Lessons in Purpose and Growth: Insights from Noella Gabriel, Founder of Elemis
What a night! Last week, we marked five years of AwakenHub—five years of showing up for each other, cheering each other on, and proving what’s possible when women founders connect.
To help us celebrate, we had the absolute privilege of being joined by Noella Gabriel, Co‑Founder and Global President of Elemis London.
Noella is not only a beauty industry icon but a proud Cork woman who started out as an aromatherapist and classical singer before building Elemis into a brand loved in more than 90 countries. She brought her trademark honesty, warmth, and down-to-earth humour to our virtual stage—and left everyone inspired (and scribbling notes).
If you couldn’t join live (or just want a reminder), here are a few of the golden nuggets she shared:
💫 Purpose Over Everything
Noella never set out to get rich. She set out to make a difference in an industry she loved. That unwavering purpose still guides Elemis today.
Her advice:
“Know what your purpose is—and stick to it. Clarity and consistency are what build trust.”
💛 Stay Close to Your Customer
From day one, Elemis was treatment-led. Instead of putting products on shelves and hoping for the best, Noella and her team put them on real faces, listened to feedback, and kept evolving.
“If you don’t stay relevant to your customer, you’ve gone off on a tangent. And sometimes the truth isn’t easy to hear—but you have to listen.”
✨ Innovate Without Compromise
One of the standout moments? Hearing Noella describe how their Pro-Collagen Marine Cream took 56 versions before she was happy to launch.
“Real innovation means no gimmicks and no copying. Fewer launches, bigger impact.”
💡 Social Media? Keep It Real
Noella was refreshingly candid about influencers and online hype.
“Relatable content is everything. One honest sentence beats a polished ad. The consumer is smart—she wants the truth.”
💪 Back Yourself
One of our founders shared how she still feels intimidated by big financial numbers. Noella didn’t hesitate:
“Don’t do that to yourself. You’re living it. Timing is everything, and your moment is now.”
🌱 One Piece of Advice
If you only take one thing from her story:
“Know your positioning. Know who your customer is. And believe in what you’re bringing.”
It was a powerful reminder that no matter how big your dreams are, you can build something world-class without losing your authenticity.
To Noella—thank you for giving us your time, your wisdom, and so many laughs. To everyone who joined, thank you for making this community what it is: warm, supportive, and unstoppable.
Here’s to the next five years of showing up with courage and purpose—and lifting each other higher. Members can access the full recording on our AwakenClub platform and if you are interested in becoming a member you can join here Join Here
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