As the CEO and founder of leading Australian beauty brand, Vani-T, Tania Walsh has grown accustomed to being a very busy woman. She took time out of her hectic schedule to speak with Professional Beauty’s Lauren Carter about the limitless energy and passion required to build your own business and the sense of fulfilment that arises when you succeed.
Q: What initially attracted you to the beauty industry and why did you create Vani-T?
A: From a very young age I used to make lip balms out of natural butters and raw materials, so it’s been a natural instinct of mine to create products. At 18 years of age I worked in a perfumery as a fragrance consultant, then did a beauty therapy course and worked as a beauty therapist for five years before opening my own beauty school in Adelaide. At that point in time, spray tanning was becoming very big, and up until then it was quite new. I’d tried 130 different tans from around the world, but discovered they were all laden with chemicals and made skin feel dry and itchy, and I wanted a product that was as natural and organic as possible without compromising on results. When I failed to find a good product that I wanted to train people with, I worked with a formulator and we came up with Liquid Sun after about 26 reformulations. I didn’t know it at the time, but that was the beginning of Vani-T. Within a few months we had enquiries from around the world. I sold the beauty school and started working on the Vani-T brand. From there we created a basic range of body products and the rest, as they say, is history.
Q: What does your current role with Vani-T entail?
I was the one manning the phones, the one doing the sales and packing the orders. Then my husband left his job and started to look after all the freight and logistics. My role now is research, development, product sourcing and the creative side. I choose the packaging, ingredients and brand direction and the new technologies we use. I have a lot to do with the marketing side of the business as well, and I deal with complaints or any issues that come up. At Vani-T headquarters, staff members are starting to get more defined roles now that the company is growing, and we’re able to focus on our specific job roles rather than having a finger in every pie.
Q: What’s an average working day in your life like? Can you give me a run down on what you might be up to on a normal day?
Anything from taking international enquiries, to approving photos for marketing material or answering a million emails. Often of a night I’ll go home and communicate with international distributors, so I don’t work your typical nine to five type of job. I come into the office around 10, am home around six, spend time with my family before switching the computer on and working until midnight or even later. I’ll coordinate trials for new products and deal with suppliers. I would say I enjoy the research and development aspect of my role the most – I love the hands on side. Despite our growth it’s still a very dynamic and friendly work culture the business has maintained that feeling of being a family operated enterprise.
Q: What is your favourite Vani-T product?
Our hero product is our Bronzing Custard and our spray tanning solutions. Personally my favourite product is the Fusion tan formula. I love the colour because it suits my skin type as I have olive undertones. I still have a soft spot for our Liquid Sun spray tan formula, because it’s the original Vani-T product.
Q: What has been your greatest success or achievement to date?
Hearing that celebrities like Danni and Kylie love the brand, and the fact it’s become a worldwide success, which was never my initial intention. The way it’s been accepted by the industry and the awards we’ve received continues to blow me away. I’m really humbled and excited by how much people love it. The loyalty of our customers and salons is so uplifting; once they try Vani-T they don’t go back. The word of mouth marketing that we receive is unbelievable.
Q: What inspires you about the beauty industry and what do you love about your job?
I’ve had a passion for the natural and organic side of things all my life, and I love how the industry is embracing this concept and the way it’s transitioning from the old way of thinking to a more natural approach. I love the fulfilment that I get from my role. Even if I didn’t get paid for what I do, I’d still do it for the fulfilment and satisfaction alone.
Q: What is the most difficult aspect of your job?
Being pulled in 50 different directions. Not getting any uninterrupted time to focus on a specific issue; because as a business owner there’s constantly something urgent to attend to. As a working mum with my own business, it gets hard to switch off from work when I’m with my family, because work also needs my attention around the clock. Performing a million different roles every day is all-consuming and demanding, but of course so very rewarding.
Contact: Vani-T 1300 780 340.