05/26/2022
β¨An Ending Is A Beginningβ¨ I started Peet Rivko in 2015 just as I was graduating law school. I took a sharp right turn into beauty and entrepreneurship after almost a decade in foreign policy. It was a scary career move at the time, but it was also the early days of Warby Parker / Fast Company / Girl Boss culture (oh how far we have come!) and starting your own company seemed like the fast track to work, financial, and creative freedom. With the support of family and friends, I decided to go for it. And after nearly 2 years of R&D, product development and learning the ropes of the beauty industry, we launched Peet Rivko into the wild in January 2017.
The goal with Peet was clear: create super high quality products using plant-based ingredients and build a brand that stands for something: a more inclusive, less wasteful industry; conscious consumerism; and a work culture rooted in respect and building each other up.
I didnβt always get it right, but I always tried my best. Over the last five years, Iβve learned so much about running a business, building a brand (during late stage capitalism no less), making products, and finding my own voice. Weβve had incredible highs, and really tough lows. The thing about entrepreneurship is that it can be very romanticized, when in reality itβs kind of just a microcosm of all the drama and joy of real life only itβs all on you to make every decision and pay all the bills.
This past year, like many small businesses, we faced a new set of challenges navigating Covid-19, retail closures, and pandemic supply chain delays. It soon became clear that we would need additional funding to continue and take us to the next level. After much reflection and serious soul searching, I decided raising wasnβt in the cards for me, and as such, it was time to (lovingly) close our doors.
Endings are tough, but with this one, I really want to celebrate what we have built and the values we believe in. The world is getting crazier and more chaotic with each day, and itβs all the more important to find the joy where you can. (continued in comments below b/c Iβm writing a short novel)π