Tech Talk: Meet Charmaine Chow, Founder & CEO of GetHarley
This highflying City of London investor traded in the world of big finance for an online skincare adventure
Meet Charmaine Chow, the 31-year-old Malaysia dynamo poised to be the next Emily Weiss. The brainchild behind skincare platform GetHarley, Charmaine's journey sprang from the exasperation of hunting down top-notch skincare for her blemish-prone skin.
Charmaine's path from finance, as an Executive Director at Goldman Sachs, to founder proves that sometimes the biggest bets are placed on oneself, especially when faced with a skincare quandary that demands not just solutions, but a revolution.
Charmaine's quest for a skincare solution included a whirlwind of dermatologists, facialists and plastic surgeons. (It turned out it took more rounds of consultations than a game of bingo to figure out the right path.)
Hence, Charmaine devised a platform that connects you with skin experts online while dispatching dermatoligist approved and personalised products to your doorstep.
Tell us about your journey to becoming a founder?
I was inspired by my unique insights as both an avid consumer of skincare and a seasoned investor in the healthcare sector, to launch GetHarley.
I left my career in finance and turned down MBA offers at both Harvard Business School and Stanford in favour of using money saved up for tuition fees to launch and bootstrap my crazy business idea. I just thought, this idea is right in front of me, I could just do it now. I knew it was probably risky, but I was determined. I then recruited a contact with industry experience, and we began knocking on doors on Harley Street and attending dermatology conferences to publicise the GetHarley platform and services.
What was the inspiration to start GetHarley?
It started with my insights into the aesthetics sector while working on corporate deals at Goldman Sachs. I had a good overview of the market. I then struggled with my own skin. I didn’t know who to see to discuss my skin and fitting appointments around my hectic schedule was difficult. Locating products recommended to me, was also a challenge, and so the idea for GetHarley was born.
What challenges have you faced?
Scaling fast means all hands-on-deck all the time and that’s all consuming. Finding the right people is hard and when you get that wrong it’s painful.
What’s the best advice you have ever received?
That I need to understand that I know more than I give myself credit for and to trust my instincts.
How did you start raising funding?
It was boot-strapped initially. When the business was healthy and I could see growth, I started talking with investors. This was in 2020 during the pandemic. Covid helped us to grow as a business. The initial fundraising meetings were virtual, but investors did fly to Milan where I was based with my husband. I still had to try hard to convince them. They were surprised that people spend money on skincare.
Which founders inspire you?
A lot of different founders inspire me, for different reasons. Some inspire me for their strategy and ability to hire well and some inspire me because they are incredibly creative and make beautiful products that people want to use.
But ultimately, the ones who resonate we me the most are female founders like Sarah Blakely, founder of SPANX. She started her business in her apartment, just like I did. She seems to be happy. She’s married, is a good person and appears to have a well-rounded life. That’s inspirational.
What is the future of the beauty tech space?
More data, more science, more accuracy, more efficiency, less fluff, less hype – I think the way that happens is through players like GetHarley who want to service the right products for the patients and follow the patients journey to figure out what’s right for them, rather than just bombarding the market with more products. I also think servicing customers from their homes will continue to be a focus – more high-tech, self-serve.
What 5 apps could you not live without?
GetHarley
Uber
Oura
What 5 tech/gadgets could you not live without?
iPhone
Laptop
Oura ring
AirPods
LED mask
What is currently on your desk?
A Smythson portobello notebook.
Cup of coffee – in a mug that I choose based on my mood.
Laptop.
Obagi Daily Hydro drops to hydrate my skin whenever needed.