Kelly Kotkas, founder of What the Face: for a new business, guidance and support are just as vital as funding

In our blog, we shine a spotlight on entrepreneurs and their journeys. This time, Kelly Kotkas shares her experience of founding Estonia’s first facial gym, What the Face, together with her partner.

What motivated you to start your own business, and what problem did you want to solve?

The idea was born out of my personal need to find effective, sustainable, and non-invasive beauty procedures, combined with a desire to make a complete career change. As a new mother, I felt that after my maternity leave, I didn’t want to return to my role as the head of a marketing agency. Instead, I wanted to challenge myself in a completely new field.

While considering various options, a perfect solution emerged to combine two goals: to create a service that I personally missed and to build a new career. With this idea in mind, my partner and I went to London to explore the concept of a facial gym and try out similar services. Already after our first experiences, it was clear that this was exactly the approach we wanted to bring to Estonia.

As a next step, I started studying to become a cosmetologist at a beauty school in London, and at the same time, we began building our business plan.

Our mission is to provide an alternative to invasive beauty procedures such as Botox and fillers. We have created a wellness studio where people can come to release tension and take care of their appearance. In addition, we offer rehabilitation services, helping clients with muscular and nervous system issues.

What were the biggest obstacles in setting up and initially growing the business?

The biggest challenges were related to finances and our own fears. What raised the most questions for us was whether such a large financial investment would truly pay off.

We introduced a completely new service and concept to the Estonian market, which many people didn’t even know they needed at first. Therefore, finding the necessary starting capital was quite difficult. We had clearly decided that we did not want to involve external investors in the company, leaving a bank loan as our primary option.

When approaching banks, we often experienced that our vision was not fully understood, and our loan applications were rejected. LHV stood out because they delved into the details of our plan, understood the potential of the idea, and, in addition to financing, offered advice and support.

How did the LHV micro-loan contribute to the development of your business?

It gave our business a very strong start. We wanted to create a professional, trustworthy, and high-quality image for our brand right from the beginning, and thanks to the LHV micro-loan, we were able to achieve this goal.

With the help of the loan, we prepared suitable premises for the service, invested in the necessary equipment, and were able to ensure a high-end customer experience from day one. This allowed us to focus on quality and long-term brand building.

What value did completing the LHV Business Customer Development Programme add to your business?

The coaching sessions of the development program provided the greatest value. We probably wouldn’t have tried coaching so early on our own initiative, but the meetings provided by LHV helped us make important decisions and gave momentum to the development of the company.

The training sessions on various topics in the development program were also highly valuable. They provided us with new knowledge and practical tools to grow the business.

What advice would you give to those entrepreneurs who are considering taking a micro-loan?

My main advice is that you don’t need to fear a micro-loan too much. Although the interest rate on an LHV micro-loan may seem higher at first glance than on some other loans, it is worth looking at the bigger picture. Our experience showed that behind the loan service is a very personal and supportive approach. In addition to financing, we received genuinely valuable advice, understanding, and support – and for a startup, that is often just as important as the money itself.