TheCareerCreator.com interviews Prince Lorenzo Borghese
May 5, 2009 by careercreator
Lorenzo Borghese
Lorenzo Borghese is a pet enthusiast who comes from a family of entrepreneurs and wears many hats as an integral part of several companies his family created.
In this interview, Lorenzo talked about his road to starting his business, and we hope you’ll be as encouraged and inspired as we were.
Lorenzo began his career in a completely different field, but six years ago, necessity led Lorenzo to creating his own job in an area where he hadn’t anticipated being an entrepreneur.
We love hearing stories of people who start a business as they work toward finding a solution to a problem that they face in their own lives, and we like what Lorenzo has to say about finding a void in an industry: “If you see a problem, fix it.”
TheCareerCreator.com: What is your “job”? Please tell us a bit about your company and what you sell or what service you provide?
Lorenzo Borghese: Royal Treatment is a pet related company that I started six years ago. We sell pet toys, grooming products, supplements, bedding, etc. I manufacture numerous private label cosmetic brands which are all manufactured in Italy.
Regarding cosmetics, we have about 20 different labels, including The Giving Tree, The Giving Earth, The Giving Sea and The Giving Bee which are made with 100% organic products and sold at Borders bookstores. I am also a part of my family business, Multi Media Exposure Inc. (MME), an agency that represents various products sold through HSN and infomercials .
TheCareerCreator.com: How long have you been in business?
Lorenzo Borghese: MME has been in business for 14 years, Royal Treatment for 6 years and I have been a part of the private label cosmetics company for 4 years.
TheCareerCreator.com: You had a natural interest in ??? that is now the basis of your job?
Lorenzo Borghese: I worked at AIG for 4 years and hated it. After I stopped working there, I went to business school because I had an interest in working for myself. My family has been in business with their cosmetics lines since the 1950’s and I wanted to do something on my own, so I started my bath and body line for pets.
TheCareerCreator.com: Tell us a little about how you got started…give us a bit of your Once upon a time… (What was the turning point where you decided to turn your interest or hobby into a career?)
Lorenzo Borghese: Well, I never thought I would be involved in the pet industry. I had a black lab, and she had really dry skin. You could see the dandruff on her coat, and I tried regular dog shampoos and it just made it worse. I used some of our honey based Perlier products, and it made it better, but it didn’t cure her dry skin.
Then I started to research why dogs could only be bathed every two months and why their skin was so different from humans. I worked on formulating the products for 2 years and I contacted the manufacturers I was working with and told them what was wrong with the traditional pet grooming products.
People spend so much time and money dressing their dogs in outfits, but I realized that the multi billion dollar pet industry was void of bath and body pet products. The way I see it, any problem creates opportunities. If you see a problem, fix it.
I presented the concept to HSN and asked them to do a pet show. They were hesitant at first because they had tried selling pet products in the past it had never really taken off. But they agreed to give me 12 minutes to sell my products and I ended up getting a one hour show.
TheCareerCreator.com: What were some of the materials or technology you needed to get started on a very basic level?
Lorenzo Borghese: I used the internet and my cosmetic contacts.
TheCareerCreator.com: The best part about creating your own job? (Or any really cool moments that made creating your own job completely worth it?)
Lorenzo Borghese: There are actually a couple of things. 1. When you get to see your products through from conception to completion, it’s gratifying. 2. Getting the testimonials from people who use the products. When people call into HSN and talk about how the products have changed their dog’s lives, it’s very rewarding.
TheCareerCreator.com: What’s the toughest hurdle you’ve encountered in creating your own job…and how you overcame it?
Lorenzo Borghese: Tough situations happen every day. There’s always something new that happens that’s a problem. With running my own business, the hardest part is separating my personal life and business life.
I’m working 7 days a week. AIG was Monday thru Friday, and I never had to think about it on the weekends. Even if I’m on vacation, it can be difficult to relax because I can never let go of my company. Whether I’m approving art work or ingredients, I’m involved with everything.
TheCareerCreator.com: Any words of wisdom or encouragement to anyone wanting to create their own job?
Lorenzo Borghese: Just do whatever makes you happy and do what you like. If you don’t like your job, you’ll never be successful. Do what you’re good at doing. If you’re not good at numbers, don’t be an investment banker. I would never try for out the Olympics because I’m not an athlete.
People who complain all day and hate their jobs are not usually doing something that they love. I have a friend who recently decided to open a car wash and now he can enjoy it and grow his business because he likes what’s doing.
TheCareerCreator.com: Any favorite resources you recommend to other entrepreneurs?
Lorenzo Borghese: The internet is the only tool you really need. There is so much information online. When I started, I went to the library to research as the internet was not what it is today . But now you can find just about anything online – all at the comfort of your own home.
More About This Company:
Founder: Lorenzo Borghese
Company Name: Royal Treatment
Products or service offered: Bath, body, grooming products and supplements for pets.
Website: www.getroyaltreatment.com and www.nuzzleplanet.com
We’d like to thank Lorenzo for taking time from his day to answer our questions and help encourage future entrepreneurs, even as he delves further into entrepreneurial ventures.
In addition to the products he offers now, in the very near future he’ll be launching a new and exciting pet-related website and we’ll update you with more details at the time of the launch!
~TheCareerCreator.com
