Ava Matthews Shares Her Biggest Lessons On Building A Successful Beauty Brand

What woman has had the biggest impact on who you are today and why?
“For me, it’s more of a village of women. My oldest and best friends keep me grounded and make me happy. My mother is someone I lean on a lot, particularly now that I am a mother myself. From a business point of view, obviously, Bec and we have an advisory board of incredible business women who I have learnt so much from and I have mentors as well.” 

What advice would you give to young entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners?
“Figure out your why. Is there a greater purpose to what you’re trying to do? If there’s not, that will be really obvious to whoever you are trying to speak to – whether it be customers or other business stakeholders. Going into business should never be about making a quick dollar, you need to believe in what you’re doing really deeply and with great conviction because it isn’t easy and takes a lot of sacrifice.” 

You and your business partner Bec have built such a force with Ultra Violette. Do you have any advice for choosing the right partner to go into business with?
“Mutual trust and respect are vital. Something that has also really helped Bec and I is our complementary skill sets; I pretty much look after all things brand and product, while Bec is focused on operations and finance. One cannot exist without the other. We both overlap on the bigger picture and strategic goals. It also really helps if you can enjoy a bottle of champagne together!” 

Aside from Ultra Violette, what are some of your favourite female-founded beauty brands?
“You can’t go past Glossier and Emily Weiss. We wouldn’t be here without her, she paved the way for DTC beauty brands across the globe. Natalie Massinet with Net-A-Porter, for making luxury more accessible to everyone. Locally, I really admire Phoebe Simmonds and Kate Casey from the memo. It's the baby retail experience we have all been waiting for that speaks to mums in a way that’s relatable and supportive and only stocks the good stuff that you actually need.” 

Can you tell us when you realised you were onto something big with Ultra Violette?
“As soon as we had our lightbulb moment working at MECCA, we were not able to let it go. We just knew the opportunity was huge. Getting ranged in some key retailers globally was also a massive moment for us.”

“Since launch, we have had so many pinch-me moments.” 

How has becoming a mother affected your approach to business?
“I think more about creating products and a brand that has longevity – not just a flash-in-the-pan brand that is created to make a quick dollar. Everything you do has an impact on the world. I think when you put your mind to something, it's important to think about what the long-term effects will be, not just on your own life but on those who will follow. The last thing the world needs right now is more mess to clean up! It's about leaving a legacy, instilling these values in my son and setting the right example for the next generation. I think it’s also given me a bit more perspective, empathy and understanding.”

What’s next for Ultra Violette?
“Next month, we will enter over 350 Sephora stores across Europe as well as a number of other specialty beauty retailers. We also have two new product innovations launching in the first half of this year, so it’s going to be a very busy few months. We can’t wait to get them out into the market.”