CORE METRICS – a family business in beauty

This month (April 2019) esprit sat down with Tijana Desancic, Co-Founder and Marketing Director, Core Metrics Pty Ltd, the company responsible for the creation of some of Australia’s most beloved skincare beauty brands like The Goat Skincare, Pure Paw Paw and C Lab and Co. Here she talks about working in the family business, how great people are the cornerstone of success, and how it’s really all about trust.

CORE METRICS IS A PROUD, FAMILY-OWNED-AND-OPERATED COMPANY. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A PART OF THE BUSINESS? 

Since I was straight out of high school! I remember helping my parents pack orders for Priceline in the late ‘90s when our first brand, The Bronzer fake tan range, was born. Back then we were operating out of our rumpus room, using excel spreadsheets to create invoices, and fax machines (remember those?!) The Internet was still in its infancy so there was no website either – it was about rolling up your sleeves and doing the work yourself. And while this made it a great time to learn the nuts and bolts of the business, it’s certainly easier now that we have software to help us manage the back end – plus it leaves more room for us to work on the creative side. Back then I was only part time because I was at Uni but I always knew I’d end up back in the business, partly because I’d watched my mother’s own career in the industry since I was a child. And, as the demand, and my parents’ work hours increased, I wanted to step in and help.

WHAT CHALLENGES HAVE YOU FACED AS THE BUSINESS EVOLVED OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS?

For many years I was managing so many different departments, from sales to marketing and even accounts, I didn’t even know what title to give myself. Hiring more staff was one thing but letting go and allowing them to take charge was another thing completely. It was a huge transition for me, but I quickly realised that we hired them for their skills and I’m so blessed to have such a hardworking team who go above and beyond our expectations – I’d be lost without them. Nowadays, one of the greatest challenges is juggling my time between working from home and looking after my toddler, and the hours I work at HQ… not to mention growing baby number two. The juggling act is real, and so are the long hours. But the secret for me is trusting in the people who work with me, allowing the to help, and letting them feel a part of my plans – for now, and the future. If they’re going to be there for the long haul you need to let them be a part of the journey. Transparency is everything to us, we don’t expect everything to be smooth sailing but it’s easier to get through it with a reliable team.

WHAT’S A VITAL INGREDIENT ABOUT BUSINESS YOU’VE LEARNED OVER THE YEARS/

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Whether it’s for guidance, advice, or just to help your ideas get off the ground, connecting with the right people is everything in this industry. It’s how we were able to launch some of our own big ideas, and even today if we don’t have the skills within our arsenal, we’ll connect with the right people to get the best outcome.

WHAT’S ON THE CARDS FOR CORE METRICS IN 2019?

Our business is truly blessed to have my mother, Sally Desancic, who is an industry veteran as a part of our team. Her long-standing contacts have seen our little family business grow into markets we previously only dreamed of. Core Metrics is spreading our wings this year and introducing a new department. The strength of our own brands’ distribution across the world has given us the opportunity to distribute other brands within Australia and we couldn’t be more excited about the potential. We have six global brands in our portfolio so far (and growing), which means hiring more new wonderful staff – and we take that as a great sign that we’re on the right path to creating and working with brands that Australia wants to see.