An online program designed to empower you with intelligence about the complex but enchanting workings of your own divine body throughout every hormonal cycle of life.
How did it all begin?
I have spent years working as an educator in the plant science industry and running various classes on CBD, Cannabis and aromatherapy I was constantly being asked about how women can use plants to help with hormonal imbalance’s such as, menopause, menstrual cycle, fertility, infertility and the list goes on. I had recognised there was no real education around how women could lean into holistic solutions to help support their hormones through the different hormonal journeys we go on through life and that’s when I created LabFemme.
What sets your business apart?
We offer a vast range of holistic solutions such as Herbal solutions, Aromatherapy solutions, nutritional guidance, meditation and yoga sequences brought by our amazing team of expert writers.
What is the concept behind your business or the problem you’re solving?
As femme’s we all have very different hormonal paths and journeys throughout our lives and I wanted LabFemme to reflect that so, that women can re-visit this program anytime and take the relevant information they need from it to support them and also to share with friends.
The problem we are solving is that we are overworked, running close to burnout and our bodies require nutrition, care and plant-based medicine to support our day to day lives. Convenient high strength affordable CBD is a huge part of the solution.
Where to next/What is your brand vision?
I am passionate about educating femme’s in how our bodies work throughout every hormonal cycle of life and how we can lean into more plant based and holistic solutions to support them during hormonal changes and imbalances but to also empower them with the knowledge to help them understand what is happening to their bodies during this time.
My vision is to spread and educate as many women as possible about their bodies through free masterclasses and partnerships with other brands and business who want to educate their audiences too.
My vision is to spread and educate as many women as possible about their bodies through free masterclasses and partnerships with other brands and business who want to educate their audiences too.
Colleen Quinn
Founder of
LabFemme
What do you feel passionate about/what drives you?
I am most passionate about plant medicine and empowering us with accessible and actionable knowledge on how our body works and how we can lean into Mother Nature’s plants to support our day-to-day wellbeing and sense of equilibrium while also working as a preventive medicine to support our Immune system as well our mental health.
Share an example of early life that has shaped you?
I’m very fortunate that I grew up in a family business, so I had the advantage of learning the meaning of work ethic very early. Through growing up in our restaurant I also learned how to communicate with people and appreciate the value of how different we all can be with our thoughts and views on the world. These early lessons in human interaction have stood for me to this day.
Highlights of your business journey so far?
Launching my first brand Lucy Annabella with Space NK and Harvey Nichols in the first year was a massive achievement. It was immensely daunting, but something I’m very proud of especially considering I was only 29 years old. Also, creating our LabAroma blending software and being able to successfully formulate incredibly therapeutic and high strength CBD within our LabBotanical brand and releasing my own book. However, watching our cannabis science students acquire jobs and gain the expertise and skills to make their own plant medicine to benefit their health and their families is a massive highlight that I get to enjoy every year.
Key lessons you have learned along the way?
We can’t say yes to every opportunity and every project. We have to ask ourselves a few questions when trying to decide which shiny opportunity we want to jump at.
Those questions are mostly; do I have the time, resources and focus to take this on? Most importantly is this opportunity going to make a difference to the world or even just to a few people’s health? That’s when we say, yes.
Best piece of advice you have received?
“Choose quality over quantity in all of your decisions” and “Don’t see being a woman as a disadvantage in business. It’s an advantage because we innately have a communication style and a level of empathy that’s not common to all genders.”
Advice to an aspiring entrepreneur or woman just starting her career?
Build your tribe. Build a powerful team of women around you. That will support you. Will be your cheerleaders. Will pick you up on the bad days and celebrate with you on the good days. And then be that kind of woman for others who are coming up behind you.
What funding route have you chosen for your business and why?
We have always been self-funded because I’ve always wanted to maintain control over where we spend our time and resources.
Some of the challenges you have faced and how you overcame them?
Some of the challenges we faced is not having enough revenue to put into marketing when building a bath and body brand. We overcome it by building a network and a tribe to drive the brand forward and build loyalty within the brand.
The other biggest challenge I had is that starting a business in Northern Ireland didn’t give me enough visibility and consumer footfall to build the business big enough. So, I had to become brave and move to London.
Why is it important to support women-led business?
There are fewer women sitting in CEO positions. There’s less sitting in board rooms. There are fewer female-led businesses being funded and there are fewer investors interested in us.
So, we have to support each other in order to change all of those statistics. It is our only option and our duty to pull each other up.
60
Seconds
with
Colleen Quinn
My inspiration is...
other powerful women that built there brand by honoring their truth and integrity. Sara Blakely is a perfect example of a woman who has built an empire while staying true to herself.
My greatest fear is...
not having the freedom to do the work I want to do every day.
The most courageous thing I’ve ever done is...
write my first book – The CBD Beauty Book.
Guilty pleasure?
a dirty martini and jazz on a Friday night.
Mantra you live by?
show up, shine and let go.
Female role model?
my sisters who all live very different lives from me but are inspirationally courageous in what they do every day.
Women-led brand you love?
Chupi.
Top productivity tool?
Asana for management and driving our projects through.
