Laid Off and Losing Hair, She Turned £100 Into Plantmade — a £12.5M Beauty Brand
After losing her job and facing unexpected hair loss brought on by stress, Ama began experimenting with plant-based remedies in her mother’s kitchen.
That personal pursuit soon evolved into Plantmade, one of the UK’s fastest-growing beauty brands, with more than £12.5 million in revenue generated over four and a half years.
The brand started with a £100 investment — half contributed by Ama’s brother. They used the money to buy herbs and oils online, crafting a homemade treatment for thinning and damaged hair. He wanted to grow his beard; she wanted to regrow her hair. The early formula worked, and word quickly spread. Within just 10 days, she turned that £100 into £1,000 through Instagram DMs.
In less than five months, Plantmade reached £100,000 in sales, and by the end of its first year, it had crossed the £1 million mark.
From Kitchen Table to Warehouse Floor
The company scaled from her mother’s kitchen to a 6,000 sq ft warehouse and content studio in Reading. The product line — including hair oils, conditioning bars, and hydrating mists — is manufactured in-house. Plantmade’s brand identity is rooted in clean, plant-based ingredients and slow beauty practices, drawing on ancestral knowledge and traditional herbal treatments. Key ingredients include rosemary and lavender oil, both known for their hair-strengthening properties.
Sales are now global, with 60% from the UK, 35% from the U.S., and the remainder spread across international markets.
A Crisis That Nearly Ended It
In 2021, shortly after signing the warehouse lease to accommodate the company’s early growth, Ama received a cease-and-desist letter. Another company owned the trademark for “Planted” — the original name of her brand.
After seeking legal advice, she was forced to halt operations for three months while transitioning to a new name: Plantmade. The disruption came at a peak moment of momentum and resulted in hundreds of thousands of pounds in lost revenue, along with £25,000 in legal expenses.
Despite the setback, Ama rebuilt. With the help of her 18-person team — including her fiancé Travis Hill, who serves as chief operations officer, and her older brother Fred, the company’s chief financial officer — Plantmade relaunched and quickly regained traction. Within weeks of the rebrand, the business generated £50,000 in a single month.
Bootstrapped Growth and Organic Marketing
Plantmade has grown entirely without institutional funding. Ama’s first “funding round” was a £50 contribution from her brother, used to buy their initial batch of ingredients. That small start laid the foundation for what would become a multimillion-pound business.
Rather than rely on large advertising budgets, the brand has leaned heavily on organic social media marketing. Instagram served as the company’s launchpad, while TikTok helped expand its reach. A viral TikTok video sold more than 1,000 units of body butter in a single week, and Plantmade now generates around £30,000 per month through TikTok Shop — with less than £500 in monthly ad spend.
Ama’s background as a freelance copywriter helped shape the company’s distinct voice and narrative-driven marketing. Her personal brand and transparent storytelling continue to drive customer loyalty and engagement.
Lessons in Scaling
As the business scaled, Ama navigated growing pains — including a year when the company spent nearly £1 million on staffing. The team later restructured to become leaner and more agile, focusing on systems, automation, and capacity-building before expanding headcount further.
Cash flow remains a key challenge due to the upfront costs required for ingredients, production, and shipping. With manufacturing done in-house, the company often pays well before it sees returns — a reversal of how many ecommerce businesses operate.
Ama also delayed paying herself for more than two years, choosing to reinvest every pound back into the business — a sacrifice many founders make, but one she now encourages others to navigate more thoughtfully.
Looking Ahead
Now operating at a £5 million annual run rate, Plantmade is preparing for international expansion, starting with the U.S. market. Plans include pop-up retail activations and a broader wellness-focused product line.
For the first time, Ama is also exploring outside investment to support the next phase of growth. With a global customer base, high product margins, and a deeply resonant brand story, Plantmade is positioned to scale well beyond its roots.
Built not on celebrity endorsements or venture capital, but on necessity, resilience, and innovation, Plantmade is a modern beauty brand with staying power — and it’s just getting started.
by Tony O. Lawson
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