Recent Posts
Inspiration November 13, 2019
At ENTITY, we know that success doesn’t have an age requirement, and entrepreneur Sophia Hutchins is no exception.
At the age of 23, Hutchins is the founder of her own company, Lumasol, an FDA-approved odorless setting spray that is also an SPF 50+ sunscreen.
Lumasol was born when Hutchins realized that the market wasn’t offering flawless makeup with sun protection. Eventually, with a board of scientific advisors from University of California, San Francisco, she manufactured a makeup product that will protect from 98% of UV and UB rays.
Hutchins is an example of an entrepreneur who succeeded because she believes in herself as much as she believes in her product.
But like any other successful woman, Hutchins’ rise to success wasn’t an easy one. ENTITY had the opportunity to sit down with Sophia Hutchins to talk about the hardships she’s faced while building her company and the importance of mentorship.
ENTITY: What was your “Aha” moment in life?
Hutchins: I think I’m still figuring out what I want to do in life. But, right now I couldn’t be more excited about what I am doing. I think the most exciting thing to do in life is marrying your passion and work.
ENTITY: What is the greatest challenge you faced and how did you overcome?
Hutchins: Fundraising for any female founder is challenging. Female founders received only 2.2% of all venture funding in 2019. It is my mission to bring light to this disparity and uplift female entrepreneurs everywhere. For me, no was not an option. I found investors who believed in me as a founder and CEO.
ENTITY: How did you gain the confidence you need to advance your career the way you did?
Hutchins: I have always been extraordinarily intentional with who I surround myself with. I always surround myself with people who empower and believe in me.
ENTITY: What is the best piece of advice you ever received from someone else?
Hutchins: I don’t know where I heard this, but this is my motto: If you think you are the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room.
ENTITY: What is your secret to work-life balance? Is there one?
Hutchins: I don’t have a work/life balance. I love both work and life and as an entrepreneur, you’re always figuring out that balance.
ENTITY: What’s the key to being a good mentor?
Hutchins: Making time for people without expecting anything in return and knowing you can make a difference in peoples’ lives is the most rewarding part of my life. I see being a mentor as my greatest responsibility to other women.
ENTITY: What’s the key to being a good mentee?
Hutchins: The willingness of people to listen and learn from everyone about anything is the key to being a good mentee.
As someone who ran her own company while attending school, Hutchins proves that nothing can hold you back from achieving your dreams.
