Within five minutes of meeting Chiquita Searle, you’ll be laughing like you never have before. Her infectious humour, wit and devil-may-care attitude are a perfect fusion to spritz up your day and forge a friendship to cherish. ‘Let’s go for a walk,’ she told me, the day we met. Off we went along Brighton Beach, Melbourne (her idea involved activewear and getting some steps in, whereas mine was a calm morning stroll, but that’s a story for another time).
We chatted to Chiquita about the journey of starting her eponymous brand, Chiquita Eyewear, a stylish disruptor in the eyewear space.
Tell us about yourself and what drove you to start Chiquita Eyewear.
In mid-2018, I consciously took a break from my Po5 (Power of Five) Agency for my physical and mental health. I realised I was on the brink of a nervous breakdown so I made the decision to step away for three months. This break was the catalyst for the launch of the eyewear because it wasn’t until then that I realised how much I’d missed designing and being creative since closing my corporate wear label in 2014. I also realised that having only one source of income is risky and may cause uncertainty in running your own business, especially if you don’t have a partner or anyone else to fall back on when times get tough. I took an E-commerce crash course and ordered samples from Alibaba but ended up having to go to Hong Kong to source a manufacturer in person so I could see and feel the quality of the products. I then ordered various packaging samples from China and worked on understanding the manufacturing process. I made lots of mistakes and often felt out of my depth with Facebook adverts, Google shopping and Google AdWords (anything Google related actually). It was a steep learning curve but in August 2019 I managed to launch a small selection of high-quality stylish women’s sunglasses. I was in business for six months when COVID hit.
One of the first sunglass styles released by Chiquita Eyewear
What was the initial response to Chiquita Eyewear once launched? Did you plunge head first into it or play it safe?
It seems that playing it safe is not in my vocabulary. I tend to plunge headfirst and very unceremoniously into most things with minimal research or thought. I have learned that if I give myself too much space or time to think, more often than not I will talk myself out of taking the risk and getting outside my comfort zone.
I always figure that at least I’ll learn something along the way and the worst-case scenario is it doesn’t work; which I am generally at peace with. More often than not however, another door has opened and other opportunities present as a result of taking the risk so it’s generally been a worthwhile exercise. I am also a big believer in not getting to the end of my days and having a raft of ‘what ifs’ so I’d prefer to try and fail than to not try at all.
As a stylish disruptor in the eyewear space, how do you best connect with the woman who wears your product?
Our connections have come through Instagram and a lot of influencer collaborations. We also did a Mother’s Day campaign one year and sent gift boxes to some high-profile Mum’s in Australia. We were fortunate that many of them shared the eyewear on their Instagram platforms. This worked well during lockdowns however the impact of the Influencer is dying somewhat as it’s now a saturated space, so we’ll look to UGC in the future along with some more digital marketing campaigns. We also find that when we do ‘pop ups’ at our FemmeCon events, we get quite a few sales when people have tried them on. We also have a handful of stockists who also promote and sell the product which has been great for customers wanting a ‘try before you buy’ scenario.
How easy did you find it to pivot your product offering when the world, quite figuratively, stopped during Covid-19?
2020 was tough for most people and as reported many of us dipped into our super to keep our heads above water. I wasn’t any exception. Sales for my sunglasses were non-existent at that point as people weren’t leaving the house much in those early days and I had to think fairly quickly in terms of what I was going to do to re-stimulate sales. I realised that most of us were working from home, our digital screen usage was nearing 11 hours per day and when I looked into the options for blue light eyewear, none were my style and in fact, many weren’t very good quality. So, I decided to design my own. I already had an eyewear manufacturer for my sunglasses, I had the packaging, I just needed the product. It was a very long process due to slow manufacturing, expensive shipping and time taken to get the samples right. We couldn’t do the photoshoot until lockdown lifted, so we couldn’t promote the product. However, once it lifted, it was all systems go. The blue lights are now outselling the sunglasses. The Powerhouse in Matte Black has definitely been a best seller.
Powerhouse Matte Black Blue Light Eyewear – $249. Shop here.
There’s a misconstrued idea that women are constantly competing or aiming to outdo each other, especially in business; why do you think this still exists?
In all honesty, I haven’t experienced this. I have been fortunate to have avoided it, or if it has happened, I’ve been fortunate enough to be oblivious to it. The only opinion that really matters is our own, so putting any energy into anyone else’s opinion seems a waste. Ultimately, we want to build a ‘power posse’ of women who own what they do, no matter what that is. The more you own your own stuff, the less weight others’ opinions ultimately hold, and the more courage you will have to not only follow your own dreams but support other women to follow theirs.
Describe your entrepreneurial journey in three words.
A crazy ride.
As the occasion calls for it, our readers want to know what International Women’s Day means to Chiquita Searle!
For me, women’s day is every day. I love women, I always have. I have a deep affinity for them which is why many of my businesses have been built around serving or helping them. I think my purpose in life is to help women find and embrace their personal power and hopefully, through my eyewear and other ventures I can achieve this in some small way.
What does 2024 have in store for Chiquita Eyewear? Or rather, how’s Chiquita Eyewear going to shake up 2024?
I have designed a clear range of blue lights with gold detailing which I’d like to release so hopefully that’s on the agenda. I would love to keep designing because I genuinely love it. I’ve realised I am more passionate about eyewear rather than sunglasses, being an avid eyewear aficionado myself, so will likely head in that direction. I am not restocking the sunglasses at this point so once they’re sold they’re sold. The Bluelight collection is quite distinct and I think that is why they’ve been so popular. We do them in two different finishes – matte and shiny with matte being our customers’ preference. It’s hard to find matte finishes which is partly why they’ve been the bestsellers. 2024 will be about clearing out the old to make way for the new. Watch this space!
Chiquita is also the founder of Chiquita & Co, a PR agency she launched in 2015. She works with SMEs and NFPs to grow their profile through a comprehensive media strategy. She is also a TEDx Alumni and is often invited to speak or MC at a number of events by a range of leading brands including Run the World, Australian Women of Medicine, Pause Fest, ANZ and more.
To read more of our Inspiring Porfiles for International Women’s Day articles, click here.
Shop Chiquita Eyewear’s range below.
