SELF MADE Lucy Buckingham of Lucy Bee on making sweet success from coconut oil

Co-founder of Lucy Bee, LUCY BUCKINGHAM, 26, brought coconut oil to the masses. Here’s how saying no helped…

➤ Connect on social media As a baby I was diagnosed as a coeliac, so my parents were always conscious of what we ate. A friend introduced me to coconut oil and it became such a staple for us that, five years ago, I began to source and market my own. No one really knew about its benefits then, so I’d tweet tips and set up stalls at food festivals. It took off when Joe Wicks approached us during his early career and asked for a jar for his Lean In 15 videos. If influencers or celebrities follow us on social media, I’ll message asking if they’d like to try our products but, Joe aside, we don’t pay for reviews as I’d rather they be authentic. ➤ Stand by your beliefs There are so many ingredients I’d love to add to the range, but if I can’t find raw or Fairtrade suppliers, it can’t happen. I’ve had meetings with lovely people who say,“You don’t have to use organic for this part of the product.” But that’d be compromising our values. It’s easy to feel tempted, but if you’re not strict, you’ll lose your USP. Be committed to what your brand stands for. ➤ Wait until the time is right You don’t have to take every opportunity that comes your way – just the right ones, at the right time. A few years ago, I was offered the chance to cook live on TV, but at that stage I struggled with nerves. So I said, “Thanks, but I’m not ready. Can we revisit this in a year?” Never feel pressure to give an instant yes; if somebody really wants to work with you, you can go back later. ➤ Use a personal touch When we started Lucy Bee, I’d chat to people on Twitter as I would my friends, much to my father’s dismay [he’s Lucy’s co-founder]. He’d tell me to stop using smiley faces and be formal, but I didn’t heed that advice and we now have a following of 379,000 across our social channels. My background in beauty therapy taught me that a personal touch is crucial to building a loyal customer base. I’d always ask new beauty clients how many kids they had – so that next time they came in I could say, “How is your son?” Little details like that make people feel special, so they’re inclined to return.