Robyn Smith

A strong set of values supports rapid growth and facilitates the founder’s exit.
Faithful to Nature was founded with five values that informed everything in the business.
The value-based culture was built through the monthly Values Awards.

A business idea is viable if it could make a profit and if you are willing to work harder than ever before.
Faithful to Nature was born from Robyn’s calling to leave the world a better place and her own desire to use organic and natural cosmetics.
Discovering a lot of green innovation, but also confusion on the topic in South Africa, she decided to create a shopping platform that will help customers make decisions.

Robyn’s first job was with the world’s top innovation company and the recognised best place to work for in the UK and Europe.
Despite the great workplace, she didn’t like the routine and structure that a corporate job entailed and was uncomfortable with clients whose values didn’t match hers.
Having worked for the best company in the world, the only next step to take was becoming her own boss.

Faithful to Nature sells trust, helping conscious consumers feel safe.
The company’s brand promise is that consumers can trust its procurement.
Faithful to Nature was the first retailer in the world with an ingredient policy.

The risk of radical transparency is that you open yourself up to criticism the moment you fail to keep the promise you made.
The key to managing that risk is honesty and open communication.
The reward of radical transparency is that you build strong, lasting relationships with your customers.

Values must be defined right from the start.
Values create alignment in the business, like a skeleton creates alignment in a body.
Values can and should evolve.

Transparency is about respect for customers and their experiences.
Faithful to Nature’s retention rates were off the charts long before the company was profitable, because customers had experienced what it felt like to be respected.
Transparency builds customer loyalty and brand equity.

The HR and marketing departments have to work together to bring values to life.
As customer touchpoints, employees are at least as important as adverts.
For values to be authentically felt by customers, internal marketing is more important than external marketing.

Right from the start, Faithful to Nature was geared to leverage the lifetime value of customers.
Messing up is always an opportunity to create a customer for life.
Willingness to correct a mistake is rooted in a business model that focuses on long-term profitability.

Remember that business is business, regardless of the industry.
The business has to work.
You need to balance passion and profit.

Robyn Smith shares her secret ingredient.