From Stay-at-Home Mom to Successful Entrepreneur: The Journey of Maxine Laceby

Introduction

Maxine Laceby, the founder of Absolute Collagen, has come a long way from being a stay-at-home mom for 25 years. Today, her company is the UK's leading liquid collagen supplement. In this article, Maxine shares her experience of becoming a first-time entrepreneur in her forties and how she turned her business idea into a multi-million dollar success.

Early Life and Background

Maxine Laceby grew up in a challenging environment, raised by a single-parent alcoholic mother. With limited resources, she left school at 16 and worked various jobs, including sales and marketing for a small hotel in England. At the age of 25, she married a successful man and became a happy stay-at-home mom for two decades.

Finding Time for Herself

After her divorce in her mid-forties, Maxine realized it was time to prioritize herself. With her children grown up and the freedom of having more time, she felt liberated. Maxine went back to college to study fine arts and embarked on a personal project that involved not wearing makeup for four months. This experience led her to focus on her inner well-being, which eventually led her to discover the benefits of bone broth.

The Birth of a Business Idea

In 2015, Maxine started making bone broth and sharing it with her friends. Seeing their positive response, she decided to turn it into a business. Collaborating with her daughter, who was studying food science, they developed a formula for a collagen supplement in their kitchen. In 2017, Absolute Collagen was launched, with Maxine funding the business through personal means such as selling jewelry and remortgaging her house.

Overcoming Challenges and Achieving Growth

Despite facing skepticism due to their lack of business experience, Maxine and her daughter believed in their product. They focused on their customers, offering a direct-to-consumer approach and introducing a subscription model. By leveraging social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, they successfully built a loyal customer base. In the first year, Absolute Collagen made $630,000 in sales, which grew to $3 million in the second year. With steady growth, they expanded their team and moved into a larger warehouse.

The Turning Point

In 2020, Maxine sought outside investment to further expand her business. She was selective in choosing investors who aligned with her vision and values. This investment proved to be a turning point, as Absolute Collagen achieved a remarkable $34 million in sales last year. Today, the company employs 67 people and operates from a warehouse triple the size of their initial one.

Empowering Women in Business

Maxine acknowledges the underestimation faced by women in business, often including self-doubt. However, she believes that humility shouldn't hold women back. She also highlights the gender disparity in funding, with only 2% of investment going to female entrepreneurs. To support other women, Maxine is actively involved in a group called Buy Women Built, which promotes collaboration among female-founded brands.

Conclusion

Maxine Laceby's journey from a stay-at-home mom to a successful entrepreneur is a testament to her determination, hard work, and belief in her product. By prioritizing her own well-being and seizing opportunities, she has built a thriving business that has disrupted the market. Maxine's story serves as an inspiration for women who aspire to venture into entrepreneurship and overcome the challenges they may face along the way.

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By: pthompson@insider.com (Polly Thompson)
Title: From Stay-at-Home Mom to Successful Entrepreneur: The Journey of Maxine Laceby
Sourced From: www.businessinsider.com/absolute-collagen-maxine-laceby-founded-company-entrepreneur-kids-went-college-2023-12
Published Date: Sun, 10 Dec 2023 10:02:01 +0000