Did you know that there are two different types of aging — biological age and chronological age? That’s what Carolina Reis Oliveira, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of OneSkin, is most fascinated by.
Her vision is squarely on reversing the effects of biological aging on the development of age-related diseases. As we grow older, we become more at risk of developing diseases such as Alzheimer’s and cancer. The underlying factor is that of age, and so for Carolina, finding a way to treat the biological aging process through rejuvenation is the key to solving a number of age-related diseases.
Her exploration started in Brazil when she took up an active interest in science and health, starting at 11. She was intrigued by the power of science and its ability to improve human health. And so she took to studying genetic engineering, with a special focus on manipulating DNA. She then majored in biochemistry, prompting her to receive her Ph.D. in stem-cell biology and tissue engineering!
With an army of knowledge and razor-sharp focus, Carolina decided to start her own business in Brazil. Its aim was to replicate human tissues in order to test the efficacy and toxicity of drugs on the market. Though it didn’t work out in the way she had originally hoped, it opened up an opportunity to work in the US in 2016 — which then led to her helping build a business focused on anti-aging, OneSkin!
It’s interesting because she has not just one business under her belt, but two! I was curious to know how she went about raising funds for these ventures, to which she advised me that it’s about finding investors that trust and support your vision. Once you have them on board, it’s important to show them that you can both deliver and exceed their expectations. This, as she explains it, is a double-edged sword — fundraising is painful, but it is also a powerful agent of growth as it requires you to take into consideration feedback that you might not like. But it’s vital to have differing perspectives, as different strategies can accelerate growth.
Sometimes it’s too easy to allow the pain of challenge to negatively affect your mental health. Pushing yourself is great, but pushing yourself too much can lead to burnout — something Carolina knows all too well. She highlights the utmost importance of self-care, for if you can’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to take care of anyone else. In fact, the more time you spend growing yourself, the more you’ll see other areas of your life benefiting — even in the workplace! And with an ever-growing desire to reach new milestones in business, to accelerate growth (what I call seduction in business), losing focus on your overarching why? becomes yet another challenge. That’s why it’s always important to check back in with the goals you originally set and to stick to the principles you laid out for yourself in the beginning, lest you lose sight of what’s really important. Vision is everything!