Lessons on Rebuilding a Brand (and Myself)

Every founder has their own “why” for starting a business. We’re motivated by a combination of factors uniquely personal to our beliefs, desires and even needs. As the founder of an organic skincare company for nearly 15 years, I have been reflecting on my own “why” and the evolution of myself and the brand. I’m asking myself questions like:

• How has my “why” changed over the years?

• What motivates me now?

• How can I use my 15 years of experience and my unique perspective in this stage of life?

If you are just starting out, or starting over (like me) - you can be certain of this; you and your business are going to change and evolve over time. As a young mom and naive entrepreneur, I never really considered what growing up alongside my business would be like. How each stage of life, of motherhood, would look alongside my role as founder and CEO. When we are starting out, we envision entrepreneurship through our current lens, because that’s what we know. That’s who we are. But, boy did I underestimate how much personal growth would be required of me to keep up with my business and how each season of my life would change me; both personally and professionally.

Then and Now

When I started Zoe Organics in 2010, my life looked very different than it does today. I was 31 and had two boys, ages 4 and 2. I was determined to meld the things I was most passionate about (motherhood, wellness and beauty) into a business that would also allow me the autonomy and flexibility to be a hands-on mom. We had just moved from Orange County, California back up to the Napa Valley; my home for the first 20 years of my life. After graduating with an MBA in 2008, I had begun working on my business plan and formulating skincare product in my home kitchen that I would test on my boys, family and friends. I had become more and more savvy about ingredients and the lack of really good natural and organic personal care options available that felt relevant to millennial moms. Becoming a mom had been like birthing a whole new version of myself. The experience of pregnancy and child birth was empowering and motherhood gave new meaning and purpose to my life. I launched Zoe Organics, May of 2010 with a basic website and a booth at the St. Helena Farmer’s Market. For the next two years, I passed out samples and told everyone I knew about the benefits of natural and organic ingredients, especially for sensitive skin and issues like eczema. I shared research on the potential dangers of many ingredients in conventional products (especially during reproductive and developmental years). I also wanted to change the stereotype that natural and organic products were only for “granola” moms and that package design and branding in this category could be modern and look beautiful and elevated. It was easy to preach something I believed in so passionately. I was the Zoe Organics target customer. And as it turned out, the brand resonated with a whole lot of other moms and gained major traction.

Fifteen years later, as I transition through another significant stage of womanhood, (peri)menopause, with 3 incredible teenagers and my husband of 23 years; yet another version of myself is emerging. My youngest has been done with Zoe Organics’ hero product, Diaper Balm, for well over a decade and motherhood has become much more complex as we navigate mental health, relationships, independence and college.

The market is now saturated with natural products and indie beauty brands. Natural or “clean” beauty is no longer novel, but mainstream. You can find natural cosmetics and personal care options in most stores you would shop for these items in, and consumers are increasingly seeking out natural and “clean” products.

Back then, I was fueled by urgency and idealism. I wanted to make the world safer for my kids. I was willing to sacrifice sleep, stability, and even my own health to push the dream forward.

Now, I’m building from a place of perspective. I’ve felt the sting of burnout. I’ve experienced what happens when your identity is tied too tightly to your brand. I’ve learned what works and what isn’t worth the cost.

The industry has matured, and so have I. That means my approach and strategy will be different this time.

Lessons for Starting Over (or Starting Fresh)

Here’s what I’m learning about starting over that might be helpful for you:

1. Your life stage matters

   The business you build has to fit the season of life you’re in now. Of course, season will change over time, but build from your current season, and adjust as you go. As you plan and set business goals, think about what corresponding milestones might be happening in your personal life or family when you reach those. Ask: What do I realistically have capacity for? What kind of support do I need this time around?

2. Industries change - so should your strategy

   In 2010, the story of “clean beauty” was fresh. In 2025, it’s saturated. Every founder has to ask: What’s my differentiation in today’s market? Where is the white space now? I’m going back to some of the fundamentals of business planning and branding, and asking myself the same questions I ask new entrepreneurs I mentor. It’s tempting to regurgitate the same jargon we evangelized since 2010 to differentiate our company and products, but the truth is, we are dealing with a different landscape now. Our target customer has shifted an entire generation. Consumer behavior, social media, the use of AI - we have to (re)build using a very different strategy.

3. Your identity isn’t your brand

   The first time around, I tied my sense of worth to my company’s success. Losing it felt like losing myself. It’s really easy, especially in a founder-forward brand, to blur the lines between the two. You feel the wins like no one else, but you also feel the mistakes and the fails like nobody else. When we put our hearts into something and derive a sense of purpose from our work, of course we’ll experience these outcomes more deeply. You just have to remember: you are not your brand. Do the personal work necessary to know who you are and your intrinsic value outside of your business. Allow yourself to pivot and evolve.

4. Do-overs are a founder’s advantage

   Starting again takes healing and courage. It means you’re bringing lessons, scars, and clarity that first-time founders don’t yet have. Your “do-over” isn’t actually starting from starting from zero, but starting from experience. And that’s one of the most valuable assets a founder can have. Lean into your strengths and believe in yourself.

Starting over doesn’t erase what you built before. It gives you perspective, tools, and resilience you didn’t have the first time.

I’d love to hear from you. Have you ever had to start over; personally or professionally? What shifted for you the second time around?

Share your story in the comments (let’s learn from each other).

—Heather