E23 | Building a Billion Dollar Cult Brand with Barb De Corti

Barb de Corti is a passionate entrepreneur who has grown her business, ENJO Australia and Santé Skincare, from selling microfibre cloths at expos to achieving over a billion dollars in sales. As an avid learner and advocate for sustainability, she has built a carbon-neutral, ethical business committed to fair practices and reducing environmental impact. It has resulted in a cult following for her products over the years. Initially, she aimed to educate consumers on effective, chemical-free cleaning through demonstrations, a novel approach at the time. Although the business experienced rapid growth, scaling from 150 to over 2,500 consultants and reaching $80 million in turnover, the success brought challenges, including overwhelming demands, financial missteps, and personal tolls. Now, post-COVID, she focuses on cultivating a loyal customer base and adapting to shifts in consumer habits, including digital sales. Her current goal is to build a more sustainable, customer-focused business that emphasises affordability, safety, and environmental impact. Takeaways Educating customers on the mental health benefits of sustainable cleaning practices builds trust. Starting with a direct-selling model, in-person demos foster engagement and boosted growth. Rapid growth can create operational strain and temporarily impact passion and purpose. Effective cash flow management is essential for maintaining financial stability. Balancing online sales with in-person demos aligns with evolving consumer preferences. Cult status builds loyalty through shared purpose and giving customers a voice. Eco-friendly products resonate with values around reducing chemical use, water waste, and plastic. A “better business” focuses on sustainable practices over high turnover. Follow Barb de Corti https://www.enjo.com.au/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbdecorti/ Books on this episode Predictably Irrational, Revised and Expanded Edition: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions by Dr Dan Ariely https://amzn.to/46ddBe8 Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvolutionPartners Newsletter – each week I share interesting insights, articles and ideas you can use. Join other leaders and subscribe to The Evolution Partners newsletter https://evolutionpartners.com.au/subscribe/ Books – Learn more about our books https://evolutionpartners.com.au/books/ Made to Thrive: The practical, prescriptive guide on how to be a great CEO Onboarded: How to bring new hires to the points where they are more effective faster. A business case for leaders on why you should commit to an effective onboarded process. Onboarded for Managers: Helping managers bring new hires to the point where they are more effective faster. Follow me: on https://au.linkedin.com/in/bradleygiles on https://twitter.com/Evolution_Perth Enjoying the show? Leave a review Support the show: https://www.facebook.com/evolutionpartnersperthSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.