game changing.
- Inventory planning: As a self-funded startup, managing inventory and cash flow was one of our biggest challenges early on. For our first production run, we had to purchase 40,000 units without any customers or distribution secured. Getting that initial inventory buy right, while being cognizant of product expiration windows, was stressful but critical to being able to meet demand once we launched.
Q: What advice would you give to other founders looking to launch a beauty brand and replicate your success?
A: A few pieces of advice for aspiring beauty entrepreneurs:
- Solve a real problem: Make sure you're solving a true consumer pain point that either isn't being addressed or could be solved in a more compelling way. Really pressure test your concept and don't overlook the operational challenges of bringing a new product to market.
- Prioritize product quality: In beauty, product is everything. You can have the best marketing in the world but if the product doesn't deliver, you won't get repeat purchases and the brand won't last. Be obsessive about quality and don't rush to market before it's right.
- Know your consumer: Deeply understand your target audience, where they shop, what influences their purchase decisions. Go deep on consumer research and let those insights guide your product development, marketing, and retail strategy.
- Focus on community: Building a strong, engaged community of brand fans is so important in beauty. Invest in organic social media, work with aligned influencers, engage directly with your consumers. Think about how you can foster community both online and offline.
- Mind your unit economics: Beauty is a cash intensive business between inventory, sampling, and marketing. Really pressure test your business model and unit economics before scaling. Understand the implications of different distribution channels on your costs and cash flow.
The beauty industry is competitive but there will always be room for brands that are creating meaningfully better products and experiences. Stay true to your vision, focus on execution, and build an authentic relationship with your community. It's a lot of hard work but if you get it right, the rewards can be significant, as we've been fortunate to experience with Ultra Violette.
Key takeaways for aspiring founders
Ava and Rebecca's journey with Ultraviolet offers invaluable lessons for entrepreneurs looking to launch and scale a consumer brand, especially in a competitive space like beauty. Some key takeaways:
- Validate your idea thoroughly: Spend time pressure testing your concept, seeking feedback from trusted advisors, and ensuring key stakeholders are aligned before taking the plunge.
- Understand what "good" looks like: Having a clear vision for your target product experience is essential for navigating the countless trade-offs in development. Anchor decisions in what will delight your customer.
- Invest in owned IP: While it's tempting to rely on off-the-shelf formulations to get to market faster, owning your product IP unlocks significant advantages in quality control, speed to innovate, and ability to localize. The upfront effort is substantial, but the long-term benefits can be transformative.
- Nail your hero product: In the early days, your product is your most powerful marketing tool. Focus relentlessly on creating something truly differentiated that sparks organic word-of-mouth.
- Think global from the start: Adopting a global mindset from day one, even if you don't expand internationally right away, can open up valuable doors and shape key strategic decisions.
- Always put the customer first: Anchoring every facet of your business in customer centricity is the surest path to building something people love and want to tell others about. Never sacrifice customer experience for a short-term win.
Looking ahead
With five years of hard-won lessons under their belt, Ava and Rebecca are energized to write Ultraviolet's next chapter. The recent launch into Canada retail market and imminent US expansion herald an exciting new phase.
For other founders embarking on their own entrepreneurial adventures, Ava and Rebecca's parting advice is simple: dream big, stay customer-obsessed, and never stop pushing to bring your vision to life. Building a brand that stands the test of time is no small feat, but with resilience, agility, and a little bit of luck, it's an eminently worthy pursuit.
