Founder Spotlight: Ramya Ramesh (PoweredByPlant)
Meet Ramya Ramesh
Company:
PoweredByPlant, a vegan and cruelty-free beauty platform founded by Krishna Apoorva and Ramya Ramesh, is on a mission to power you with plant-derived & non-toxic beauty products for sensitive skin and focus on the core values of sustainability.
Startup Stage:
Bootstrapped
Location:
Singapore and California
When did you launch the business?
May 2021
What led you to where you are today?
Within my circle, it seemed odd that I became vegan when it's much easier and more accessible to consume animal products. I was never part of any vegan or plant-based community & I barely thought about what I was consuming until I discovered the horrors and unethical practices in the animal industry. Being part of a niche industry focused on ethics fueled me to contribute and create content with a unique passion for brands and companies (including my own) that align with my vision and goals - which is to foster a sense of community and advocate for sustainable practices.
What do you wish you knew before embarking on your entrepreneurial journey?
As a fresh graduate running PoweredByPlant full time, it was challenging to find and source effective skincare products by brands that are transparent about their initiatives. We are always learning and educating ourselves along the way as we've encountered greenwashing brands before. But such failures are only moments of growth for us and we're constantly putting in effort to ensure we're bringing honest and genuine information to our customers.
What is the most difficult decision you've had to make regarding your business so far?
To onboard products that are housed in recyclable packaging. As much as going plastic-free would be ideal, there are some companies we are working with who are going above and beyond to make their products and business practices sustainable which we truly admire. Recyclable packaging isn't a 100% perfect solution to achieving a circular economy but as we grow, we hope to invest in the right direction to make a measurable impact on sustainability in the beauty space.
What can you help the VEGPRENEUR community with?
We would be happy to exchange any ideas and feedback with regard to everyone's passionate projects. Happy to jump on calls and get to know the community so we can support each other in the age of the growing plant-based movement.
How can the VEGPRENEUR community help you?
We would love to reach out to more conscious individuals who are struggling to find effective products for their sensitive skin but also beauty and personal care that align with their personal values. If we're able to spread the word to a larger community to support the conscious beauty movement, the space would transform to become more sustainable!
Fun fact about you:
I ate meat heavily for 20 years and chicken was my favourite. And now I'm 100% vegan!
Anything else you would like to share?
I love meeting like-minded people in the conscious and vegan space, so thank you Vegpreneur for giving me the opportunity to share our story!
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