RAAF civil engineer Cherie-Ann Borghouts has gone from designing military runways to running her own organic skincare business all thanks to a peanut allergy.
The Wing Commander was serving fulltime in the Royal Australian Air Force when she began making her own skincare products.
Cherie-Ann said the catalyst was her son being diagnosed anaphylactic to peanuts.
“There’s a lot of research that backs the link between chemicals and allergies,” she said.
“So, at the time I was trying to bring chemical-free products into our home, there were very few natural and organic skincare alternatives on the market.”
The Brisbane-based entrepreneur decided to fill the gap and a decade on that gap-filler – Indira Organics – is thriving.
“Indira Organics is all about bringing about real skincare results but doing it ethically and doing it in a way that really is sustainable,” she said.
Cherie-Ann moved to part-time RAAF service in 2016 and focused primarily on being an artisan skincare formulator creating chemical-free products.
“It’s been a methodical process that started as a bit of fun, research and concocting, then moved into actually doing some genuine study in the area, coming up with some really solid products, and then making a decision to launch the range,” she said.
“Along the way you can’t be stagnant, so there’s been a lot of modifications.
“But things that have stayed the same are the quality of the ingredients, the (sustainable) aluminium packaging…and the move away from the industry norm of excess packaging.”
Cherie-Ann takes pride in being “very meticulous” in every part of her business, a carryover from her RAAF career.
“The fact that I am an artisan means that I design and handcraft everything,” she said.
“I research, I refine and the products are tested. “It’s the best offering that I can possibly do.”
Her biggest challenge is communicating Indira Organics’ points of difference in a growing market filled with generic, mass-produce skincare.
“Our products are designed from a place of intention that have high percentages of oils and butters and active ingredients that are designed to deliver some kind of function and therefore a skincare result,’ she said.
“The formulating, that’s just who I am, but the marketing and trying to connect with people, that takes a lot of time and development of skills that are not necessarily familiar to me.
“But the highlight would have to be…the connection with our customers, and then hearing about how the products are making a difference in their lives.”
And while Cherie-Ann was busy formulating, she was also building her business with help from Prince’s Trust Australia’s Enterprise programme.
“I was fortunate enough to be on one of the first iterations of the Prince’s Trust programme…right back when it was most valuable to me,” she said.
“It allowed me to really take stock and look at some of the things I was going to do for my business to improve it at that stage.”
Cherie-Ann still maintains her relationship with the Trust.
“The team listen, and they really want to assist the growth of small businesses,” she said.
The free Enterprise programme supports ex-serving and transitioning ADF members and military spouses to launch and grow small businesses.
What is Enterprise
The Enterprise programme helps veterans and defence spouses explore and refine business ideas, launch and grow businesses and enhance skills, all while networking with likeminded people from the veteran community.
Enterprise is broken into four stages, each an entry point depending on where a person is at in their self-employment journey.
The programme is for transitioning ADF members, ADF veterans, and civilian partners or spouses of current or former serving ADF members. This includes current, separated and widowed partners.
The Enterprise Programme is an initiative of Prince’s Trust Australia, which is part of The Prince’s Trust Group, a global network of charities founded by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales.
Courtney Snowden
ADF spouse and copywriter, for Prince’s Trust Australia.
www.princes-trust.org.au
