Screw It Just DO It with Alex Chisnall Why This Billion-Dollar Brand Walked Away from Facebook
This week on Screw It Just Do It, I sit down with one of the most recognisable names in ethical entrepreneurship – Rowena Bird, co-founder of Lush.
From humble beginnings to running a cosmetics empire in 53 countries, Rowena’s journey is as raw and real as the ingredients in her products. But it wasn’t always bath bombs and billion-pound valuations. Before Lush came the painful collapse of their first business, Cosmetics to Go. They lost everything. And it was in the ashes of that failure that the true “screw it, just do it” moment was born.
We talk about the value of growing organically, keeping control of your company, resisting investor temptation, and why they never compromised on ethics, even if it meant growing slower. If you’ve ever wondered how to scale a business with integrity, or what it takes to bounce back from losing it all - this episode is essential listening.
Key Takeaways:
- How Lush was born from the ashes of a failed business
- Why Rowena used her credit card to relaunch instead of chasing investors
- The secrets behind building an iconic brand without compromising on ethics
- What "growth with control" really looks like in practice
- Why creating a business people want to be part of is more important than rapid scaling
- How Lush gave over £100 million to grassroots charities while scaling globally
🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday - so makes sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way.
🔥 Want to take things further? Join me in person this October at the Festival of Entrepreneurs on the 8-9th October at the NEC in Birmingham. The Festival of Entrepreneurs is where 5-10,000 ambitious founders come together to learn from the people who've actually done it. I'm giving my listeners free 2-day passes.
Real entrepreneurs, real stories, real strategies – exactly like what you're hearing right now, but live and in person. Go to www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and grab your free pass before they're gone.
👉 Follow the show. Turn up in October. Screw It Just DO It!
#ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship