New Worker Mag » Made by Coworking » Made by coworking: FIXY

by Rebecca Curl

It’s common startup parlance to explain the problem a company solves by saying “___ is broken.” According to startups, nearly everything is broken. But here’s one up and coming company fixing something that’s quite literally broken: FIXY, whose product in development lets make-up enthusiasts fix broken pressed powder cosmetics.

Freelance designer and licensed esthetician Jill Rossini is working to fix a common problem in the lives of all cosmetics enthusiasts. We’ve all been there—that catastrophic moment of opening a brand-new eye shadow, only to accidentally drop it onto the floor and watch it shatter into what seems like a million tiny pieces. After breaking an expensive eye shadow after she had already replaced it twice, the idea for FIXY, Rossini’s cosmetic repair product, was born.

“Why throw away your favorite eye shadow color or go pay for a brand new one when you could have a kit to fix it?” Rossini told us in a recent interview. The beauty industry’s view on damaged cosmetics is a simple yet costly one—pressed powder products, when broken, must be purchased anew. Though that solution is usually the easiest, it’s not cost-effective. Many have developed tricks and methods for repairing pressed powder cosmetics, but we have yet to see one universally successful solution out on the market. Thus, FIXY stands to be a pioneering force in the industry.

Our culture’s current obsession with DIY means FIXY could be a smart “life hack” for beauty enthusiasts. The 3-step make-up repair kit is geared for those who don’t consider themselves especially crafty, and is less messy and time consuming as other methods. It fixes broken eye shadows, blushes, and pressed powders. Rossini hopes to inspire consumers to take matters into their own hands and to save both time and money.

Developing a new product is no easy task. After the birth of her child, Rossini found it difficult to work from home on her contract graphic design projects and the fledgling company. It became increasingly clear she needed to get out of the house, so she started working from Thrive Workplace in her hometown of Denver.

There she found a community-based work environment where she was surrounded by other like-minded individuals. She told us coworking has had a positive impact on her product development and graphic design work throughout the years. She and another member of Thrive are currently working on design revisions for FIXY; without both of them working alongside each other, key ideas and design aspects may never have come to be.

With every creative endeavor come the inevitable setbacks. Rossini described her development process for FIXY as a “roller coaster ride,” yet she has remained inspired and optimistic. Though it was her original plan to have the product out on the market a year ago, she views each day as a learning experience. She has also learned to be kind to herself when things don’t go as planned; just because something goes wrong, or she does not have an immediate solution to a problem, does not mean that she is failing or falling behind. An important part of any development process is to be open to feedback and change in order to optimize creative and entrepreneurial growth.

To remain inspired, Rossini watches TED talks and reads Success Magazine. She cites Sara Blakley (the founder of Spanx) as an inspiration and looks to others who have come before her. Rossini credits friend and mentor Dawnelle Arthur, who started QiFlow fitness and yoga studios, as a vital part of her own success. Whenever things seemed too difficult to accomplish, she was there to help “kick [her] back into gear.” Building strong support systems is an essential part of success, especially for the moments when things seem impossible.

The future of FIXY is bright. Rossini’s plan is to initially launch FIXY on their website to a target audience of make-up artists and avid make-up lovers. The company’s hope is that by initially focusing on make-up mavens, they will quickly reach a broader audience. Over the past three years, Rossini has researched the market and is working with a make-up artist in Denver who acts as a consultant and a marketing expert. The ultimate vision for FIXY is to have it sold on QVC and in national retail locations like Sephora and ULTA. She has plans in the works for a second product, too: a DIY eye shadow kit that allows users to create their own custom eye shadows.

As a make-up artist, I am eager to try her product, but I also view her as a personal inspiration for designers and creative types everywhere. Rossini’s example serves as a reminder that your dreams are possible as long as you keep striving towards them. As she told us, “If you don’t do it, someone else will. So why not have it be you?”

Check out FIXY at http://fixymakeup.com.

For more on companies, organizations and projects created by people who cowork, check out our series Made by Coworking.