Grant Winner Interview: Jacinta Meyers, Founder of F.A.C.T.S - Round 12 $5k Winner

https://cosmetictestingservices.com/

In this episode we talked about...

* The pivot: after being a cosmetic brand owner since 2011, Jacinta stopped competing in a crowded market and built a business around her real strength - R&D and the lab bench -creating her own cosmetic testing laboratory and small-batch manufacturing facility.

* How she knew it was the right move: she wasn't sure at first, but everyone told her she started smiling whenever she talked about it. That must be my happy place.

* What the $5k bought: a new, larger incubator and an upgraded pH meter - because as she puts it, anything for the laboratory is so expensive.

* Why the kit matters: the incubator powers her stability testing (working out expiry dates by storing products at different temperatures), means no more worrying about breakdowns,and lets her take on more client samples - and the pH meter keeps products right for whatever they're made for, skin or hair.

* The persistence story: her family kept asking if she'd heard back, quietly gave up... and had no idea she'd kept applying, until she rang them all on the same day with the news.

* How she improved each application: a few more takes on the video (not her strength, and that's fine), showing the judges her cramped old incubator, and sitting down first to ask -what are my real pain points, and how would this money solve them?

* Her advice: keep applying, it's really worth it and good practice too. No AI, all from the heart - just answer every question clearly, answer all of them, and you'll be fine.

Feeling inspired? The SPARK $15k Quarterly Cash Grants for Women in Business are open to women in business all over the world, and yes, you can apply more than once. Apply here |https://sparkbusiness.global/spark-women-in-business-grants

Thank you to IP Australia for supporting the SPARK podcast and women in business.

#awinewith Faith Limantono, Founder of Inknite Labs

https://www.inknitelabs.com/

In this episode we talked about...

* How Faith went from a law degree (and a first marketing job at a vibrator company) to founding her own digital marketing agency - and why the winding path was the point.

* Why she's fervently anti-niche, and how working across coaches, consultants, AI startups and not-for-profits makes her marketing sharper, not scattered.

* The VIP day model - shipping an entire marketing project in 24 hours to beat overthinking, get something minimal viable out the door, and learn from real feedback.

* Treating marketing as self-expression, not just a commercial necessity - the mindset shift that finally cracked her own Instagram after three years of avoiding it.

* In a world of AI content, imperfection is a superpower. People buy from people, mistakes prove you're human, and your tone of voice is your best differentiator.

* The 24-7 mental load of business ownership is something you can't understand until you live it - and why support for your mindset, hard truths from trusted experts, and asking forhelp matter.

* Business is really hard, so find other hard things - what playing basketball taught Faith about losing well, staying part of a team, and not tying her identity to her business.

* Why you don't have to pick one thing for life - build your personal brand first, and let it be the thread that joins all your interests together.

Get more SPARK in your business…

SPARK Instagram Community | https://www.instagram.com/sparkbusiness.global/

FREE SPARK CEO Scorecard | https://sparkbusiness.global/the-spark-ceo-scorecard

$15k Quarterly Cash Grants for Women in Business | https://sparkbusiness.global/spark-women-in-business-grants

Join The SPARK CEO Hub | https://sparkbusiness.global/spark-ceo-hub

Thank you to IP Australia for supporting the SPARK podcast and women in business.

#awinewith Jennifer Bicknell, Founder of Bicknell Law & Consulting

https://jenniferbicknell.com.au/

In this episode we talked about...

* The "Seth Godin concert" moment that made a happy international law firm partner realise she no longer fit her tribe - and why the only person who'd let her do the crazy thingsshe wanted to do was her.

* Why Jen calls herself a dispute prevention advisor: almost every workplace dispute that landed in her inbox could have been prevented by one difficult conversation, had early,when the issue was small.

* What workplace law actually covers, and why doing nothing is usually the wrong response - from toxic employees driving out your rock stars to the positive duty to prevent sexualharassment.

* The five essential ingredients of an effective difficult conversation: see it as an opportunity, use empathy, be self-aware, make no assumptions, and address the behaviour, notthe person.

* The golf swing method - a 5-minute planning tool that starts with what winning looks like, a script you don't hide ("this conversation is really important to me, so I've preparedsome notes"), and a warm welcome that sets the tone.

* Why delaying a hard conversation is like ignoring a toothache: the earlier you have it, the more likely you can keep it human, take a walk, and even use humour.

* Candor is kindness - why letting someone languish for years in a role that doesn't suit them is the cruel option, and why avoiding the conversation is about our comfort, not theirfeelings.

* Jen's advice: use your connections, roleplay the hard conversations with people you trust, and pick yourself - because once you run your own business, you never go back.

Get more SPARK in your business…

SPARK Instagram Community | https://www.instagram.com/sparkbusiness.global/

FREE SPARK CEO Scorecard | https://sparkbusiness.global/the-spark-ceo-scorecard

$15k Quarterly Cash Grants for Women in Business | https://sparkbusiness.global/spark-women-in-business-grants

Join The SPARK CEO Hub | https://sparkbusiness.global/spark-ceo-hub

Thank you to IP Australia for supporting the SPARK podcast and women in business.