Sophia Hutchins: “Don’t be afraid of the word no; Successful people, entrepreneurs, and women more than anyone else are told no all the time”
Don’t be afraid of the word no. Successful people, entrepreneurs, and women more than anyone else are told no all the time. If we allowed “no” to deter us we wouldn’t be where we are today. I’m ready to continue to grow and surround myself with positive uplifting people that believe in me, my ability to execute, and my vision for the future.
As a part of our series about how technology will be changing the beauty industry over the next five years. I had the pleasure of interviewing Sophia Hutchins, CEO and founder of LUMASOL, a health technology company aimed at bringing sustainable and innovative health and technology products to market. Hutchin’s prominent leadership and vision have gained the trust of many high-profile investors, including Founders Fund and Greycroft Ventures. Hutchins started her career in venture capital prior to identifying a 12 billion dollar untapped opportunity in the health tech space. Hutchins is passionate about supporting organizations and programs which advance the status of women, particularly as it relates to entrepreneurship.
Thank you so much for joining us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
I have experienced people in my personal life who have battled with skin cancer and I always thought it was crazy that we didn’t have better tools and products available to us to better protect ourselves.
One night, over a glass of wine with a close friend, I was talking about how outdated the sunscreen that we have available to us is, it is usually a thick goop of white lotion that smells and causes the skin to break out or be oily. So forget being able to wear make-up on top of that. It was during this conversation that I realized I needed to be the person to make this product available so we no longer have to choose between a flawless make-up application or applying an SPF to protect ourselves.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
I never in a million years I thought I would meet my favorite childhood actor, until I did at an industry party, the Vanity Fair Oscars Party in fact, Dick Van Dyke. I was in attendance networking for lumasol, which is a must for every entrepreneur — networking! As many of you know, in LA it’s super normal to see celebs everywhere, and I am not one to be star struck. But with Van Dyke I was in shock. It was like learning Santa Claus really does exist, and better yet, we were on the dance floor together.
Are you able to identify a “tipping point” in your career when you started to see success? Did you start doing anything different? Are there takeaways or lessons that others can learn from that?
The day I closed my seed round of funding from Founders Fund and Greycroft was two days before my 23rd birthday. My birthday was a celebration of closing the seed round, and of course my birthday, and it was such a major accomplishment and milestone in my life. There was a level of validation at play that reassured me anything is possible.
I learned a lot from the process of fundraising, it is like dating and you want to make sure the investor is the right partner for you. It is key to have the right people on your team that has your back and wants to see you succeed. They also need to believe in what you are doing and your mission. So I would say, take your time, talk to as many people as you can until you find the right “fit”.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person to whom you are grateful who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I would thank my grandfather, first and foremost. He passed away when I was a junior in high school. He motivated me from a very young age to be aggressive in going after what I want. He sent me to a prominent high school, and made sure I was taken care of during college. With his selfless support, I had many opportunities that I certainly didn’t waste, and I made the most of them.
The beauty industry today has access to technology that was inconceivable only a short time ago. Can you tell us about the “cutting edge” technologies that you are working with or introducing? How do you think that will help people?
Our technology will change the way people interact with SPF on a daily basis. Our SPF comes in a sleek container that can easily be carried around in your purse or bag when, and when it is exposed to UV rays, the container actually changes color reminding you it is time for another spritz. The average consumer applies SPF at most once a day if even at all, and after just a few hours that morning application is useless and you are no longer protected. Most consumers also don’t realize just how exposed they are at their desks, in the car or even at a cafe — the technology in this container will change that. As our product evolves the tech integration will be even heavier, enabling consumers to view their interaction with SPF and the sun in a way they never have before.
Keeping “Black Mirror” and the “Law of Unintended Consequences” in mind, can you see any potential drawbacks about this technology that people should think more deeply about?
No. We need to protect our bodies from the most common type of cancer in the world, skin cancer. The more information, data, and access to that information we have, the better we can protect ourselves from the sun‘s harmful UVA and UVB rays.
Can you share 3 things that most excite you about the “beauty-tech” industry?
The innovation, the people, and the passion for ‘newness’. We are at the precipice of an era that incorporates technology into so many aspects of our lives. I am so excited to be a part of this journey at such a young age especially.
Can you share 3 things that most concern you about the industry? If you had the ability to implement 3 ways to reform or improve the industry, what would you suggest?
I would like entrepreneurs to innovate more. Developing an SPF with all of the FDA regulations that are hardly ever updated, has been one of the larger hurdles to the formulation. Making formulation easier, allowing entrepreneurs to innovate more, and allowing for best business practices, which should be legislated and enforced by entrepreneurs, as opposed to bureaucrats, would be the best way to improve innovation.
You are an expert about beauty. Can you share 5 ideas that anyone can use “to feel beautiful”? (Please share a story or example for each.)
- Smile, I think it is so important to smile because it can completely change the way you feel and how others view you. A smile is better than any other accessory.
- Be yourself, I think it’s important to make sure that whatever your style, your clothes, your make-up, etc. is that you are your unique self and wear what you feel good in.
- A good playlist, music really is a vibe and can change your whole mood so having a good playlist on while you get ready can really change the way you feel.
- Lashes can completely transform your look in the most simple way, and there is a lash for literally every occasion.
- Heels always complete your look and a good pair of heels can really make you feel like a boss. If you feel like a boss, your confidence will be beautiful regardless of what you are wearing.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I want every person in the world to know about the harmful effects of UVA and UVB rays. I want consumers everywhere to have access to lumasol. Skin cancer is the public health crisis of our lifetime. We have to put a stop to this. The more people I can reach with lumasol I truly believe the more we can save people’s lives, potentially, from skin cancer.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
Don’t be afraid of the word no. Successful people, entrepreneurs, and women more than anyone else are told no all the time. If we allowed “no” to deter us we wouldn’t be where we are today. I’m ready to continue to grow and surround myself with positive uplifting people that believe in me, my ability to execute, and my vision for the future.
How can our readers follow you online?
Instagram:
hutchins_sophia
Mylumasol
Sophia Hutchins: “Don’t be afraid of the word no; Successful people, entrepreneurs, and women more… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.