Meet the co-founder of MEDOVIE
I’m Sara Hamou co-founder of MEDOVIE, a natural skincare brand deep rooted in traditional Chinese herbalism, which offers long term-solutions to people with ongoing skin conditions such as psoriasis.
Tell us about the founder behind the brand?
I have a legal background, but discovered early on that my true passion lies in championing start-ups - the most recent being natural skincare brand, MEDOVIE. Being at the helm of Censura - a company offering administrative support to start-ups - was also invaluable to my business journey and helped me get to grips with all the many pitfalls that can befall a business during the early days!
What inspired you to launch your business and what is the end goal?
The realisation I wanted to do more than just back a mainstream business, but find something that gave genuine support. Meeting Nadav Shraibom, (Medovie’s scientific founder) who had spent years developing MEDOVIE’s all natural, innovative 3HX™ formula, and seeing the results it had on chronic skin conditions, I felt compelled to join him at the helm and help drive the company to success.
The results were incredible and really fuelled our passion to create an all natural pharma company together, to enable people with skin conditions to stop depending on steroids and ultimately lead a better quality of life.
The end goal is to provide natural products that are here for the long term; our products and consultations to provide relief and transform the lives of those with painful, problematic skin.
What’s the most common problem your customers approach you with?
They have been through countless visits to their GPs and dermatologists, used products over the counter, but nothing gave long term relief. Many had tried steroids, which even if there was some improvement to their skin conditions, this was only ever short term.
How do you set yourself apart from other businesses in your industry?
We offer free one-on-one consultations with all our customers, on an ongoing basis, with our scientific founder Nadav Shraibom. These look at all areas of health and wellness, from physical wellbeing e.g. diet and exercise, psychological impact of their condition (many people with long term skin disorders will experience depression and loss of confidence), alongside current medication. We take a truly holistic approach and aim to go on a journey with our customers.
Is word of mouth working to your advantage?
Word of mouth has a huge positive impact on our business, particularly through social media. We are very grateful to have so many happy customers who want to share the story of their skin transformation from using our products! When someone shares that they haven’t slept for years because of itchiness and discomfort, but they can see light at the end of the tunnel, that they can sleep, go out and show their hands, it provides a very powerful message to others.
What are your top tips for entrepreneurs wanting to get their business out there?
1. Be very focused on your long term goals but equally, don’t neglect short term wins
2. Have the ability to look at things both from a micro and macro perspective
3. Hire the right people to enable you to grow fast and minimise any potential mistakes
4. Take swift action when needed
5. Stay focussed, but be prepared to be flexible also
6. Be honest in your communications, both within your company and externally
What’s the most important question entrepreneurs should be asking themselves?
What are my competitors up to and does my product have a unique selling point?
What would be your top three tips to fellow entrepreneurs to look after their mental health?
Learn to rest and have a day off - sometimes being too engaged daily makes you lose sight of the bigger picture. Tiredness can make you less proactive and more likely to respond to a situation than be in control of it
The start-up industry can be a lonely environment. Accept that you might have different opinions to your colleagues, and that this can feel alienating.
Never stop following your passion or your dreams!
What keeps you motivated as an entrepreneur when you hit bumps in the road?
I am incredibly motivated and determined to succeed. This comes partly from background - growing up in a Middle Eastern environment, where women were typically never the CEO’s, I want to show that we are just as capable!
I do everything I can to be positive in the face of adversity. I believe negativity limits people and prevents them from going forwards, and I don’t accept everything I am told. I’d rather break rules and make a difference, than accept something that won't work. I believe the more I push, the greater my success and I hate to think there isn’t a solution to something.
It’s not just about believing in yourself, but it's crucial to also believe in your product and company. When you have this strong conviction, it makes you better placed to deal with the inevitable bumps in the road, when they surface.Thankfully I have this with Medovie and its products.
Working with a co-founder can be tricky, so understanding and compromise is important. How have you both found the process of building a business together? What makes it work?
Building a business with Nadav Shraibom, who is our scientific founder, has been incredible. Nadav spent over a decade developing MEDOVIE’s 3HX™ formula, which has been created based on Traditional Chinese Medicine and formed using a combination of three herbal ingredients. The products are backed by science and provide a long-term, effective solution to chronic skin conditions.
When I first saw the results, they were so transformational, I felt compelled to join Nadav and create this all natural pharma company together.
I believe part of our company’s success is down to the strength of our working relationship.
Nadav is a very passionate entrepreneur, with strong values that are also reflected in our products - those of honesty and transparency. It is this honesty and transparency that also helps us work together. We are also both extremely hands on with the business - Nadav is available 24/7 to give consultations to clients, for example. Our shared determination and belief in our products have brought us closer together.
