Some days we feel like we’re galloping forward. Other days it’s more of a slow trot.
That’s the reality of starting something new.
We do most of this ourselves – two sisters building Joni together. Design, photography packaging, social media, website, marketing, finance, idea generation and even some product formulation. We’re lucky to work with an amazing cosmetic chemist and formulator who helps turn our ideas into safe, stable formulas, but day to day it’s still very much a small, hands-on operation.
One of us has run small businesses before. For the other, this is completely new territory. What we share is a genuine love of the process - experimenting, learning, adjusting things, and occasionally having a small breakthrough that makes everything feel possible again.
Like many women building something from scratch, we’re doing this alongside day jobs, families, kids and pets. We’re definitely not superwomen. Starting Joni has meant letting go of other things and being comfortable with that.
International Women’s Day feels like a moment to pause and reflect on it all.
The day often celebrates achievements, but its roots are really about something deeper - the ongoing push to address inequalities that still shape women’s lives. From unequal pay and the invisible labour of care, to barriers around opportunity, leadership and safety, the work is far from finished. There is still a long way to go to truly balance the scales.
In our own small way, building a female-founded business feels connected to that.
Joni began with a simple idea: skincare that supports women’s skin health while bringing a little moment of joy to everyday routines. The scent, the texture, that small pause in the day where you take care of yourself.
Even the name Joni is a quiet nod to strong women who weren’t afraid to push boundaries and be themselves.
Skin health is often dismissed as cosmetic or superficial, when in reality it’s closely connected to wellbeing, confidence and how we move through the world.
We’re proud of what we’ve created so far, but what matters most is that we’re building something meaningful together.
When we think about the future of the business, we often think about our children. We hope our daughters grow up seeing women start things, back their ideas and build something of their own. Just as importantly, we hope our sons grow up to be the kind of men who champion women and who recognise and call out inequality when they see it.
Two sisters working side by side, and a skincare brand that’s only just getting started.
Some days we’re galloping forward. Some days we’re trotting very slowly. Some days can feel like we're not moving at all, and that's okay.
Here’s to the women building things - quietly and persistently, every day.
#IWD2026 #balancethescales #yearofthehorse #internationalwomensday #femalefounders
