I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Jessica Miller, a business consultant, on the "It's Your Offer" podcast. While her podcast caters to the entrepreneurial spirit, the insights we shared in our discussion extend beyond business—offering valuable lessons for anyone seeking authentic life choices.
As the founder of Savor Beauty, a spiritual skincare brand that fuses high-performance natural skincare with nourishing soul care, this conversation felt like coming home. It was an intimate conversation of my journey, from my kitchen “lab” that led to award-winning skincare formulas to the building of an enterprise that centers on authenticity at its core.
I also shared a humorous story on how a NYT article featuring Savor Beauty and Gwyneth Paltrow led to an invitation from the Howard Stern show. What I did next changed the trajectory of Savor Beauty forever.
"The beauty of saying 'no' is that you have the space to say 'yes' to what you authentically desire."
1. Bring Your Passion Into Your Profession
My journey has always been about passion with purpose. I began as a classical concert pianist and later became an “accidental entrepreneur,” so my career trajectory might seem unusual at first glance.
The golden thread has been the passionate pursuit of beauty—whether through music or skincare rituals—and a deep commitment to what I truly love.
Bringing passion into your profession not only makes it easier to remain true to what matters most but also brings depth and authenticity to your work.
2. Plan Mindfully for Success
Jessica swears by our self-care planners—she's gone through 17 of them! She's drawn to how they blend the "spiritual meets practical" aspect of planning. Our discussion emphasized that mindful planning is so much more than just organizing daily tasks. It's a strategic tool for bringing dreams to life, setting clear intentions, and focusing on the what’s flowing.
Use planning as a means to not only boost productivity but also for personal fulfillment and spiritual alignment. This approach transforms planning from a mundane task to a powerful practice for achieving a balanced and fulfilling life.
3. Say "No" for an Authentic "Yes"
A pivotal moment for me in building a beauty business was learning how to say “no” the bigger “yes” (or “hell yes!”, in Jessica’s words.)
Whether you are in business, building a career, or parenting, opportunities are plentiful—they just may not all align with your core values.
I shared a humorous story about how the New York Times featured Savor Spa and Gwyneth Paltrow years ago, which led to a tempting (and off-brand) offer from Howard Stern's producers.
Make sure to tune into the podcast to hear what I did after that led to a pivotal moment in business.
4. Make Skincare A Soulful Ritual
During our chat, I shared that skincare is more than a surface-level routine—it's a form of soul care.
Skincare can be a reflective time, not just for your skin, but for nourishing your soul, too. Consider your routine as a daily ritual where each product, like our freshly made Truffle Face Cream (Jessica's favorite!), is not just a step in your beauty regimen but a step towards mindfulness and self-love.
This approach invites you to slow down and “savor beauty”, connect with yourself, and find joy in the simplicity of caring for your skin.
5. Cultivate a Community with Intention
It's the intention behind innovation that turns customers into a community. When you make decisions that are true to your ethos, it's easier to attract an authentic community of like-minded souls who share your values.
This approach helps to launch products and projects that are in alignment. Looking ahead, I’m excited to share that we are rolling out new top-secret passion products: blemish treatments (my teen daughter is obsessed!), organic lip innovations, and we’re even venturing into the color world.
Plus, there's a secret project we're working on, and while I can't share the details just yet, we’re cooking up something special, designed with you in mind!
Conclusion: Embrace Authenticity Every Day
Reflecting on my conversation with Jessica, I'm reminded that authenticity lies at the heart of sustainable life success. It's about moving through our day, career, and life with purpose and ease.
I hope you'll be inspired—whether you apply it to life or work—to let authenticity shape your decisions, feed your soul, and bring out your inner glow.
Angela Jia Kim, founder of Savor Beauty and author of Radical Radiance: 12 Weeks of Self-Love Rituals, lives in New York City with her teen daughter, mini golden retriever, and philanthropic partner. She embodies a radiance lifestyle through mindful skincare, Kundalini Yoga, mat Pilates, and chakra cleansing rituals. 💞
