Bailey Nelson and Light and Glo. Designs are two Australian businesses that were born from a need for change. The first, established in 2012 following a conversation between two friends and the second went from hobby to a fully-fledged business. But how did the founders behind the big names go from A to B? And how did they prove their credibility in entirely new sectors?
Amex spoke with founders Peter Winkle and Nick Perry and Suji and Jeeva Sanjeevan about the challenges behind changing careers and how their former professional lives prepared them for the future.
Both companies provide products that bring joy and inspiration – albeit in different ways. Peter Winkle explains that the idea for the eyewear business grew out of talks with Nick Perry about how expensive a pair of single vision frames and lenses were. Glasses were more of a “grudge purchase,” he says. Concurrently, Australia’s retail sector was experiencing a shake-up with the likes of Uniqlo and H&M entering the market.
“These brands were disrupting the traditional models with sharp pricing, great customer experience and on-trend products,” Peter notes. “We didn’t see that happen in the eyewear industry.” Nick further says that their background in consulting provided them with an outsider’s perspective on the industry. “We could step back and look closely at the sector. When you’re in an industry for a long time, you at times accept things how they are,” he says.
Once seeing a gap in the market, the friends chose to act. Peter moved into a share house and began living a more frugal lifestyle compared to when he worked at global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company. “We were starting a business, so everything had to be poured into getting it started,” he explains.
The business started humbly, with Peter and Nick setting up a stall and selling a small number of eyeglasses at the Bondi markets. It didn’t take long for consumers to notice the potential in the local brand.
As the company grew, the founders began to feel the pressures of running a business.
“Working for yourself is exhilarating but also exhausting. You’re often working seven days a week, and it’s very uncertain,” shares Nick.
Peter also adds, “Starting a business puts strain on every other part of your life, including relationships and exercise. That was certainly a change at a personal level.”
In 2012, Bailey Nelson, offering affordable and stylish eyewear, was born. But with Peter, formerly working in management consulting, and Nick, most recently at THE ICONIC, they were outsiders to the optometry industry. Peter says that it took four to five years until Bailey Nelson was recognised as a serious competitor in the industry.
The company’s growth slowly piqued the interests of industry professionals, who helped Peter and Nick advance their own and business’ capabilities and services. “Pivoting from just a seller of frames to managing a healthcare relationship with people for the rest of their lives was a huge change for the company,” says Nick. To which Peter adds, “We see ourselves as a full-service optometry business. Our purpose is to bring joy to eyecare. That’s what we want to achieve.”
Starting in a new industry is daunting and intimidating. Both Peter and Nick used the skills learned in their former careers to plan, structure the work and commit to the long-term vision. Peter adds that at McKinsey he learned how to succinctly communicate ideas and make sure the people that needed to understand their plans and strategy understood them.
The past nine years of growing the business and introducing it around the globe have provided Peter and Nick with many, many new lessons. One of the standouts for Peter is knowing when to be bold and grow and when to slow down. The other is commitment. Nick adds, “You have to make it your sole focus.”
Complete commitment to an idea is the road Suji and Jeeva took when they quit their medical professions to grow their candle manufacturing business.
In 2015, pregnant with their second child, Suji, a former doctor and clinical researcher, began experimenting with making candles. The creative outlet quickly flourished into a business opportunity for Suji and her husband, Jeeva, also a doctor.
“Starting Light and Glo. Designs was organic. But we also knew that something had to change in our life as we were about to have our second child,” says Suji. “I wanted to keep excelling in my career, so staying at home wasn’t an option.”
After a small investment of $250 into a candle making kit, the couple grew Light & Glo. Designs into a viable family business.
“You must have the passion and drive because your business never sleeps. It is a 24-hour job. You’re constantly thinking and talking about it” says Jeeva.
The business evolved from their home kitchen bench to the garage, and in 2017 Light & Glo. Designs moved into its first warehouse. As the company’s exposure increased, so did the number of candles. In 2019, Suji and Jeeva moved into another warehouse, and in 2021, they relocated into their third and much larger space.
Medicine and candle manufacturing are two different industries requiring very different skills. When asked about the challenges of changing careers, Jeeva and Suji have the same answer, “stigma.”
“People often say, ‘You are a doctor. Why are you making candles?’ Jeeva shares. Suji adds that the initial two years were fraught with breaking down those preconceived misconceptions.
“We want to be leaders in our industry. That’s why we went from hobby to a full-blown business within a short time. It’s because of that drive and the need to make a mark and create a point of difference in an over saturated market,” she says. “It pushed us even harder. We felt the need to showcase we aren’t just candle makers. We are an industry leader in the field of ambience and candle manufacturing.”
When all the business details were still being planned out, Suji and Jeeva wrote a vision statement: to be industry leaders in the field of ambience and candle manufacturing. To be revered locally and known globally. That vision hasn’t changed. “That’s still stuck in the warehouse so everyone can see,” Suji adds.
The other challenge was of having to learn about business from the ground up. Starting a company requires one set of skills but supporting its growth requires another. Jeeva says how inept they felt, prompting them to quickly sign up to finance, brand strategy, marketing and digital marketing online courses.
But there was one commonality between the two industries. And, that’s making decisions. Quickly. “It’s the same way in business. You are constantly making choices,” says Jeeva. “A medical background has helped us adapt and remain flexible.” Suji also says, “We learned how to be compassionately ruthless. You can be empathetic, but you can’t be sympathetic in business.”
The couple is determined to continue to change, learn and expand. On top of Light and Glo., Suji and Jeeva also created Brand Scent, a service-based option for brands and a scent marketing option.
Inspired by the likes of The Body Shop founder Anita Roddick and American businessman and author Robert Kiyosaki, the couple see their business following similar paths of social and commercial purpose.
“If you’re thinking of switching careers or starting your own business, definitely take the plunge. Often, we are our own worst enemy in that we doubt ourselves,” says Suji. “When you’re a startup, you have this genuine enthusiasm for the entrepreneurial journey. Take hold of it, do what you love and prepare for the ride of your life.”