The founders say Australian sunscreen development required regulatory testing while they were also trying to create a premium skincare experience that available base formulations did not provide. Formulation, packaging, branding, and part-time working constraints ran in parallel, making a rapid contract-manufacturing launch unrealistic for their concept.

They did not begin formal product development until after leaving their employer
The intended formulation had to combine sun protection with premium sensory qualities
Packaging needed to fit a prestige beauty environment
The founders continued other work during much of development
They believed full-time work might have shortened but not eliminated the lead time

“our idea wasn't about launching a brand with sunscreen it was really about changing a category”
Bec · 07:30

“there were lots of streams working um together”
Bec · 09:00

#product development#sunscreen#regulation#beauty

Explainer56:00

Owned Formulas Trade Speed and Cost for Control

Ava and Bec contrast manufacturer-owned bases with formulas the brand owns. They say ownership can create transferable intellectual property, more control over ingredients and iteration, and flexibility across markets, but it also requires deeper manufacturing knowledge, more testing, higher cost, and tolerance for late failures. Their conclusion is specific to their product strategy and regulatory environment rather than a blanket recommendation for every founder.

Formula ownership can reduce dependence on one manufacturer
It allows more control over ingredients and later modifications
Custom development can pursue ideas unavailable in manufacturer catalogs
The team must understand scale-up, raw materials, process, regulation, and testing
Different markets can require different versions of a formula
The route is slower, more expensive, and operationally demanding

“owning your own formulations there are that that is a big Pro owning that IP”
Ava · 57:00

“don't go into this naively thinking it's easy”
Ava · 1:00:00

#intellectual property#formulation#manufacturing#regulation

Story· 5

Story01:30

The First 60 Days Were a Reversible Commitment

Ava and Bec describe beginning with whiteboard sessions rather than an immediate leap. They explored positioning, products, costs, distribution, personal income, and capital while treating each day as another chance to decide whether the venture was serious enough to continue.

The initial idea emerged while Bec was Ava's boss
The founders spent months forming and stress-testing the plan
They discussed personal income tolerance alongside business costs
Commitment increased gradually before they left their jobs

“every single day was another step towards are we serious”
Bec · 04:00

“we knew enough to get going”
Ava · 05:00

#origin story#business planning#cofounders

Story12:00

How a Young Chemist Helped Translate the Product Vision

The founders deliberately selected an Australian manufacturer with no problematic overlap with their former employer. They connected with a younger chemist who understood the vision and was willing to explore lighter textures, skincare ingredients, and other qualities beyond meeting baseline technical requirements.

Few Australian manufacturers were approved for sunscreen production
Prior industry experience helped them identify possible partners
They chose carefully to avoid conflicts with previous work
A chemist who understood the desired experience became a key collaborator

“we kind of felt she got the vision”
Ava · 13:00

“let's make this lighter let's give this a glow”
Ava · 14:00

#manufacturing#chemistry#partnerships#product development

Story22:30

A Magazine Deadline Forced a Two-Month-Early Prelaunch

A beauty editor offered coverage before Ultra Violette's planned launch, so the founders assembled a barebones page and a small run of product packs. They say the packs sold through within days, and the attention helped them begin building a waitlist and social audience before the full launch.

The editorial opportunity arrived before the website and launch stock were ready
The manufacturer produced a small sample run
The founders created limited packs for a basic landing page
Early sell-through supported a waitlist and Instagram audience

“we thought we've just got to make this happen”
Ava · 23:30

“from there we started getting we built a weight list”
Ava · 25:00

#launch#public relations#waitlist#ecommerce

Story30:00

The Fictional Vi Joined an Investor Presentation

The character Vi began partly as a response to trademark constraints around the Ultra Violette name, then evolved into a flexible brand voice. During an investment process, the founders placed Vi alongside the founders and CFO in a formal document, using playful comments to make the material feel more like the brand. They also explain that Vi is not equally appropriate in every market, especially where basic sun-protection education must come first.

Vi gave the brand a voice separate from its non-celebrity founders
The character helped inject personality into a formal investment document
Readers responded by playing along with the presentation
Market knowledge affects whether playful communication is appropriate

“let's create this character around Vi”
Ava · 31:30

“we're still realizing what power there can be in this”
Bec · 32:30

#brand character#tone of voice#international marketing

Story1:18:30

North America Felt Like Starting the Brand Again

After launching in Canada, the founders were preparing to move into the United States. They describe the opportunity as both exciting and intimidating because the market challenged assumptions built elsewhere and because they had seen other brands struggle to adapt. Their comments capture the scale of the ambition without claiming that success was assured.

Canada was the first step in the North American expansion described
The United States represented a much larger commercial opportunity
The market forced the team to reconsider established assumptions
The founders viewed the launch as high-pressure and uncertain

“it feels like we're starting the brand all over again”
Bec · 1:18:30

“it's exciting terrifying”
Ava · 1:19:30

#north america#international expansion#founder journey

Takeaway· 3

Takeaway25:30

Their Launch Relied on Product Gifting, Editors, and Community

Ultra Violette's early launch was largely local and organic: traditional press, product gifting, existing editor relationships, influencers, and discussion in an active beauty Facebook group. The founders report spending little on paid launch activity initially, then adding performance marketing later. Nathan Chan interprets their account as evidence that promotion amplified a product developed with unusual care; that is his conclusion, not an independently established rule.

Distinctive packaging was designed to stand out in social images and on shelves
Gifting depended on confidence that recipients would like the product
An active niche Facebook group contributed discussion
Paid performance marketing followed the organic launch
The host framed marketing as amplification rather than the original cause of demand

“it was very traditional press gifting influencer not paid”
Ava · 26:30

“when you've got good product you can rely yes on that as a yeah as a really strong kind of marketing tactic”
Ava · 28:00

#launch marketing#gifting#press#community

Takeaway51:30

Global Intent Changed Their Earliest Retail Decisions

The founders decided early that the brand should solve a global problem rather than remain a domestic Australian business. Bec says this view influenced the choice of Sephora in Australia because its international network could turn domestic performance into evidence for expansion. She also acknowledges that a domestic strategy could have been legitimate and more profitable in lifestyle terms, but would have produced different choices.

Premium positioning made international scale important to their plan
Sephora's global structure influenced retailer selection
Australian performance became evidence within an international retailer network
A domestic-only ambition would have changed competitive positioning and workload
The founders present global versus domestic as a strategic choice, not a universal rule

“from a point of view of being Global”
Bec · 52:00

“this is a global problem that we're solving this is a global brand”
Bec · 52:30

#global expansion#retail strategy#sephora#positioning

Takeaway1:13:30

Cofounder Trust Still Requires Explicit Communication

The founders describe complementary strengths: Ava carries much of the brand vision, while Bec contributes decision-making, leadership, structure, and a sense of fun. Ava says their long relationship lets Bec infer unfinished thoughts, but she is working to communicate more completely because the rest of the organization cannot be expected to read her mind.

The founders recognize distinct strengths rather than identical roles
Long collaboration creates shorthand between cofounders
That shorthand does not transfer automatically to employees
Rereading requests can reduce downstream misunderstanding
Clearer communication may take longer initially but improve the result

“a very strong vision for this brand”
Bec · 1:13:30

“I can't assume that our accountant our finance assistant has that capability”
Ava · 1:16:30

#cofounders#communication#leadership

Frameworks in this episode

Decision Pace and Lanes

Know What Good Looks Like

Multi-Dimensional Brand System

Progressive Product Testing Funnel

Retailer Value Pitch

Two-Buy Cash Runway

Insights & moments

✶Explainer· 2

Why Their Sunscreen Launch Took Two and a Half Years