May 23, 2025
Building a Beauty Empire from the Kitchen Table
Table of Contents
Hanna
Head of Marketing
From Kitchen to Collagen Queen
What happens when a uni student with a cookbook, a mum on a mission, and a lot of pigs' trotters get together?
Well, when it’s Darcy Laceby and her mum, Maxine, it’s a collagen empire!
In this episode of Marketing vs The World, Abbie chats to Darcy Laceby – the 27-year-old co-founder of Absolute Collagen – about how she helped turn a kitchen side project into the UK’s fastest-growing supplement brand. From Facebook ads and Facebook groups to community-led launches and dealing with imposter syndrome, we cover it all.
Hit play below, or scroll on for the highlights.
Listen on Apple | Listen on Spotify
How a Fine Art Degree and a Food Science Student Started a Beauty Brand
“Absolute Collagen was born through some weird art project... and my uni degree.”
Most founders start with a business plan. Darcy and her mum Maxine started with bone broth.
What began as a uni coursework project and a personal wellness journey quickly spiralled into something much bigger – especially when friends began asking for their own bottles of the homemade collagen concoction.
From there, Darcy took her food science know-how, Maxine brought the mission, and together they bottled it into a sachet that changed everything.
Want to hear the whole story? Listen below.
Collagen Wasn’t Cool Yet – But They Saw the Future
“There wasn’t anything like it on the market – so we made it.”
In 2017, collagen wasn’t the buzzword it is now. And it certainly wasn’t in Boots.
But Darcy and Maxine knew the product worked – so they put everything on the line. Literally. Maxine remortgaged the house to cover their first £8k Facebook ad spend. And it paid off.
They scaled fast thanks to performance marketing, peer-to-peer sharing, and a community that championed the product on their own profiles. Trust was everything. And their customers did the talking.
Listen to the full episode for more on how Absolute Collagen scaled with smart marketing.
Subscription-First, Product-Led, Trust-Built
“It’s a lifestyle. A ritual. Not just a supplement.”
Absolute Collagen isn’t just another beauty product. It’s a routine. A ritual. A daily decision to do something for yourself. And that mindset shapes everything – from their subscription-first model to their community-led creative.
No stock photography. No models who don’t actually take the product. Just real people, real customers, and a brand that listens – often literally, through focus groups and ongoing trials.
Listen to the full episode for more on how community feedback shaped their products.
How They Built (and Kept) Customer Trust
“We never had ads at the start. Just Maxine, sharing her story.”
Before paid ads, there was just storytelling. Maxine’s story, to be exact – filmed on an iPhone and shared with the world.
And it worked. Because trust isn’t built through claims – it’s built through people. That’s why the Absolute Collagen community became one of its biggest assets. They answered questions, shared their results, and defended the product in the comments section. (Yes, really.)
The team backed it all up with clinical trials – and today, Absolute Collagen is one of the only collagen brands in the UK with a peer-reviewed study on their product.
Listen to the full episode and learn how storytelling and science drive trust.
Collagen in Boots? It’s Happening
“We wanted to meet our customers where they were – and they’re in Boots.”
After years of living purely online, Absolute Collagen is now available in 300 Boots stores. It’s a huge moment for the brand – and for its community, who now have an IRL way to grab their go-to supplements and skincare.
This isn’t just about shelf space. It’s about scaling the mission. And doing it without compromising on brand, quality, or consistency.
So… How Do You Build a Brand Like This?
“Find what you care about. Then own it.”
Darcy’s advice for anyone trying to build their own brand? Find your lane – and stick to it. Don’t chase trends or copy competitors. Know who your customer is, what they care about, and how you can serve them better than anyone else.
Oh – and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Darcy credits much of their early success to trusting the right people, knowing their own strengths, and building a team that balanced risk with rigour.
Listen to all of Darcy’s brand-building advice in the full episode.
What It’s Like Being a Young Female Founder
“I’ve learned that it was more my perception of myself than anyone else’s.”
Being a founder is hard. Being a female founder is harder. And being a young female founder? That comes with its own set of assumptions.
Darcy shares how she overcame imposter syndrome, dealt with condescending comments (“Are you the PA?” – yes, that actually happened!), and found confidence through curiosity, collaboration, and a whole lot of getting sh*t done.
Click below to listen to the pep talk every young marketer needs to hear.
Our Favourite Moments
Whether you’re building a supplement brand or launching your own thing, here’s some of our favourite moments from our conversation with Darcy:
Start small – but start with purpose
Customers are your best marketing tool (if your product is great)
Subscription models = stability and scale
Don’t chase trends – build something that lasts
Surround yourself with people who challenge and complement you
Community is more powerful than any ad
Feeling Inspired?
Darcy’s story is a brilliant reminder that big things can grow from small beginnings — especially when you’ve got purpose, passion, and a little yellow sachet on your side.
It’s an inspiring listen, packed with honesty, humour, and loads of takeaways for anyone building a brand in today’s ever-changing landscape.
Make sure you connect with Darcy and follow @absolutecollagen on Instagram to keep up with their journey — and if you haven’t tried their collagen sachets yet, go on… you’ll be in good company!
And, as always, if you ever fancy a chat about marketing, building your brand and making your website work harder for you, you can connect with Abbie on LinkedIn or get in touch here.
Fancy hearing more stories like this?
We drop new episodes every other Monday with the brains behind the brands – from marketing tips to business truths. Follow the show, share it with a friend, and if you think you’d be a great guest, then get in touch.
Listen to the full episode with Darcy Laceby now using the links below.
Listen on Apple | Listen on Spotify
Want to chat marketing with us? Get in touch.
DISCLAIMER
This article has been created using various AI tools, which transcribe raw audio and transform the content into a blog post. This helps us ensure each Marketing vs The World episode is released as quickly as possible.
Get in touch to see how our SEO & Copywriting company can increase your website's traffic, customer engagement, and online sales.
Get in touch
© 2022 Monday Clicks | All rights Reserved | Privacy Policy