Can you give us a little background on how your business came to life?
After years working in beauty marketing for brands like Vogue and Allure, I found the experience of traveling with and packing toiletries to be inconvenient at best and, at worst, incredibly wasteful. Ries is all about the freedom to take care - of yourself and the environment. It's the thoughtful way to be on the move with your beauty routine.
Which moment or experience (if you had to pick one) was the most impactful in turning your business into a reality?
Launching at Sephora in 2022 was life changing. Our brand was really built for the Sephora consumer, so to see my idea welcomed into the Sephora world as their first refillable travel bottle brand was life changing.
What inspires you on an everyday basis?
Finding small ways to make big improvements to the everyday. Whether that's making something a little bit more sustainable or creating a more organized, pleasing way to see your products on your bathroom vanity.
What does it mean to you being a small / minority business owner in New York City?
New Yorkers are resilient, we're trend setters. It's the same when it comes to being a New York Small Business Owner. That ambition and can't-tell-me-no attitude makes me proud to have my business in NY.
What does it mean to you when organizations like the Knicks and Chase support smaller local owned businesses like yourself? What does it mean to you to be a part of the Knicks & Chase Small Business Roster?
Chase has been a big supporter of our business from the beginning by sharing resources and mentorship programs. By connecting us with the Knicks, a NY institution, it validates our business and brings new audiences that would have, historically, been out of reach for us. By supporting Ries, Chase and the Knicks are supporting innovation, inclusion and better business.
What important things do you think small business owners need to know before getting started?
Being a founder is the hardest job I've ever had, but by far the most rewarding and exciting. Trust your gut and commit to the follow through.
Can you speak to the importance of small business ownership in general?
Beyond the impact on local economies and job opportunities, small business brings great innovation. As the first fully reusable, refillable airless travel bottle, I know that innovation first hand.
