Tetiana Byts: "Success is a sequence of actions that you do every day"

In a world where it is especially important to see the real picture of the business, from opportunities and risks to growth and scaling points, the philosophy of the new heroine of the interview on the pages of BOMOND VIP fashion is based on a combination of support and honesty without creating illusions.

Tetiana Byts is an architect of cosmetic brands, co-owner of UNIKS, mentor and expert in the field of production, development and scaling of beauty projects. Today, she works at the intersection of marketing, strategy and cosmetic production, helping to create brands with clear positioning, concept and potential for long-term development.

We talked about the path of creating a cosmetic brand from the idea to the finished product, the modern contract manufacturing market, mentoring, the role of strategy in building a business, as well as about the internal stability necessary for the development of your own business. Special attention was paid to the topic of entrepreneurial thinking, common myths about launching a brand, and principles that help turn ambitious ideas into viable systems.

"Moving forward is always about the internal decision not to stop," Ms. Tetiana is convinced.

Ms. Tetiana, I am impressed by the fact that in everything you create, a creative approach and a deep understanding of the processes remain the key. Please tell us what was the beginning of your personal story as an architect of cosmetic brands in the production and scaling of beauty products?

Thank you for such kind words - it is really valuable to me.

My path to what you called the "architecture of cosmetic brands" was shaped gradually - through experience, practice and deep immersion in processes.

I've had a strong interest in marketing since my student years. I worked as a promoter, and later as a team supervisor. It was then that I gained a very valuable practical experience of live communication with customers and began to understand what factors influence their decisions. This was the foundation that formed my sense of the market not from theory, but from real interaction.

The next important stage was working as a brand manager in the company "Elfa laboratory". There, I have already seen the industry from the inside — the entire cycle of creating a cosmetic product: from the idea and development of the formula to production, packaging and marketing. It was during this period that I had the idea of creating my own beauty products and brands.

Over time, my focus shifted from a single product to a systemic vision. I started working with the brand as a holistic structure, where not only the formula or design is important, but also strategy, positioning, economy and the possibility of scaling.

Today, UNIKS' portfolio includes 5 brands that operate in various segments and have a clear positioning. And for me, this is not just a quantity, but the result of deep work with each project as a separate system.

Creativity in my approach is not about chaos, but about the ability to find non-standard solutions within real business limits. It is the combination of creativity with an understanding of production and the market that allows you to create brands that do not just appear, but live, develop and remain competitive.

If you, as an artist, depicted the image of a modern woman on the canvas, what would this painting be like? What traits, values and inner state would be inherent in this woman in your vision?

It would be a woman in motion - multi-layered, alive, with depth that is impossible to read at first glance.

This picture would combine contrasts: softness and strength, vulnerability and inner core, sensitivity and the ability to make complex decisions. She's not perfect, and that's her truth. In her view there would be a history of experience, choice, sometimes doubts, but at the same time - self-confidence.

She is a woman who knows her values. For her, freedom to be herself, development, honesty with herself and the world, and a sense of meaning in what she does are important.

Her inner state is not a constant harmony, but rather a balance in dynamics. She allows herself to be different: strong and gentle, rational and emotional, tired and inspired. And at the same time she does not lose herself.

A modern woman, and especially a Ukrainian woman, is not about one image. It's about multidimensionality, freedom and the courage to be yourself and support others!

Your professional path of more than 20 years, as well as your activities as a co-owner of UNIKS - a contract production of turnkey cosmetics, deserve great respect. Please tell us more about this direction: how exactly is the process of creating a brand from the idea to the finished product built and what is the uniqueness of your approach?

If we talk about the direction of contract production in UNIKS, then we have built the process of creating a brand as a clear system of 5 key steps:

1. Idea and choice of niche

We always start not with the product, but with the meaning. We analyze the market, competitors, determine the target audience and form a clear positioning. It is important to find a niche where the brand will not just exist, but be needed.

For example, my Milky Dream brand was born this way: I understood that we work with the mass market, where simple and clear UTP is critically important. After analyzing the market, I saw that there is no brand that systematically communicates the benefits of milk proteins. This is how the idea of a "useful milk series" appeared, which immediately evokes associations with Cleopatra's milk baths and clearly conveys the value of the product.

2. Selection of a Private Label partner

We are the partner who takes over the production: selection of formulas, components, technologies.

Here's a tip: choose companies that cooperate with chain supermarkets — this will be an additional guarantee of quality, because large chains have the resources to conduct regular production audits. For example, UNIKS cooperates with the networks Eva, Prost, Metro, Kopiyochka, Auchan and produces a large number of products under their brands.

3. Branding and packaging

A holistic visual and semantic system of the brand is created: name, identity, design. Packaging is the first communication with the customer, and it should strengthen the positioning.

4. Legal registration

Support of certification, product registration and, what is very important, trademark registration. This is the basic protection of the business so that your intellectual property belongs to you. Because there have been different cases..

5. Launch, promotion, partnership

Here it is important to start with a quality photo session and detailed product descriptions. Next — creating a website and actively working with social networks, because they are the ones that significantly affect brand awareness today.

I recommend that you immediately include the earnings of your partners in the price model. Cooperation with marketplaces, stores and other sales channels is always about rapid scaling and growth of the brand.

The uniqueness of our approach is that we do not think in the category of "making a product", but "building a viable brand". We combine production, marketing and business logic, so the client receives not just cosmetics, but a ready-made system.

Today, many people dream of their own brand, but often stop because of fear, lack of knowledge or understanding of where to start. In this context, the role of the mentor becomes decisive. Please tell us what your philosophy of mentoring is and what are the first steps where the path of a person who comes to you with the idea of creating his own cosmetic brand begins?

As for mentoring, for me it is a separate important part of my work.

I see that a lot of people have ideas, but they are stopped by fear, uncertainty and lack of structure. And my role as a mentor is to give this structure, remove chaos and show a real, step-by-step path.

My philosophy of mentoring is a combination of support and honesty. I do not create illusions of "easy business", but I do not complicate the process. I help a person see the real picture: opportunities, risks and growth points.

First steps for those who come with an idea:

- We break down the idea into components: for whom the product and what problem it solves;

- Analyze the market and determine if there is room for this brand;

- We form a clear positioning and basic economy;

- And only after that we move on to the product.

Most importantly, I teach to think not in a "product", but in a "system".

Because creating a jar of cream is easy. And creating a brand that will be sold and scaled is already a strategy. And this is where I see my value — to help people walk this path faster, consciously and with fewer mistakes.

You are also a co-founder of cosmetics brands for children and adults, as well as part of a Ukrainian family brand that works in the direction of a healthy lifestyle. Please tell us about these projects: what is their idea and value, and what products, in your opinion, are worth paying special attention to today?

In the segment of children's cosmetics, we work under the Milky Dream brand, and here we have a very clear and understandable idea: "from milk to milk" - from milk care for babies to milk bathing. This concept is intuitively close to mothers, especially with newborn children, because it is associated with care, tenderness and naturalness.

For older children, we add an element of play, because it is important not just to care, but to form habits. That's why products such as soap-slime appear - when washing hands turns into a game, or bombs with toys inside, which become a real little miracle during bathing. In this way, we teach children hygiene through emotion and play.

As for the adult segment and the direction of a healthy lifestyle, this is the Nature Code brand. Here we work deeper: with the body, condition and feelings. The recipes are designed to give maximum benefits to both the skin and emotional balance.

For example, soap-oil for the body is not only about gentle cleansing and deep moisturizing, but also about aromatherapy. Thanks to precious essential oils - myrrh, cinnamon, sandalwood - the product affects the emotional state, helps to relax and restore internal balance.

Or bath salts with complexes and oils that work as preventive care. They are taken in courses, and they help reduce discomfort in muscles and joints, restore the body's resources.

If we talk about what is worth paying special attention to today, then I would highlight several directions:

- Products with clear and understandable benefits;

- Cosmetics that work not only with the body, but also with the condition;

- Formats that combine function and emotion (especially in the children's segment);

- Products for regular, "course" care as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Today, the consumer chooses not just cosmetics — he chooses sensation, experience and values. And that's what we build every brand on.

I am close to the opinion that a cosmetic brand is much more than a product formula. It is the history, philosophy and values that are behind it. At the same time, there are many myths surrounding the creation of your own brand. Please tell us what is the reality of this process: what is really the key to launching a brand and what stereotypes should be left in the past?

It is very important to debunk this myth - because it often stops people at the start.

Myth: brand = big production + big investment

The reality is very different.

Firstly, not all well-known cosmetic brands have their own production. Moreover, it is not a prerequisite for success.

Most modern brands, especially in the launch and scaling phase, work through contract manufacturing or private label.

For example: such global brands as MAC, Dior, Fenty Beauty often produce products not in their own factories, but through contract manufacturers. Even brands sold in large retailers (private label lines) are created through partner production

And this is absolutely normal world practice.

Why is this happening?

Because the brand is not a factory.

Brand is: idea, positioning, value for the customer, marketing and communication

And production is a separate, high-tech process that is advisable to delegate to professionals. Moreover, such delegation makes it possible to: enter the market faster, reduce investments at the start,

Focus on brand development, not on technical processes.

Of course, you can't do without investments, but the key question is not their size, but how effectively they are used. And so today you can create your own brand without crazy investments.

This is the mature business model of the modern beauty market.

Behind every strong outcome is always a lot of inner work, challenges and periods of doubt. Please share how you managed to pass these stages, maintain a balance between personal and professional life and move forward? And what advice would you give to those who are just starting their journey?

Indeed, behind any result there is always a lot of internal work. And in my case, it's not about the "easy way" - it's about constant movement through doubts, responsibility and the need to make decisions, sometimes difficult and not obvious.

I realized one important thing for myself:

Doubts are a normal part of growth. They don't mean you're on the wrong track — they mean you're going to the next level.

What helps me get through these periods:

First, system and discipline.

When there is a clear understanding of what you are doing and why, even in difficult moments you do not stop, but move in small steps.

Second, relying on meaning.

My personal support is the feedback of consumers, the satisfied eyes of the little ones and their parents. It is these emotions and this live feedback that give the feeling that you are doing something really valuable and necessary.

Third, the ability not to idealize the process.

Business is not a flat line. These are waves. And it is important not to devalue yourself during periods of recession.

As for the balance between personal and professional — I do not believe in the perfect balance as a permanent state.

For me, it's more about balance in dynamics: there are periods when there is more focus on work, there are periods when focus is on family and yourself. And it is important to accept this, and not to try to be “perfect in everything”.

The ability to delegate and trust the team also helps a lot. Because when you try to keep everything to yourself, it's quickly exhausting.

And if we talk about advice to those who are just starting out:

-Do not wait for the perfect moment - it will not be;

-Do not compare your beginning with someone else's result;

-Do not be afraid of mistakes - they are part of the process, not its failure;

- And most importantly - think systematically from the very beginning.

Success is not the right step.

It is a sequence of actions that you do every day, even when it is difficult.

And perhaps the most honest thing I can say:

Moving forward is always about the internal decision not to stop.

In your activity, there is also an interesting concept - the rule of three "D": think, act, drive. Please tell us how this formula was born and what meaning do you put into it today?

This rule was born not as a theory, but as a result of practice - from work experience, mistakes, finding solutions and constant movement forward.

At some point, I realized that all processes — both in business and in life — can be very clearly decomposed into three simple but critical components. This is how the formula of three "D" appeared: think, act, drive.

Think about strategy.

About the ability to analyze, ask the right questions, understand the market, the customer and their capabilities. Without this, any actions can be chaotic and not give results.

Action is about implementation.

Because ideas in themselves are worthless if they are not implemented. A lot of people are stuck in the “thinking” stage. But the result always comes through action — even if it's small steps.

Drive is about energy and condition.

About the inner fire, which allows you not to stop, even when it is difficult. Because business is a marathon, and without emotional involvement, without pleasure from the process, you will not last long.

For me, this formula today is about balance: Not only to think, but not only to act, and necessarily not to lose the internal drive.

Because when there is only action without thought, it is chaos.

When there is only a thought without action, these are unrealized ideas.

And when there is no drive, the meaning of movement disappears.

And it is the combination of these three components that gives the result that can be called a living and real business.

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