Christine “Chin” Simpson, entrepreneur and founder of SKINPOEM, has overcome many obstacles as a female entrepreneur. Although she always had an entrepreneurial spirit, even as a child selling stickers and notebooks to classmates, she was never encouraged to start her own business. Growing up in a Filipino-Chinese household, Chin was taught to take care of her family and leave business to the men.
However, things changed during the COVID-19 lockdown. Since she was spending more time at home with her family, she started noticing her brother’s struggles with psoriasis. With a desire to help soothe his pain, Chin got to work on researching how to calm the inflammation. After spending so much time on research, she developed a true passion for skincare and decided she wanted to help more people with healing painful skin conditions and dry skin.
She created SKINPOEM as a combination of her passions, skincare and poetry. Although it started as a hobby, SKINPOEM soon developed into a full business. Chin explains she struggled quite a bit as she had no formal training in business and was learning through the process of creating and selling products.
In a fast-paced world, where everyone is sprinting towards success, it can be easy to lose yourself and your passions. Even more so as a female entrepreneur who has a family to take care of. Through running her business, Chin has learned many important lessons. Her biggest tip to other women is to surround yourself with people who support you and look out for your well being. In addition, it’s important to not lose yourself to your business.
Chin explains, “if it’s not your bread and butter, don’t treat it like your bread and butter.”
2023 proved to be a difficult year for SKINPOEM and, in turn, Chin. Chin let her guard down and learned that not everyone has good intentions. People may take advantage of her and her business. During the second half of the year, SKINPOEM had to take a break from operations in order to refocus on what is important. Speaking of the event, Chin explains she was very hurt by what happened and she momentarily lost her passion for skin care because she had become lost in the business.
Looking towards 2024, SKINPOEM is excited to go back to its roots. To focus on the brand’s gentle and kind-living philosophy. Chin learned valuable lessons last year, and she knows now the importance of having a team that also embodies the brand’s philosophy. Chin is also taking steps to embody her brand’s philosophy in her daily life. As an advocate for mental health through her business, Chin believes she must also practice what she preaches. Her main resolution this year is to not feel guilty for taking care of herself.
This year, Chin is consciously making time in her schedule to take care of herself and her family. She makes sure she enjoys her morning coffee and walks, she makes time to pick up her kids from school, and she is reigniting her passion for cooking. She finds this lifestyle is most healthy for herself, her family, and her team at SKINPOEM, and she encourages other women to follow in her footsteps.
