How Seaweed Helped Build a Skincare Business in Rural Newfoundland | The Story of 7 Fathoms Seaweed Skin Care

Courtney and Terrence Howell didn't move to rural Newfoundland because it was the easiest place to build a business. They moved there because it was where they wanted to build their life.

After meeting while teaching English in South Korea, the couple eventually settled in Grates Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador. With backgrounds in anthropology and fine arts, they launched an art and tourism business before transforming an old school into a Cajun-Creole fusion restaurant.

Then a walk along the beach changed everything.

Terrence, who has lived with Crohn's disease for most of his life, was dealing with serious irritation around his medical appliance. After handling a piece of local seaweed and noticing an unexpected change in his skin, he and Courtney began exploring how its naturally occurring bioactive compounds could be extracted and preserved.

That discovery eventually became 7 Fathoms Seaweed Skin Care.

In this Entrepreneurial Spotlight, Courtney and Terrence join Darren to discuss building a business in rural Newfoundland, finding their earliest customers, working with scientific researchers, sustainably harvesting seaweed, appearing on Dragons' Den and preparing 7 Fathoms for its next stage of growth.

Learn more about 7 Fathoms Seaweed Skin Care: https://www.7fathomsseaweedskincare.ca/

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Show notes:

00:00 - From Seaweed to a Growing Skincare Company

01:15 - Meet Courtney and Terrence Howell

02:02 - Choosing a Life in Rural Newfoundland

03:14 - Starting Their First Business

04:04 - Building a Restaurant at the End of the Road

06:25 - Terrence's Journey With Crohn's Disease

08:59 - The Walk on the Beach That Changed Everything

11:15 - Turning a Personal Discovery Into a Product

13:43 - When Customers Started Calling

15:44 - The Scientist Who Walked Into Their Restaurant

19:01 - Why Entrepreneurial "Luck" Isn't Really Luck

19:19 - Discovering the Science Inside Newfoundland Seaweed

22:09 - Navigating the Difficult Years

25:00 - Raising a Family While Building a Business

27:07 - Scaling From Rural Newfoundland

31:05 - Harvesting Seaweed Sustainably

36:19 - Making It Onto Dragons' Den

38:53 - Preparing for the Dragons' Den Effect

41:37 - The Biggest Myth About Entrepreneurship

45:23 - Curiosity, Courage and Giving Back

45:51 - Where to Find 7 Fathoms

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