Sydney Blank

Age || 22

Company Name || Skin by Syd NYC

Title || Owner

Company Start Date || December 2018

Years living in New York || 4

Social handles || @skinbysydnyc , @misssydneyblank

Company website || Skin by Syd NYC

What did you want to be as a child?  

A business owner.

What’s the best piece of advice you were given when you were starting out?

Never give up!

How did you first come up with idea to start your brand and get into skincare?

Before I started modeling, I went to aesthetician school when I was 18 and decided to put my hard work of schooling and passion for skincare into business. Skin By Syd was then born.

Was there a particular obstacle that really taught you something about the business?

Not having venture capital or investors when starting out is really hard. We are all self funded. I model as well and since I have started my business I have been booking really huge jobs and working all the time which has been helping me fund my business.

What has been the most rewarding part since starting your brand?

Probably seeing people that have never had a skin care routine or people that were using skin care that wasn't good for their skin being able to see results with my products. Specifically with rosacea or acne or hyper pigmentation it is really great seeing customers results that is really rewarding to me.

Was there anyone that helped you with your company in the beginning stages?

I was able to pick a lot of the main ingredients. I also have a lab in California that has been able to assist me with the science and help to actually create the products.

What is the biggest sacrifice you’ve made in starting and or running your business?

Juggling modeling and owning a business is a big sacrifice, sometimes having to miss shoots and castings to take care of my business needs but I love every second of it.

How do you define success?

I define success as the moment all you’ve worked hard for is being recognized and appreciated.

What is something you’ve learned since starting out?

It’s not the best idea to hire friends or family. Your employees will respect you more if you have a work environment only relationship.

What is your go-to motivational quote?

Your only limit is your mind.

Do you have a personal motto?

Always do what you want. Not what others want!

Which women inspire you and or have helped you with your business?

Women that inspire me are Joyce Myers, my mom & my nana.  Lauren, my web developer, she works with a lot of major beauty brands. It's been an amazing help. She has worked with major brands that are huge now but started out tiny. She really is a young entrepreneur and she kills it. She is really more than just my web developer, she’s like my main partner with everything in the business.

What is your workspace like?

Home, the beach, a plane, and pretty much anywhere I can work from my computer or be online.

What is the hardest part about being your own boss?

Always making sure I’m on point and representing myself in the best way.

How do you handle situations where you feel overwhelmed?  

In situations where I feel overwhelmed I normally go to the gym to clear my head, call my boyfriend to get advice because he is a business owner as well or pray to God.

Do have any advice for women breaking into the industry as a female entrepreneur?

I practice a lot with my boyfriend and my family and my friends. I will have them ask me questions, the kind of questions people might approach me. I go over those questions all the time, so when someone will ask me I'll immediately know what to say and I am not stuck you know trying to think of what to say or I'm not sure of the best thing to say. So I would say practicing common questions about yourself and your business is a really big help for an entrepreneur.

What are some of goals moving forward with your company?

I always want to stay a boutique, clean, vegan and cruelty skincare brand. In the next five years I want to expand to more of a beauty, skincare and lifestyle brand. No one knows this but we are coming out with jade rollers and different facial tools and lasers. So having really cool lifestyle products which also have to do with skin, an all around lifestyle beauty brand.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.