Product Business of the Year 2015

Start-up name: Tropic Skincare
Founder: Susan Ma
Started in: 2011
Based in: London
Business description: A natural skincare product business that trades through a social selling platform

After starting with a stall at Greenwich market, Tropic Skincare is now a multi-million turnover business. And the growth and development of Ma’s range of natural, vegan, cruelty-free beauty products helped to make the company the stand-out finalist, securing the sought-after Product Business of the Year at the 2015 Startups Awards.

It’s been a long road to success for the young entrepreneur, having first conceived the idea when she was just 15 after being inspired by the tropical plants in Cairns Australia, where she grew up.

Then, despite losing out to Tom Pellereau in the 2011 series of The Apprentice, Lord Alan Sugar was suitably impressed with Susan Ma’s tenacity to invest in her vegan skincare business Tropic Skincare after the show.

Like cosmetic brands of past, Ma decided to launch an ambassador opportunity in 2013, acting as a social selling platform that provides aspiring entrepreneurs with the products, support and tools they need to set up their own beauty business.

With its ranks quickly swelling from 400 to over 3,000, Tropic’s ambassador initiative is thought to be one of the fastest growing businesses in the social selling space.

Up against our Export Business of the Year Frog Bikes, Nespresso-compatible coffee capsule business CaféPod, Young Entrepreneur of the Year company Propercorn, and food and drink brands Berrywhite and Aduna, the ethical skincare business had to beat stiff competition.