At some point in most of our lives, we’ve had a tough relationship with clear skin, not finding products for our skin type, or just not knowing what’s good and what isn’t. Nydia Norville, a Saint Lucian entrepreneur was just as baffled by how little the products that were made available, helped her skin. She sat with us and gave us an idea of where Choiselle came from, how she was inspired to create an all natural skin and body care line and what she hopes is heading her way in the future.
Dazzle: How would you introduce yourself?
Nydia: I’m the creative founder of Choiselle which is an all natural, locally made skin care and wellness brand. Some people may have realized that Choiselle is a name play on the town Choiseul where all the arts and crafts originate in Saint Lucia. I was always inspired by how the artists use natural products such as clay and wood to make baskets, pottery and furniture. Similarly, that’s what Choiselle is about. I like to take ingredients that are indigenous to St. Lucia and the Caribbean to create 100% natural products that are effective.
I have a passion for entrepreneurship and small businesses. I love a good rags to riches story; where one started from nothing and turned their passion into something wonderful that’s not only making money but also helps others. There are so many undiscovered and underrated talented people in Saint Lucia and I would love to see the local economy of the country continue to grow. I think we’re progressing in terms of entrepreneurship but I believe that we can go so much further. There are so many opportunities here to tap into.
Dazzle: What kind of background do you have in this field and how does it help you today?
Nydia: I went to Seton Hall in Northern New Jersey in the US. I did a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration so that’s where the business part comes into play. I didn’t really have much of a chemist background but I did a lot of research and learned a lot along the way through trial and error. I also enrolled in an online course that teaches you from A-Z on how to formulate natural skincare products. I also seem to have a knack for seeing business opportunities all around, especially in St. Lucia. I worked in the fashion industry in NYC for a few years which exposed me to the business and marketing side of beauty and fashion.
Dazzle: Before you decided on Choiselle, was there anything else that you wanted to do?
Nydia: I went to school for business so I always knew I wanted to start my own business, I just didn’t know what it would be yet. In high school and college I dabbled in modeling. So after college I had the choice of starting at an entry level position from a company based out of Philadelphia or going to New York to earn a living through modeling. I decided to try my hand in modeling in NYC and use that as a starting point to see how this could help generate the seed money that would lead into entrepreneurship. That’s essentially what I did; I used the money I made from modeling to start my business.
Dazzle: What was your approach to taking this business from its early stages to where it is now?
Nydia: I offered only a few products but I did them very well with great packaging. I always told myself to start small but do small well.
I would rather offer my customer 8 or less really great products than 20 mediocre products. I launch when I feel that product meets my standards and the standards of what my customers would want. This could take 1 year, 3, years or even 5 but only when it’s right. Everything I did in the beginning was very grassroots, then social media came on the scene as a great platform that allowed small businesses to reach an international audience. I know it may sound cliché but word-of-mouth is still the best advertisement. When I first launched, I did the logo and label design myself, it was nice to start but as things started to grow I knew I had to take the overall aesthetics of the brand to a higher level. I slowly rebranded into what you see today. Overall, I would say I put out the best thing that I know how to create, I started small and it seems to resonate with people, especially those who actively care about their health. Those who watch what they eat, read labels to understand to an extent what’s going in their bodies, what’s good for their skin, and while my product goes well with everyone, those are the people that it sticks with.
Dazzle: What kinds of opportunities has Choiselle created for you?
Nydia: I had the opportunity to participate in an OECS trade mission to Guadeloupe. Guadeloupe just recently became an associate member of the OECS. Choiselle was chosen as a business based in Saint Lucia and I was able to travel there and explore many business opportunities that may be available to me there. I also had the opportunity to travel to Jamaica where I participated in The MoDa Collection which is a 2-3 day curated market of Caribbean small business owners. This give me an opportunity to expose my brand to the Jamaican market. I did that for two years; 2019 and 2018. There are other things to come that are still in the pipeline but so far it has definitely open up some doors for me. I think people recognize me now as the founder and creator of Choiselle and people are recognizing the brand, and the support that I get from people, even persons that I’ve never met, is what keeps me going.
Dazzle: Describe the general feedback you’ve gotten from your clients and how it has influenced your work.
Nydia: Most of the feedback I’ve gotten has been very positive. There’s our Face Elixir that I make with soursop seed oil. I originally formulated this when I was in the US and most Caribbean people would know what soursop seed oil is but North Americans and Europeans were not as knowledgeable or familiar with it. When I launched it, I thought it was a great idea because of the benefits of the soursop seed oil. It’s good for acne prone skin and I have a customer that uses it for eczema. Overall it’s great but I wasn’t sure how the market would respond, especially when it’s not something that my customers might’ve heard of. I was a little nervous but I thought it was unique, so I launched it and people from all walks of life absolutely love it. I get the opportunity to educate them about the fruit and it’s health and skin benefits and it’s becoming more and more popular in the U.S. I remember when I used to do events, I would have it on display on my table. The amount of questions and intrigue that I got was amazing. I have gotten nothing but positive reviews about my products. Also, my products are for all climates and not just harsh winters in New York. Anyone, anywhere can benefit from them .
Dazzle: What achievements do you have in mind for yourself or your business in the near future?
Nydia: I actually just want Choiselle to be a brand that’s known island wide, regionally and internationally as a St. Lucian brand. I want it to be that brand that anyone from Saint Lucia can proudly talk about and show with pride, a brand that they are eager to bring it back home with them when they come down.
I want to give back as much as I can to the island. I want Choiselle to be able to impact the economy on this island in terms of growing and positively impacting the agriculture/agro-processing industry. We have so much lush, fertile land and sunshine all year round. Our agricultural and agro-processing output on this island is not nearly as diverse as I think it can be based on the amount of natural God given resources here. Job creation is important to me as well because without jobs and opportunities, people can’t prosper. And finally inspiring others and the youth. If there’s any way I can help upcoming entrepreneurs, whether it’s just a word of encouragement or advice, or having them a part of some kind of mentorship, I would want to help.
