From the IKEA bag to a professional logistic in a feminine and powerful co-creation

The co-story of Oilspiration

You start as friends, who have a good idea, which is then turned into a shared business. Sadly, it is not uncommon that a business partnership causes a break in the friendship.

When we first met in 2015 we connected over Yoga, Food, Nature, and a love for traveling. In 2017, we started to dive into the Essential Oil world together and noticed soon that there were a lack of good, funky and sustainable aromatherapy supplies (i.e. glass bottles, books, diffusers, etc.) to mix our own blends, support a chemical-free household, and dive deeper into various topics related to essential oils. Even more difficult to get the right educational and inspirational literature in German. Shops in our neighboring countries often don’t ship to Switzerland or have high shipping costs, and then the additional import cost really makes it not a fun shopping experience. Of course, cheap products can be found in Asia, however, we were trying to find sustainable products.

So there we were. Two Essential Oil Lovers, frustrated about the accessories side of it. We knew that we were not the only ones, being dissatisfied with the possibilities in Switzerland to lay our hands on essential oils accessories. Over lunch, we had the idea to start a business, that way helping ourselves and all the other Aromatherapists and Oil Lovers out there. No sooner said than done. We began by researching wholesalers around the globe - a sometimes quite tiring and frustrating task. And ordered our first batch. Found a name ...

... and set up a website and an Instagram account. And here we went. Mind you, we had no business plan and did everything pretty much in an “off the bat” manner. All we wanted was to work sustainably and build on organic growth. We were not at all in a hurry.

During the first months, we took the first orders ourselves to the post office. First under the arm and over time we needed one of these big blue IKEA bags. And then two. After a little bit more than a year, the number of packages to be shipped became so high, that we arranged for the Swiss post to come and pick them up. We still did all the rest of it ourselves: pack the packages, print the invoices, print the labels, etc.

In 2020 fortunately the business became so big, that we had to consider two things: outsourcing the packaging and shipping part and the form of our collaboration. Therefore, we founded a GmbH, and we found an institution that was ready to take over the packaging and shipping part. Regarding the latter, it was imperative to us to work with a logistic company that was in line with our values and has a social impact. That is why we chose a Swiss institution committed to the social and professional rehabilitation and integration of people with mental or physical employment impairments.

We try to avoid plastic as much as possible and are always looking for alternatives. In addition, we mostly ship a large part of the packaging “reused”

That means we buy as little new packaging material as possible (and if we do, then plastic-free) and use existing material. We are always striving to improve and look for ecologically compatible solutions.

As for our relationship, we experienced an opposing trend. Often people start as friends, who have a good idea, which is then turned into a shared business. But sadly, it is not uncommon that a business partnership causes a break in the friendship. In contrast to that, our friendship deepened. We developed an effective, feminine, and joyful way of doing business. Besides a wonderful and effortless co-creation, we are now Best Friends, Sisters by heart, and go through the ups and downs of not only the business but also of life.

Visit Oilspiration for more information.

About Andrina & Nadine

Andrina Tisi

Life Curation Coach & Mentor, Yoga Teacher, Essential Oil Specialist

www.andrinatisi.com

www.oilspiration.ch

Nadine Brotschi

Female Empowerment Coach, Yoga Teacher, Essential Oil Specialist

www.nadinebrotschi.ch

www.oilspiration.ch

Hello Diversity! x WeCoCo 🎙 A Podcast on Digital Communities

Listen to the “Eventually Walk the Talk” Podcast with Patrycja Pielaszek to learn about the power of digital communities to encourage more women in innovation and entrepreneurship.

What challenges and opportunities do women entrepreneurs face through digital innovation during their journey? And how can research in this field continue the discussion? The “Hello Diversity! Podcast” series and digital Paperthon one-day event was initiated by Dr. Janina Sundermeier, Dr. Pauline Weritz and Franziska Schmitt, and aims to find answers to these questions through interview discussions with founders. The highlight is a live podcast on 24.11. and a virtual paperthon on 25.11. that brings together scientists and experts to tackle challenges and develop new paper ideas for further research.

If you are a researcher, working at the intersection of digital entrepreneurship, diversity, and innovation, or if you are a practitioner, interested in supporting research in this field, please sign up here for either or both, the live podcast or paperthon.

🎙 Listen in the Podcast with Patrycja Pielaszek on Spotify

Hello Digital Communities! A Podcast with Patrycja Pielaszek

As part of the “Eventually Walk the Talk” podcast series, Franziska Schmitt, PhD Candidate at FU Berlin, interviewed the serial entrepreneur Patrycja Pielaszek. Both spoke about the power of digital communities that foster innovation, whereas Patrycia highlights the impact and power of WeCoCo. As a catalyst for change, Patrycia co-creates a more inclusive future and shares in the podcast how she achieves this goal. Moreover, Patrycja speaks about why she founded WeCoCo in 2018 and how she connects disruptors, action-takers, and change-makers through a vibrant community. The interview with Patrycia is essential and very impactful, as it lays the foundation for the second part of the Hello Diversity! Initiative: A digital Paperthon.

In addition, Patrycja speaks about her passion for big data and artificial intelligence, the power of a business buddy, the impact of asking for help and support via digital technologies, and the importance of sharing knowledge and role model stories. Moreover, with her background in leadership, learning, and development, Patrycja shares insights on how she stays inspired through digital innovation.

🎙 Listen in the Podcast with Patrycja Pielaszek

About the Hello Diversity! Eventually Walk the Talk Podcast

In the podcast series, Franziska and Pauline talk about interviewees’ entrepreneurial journeys, the possibilities of digital innovation, and current hurdles with digital technologies when developing new ventures. In fact, Hello Diversity! has the goal to bring together different ideas and perspectives from scientists and practitioners to tackle the intersection of entrepreneurship, diversity, and digital innovation. As knowledge is still scarce, the initiators aim to support the re-writing of the narrative and seek to facilitate research in the field.

The aim of Hello Diversity!?

With this project, they raise awareness for the topic, start a fruitful conversation between different parties, and kick-start research projects that advance understanding of to which extent digital innovation and women’s entrepreneurship align. You wonder how? Starting in September, they release one episode every Tuesday. The final episode will be a live recording with Prof. Dr. Maura McAdam at the Einstein Center Digital Future on 24 November 2022, in Berlin.

The Hello Diversity! Paperthon for more research ideas

Based on the findings from the Podcast, Dr. Janina Sundermeier, Franziska Schmitt, and Dr. Pauline Weritz cluster research opportunities and challenges that are underlying a one-day digital Hello Diversity! Paperthon on 25 November 2022. This paperthon starts with a Keynote from Prof. Dr. Maura McAdam to highlight the novel status of research in digital entrepreneurship and diversity. After that, the participants will be guided through Design Thinking Sessions in small groups, which will be accompanied by one scientist and a practitioner to tackle specific topics in the field of digital entrepreneurship, diversity, and innovation.

Join the Paperthon to:

• Discuss the intersection of digital entrepreneurship, diversity, and innovation

• Work with fellow researchers to create new paper ideas

• Develop long-lasting, fruitful connections in the field of information systems and entrepreneurship

• Learn the newest and novel insights in the field of entrepreneurship research
  

🔗 Register here!

To get inspired, please follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and listen to our Hello! Diversity Eventually Walk the Talk Podcast series.

The Hello Diversity! Eventually, Walk the Talk Initiative is funded by the Margherita-von-Brentano-Zentrum from FU Berlin.

• Listen to the Podcast

• Sign up for the Paperthon on 25.11.2022

• Join the live Podcast on 24.11. In Berlin

• Visit for more information, the Hello Diversity! Website

👙Tias & Olives: How we build our brand beyond bikinis

Here’s the co-story of Tias & Olives, a bikini brand that’s – well – just another bikini brand. But, also, so much more than that. It's about shared visions and creating an impact for good as female co-founders.

We are Tías & Olives. Sure, we are yet another swimwear label on the market. But what separates us from others is our mission. We want to help empower others. To help them feel confident in who they are, while wearing our brand, and standing together for the next generation of women. It all kicked-off one and a half years ago with the founding of our company in Switzerland. Already in the early days, we were supported by inspiring women: Tina, founder of Matiabeachwear, agreed (after meeting in person and getting a vibe-check mixed with rosé, in Portugal) to consult us and introduce us to her manufacturer in Portugal.

Where would we be if women wouldn't support each other? The market for swimwear is big. Seeing a brand come to life with this drive at its core… This feeling is just incredible," said Tina, founder at Matiabeachwear

It all started smoothly, but we knew this feeling wouldn't last. In March of this year, we received a message saying that our production slot had been delayed. Now, we’d be looking at end of July. And let’s be real here. Even though launching a bikini label in the middle of July seemed silly – also to us, yes – we decided to go for it. “Courage" is one of our brand's core values: We believe that courage is crucial for a happy life. Therefore, we are stepping out of our comfort zones by taking a risk and making tough decisions.

Bikinis for good: 1 bikini, 3 reusable period pads

When starting to discover our brand, understanding who we are and what we wanted to do in the world, we had no doubt about the fact that we wanted to make an impact. Not just on the environment but on the life of other women, too. We’ve been very privileged, growing up in Switzerland, where frequent travels, sabbaticals, and experiences – social security and a forward-thinking educational system – are the norm. We believe that education is the key to solving many conflicts and challenges. We admire all the efforts people make to protect the environment, and we do our best in that field, too. But without proper education, we believe it can never truly happen.

The second thought we had was related to being a woman. As women, we are all aware of the high prices and taxes for hygienic products. Period poverty wasn't something new to us. As families in many countries can't afford a lot of hygienic products, these girls miss out on school every month for one whole week due to their menstruation. Sue Barnes, the founder of Subz, an NGO we're collaborating with, told us that after two years, girls often drop out of school, as their parents see the value of them working an additional week at home. This was when we found the deeper purpose of Tías & Olives. We decided to donate three reusable period pads per order. Why three? These three pads enable the girl to attend school during the week of her menstruation, as they can be washed, dried in the sun, and used again.

A purpose-driven brand

Working in branding and marketing, Simon Sinek is well known to us. Starting our brand and being aware that we're not the only ones building up a swimwear label (in-depth research on Instagram sure gives you an idea), we asked ourselves the million-dollar question: why? And we found an answer: We want you to feel vibrant, authentic, and confident — all day long. This is our mission as a brand. And we'll have two approaches: First, the product, ensuring that you feel vibrant and authentic. Wherever we wanted to transmit confidence and strength with our brand, we needed to find a significant purpose:

"We know we can't live without clothing, but we can make the ones we buy matter. We believe we have the obligation as a brand in the fashion industry to be conscious and transparent, balancing our actions and the industry's actions. A clear conscience requires actions. We are committed to our values and we’re on a mission to educate and empower."

And so second, knowing that your purchase supports a young girl in her confidence and strength. We're still a fashion brand. And fashion is all about consumption, profit, and spending. Research has proven it – spending money on yourself only creates short-term happiness, but doing something for others is one of the true drivers of happiness. Knowing that, with one single order, you'll help one young girl pursue her dreams, attend school every week, and protect her from harassment – that’s a true enabler of inner confidence. For you, and for us. As a brand, we believe that using recycled materials or buying eco-friendly products – to have an impact and create a meaningful change with your customers – is not enough. Looking up to brands like Patagonia or MyMarini, we now found our own path with our brand. We support young girls in South Africa in reaching their dreams by enabling them to have access to education while staying healthy. Getting that support from women since our very first day, we will now continue to empower other females in this world.

About the Brand

Tías & Olives is a conscious and vibrant Swiss swimwear label rooted in Switzerland and Spain. The designs are made in Switzerland. We support ethical manufacturing and work closely with a family-run factory in Portugal. We use the highest quality of recycled fabrics called ECONYL® to ensure that each piece stays beautiful for years. This regenerated nylon is made of nylon waste like fishing nets, fabric scraps, and industrial plastic. Instead of polluting our ocean further, like many other brands out there, we turn pollution into swimwear.

The women behind the brand are Sibylle Nüssli and Carmen Viudez. Two friends that not only share their love for the sun, but also the determination to empower women, and to create swimwear that people around the globe can’t wait to wear all day long. Carmen has been part of WeCoCo since its early start.

Visit www.tiasandolives.com for more.