Archer launched Ruuby - London's first digital beauty concierge β back in , after noticing there was nothing like it in the market. She saw a problem in the market and wanted to solve it. She watched as time-poor women would call countless salons searching unsuccessfully for an appointment. Ruuby now has a network of over professionally vetted, experienced beauty providers. Last year, Archer navigated a pandemic and lockdown, and also welcomed her daughter Penelope to the world last November.
I launched Ruuby back in when nothing like it existed. We lived in a world where calling a handful of salons unsuccessfully for a beauty appointment was common. At the same time, London was experiencing the emergence of on-demand⦠and it became clear to me that the beauty services industry was ripe for change. Consumers needed a way to bring much needed beauty services into their lives seamlessly, and so Ruuby was born. I have learned that beauty and wellness are fundamental ingredients in supporting our health, confidence and happiness.
As you say, it can seem trivial, but when women are under increasing pressure to perform in all aspects of their lives, the little touches can have a profoundly positive effect. I feel so much better and more together when I have my hair and nails done before a big event, however trivial that may sound to some! For others, it might be something different, and we all just have to work out what works for us. My tribe has been critical to my growth as a founder and a leader. I have very open conversations with my friends who are in similar positions to me, and this non-judgemental space helps me make the best decisions.
This time was the most adventurous of my life, and I loved every moment. My most vivid moment would be touching down in Mogadishu for the first time, ready to report on Somali pirates. It was a war zone at the time, and we were staying out in the city, rather than within the safer airport compound. We went out and interviewed amazing people every day. One older man was reminiscing about the beauty of Mogadishu in the fifties, talking about the beach restaurants and vibrant music scene.
He said it was the Paris of East Africa. A wishful and sad reminder of how quickly things can change. Everything they taught me was by example. Both my parents have an incredible work ethic, and they have always worked for themselves.
