Brief encounter: nicola elliott
Nicola Elliott is the managing director of NEOM Luxury Organics by Natural Magic. After the success of the Luxury Organic Treatment Candles, which launched in May 2005, Nicola launched the organic capsule bodycare range earlier this year
How did you get into the beauty industry?
I used to work in magazines - my last job was associate editor of
Glamour magazine - and I was always surrounded by gorgeous beauty products. It was after that I decided to create an organic range that was as glamorous as it was organic, so I didn't have to choose between the two anymore.What is your greatest business achievement?
All of the launches (the candles, then the home treatment mists and finally the bodycare range) are great achievements when they finally happen because so much work goes into making every aspect of them perfect.
What has been the most rewarding moment in your career?
We were thrilled to be awarded
Cosmopolitan magazine's Candle of the Year last year, and my business partner Oliver Mennell and I were also recognised by Gordon Brown when we were commended at the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.What is the best career advice you have ever been given?
My dad is a great inspiration to me; he was the one who told me to go for it back in 2005. He is always pushing Oliver and me to be brave. He once said to us: "Jump and you shall find a net - you've got to be ballsy, it's the only way to grow." Scary, but so true.
Three things you couldn't do your job without?
Oliver, the rest of the amazing NEOM team, and a nice husband waiting for me at home come 7pm.
Best/worst bits of your job?
The best - having a house full of beautiful candles and body products all the time and working with an enthusiastic team that really believes anything is possible. The worst is checking proofs. I am really impatient and often skip little typos that I get into lots of trouble for!
Future business ambitions?
I want to make NEOM the hottest, fastest-growing luxury organic brand, and launch many more amazing products.
Imagine you are at the start of your career - what would you change?
Bits and bobs, but I honestly believe even the bad bits help shape your path, without them you wouldn't learn so much. Maybe I'd have taken a year off at the start of my career to go travelling - I was always in a huge rush to get started young.
Would you do it all again?
If I knew it was going to be this hard, I don't know if I would have had the guts to do it in the first place - but with hindsight, of course I would!
