Resilience in Entrepreneurship Maxine Laceby, co-founder of Absolute Collagen, a Birmingham-based based company that specialises in collagen supplements, talks about navigating uncertainty, embracing life experience, and empowering women through business.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
You're reading Entrepreneur United Kingdom, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
In a fast-paced and unpredictable world, building a business can often feel like navigating a storm. Maxine Laceby, founder of Absolute Collagen, knows this firsthand.
Launching her beauty supplement brand from her garage, with no formal business background, she transformed chaos into a catalyst for growth.
"I was going through a major life shift to focus on my inner well-being, and this was a passion project driven by my belief in the product and desire to empower women," she says. Now, as her company flourishes, Laceby reflects on how purpose, resilience, and leading from the heart became the foundations of her success—and offers valuable lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs.
For Laceby, staying focused during uncertainty means returning to her "why." "When things get chaotic, I reconnect with the core purpose of Absolute Collagen and why I put my heart and soul into starting this business: empowering women to embrace their age, their beauty, and their potential," she says.
It's this mission that has guided her through turbulent times, helping her prioritise and make decisions that align with the brand's values.
From garage to growth
Like many start-ups, the early days of Absolute Collagen were defined by hustle and unpredictability. One notable time Laceby and her small team were caught off guard by a surge in demand that could have easily overwhelmed them.
"The team, which was tiny at the time, were packing orders from our garage around the clock, fuelled by sheer determination!" she recalls. Instead of seeing this chaotic situation as a crisis, Laceby turned it into a learning opportunity, using it to implement systems that would allow her business to scale.
This moment underscored the importance of adaptability and resilience, traits Laceby sees as vital for any entrepreneur. "You will face setbacks, make mistakes, and have moments where you doubt yourself," she admits. "But life is all about learning, no matter what age you are. It's about believing in yourself and your product, learning from every experience, and maintaining that forward momentum."
Lessons in leadership
The entrepreneurial journey, Laceby says, is about more than just grit—it's about perspective and learning to take calculated risks.
"It's easy to get caught up in every detail and blow things out of proportion, but this is where you need a sense of perspective and great people around you," she notes. The ability to step back, assess risks, and trust both her team and her instincts has been critical to navigating challenges as they arise.
For entrepreneurs looking to develop a resilient mindset, Laceby emphasises the value of life experience—particularly for women over 40. "My advice to aspiring entrepreneurs, especially women over 40, is to embrace the power of your life experience and never underestimate your potential," she says.
Laceby points to Absolute Collagen's recent report, "The Only Way is Up: Feel the Force From Forty," which revealed that while 81% of women in this age group prioritise personal growth, only 21% feel supported by the business. Her advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to embrace the power of their community.
"Believe in yourself, even when others doubt you," she encourages. "A standout memory for me is when I still didn't get a call back from my bank even when my business had a turnover of £10 million. To this day, I believe this was fuelled by stereotypes around my age." But these barriers have only strengthened her resolve.
"Remember, resilience isn't about avoiding setbacks, it's about getting back up, learning from your experiences, and continuing to pursue your vision with passion and determination."
Laceby's journey with Absolute Collagen is a testament to the power of resilience, intuition, and a clear sense of purpose—lessons that any entrepreneur can take to heart, regardless of their industry or stage of life.
