Meet Zoe and Ali Wasfy, co-founders of Wild Science Lab
Wild Science Lab was created by husband-and-wife duo Zoe and Ali Wasfy. It’s an award winning range of naturally derived haircare and skincare.
We are a husband-and-wife duo Zoe and Ali Wasfy, we founded Wild Science Lab; Award winning, botanically based, sustainably-aware, highly regarded British brand and naturally derived hair and skin solutions.
Ali’s experience in healthcare gave the insight into some of the chronic, daily problems suffered by people that don’t require an invasive, or surgical procedure but reliable, home management. Equipped with an MSc in Biomedical & Manufacturing engineering degree, this began to help shape our journey ahead of us.
Zoe worked for global beauty brands for many years both in the creative and practical sides of product development, having a network of suppliers, brands, and industry leaders, seeing revolutionary ingredients that were truly transformative for customers being brought to market. Seeing first-hand the power of self-confidence that healthy skin and hair can bring, it was this knowledge, combined with Zoe’s personal battle related profound hair loss with an irritated scalp.
We were driven by a desire to elevate a conversation often surrounded by difficulty and distress- which led to us innovating our own solutions. With time, many iterations, and experiments…We found a balance of ingredients that soothed and helped repair irritated and sensitive scalp & skin.
What inspired you to launch your business and what is the end goal?
Consumer demand for healthier and more natural products with greater efficacy with our combined passion for beauty, health and wellbeing we knew the answers lay in combining the natural world with science.
We decided to use our own industry experiences to help build something that would help others. We started planning our innovation in haircare and skincare, establishing a team of experts, chemists, and scientists to create a line of development natural effective products. When you bring together necessity and determination; it is a formidable force that results in creativity and originality.
How do you set yourself apart from other businesses in your industry?
Wild Science Lab is a hub for innovation under which we can create simple, clear solutions for consumers to shop with confidence. The market is complex and cluttered and our intention is to remain streamlined and focused.
We have created “sister” brands to enable full opportunity to target specific needs with the most appropriate ingredient technology.
Making Wild Science Lab the choice for people with busy lives, who notice the impact of modern stress on their wellbeing bringing treatment solutions which are scientific, effective and natural.
Our products are not only great for hair and skin health but also for the planet by continuing to re-evaluate the choices we make, ensuring we are optimising our sustainability and environmental footprint.
We have drawn on first hand personal experience of the impact of hormonal and lifestyle stress on self-confidence and skin health. We look at skin as one continuous organ. We appreciate different areas of the body need different specialist treatments, but we consider the skin as an entirety and recognise the fact that we neglect some of the areas we can’t see in the mirror day to day.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as an entrepreneur?
Making money is a significant drive in everyone's life, but we've learnt that you should never go down a route only for the sake of making money. For these actions to be worthwhile, you must have a genuine enthusiasm for what you are doing and the decisions you are making.
What are your thoughts on failure?
Failure is not the end of everything, but the chance for new beginning.
What are your top tips for entrepreneurs wanting to get their business out there?
Don't be scared to talk to those who might be able to assist you about your ideas. When people come up with an innovative idea, they are constantly afraid that someone else will do it before. Although this is true, you will need support to help get you started, and it is doubtful that anybody will know exactly what your idea is.
What plans do you have for Wild Science Lab over the next two years?
We intend to continue our development of Wild Science Lab products, innovating, investigating new opportunities in ingredients and sustainable product creativity. We pledge to continue to re-evaluate our choices to ensure that we are optimising our sustainability and environmental footprint. We will only introduce products that enhance the collection, that have true purpose.
What’s the most important question entrepreneurs should be asking themselves?
Is this still what I'm looking for?
Being an entrepreneur and running your own company is time-consuming and difficult! When you're pursuing something, you really desire, this can help you stay motivated, but if it's not, it may quickly drain your energy. Every day, check to see if you're still doing what you desire. If not, what can you do to change this?
What would be your top marketing tip, to grow a business that is niche?
Be true to your original message, be genuine and authentic. It's not about empty marketing, it's about your vision, especially in the digital world. It has to feel real and resonate.
Is word of mouth working to your advantage?
Absolutely, it is the most trustworthy and reliable method of marketing because it is based on the users' actual experiences. Particularly on social media, having a positive word of mouth plays a key role in driving social shopping. Our customers become brand advocates, assisting us in establishing our brand's trustworthiness, reliability, proof of authenticity, and credibility.
What social media channel would you say has worked the best for your business and why?
Instagram, it allows us to express who we are as a brand in a visual way and people resonate with us more than on any other platform. Our high engagement and our follower growth has a high and excellent response rate. People feel if you're real and care. Branding has to express who you are and what your message is.
What do you think gives a brand longevity?
To concentrate on delivering the highest quality products. Consumers today are astute enough to see right through marketing gimmicks. Customers value quality, and they will notice if you put in the effort to provide the greatest product possible. Brand longevity is bred by consumers' continual return to your goods due to its constancy.
