Normally, an pimples emergency isn’t something to be grateful for, however Ju Rhyu credit a number of unhealthy breakouts for her virtually in a single day enterprise success.
The founding father of Hero Cosmetics, the skincare model that vows to be your savior within the wake of pimples issues, describes her profession path as undoubtedly not being “straight and linear.” Rhyu lately advised Fortune it wasn’t till she was recruited for a job in Seoul, South Korea, that she chanced on the massive enterprise concept that might launch a skincare line centered on a optimistic method to troublesome pimples.
The Mighty Patch permits wearers to embrace their zits and forgo the disgrace generally related to a nasty breakout. The small patches—roughly 0.47 inches in diameter—have a clear look, permitting for wearers to cowl their blemishes at night time and even in public. They’re a discrete various to different options for protecting pimples, similar to make-up which may draw extra consideration to the face.
“I at all times joke that I labored at among the world’s greatest manufacturers—Kraft Meals, Mondelez, American Categorical, and Samsung Electronics—after which ended up beginning an indie skincare model,” she mentioned.
At 35 years previous, whereas working at a company advertising job for Fortune 500 big Samsung, Rhyu was affected by a bout of unhealthy breakouts when she seen one thing odd: Her coworkers had been sporting hydrocolloid patches plain on their faces—within the workplace.
Puzzled, Rhyu requested why her colleagues had been openly sporting Band-Help-like squares and rectangles on their cheeks and chins, one thing she’d by no means seen in the USA. Their easy clarification? Taming a pimple.
“I went to a pharmacy, I attempted one, and it modified my skincare routine as a result of it really works so significantly better than something I had used earlier than,” she recalled. “I put it on at night time, and by morning, it bought all that gunk out.”
That gunk—a mixture of micro organism and lifeless white blood cells—is commonly what provides pimples their outstanding look on the face. Having the ability to eliminate it in a single day is a recreation changer for individuals who cope with pimples, because it usually results in destructive results on self-worth.
The expertise jumpstarted the younger entrepreneur’s “training” in skincare. After making an attempt “each single risk on the market” for pimples aid–together with dermatologists, toothpaste, and sticky pink lotions–Rhyu set her sights on revolutionizing skincare, beginning with the Band-Help aisle.
Capitalizing on her company background, Rhyu started strategizing learn how to deliver her concept to market alongside her two co-founders.
“One of many shopper behaviors I seen was that the hydrocolloid-patch format was really already round for fairly a very long time, however they had been within the Band-Help aisle,” she mentioned. “There was nothing, at the moment, within the magnificence part.”
In 2017 the trio determined to bootstrap their enterprise, combining $50,000 of their very own cash as an alternative of searching for traders; one thing that was “very in opposition to the grain” on the time. Nevertheless, after a profitable launch of the Mighty Patch on Amazon—by which their authentic stock bought out in simply 90 days—Ryhu and her staff had been prepared for mainstream success.
By 2022, the model had garnered over $100 million in gross sales, and agreed to be acquired by Arm & Hammer, Nair, and OxiClean father or mother firm Church & Dwight for $630 million.
“I by no means in one million years thought that Hero can be as profitable as we’re,” Rhyu mentioned.
Publicity to cultures across the globe not solely impressed Rhyu’s enterprise, it’s been a continuing theme all through her time as chief government officer of Hero Cosmetics. After leaving Seoul in 2014, Rhyu finally relocated to Paris for six years, the place she continued to run her New York Metropolis-based firm.
“I’ve been touring lots for the previous six to seven years,” she mentioned. “After I was dwelling in Paris, I used to be doing three weeks in Paris, one week in New York, so I used to be undoubtedly a professional.”
The CEO lately determined to maneuver again to the U.S., settling in Los Angeles. Whereas she’s nonetheless dwelling in a distinct timezone than Hero’s HQ, it doesn’t make her any much less concerned.
She says her key is just not work-life stability, however work-life integration.
“It’s actually nearly discovering a schedule that works for you. It’ll be totally different for everybody,” she mentioned. “I don’t assume we will count on anybody to be on on a regular basis, 24/7.”
The founder gave Fortune an unique have a look at her day by day routine, which kicks off vibrant and early at 6 a.m.
With good skincare, comes nice vitamin
6:00 a.m.: As quickly as she rises, Rhyu prioritizes breakfast “it doesn’t matter what.” Her typical morning meal consists of two eggs and a chunk of toast alongside a cup of espresso. Following breakfast, she completes her morning skincare routine, which entails a fast rinse off with water adopted by a Vitamin C serum and sunscreen.
Because the work day has already began for her colleagues in New York , Rhyu journeys to her desk and jumps straight into work, catching up on emails and making ready for the day.
8:00 a.m.: Now well-caffeinated and caught up on the information of the day, Rhyu begins taking Zoom calls with colleagues, which differ by day.
“Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, I might have anyplace from three to 5 conferences a day,” she mentioned, including that Mondays and Fridays are “much more clear.”
12:00 p.m.: Round midday, Rhyu breaks for lunch, a meal she at all times prefers to arrange for herself.
Put up lunch if she doesn’t have conferences, the CEO dedicates this window for catching up on work or private wants.
“It’s once I’m doing my pondering work,” she mentioned, including she usually reserves the time for duties which might be “a little bit bit extra annoying, however I’ve the time and I’ve the silence to concentrate on it.”
3:00 p.m.: After lunch, Rhyu heads out to train with a private coach on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The entrepreneur lately bought a reformer pilates machine, which she makes use of on her off-days.
“I attempt to incorporate walks as a result of we stay in LA and the climate is de facto nice.” she mentioned.
6:00 p.m.: After ending up the remainder of her work day, Rhyu eats dinner and spends time together with her husband.
“We’ll pull up Netflix or we’ll pull up a film,” she mentioned. “We simply attempt to watch one thing that type of helps us wind down for the night time.”
As for her nightly skincare routine, Rhyu at all times double cleanses (a tip she discovered whereas in Korea) utilizing Hero’s Dissolve Away Cleaning Balm and Tatcha’s Rice Polish Foaming Enzyme Powder. She follows this mixture with a retinol or a hydrating serum.
“All in all, it’d take me like 5 or 10 minutes,” the skincare CEO says.
9:30 p.m.: The very last thing Rhyu does earlier than falling asleep? Studying a number of e-book pages, a staple in her routine that helps her fall asleep.
“I attempt to be in mattress round 9:30/10:00 p.m. after which I’ll go to sleep shortly thereafter.”
