Gold Coast Bulletin women of the year finalist Evette Hess-McEwan reveals bold start-up play

Evette Hess-McEwan reveals she used the family house deposit to start her wildly successful Makeup Cartel Brands which includes esmi. Read what her husband said about it

In a series on finalists for the Gold Coast Bulletin Women of the Years awards by Harvey Norman, we catch up with Makeup Cartel Brands founder Evette Hess-McEwan, whose product suite includes the wildly successful esmi skin minerals line. She’s a a finalist in the ‘Entrepreneurs’ category sponsored by Southern Cross University.

PORTIA LARGE: What gets you up in the morning?

EVETTE HESS-MCEWAN: I am a mother, sister, aunt, friend, wife and leader of a community. Passion for people, creating products and experiences that make people feel good in their skin, gives me the drive to be the best version of myself and inspire my loved ones and my team.

PL: Reflecting on your life journey, what has been the most satisfying part, most challenging part?

EH: It’s challenging starting something (especially makeup and skincare) from scratch. Josh and I started with our own money, no degrees, no contacts and no help or funding. We also didn’t know what we were doing so we had to learn everything as we went. Being shy I also have never felt really comfortable putting myself out there to promote and I much prefer the products do the talking so every win we’ve had in this journey has been a lot of hustle but they’ve felt really good. I am lucky I get these bursts of satisfaction all the time every time I see one of our new concepts come to life. I love the people I work with and I love we are so close to our community. Whether that be our customers or our staff, they all feel like friends and family and it’s fun to get to work with that every day. Some of the best times have also been when we’ve been able to see the impact we’ve been able to make in other peoples’ lives whether that be through life-changing skin transformations, offering flexibility in the workplace where for example our mums have been able to come back into the workforce and feel supported and empowered or the charity work we’ve been lucky enough to contribute to.

Gold Coast Bulletin's Women of the Year by Harvey Norman finalist Evette Hess-McEwan. Picture: Glenn Hampson

PL: What have you overcome personally or professionally that’s shaped your journey?

EH: I am still trying to overcome my fear of public speaking. Not kidding, I am terrified. I am naturally an introvert but I’ve felt so encouraged and supported by my team, Josh and my family that I am getting better at it all the time. It’s great to be in a position where I can inspire or encourage others and that’s what I’ve always loved doing.

PL: Wins, key milestones, goals moving forward?

EH: A decade ago, PONi Cosmetics started this entrepreneurial journey, and today we have four flourishing brands under the Makeup Cartel Banner - poni, esmi Skin Minerals, Lip Heroes, and Sun Skills. Our growth is a testament to the vibrant and passionate community we’ve nurtured and our love for creating products that provide solutions to our customers. I feel like our whole team is in a really good place. My team is so incredibly supportive and that’s allowed me to focus more on what balance is with family, work and life in general.

One of the biggest wins is we’re still here after 10 years and going strong. We have a wonderful, engaging and passionate customer base with a high customer return rate which speaks volumes not just to the product but also the customer experience we’ve been able to create. I’m happy and unbelievably grateful I’m able to raise my family and be there for all the important things. When you first start out it’s truly a fight for survival and you do feel like you miss out on a lot. I’m excited and working on expanding our offerings of good-for-your-skin and clean skincare to a wider audience no matter where you like to shop in the next 12 months.

Evette Hess-McEwan reveals: My husband Josh encouraged me to spend our home deposit on developing the eyebrow kit I’d always talked and dreamed about without even batting an eyelid so I’m incredibly lucky.”

PL: How does it feel to be a finalist in your category?

EH: It’s an honour to be recognised as a finalist under the entrepreneurs category! I don’t think in the decade of building the businesses I’ve taken the time to really ever stop and recognise the work and effort that’s gone into all of this so it’s a real delight for me. I’ve always had a passion for all things beauty and skin care, wanting to empower our community to feel confident and happy in their skin, to love themselves is really just an extension of what I’ve always loved doing. Ive struggled through my own skin journey and knowing that we are able to help others in achieving healthier skin and feel good within themselves is amazing.

PL: Have you experienced resistance from male colleagues?

EH: When I first approached someone prominent in the beauty industry at the start they tried to talk me out of it because the market was “already flooded” with makeup products but decided to do it anyway. I’m very fortunate I have always been surrounded by incredibly supportive male figures. My husband Josh encouraged me to spend our home deposit on developing the eyebrow kit I’d always talked and dreamed about without even batting an eyelid so I’m incredibly lucky. My mum and dad having four girls have taught us to always look on the bright side and that we could be anything and to believe in ourselves. We have an incredible CEO Luke who we absolutely love and who is incredible with our team of 98 per cent women. I hope to teach my daughter to work hard and there is no ceiling when she enters entrepreneurship or the workforce. Just be the little boss she is.

PL: Why is it important for men and women to support and champion women?

EH: It’s everything. We care a lot about what our female peers think right? Teaching and championing others and each other is essential to Josh and I with our daughter (and son). Women supporting women, men supporting women, and humans supporting humans. It’s so important for us to build a solid and good society. Josh and I have always taught Max and Isabelle to above all else no matter who you’re talking to, be respectful, be humble, be brave and be kind. Accept and support others for who they are. The person before the resume - always. It’s important to remember that you can really influence another persons day so if you can make a positive impact by simply saying something nice then do it.

PL: Advice would you give to your 12-year-old self?

EH: Be brave. Keep being you and everything will be just fine.

Originally published as Gold Coast Bulletin women of the year finalist Evette Hess-McEwan reveals bold start-up play