How Sinead Martin launched Glosspel during Covid self-isolation

When Sinead Martin contracted Covid-19 in 2020, she was one of the lucky ones. She was almost completely asymptotic. Of course, she still needed to self-isolate, which was when things started to click into place. Suddenly, Sinead had the means, but more importantly, the opportunity, to do something she had always wanted to do – she was going to launch a business.

Of course, it’s never quite as simple as that. As a journalist and beauty editor, Sinead has written about side hustles and how to launch a business for years. One of her earliest lessons was how different reality is from theory.

“Until you’ve really done it, you don’t know anything,” she admits. “There are really big highs and then the lowest of lows, and they can sometimes happen on the same day. It’s the nature of business and you have to be resilient.”

“One minute you’re packing 800 boxes yourself and trying to deal with delivery problems and the next you’re receiving incredible coverage and support from your network and the media. You just have to put your head down and ride the rollercoaster.”

Bringing passion to life

Of course, like all entrepreneurs whom we love, Sinead has a lot of passion carrying her through the tougher moments.

“I love sharing the joy of discovering new beauty brands and supporting local brands and businesses that people haven’t discovered yet. That shaped my idea for Glosspel – a beauty box of cruelty-free brand samples that is just enough to play and touch and feel what new products are about to discover what you love and what works for you. We know everyone is different and our boxes cater to that.”

Sinead’s first step to entrepreneurship was sending emails to the brands she loved working with most as a beauty editor. Within two hours, she had her first resounding yeses – and suddenly everything was real. She had to create and market her first box, and she’d do it under the name she had made for herself in the industry – Glosspel.

“My weekly column for Grazia magazine was called The Glosspel and it was an unvarnished, fun, candid and satirical take on an insider’s view of the beauty industry. That’s what or boxes are now too – they are a glimpse into new products that you can fall in love with, carefully curated by me based on my experiences.”

It’s a formula that’s working well – Sinead’s last box sold out in five hours.

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Visit her website: www.glosspel.co.za

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