WELL TOLD WITH NEIGE & PIPPA, COFOUNDERS OF ROUTINE

Vancouver-based Routine offers a wide variety of natural and clean deodorants, with a scent for every personality.

One roaming the world with her guitar and a suitcase full of essential oils, the other halfway through nursing school. They sense an opportunity, one sees art, the other science, yet they see it the same. There are too-few natural products, and so many of the scents we put on our bodies and in our homes aren’t just strong, they overwhelm the olfactories. Bit by bit, these tenacious sisters are revolutionizing our routines, creating beautifully blended products for bodies, faces, hair, and homes that support our skin and our sniffers.

 

What led you to creating this business with your sister? How has that dynamic impacted your entrepreneurial journey?

Neige: I had a created this natural deodorant that, by the time it was ready for market, my whole community was hooked on. The night before my first artisan market, Pippa shows up in the nick of time with wine and the skills for connecting the printer to the Avery label template that I did not possess. She came and hung out with me at that market all weekend, and after selling completely out, we both realized there was clearly a need in the world for an effective natural deodorant.

We believe the fact that we are right and left brained has been what has made our business work so well. But to say it hasn’t been challenging working together (sometimes it's a s**t storm to put it lightly) but at the risk of sounding cliché, we wouldn’t have it any other way. 

 

Sourcing top quality ingredients is not always easy. What does your sourcing process look like and how do you choose your ingredients?

Pippa: The trust within the sourcing process is not built overnight. Back in the initial days we pined over ingredients through physical research in local stores and digital research through online suppliers, reading the back story of each and every one. At the same time, we focused heavily on the experimentation phase (testing on friends and family!): the quality HAD to match the intent of the effectiveness of the ingredient. From very early on, we ensured we had relationships with our suppliers so that they were always a phone call away for any type of information. For example, this involved being close with the beekeepers, but also having a close relationship with the wholesaler reps. These days, we have trusted suppliers and partners within the industry that we go to first in our sourcing journey when looking for new and innovative ingredients items. Our journey starts with a phone call to one of our trusted partners because we strive to be this close with all our partners - sharing information and new product innovation in an open communication circuit allows us to have access to the highest quality ingredients. 

 

Your brand is breaking stigma around B.O. by being honest about the fact that we all can get a little stinky sometimes. How does this philosophy translate to how you conduct your business? 

Neige: The truth is the truth. People can and do stink - so do we without Routine! Sometimes all you need is a little pheremone enlightenment ;). The world isn’t perfect, but we are trying to make it a little nicer by doing the best we can with what we produce and how we produce it. Our hope is to leave it a little nicer than we found it. That’s our truth.

 

If you had a piece of advice for your younger entrepreneurial self or for a woman setting off on her entrepreneurial journey, what would you share?

Neige: Find a gap in the marketplace - whether it is a service or a product - and FILL IT! Every step of the way ask yourself - Do I NEED this?  Would I WANT it? Would I BUY it? And when you know, go for it. The answer is in your guts. Not at a mastermind class or on someone ELSE'S blog. The more time you spend procrastinating looking into how other people have done it, the less time you will spend honing your craft. Basically, pull up your bootstraps, roll up your sleeves, and just do it!

 

How do you stay “well” these days?

Supplements! Nature! Time with our kids! Dog walks! BFF’s! Washing our hair! (Shameless routine natural shampoo plug!)

 

For a limited time, we are partnering with Routine to offer you a free gift of their Plant People Minis Kit with any purchase of $40 or more!