KAMOLCHAT (FA) JUANGROONGRUANGKIT
Just as Jessica Alba created The Honest Company when she became a mom to help other parents find better and safer products for their children, Fa created Evoli as a first-time mom out of frustration for the little choice available of safe, high-quality products for newborns. Starting from 3 original product ideas, she has now expanded to a full range of products and accessories – all safe, fragrance-free, and that look and feel luxury.
“I took some time off from my job when I got pregnant because I was sick all the time and couldn’t really function. I was planning to go back after maternity leave but when the time arrived, somehow I couldn’t get myself to do it. I was spending a lot of times researching about baby products because I couldn’t really find what I was looking for. I am very particular about texture, scent, and ingredients and my son was allergic to some products. I kept complaining about it and one day my husband said, ‘Why don’t you do something about it yourself?’ First I laughed it off but his words kept coming back to me so after 3 days I asked him if he meant it seriously. ‘Yes’, he said. So I started doing research on factories and how to make my own skincare. I had a clear picture in my mind of what I wanted to create and because I used to work in cosmetics it felt natural and comfortable to me. My original plan was to have it as a hobby because I was still counting on going back to my old job. I had no idea it was going to grow this much.”
“It took me about two years to develop my first products. I wanted something safe, with the right texture and that smelled like newborn baby without adding fragrances. Some baby products have fragrances that cause irritation or cover up the natural newborn smell. No one understood what I meant so it took quite a bit of back and forth with the factory to get it right. For me every single detail matters. If we can spend so much money on expensive lotions for ourselves, how come there are such few high-quality products available to protect babies’ sensitive skins?”
“As soon as I launched the website, I knew I had to have a store or find another way to reach out because the site was not generating much traffic. It’s hard to trust a new brand for baby products. I stumbled upon an empty space in 8 Thonglor and that has become my concept store. I also went on roadshows and this way, many baby stores found out about Evoli and approached me to carry my products. Initially, I wasn’t keen on doing that because I am very particular about having my products displayed in a certain way and I wanted to control that. I was also afraid of what that would entail operationally. My plan for Evoli was to keep it easy and simple, almost like a hobby. With time and once I got to know them, I learned to let go of the less important stuff and that I need to be more flexible with things such as product displays. We are now in 28 branches around Bangkok and my goal is to expand internationally.”
“If I could start again, I would plan Evoli more carefully. I would want to have a better understanding of how to build and grow the business. It’s been hard on the operations side but I am learning by doing: when I get something wrong, I fix it. I have also learned to believe in other people. Initially, I didn’t trust anyone and wanted to do everything myself but I have realized that it was unsustainable. Different people have different skills and my job is to make sure they are in the right role.”
“My advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to do something that makes you happy. There is no point in doing something that you don’t love doing. For me, if I don’t believe in something, I can’t do it. Evoli is my passion; I have created it first and foremost with my son in mind. I almost don’t see it as a business.”
Company: Evoli
Location: Bangkok
Founded: 2014
No of Employees: 6
Women-owned & led
Evoli makes baby products and accessories that are safe, fragrance-free, and feel and look luxury
