Pictured: Sarah Howe, Managing Director of Collagen Beauty
Products
A campaign to boost start up entrepreneurship across Shropshire
is toasting the success of a new local company whose innovative
anti-ageing drink is set to be a big hit with the 'Baby Boomer'
generation.
Newport-based entrepreneur Sarah Howe launched her online
venture Collagen Beauty Products (www.collagenbeautyproducts.co.uk)
in Shropshire and was given her first promotional stand at the
StartUp Shropshire event at Telford International Centre in
September. StartUp Shropshire provides advice and guidance on
starting a business and is the regional arm of StartUp Britain, a
nationwide initiative to encourage more people to start and grow a
business.
Sarah's brand new company already employs a team of five and is
the sole UK distributor of Bidanki, a Japanese-produced, highly
concentrated collagen supplement that is claimed to help reverse
the effects of ageing. Promoted as a natural alternative to Botox
injections, the formula helps to reduce lines and wrinkles and
improves skin tone.
Sarah, the firm's Managing Director, discovered the concept of
collagen drinks whilst travelling across Asia and was overwhelmed
by the product's potential to take the UK anti-ageing market by
storm.
Sarah said: "I'd had no real desire to run my own business
before my trip, but I couldn't help but see the popularity of these
collagen-based drink supplements and so I researched the product
and its benefits and was convinced that the market in the UK could
be massive."
From the age of around 25, people naturally start to lose
collagen - a protein that acts as'glue' holding the body together -
which leads to problems such as wrinkles, lines and saggy skin in
later life. The cosmetic anti-ageing industry is worth billions of
pounds and Sarah believes that her collagen-based drink supplements
are by far the most effective method to reverse the ageing process,
as the supplement is absorbed and works from 'the inside out'.
"Medical advice recommends a daily collagen intake of around
6,000mg is needed to reverse the signs of ageing. Our collagen
supplement contains the entire daily requirement in a single 25ml
serving, and because it is in the form of a drink, it is pleasant
and quick and easy to take. Tablets only include an average of
around 400mg collagen, so that would be 15 tablets every day to
ensure the recommended intake is met.
"Topical skin creams can only affect the local area where they
are directly applied, but because our collagen drinks are absorbed
into the blood stream, they benefit the entire body, and help to
strengthen hair and nails, as well as joints and bones," Sarah
explained.
The company is already receiving hugely positive feedback from
its customers, with reports of a marked improvement in the skin
condition within weeks, and in some cases even within days, of
using the supplement.
"It's been an incredibly exciting journey so far. I've had to
learn a huge amount, not just about the products, but more
importantly, how to set up and run a business. The practical help,
advice and mentoring support we've received from StartUp Shropshire
has already proved invaluable, and we're really looking forward to
growing the company and enjoying a successful future," Sarah
added.
"Sarah and her team are exactly the kind of forward-thinking,
ambitious and enthusiastic entrepreneurs we're looking to offer a
helping hand to," Fay Easton, Founder of StartUp Shropshire
commented. "The idea behind Collagen Beauty Products is truly
innovative. Sarah discovered the product, conducted intensive
research and is now is exclusively supplying the UK market. The
company has real potential and with Sarah's commitment and vision,
the business will go far."
For further information on the StartUp Shropshire campaign
please contact Fay Easton on 07944 189436 or email
fay@shropshireenterprise.co.uk.