> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.thebeyondpodcast.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # She Didn't Find Heaven – She Built It | Deborah Mitchell | Heaven Skincare - URL: https://www.thebeyondpodcast.com/she-didnt-find-heaven-she-built-it-deborah-mitchell-heavan-skincare/ - Published: 2025-11-28T17:15:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-08-24T10:06:25.000Z - Description: Deborah Mitchell built a global skincare empire and became facialist to the royals: bee venom, stolen formulas, and resilience from nothing. - Author: Elliott King - Tags: Deborah Mitchell, episode, Season 2, Business, Entrepreneurship, #ep-13 **She didn't find Heaven. She built it.** [Deborah Mitchell](https://www.thebeyondpodcast.com/guests/deborah-mitchell/), founder of Heaven Skincare and facialist to the royals, joins host and producer [Aleksandra King](https://www.thebeyondpodcast.com/aleksandra-king/) on The BEYOND Podcast to tell the story of a global beauty empire built from nothing, and the resilience it took to keep it. ![Deborah Mitchell speaking at the microphone during her BEYOND interview, seated on a yellow sofa in a black outfit](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5e/74/5e74ba0c-c249-4586-8ce5-03deb56fdf93/content/images/2026/08/Deborah-Mitchell-Podcast-Aleksandra.png) ## Episode summary Deborah's story starts with a bullied girl who thought differently, and she credits exactly that difference for the empire that followed: dyslexia made me, she argues, because thinking differently is what wins. The conversation traces the royal breakthrough, including the story of Camilla's reaction to her first facial, and how a hands-on facialist from Shropshire became the name whispered between royals and A-listers. At the centre of it is the product that caused a stir around the world: the bee venom mask, which came to her in a dream, and which she formulated with honey before watching clients' skin visibly change. She is frank about the cost of success too, from copycats to stolen business formulas, and what it takes to defend an innovation once the industry notices it. Aleksandra pushes into the psychology: is confidence something you fake or something you build? Deborah's answer is built on work, and through her own eyes, she has never achieved enough. She built Heaven without a business plan, makes the case for natural formulas over Botox by listening to what women really want, and explains why skincare confidence matters for men as much as anyone. It closes on legacy: how she wants to be remembered, her advice if you are starting with nothing, and what she would say now to the girl who was bullied. > “Through my eyes, I've never achieved enough.”– *Deborah Mitchell* ![A jar of Heaven by Deborah Mitchell Silver Bee Venom Mask displayed on a marble plinth](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5e/74/5e74ba0c-c249-4586-8ce5-03deb56fdf93/content/images/2026/08/Deborah-Mitchell-Podcast.png) ## Key takeaways - Thinking differently wins: Deborah credits her dyslexia for the creativity behind the brand. - The bee venom mask came to her in a dream, and it made Heaven a global name. - Success attracts predators: stolen formulas and copycats are part of the price of innovation. - Confidence is built through work, not faked; in her own eyes she has never achieved enough. - Heaven was built without a business plan, on product, resilience and relentless standards. ## Key chapters | Chapter | Timestamp | | ------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | | From bullied girl to bee venom queen | [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da%5F4ZsFFuw4) | | Dyslexia made me: why thinking differently wins | [05:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da%5F4ZsFFuw4&t=310s) | | The royal breakthrough: Camilla's first facial reaction | [10:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da%5F4ZsFFuw4&t=601s) | | Is confidence something you fake or build? | [13:05](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da%5F4ZsFFuw4&t=785s) | | Creating the bee venom mask in a dream | [19:44](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da%5F4ZsFFuw4&t=1184s) | | Natural versus Botox: what women really want | [29:33](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da%5F4ZsFFuw4&t=1773s) | | Building Heaven without a business plan | [36:21](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da%5F4ZsFFuw4&t=2181s) | | Confidence for men: why skincare isn't just vanity | [46:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da%5F4ZsFFuw4&t=2805s) | | Building a legacy: how she wants to be remembered | [56:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da%5F4ZsFFuw4&t=3369s) | | If you're starting with nothing, hear this | [59:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da%5F4ZsFFuw4&t=3588s) | | What would you tell the girl who was bullied? | [1:02:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da%5F4ZsFFuw4&t=3732s) | ## The guest Deborah Mitchell is the founder of Heaven Skincare, creator of the world-famous bee venom mask, and facialist to the royals. Her full background is on her guest profile. [Deborah Mitchell's guest profile](https://www.thebeyondpodcast.com/guests/deborah-mitchell/) ## Where to listen - [Watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da%5F4ZsFFuw4) - [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-with-aleksandra-king/id1786173140) - [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/0haFQYUTnEn0fpr0LQYlhH) - [YouTube Music](https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=MPSPPL3iQHE-qteJING9jXVVuVUdDa-9qqer7J) - [RSS feed](https://anchor.fm/s/10464b2ac/podcast/rss) ## Related reading Read the companion insights on the site: [From Converted Toilet to Royal A-List Skincare Empire](https://www.thebeyondpodcast.com/insights/deborah-mitchell-from-converted-toilet-to-royal-a-list-skincare-empire/). And: [Heaven Skincare: The Revolutionary Brand Created by Founder Deborah Mitchell](https://www.thebeyondpodcast.com/insights/features-heaven-skincare-the-revolutionary-brand-created-by-founder-deborah-mitchell/). ## Transcript #### Read the full episode transcript ### Cold open *Trailer montage of clips lifted from later in the episode, plus the host's voiceover introduction. These lines recur verbatim in the body below; that is deliberate, not duplication.* 00:00:00 **Deborah Mitchell:** Through my eyes, I've never achieved enough. 00:00:04 **Aleksandra King (voiceover):** Deborah Mitchell– founder of a successful global skincare brand, the royal A-list facialist, beauty innovator, and pioneer of natural formulas, including the world-famous Bee Venom facial. 00:00:19 **Deborah Mitchell:** Anyway, it went all over the world and I became a multimillionaire overnight. 00:00:26 **Aleksandra King:** You do look incredibly young, let me just– \[laughter\] for someone who's got a 28– like, literally. 00:00:32 **Deborah Mitchell:** Oh, thank you for saying that. 00:00:33 **Deborah Mitchell:** But they stole all my formulas. 00:00:35 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah, yeah– that happens in business, that happens. There's a lot of stories. 00:00:40 **Deborah Mitchell:** Once you've achieved, or you've got a grounding, you don't get men as much saying– you know– questioning. But when I hadn't achieved, and I wanted to change my packaging, I phoned up a company– it was Roma Glass– and they wouldn't supply me, because I was a woman. ### Interview 00:01:04 **Aleksandra King:** And thanks for coming in. And I'm just wondering how– how are we going to introduce you in the– \[laughter\] How do we introduce someone like you? Because you're absolutely brilliant with what you've achieved. You've literally gone and built a business from nothing to everything, and you've done it by yourself. You have no investors, you're not getting much help– you've done this yourself. You've suffered all the pain of it, and then you've got the rewards, with an incredible skincare brand. And not only have you built a skincare brand, but you're an innovator– so you design the products, you come up with these concepts, which is a very creative process. So you are building the business, you're also hugely creative, and hugely successful. So it's my honour– absolute honour– to have you on here, and learn– learn from you. 00:01:54 **Deborah Mitchell:** Well, do you know what, Aleksandra, it was absolutely fantastic to be invited on this amazing podcast that you've got, and I am actually really thrilled to be here– I am. I love the area– we were saying earlier– I love the way people say hi. 00:02:12 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah, it's great. 00:02:14 **Deborah Mitchell:** You know, it's a nice area– nice, friendly area. 00:02:16 **Aleksandra King:** That's nice. I'm glad people have been– have good manners. \[laughter\] I mean, it's not always like that, but it's nice. 00:02:22 **Deborah Mitchell:** It's nice when people say hello, and when they're friendly– it makes the difference. 00:02:25 **Aleksandra King:** I don't even believe that I've done you justice with the introduction, so I would like to know how you see yourself. Like, what do you do, and how do you see– what do you do, what you do? And do you feel that you're successful? 00:02:39 **Deborah Mitchell:** I do feel I'm successful, but I think success is probably through the mirror of somebody else's eyes, to be honest– because if it was through my eyes, I've never achieved enough. Through other people, obviously– I am– I can be in a restaurant and people can recognise me, and they can be thrilled about my products– they love using my products. And I think, yeah– I get fan mail– I got some more fan mail this week. 00:03:13 **Aleksandra King:** Very nice. 00:03:13 **Deborah Mitchell:** Yeah– which is all– all very nice. And I don't know what– obviously, when you are– what– what says success– 00:03:23 **Aleksandra King:** Mhm. 00:03:25 **Deborah Mitchell:** To me– I think when I was younger, there is things that I did want, and I achieved those, and they said success to me. But now, success is a different conversation. 00:03:44 **Aleksandra King:** So it's changed. 00:03:46 **Deborah Mitchell:** It's a change– it's a change conversation. So if you take yourself sort of back to when I first started out– I mean, maybe– maybe I'll mention– obviously I'm flying all over the world, I'm in palaces, I'm meeting people, I'm meeting friends of very important people, and they are really, really lovely to me. So that actually does say success, because you're there– or you're in the right place at the right time. 00:04:19 **Aleksandra King:** Hanging around the palace, I mean– \[laughter\] 00:04:20 **Deborah Mitchell:** Hanging around the palace, yeah. We do more than hanging around, but we'll get– but also hanging around the people around the palace– that look after the palace, or speak to the palace, and things like that. Which– I had a really wonderful meeting with an amazing person, that– sort of– and I probably wouldn't have met that person if I hadn't been involved with the palace. 00:04:47 **Aleksandra King:** Gosh. 00:04:48 **Deborah Mitchell:** So I was very lucky. I don't want to go into tears. 00:04:51 **Aleksandra King:** I know, I know– we'll be careful. 00:04:54 **Deborah Mitchell:** You have to be careful. But– and that was like– oh, wow, that's nice. Isn't that nice? That's so great– you know, somebody you know– s– and– and I feel very honoured when I get these things– you know– they're not– 00:05:12 **Aleksandra King:** Something I've noticed about you– and because Sammy was saying, who's coming in, who's coming in, who are you interviewing today, and da– and I was saying to him– and one thing I had to say about you is that despite all your success– and you do literally hang around the palace, and you rub shoulders with these amazing people, and you've achieved enormous success professionally– you're a very down-to-earth, relaxing person to be around. Friendly, normal– no sort of– you know– nothing uptight at all with you. Completely soul of the earth person. It's great. 00:05:46 **Deborah Mitchell:** There's– there's a– there's place just– I was waiting– there's Fig and Olive, or there's another place the opposite side of Fig and Olive– 00:05:54 **Aleksandra King:** Okay. 00:05:54 **Deborah Mitchell:** And I thought– the other place opposite– and I had a lovely conversation with those lovely gentlemen, and it's nice. And I think that is life– I feel that's life. I don't feel– I'm going to say snooty– I don't think snooty people are– are particularly– you know– if they believe they're above somebody, I don't like that. 00:06:16 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah. 00:06:17 **Deborah Mitchell:** That's not something I– 00:06:19 **Aleksandra King:** That's not you, for sure. 00:06:20 **Deborah Mitchell:** And any of the people I'm around– I mean, talk about royalty– they are wonderful people. 00:06:27 **Aleksandra King:** Okay, let's– let's get into this. So you're known as the facialist to royals and, you know, star celebrities. So for those that are watching that don't know what a facialist is– what is that? 00:06:42 **Deborah Mitchell:** So I'm actually a fully qualified beauty therapist, and I actually make my own skincare range– 00:06:52 **Aleksandra King:** Mhm. 00:06:52 **Deborah Mitchell:** Made it for years, and– and love it. So to be a facialist– a facialist has to be somebody that's very special and different. And what I do in my treatments is– people have said it's miraculous. They levitate out of their body, they feel incredibly– this is the things that they say– they feel incredibly different. Some people cry, some don't. Their face gets altered into an– another sort of look. Yeah– 10 years younger is quite an easy thing to say, but it's not that– it's like a childlike look that they gain, from not just the skincare but the manipulation of the head and– and the body, and the transformation of their– they're literally– their soul, really. So we train this all over the world. I like to hope that I'm like really good, and the people I train aren't actually as good as me, but– 00:08:04 **Aleksandra King:** Are they good as well? 00:08:05 **Deborah Mitchell:** They're pretty good. They are pretty good– I've trained– we've trained them really well. But I actually feel that– that is my– my– my life, and the way I want to be. I want to be good to people, and look after people. And I really don't mind if they are royalty, or if they are anybody, really. \[laughter\] Yeah– please don't think I would be just only doing celebrities or anything like that. 00:08:36 **Aleksandra King:** It's quite an intimate thing to get– so you– you've got this skincare business, you've got these products– and we'll get into it– you– you actually design the products, you know what goes into them and you choose what goes into them– but then you're also the facialist. And you've– you've– you've done this for how many years now? Have you been doing this– 00:08:51 **Deborah Mitchell:** Well, yeah– 30 years our business is incorporated. I say ours– mine and my daughter Ella's. 00:08:58 **Aleksandra King:** Yes. 00:09:00 **Deborah Mitchell:** And– but obviously I was 18– 00:09:05 **Aleksandra King:** 18 when you started– with this whole couch– 00:09:08 **Deborah Mitchell:** Well, I didn't have a couch to begin with. I had– I had actually their– their– their bed, their– their– their settee. So I'd go around to their house. I couldn't afford any skincare products, so I'd make a product and leave it with them. 00:09:21 **Aleksandra King:** Gosh. And how did you know what to make it with? 00:09:24 **Deborah Mitchell:** Because I was trained. So I was trained– I'm thoroughly trained in skincare making– so that is actually part of my Higher National Diploma course– degree course. 00:09:36 **Aleksandra King:** Because to do that– it's a– it's a very intimate thing. You really come up and close to someone, you know– and that person, in a way, they're vulnerable as well. They're sort of lying there, and– and you're working on their face, and you're doing all these treatments, and it is a very– it's like a connection. 00:09:52 **Deborah Mitchell:** It– it– it was a really beautiful connection every time. Because– and I couldn't even afford a diary– so I'd remember their– their time slot in my head, and so I would only book them– it's really funny, because I– I look back to what happened to me then, and it created my business– and I will mention it now– because I could only remember every two weeks. So I couldn't– they couldn't book on every three weeks– so they had to book every week or every– every two weeks. 00:10:25 **Aleksandra King:** Okay. 00:10:26 **Deborah Mitchell:** And to be absolutely truthful, it was actually a– all of these things made me more successful. Like handing them the product free afterwards– when they were going to buy it, I would always hand a product free. 00:10:44 **Aleksandra King:** Gosh. 00:10:44 **Deborah Mitchell:** But in my head, I would be handing it free. They would be purchasing it, but I would be handing it free– because, being quite a healing sort of person, I'm not really one– a big one on selling things. So that actually changed the– the attitude of me. So every time I hand something over, sort of, in my head it's like– free. It's not– they're– they're– they're paying. So they're paying for the product now– but it's like– our most beautiful product, our most gorgeous product, is– it's an Age Defiance, anti-ageing product. And so this is my favourite product of all time. It's not the best seller at the moment, because we don't publicise it. And this is the one that stopped me having acne– so I absolutely love this product. But it's stopped me having acne, and actually keeps me younger. So it's a beautiful product, and it's one of the key ingredients to my range, I believe. 00:11:50 **Aleksandra King:** What is the product? 00:11:51 **Deborah Mitchell:** So it's called Age Defiance moisturiser. 00:11:54 **Aleksandra King:** And what's it got in it that– that defies age? 00:11:57 **Deborah Mitchell:** It's got– it's got an ingredient called DSH. 00:12:01 **Aleksandra King:** Mhm. 00:12:03 **Deborah Mitchell:** So there's a lot of hyaluronic acids out there– 00:12:06 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah. 00:12:07 **Deborah Mitchell:** But they're not all equal, and this one is the best of the bunch. It's called dimethylsilanol hyaluronate, and I found this ingredient at a very difficult time in my career– which I'll tell you about in a second. But it was very, very expensive– it's still very expensive– and the reason it's so expensive, probably, is because nobody uses it– only me. And I think that makes the product so much more– the ingredient so much more expensive. And hopefully nobody will look at it and pinch it out there. But it makes the skin look very, very young– very sort of– it– it makes the skin come out– pop out– and you can use it under your eyes– and it's just gorgeous– gorgeous ingredient. Anyway, I founded that– I found that ingredient because– over the time, what happened to me is– I was doing treatments on people in their own home. Then I'd go various different places around, and I actually arrived at a health club, and they asked me if I wanted to join this health club, and I said– obviously– yes. And they said– look, we've got a room here. We know you're a good beautician– we've heard about you. Would you like to have this room? And I said– yeah, yeah, sure– why not. And so I had this room– and they opened the door– and it was a disabled toilet. They took the toilet out– but it was square– so I had to move the couch every time I want to go around the side. 00:14:00 **Aleksandra King:** Right– okay. 00:14:01 **Deborah Mitchell:** But that was my first treatment room. So when I was there at– that was the Holiday Inn at Telford– that's where it was. 00:14:10 **Aleksandra King:** Okay. 00:14:11 **Deborah Mitchell:** And then I did really, really well there. And I kept on giving the products to people, and I was so busy with that Holiday Inn at Telford that I couldn't make \[clears throat\] the products myself at home– because I was too busy– I got really, really busy. And if you can imagine– £13,000 is an okay amount of money to take every month now– but then– like, when I was 28– and I'm 60 now– that's a long time ago– to be taking £13,000 a month. 00:14:45 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah. 00:14:45 **Deborah Mitchell:** And that's what I was doing. So you can imagine the level of input that I had to do– with the staff and everything– with two beauty rooms– which was, one, a disabled toilet, and the other one was a sunbed room– how small a sunbed room is– yeah, very long and thin. Anyway– basically, that was it. So I went to another company, and I said– can– can you make my products for me? And me– as excited as I was– I was saying– this product is really amazing, because it does this, and it only does this because of this ingredient– like I'm telling you about the Age Defiance– dimethylsilanol hyaluronate– and I'm telling you that ingredient, I'm telling you how young you'll look, and everything else. So do you know what they did? They stole all my formulas. 00:15:35 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah. 00:15:36 **Deborah Mitchell:** Yeah– I– and they stole everything– and I paid them thousands of pounds. 00:15:44 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah. 00:15:46 **Deborah Mitchell:** It was terrible. But it was a learning curve for me. And when I did this– I saw that they had stolen my products– stolen my formulas that I'd given them freely. I'd been so excited– I hadn't signed an NDA– didn't sign anything. 00:16:06 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah, yeah, yeah– that happens in business, that happens. There's a lot of stories. 00:16:11 **Deborah Mitchell:** I didn't think I needed to. Anyway– so for four days I cried. I cried a lot. And then I thought– you know what– I'll just make it better. And this ingredient– somebody actually told me about this ingredient. Most of my products– I– I'll tell you about that– but most of my other ingredients are different. But this particular ingredient– somebody told me about it– and– he– this person said– this is the best ingredient, but nobody wants to use it, 'cos it's too expensive. I said– I'll have it– I'll have it. And it was amazing– good– if it's that good. Now– if I hadn't had that experience, Victoria Beckham wouldn't have phoned me. She wouldn't have phoned me up and thanked me for my Age Defiance moisturiser. And because she did thank me, it was in the papers– and obviously that's a relationship that builds up, isn't it? But what happens with that is– that was a bad thing that happened to me, and it created a good thing. 00:17:23 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah– and you've learned from it– but it's a horrible thing to have gone through. 00:17:28 **Deborah Mitchell:** Yeah– but you can't look at the negatives– yeah– you've got to look at the positives that you gained from it. 00:17:34 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah– gosh– mindset. That's a mindset of a successful woman, right there. Let's go back a little bit. So you're a facialist– you've got this intimate connection with these people– up close and personal– you want to heal them, you want to let them have this lovely experience, you want them to only have the best on their face– all these things. You inspired to have this product line– you want to give them these products. And then you find yourself as the facialist for Queen Camilla– this– this is what the– the papers are saying– so you can say what you can say, and don't say what you can't say. But again– that's an intimate relationship– and of course you've got to be extremely good and know what you're doing– and the pressure is on you– you better not make any mistakes– I'm sure you got everyone watching you. But yeah– it must be quite a– quite an interesting position to be in. 00:18:32 **Deborah Mitchell:** You're saying– you're saying, like– okay– and– what I want to do is bring the– this back to not just me, but to anything in the people that are watching this– anything in their life that's negative– okay– or they're worried about– or they're sort of think– so– because what I want to say is– obviously I– I get the phone call from– the palace– literally, a palace– do you want to come and do a treatment on– then– Camilla Parker Bowles. So– so the thing is– about things that amaze– are amazing– you've got an idea of whether you– because people can fear success as much as they can fear failure. So you have to have an achievement– or something– or a pattern of something– to make sure you go towards that achievement. Because sometimes you can avoid it– something that's really good for you– you can– you can actually, like, backpedal. 00:19:48 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah. 00:19:48 **Deborah Mitchell:** And it's a funny thing that people don't actually realise they're doing. And I think it's important to know these things. Because if I hadn't have had previous experience– which I will mention in a little while– I wouldn't have greeted this with open heart and open– I wouldn't have done. So it's like– yeah– Camilla Parker's going to be– going to a palace– yeah– okay– I'm in there– I'm going– that's– \[laughter\] okay– what do I wear? That's fine– what do I wear– what you wear– what you do– I believe in what I'm doing– blah blah blah blah blah blah– I'm okay. There was no negatives. When I got to the palace– straight away– I didn't have to take a couch– they'd got their set-up there– but somebody was using that at that time– okay– so they said– maybe you're not going to do a treatment today, because that's busy– that area is busy. And I thought– okay– it's not right yet. 00:20:50 **Aleksandra King:** Mhm. 00:20:51 **Deborah Mitchell:** Now that's important. Because if you go– let it go– it's not right yet– anyway– yeah– coming through– you're fine. 00:20:59 **Aleksandra King:** I love that attitude– it's not right yet. 00:21:01 **Deborah Mitchell:** Yeah– but you– you've got to do that. You've got to let it go. You can't hold on to– it's like– I've got to do this– well, you haven't got to do it– because– give up– like– just– you know– let it go. And– and I did. And then– as I walk in– I'm like– not walking into a person that's so important– and obviously they are– and– but I appreciate the things about them. And I think– wow– this lady is such a nice lady. I actually like her. Yeah– yeah– she's– I'm going to be doing a treatment– I'm going to be doing a treatment on this lady– that I actually am– the way she greeted me– everything– I like her. So I did– and– and we got on like a house on fire. I did actually manage to meet the King at that same occasion. 00:21:59 **Aleksandra King:** How does that feel? \[laughter\] 00:22:02 **Deborah Mitchell:** It's like– I'm meeting the King. \[sighs\] I'm meeting the King. Yeah– okay– let it go– relax– breathe– breathe– yeah– and then carry on. Trust yourself. 00:22:15 **Aleksandra King:** \[gasps\] And that's the thing about it, you know– that is it. Yeah– trust yourself. 00:22:21 **Deborah Mitchell:** And– and don't panic. It's– well– it's– the panicking is like– the panicking would come from something that you're not good at. If you– if you've done your job right– or you do– do your job right– drive a car– you don't need to– yeah– you know where to go– A to B– you've looked at the map– you know the thing– it's sort of that sort of behaviour, really. Yeah– have you put the work in? Did you– do you know– it– it's sort of like– put that particular amount of work in– just that small amount of work, or the larger amount of work– to learn something. I've learned things that I enjoy doing. Prepare yourself– you know– put the work in– and– and the rest follows with confidence. 00:23:12 **Aleksandra King:** It's true, because– yeah– yeah– yeah– it's true. So you launched your skincare company basically from this toilet– that was a converted toilet– and you had to– that– that was the treatment room. 00:23:27 **Deborah Mitchell:** Oh– and I loved it. Don't think– don't– I didn't think– yeah– I was grateful– you know. It's– it's– it was the first place. But if you think about even that– even that daft thing– yeah– when I was doing my beauty course– which was a good beauty course– it was a really efficient beauty course, and it taught me a lot of things, and I'd got some great teachers– but one day, there was something they were teaching me, and I was very bored. And there was a blackboard– that they were teaching me something– they were teaching me how to write chequebooks and stuff like that, for finance– to do with running your own business. Well, I was already there, really– and I was a little bit bored about it. And I– I sort of used the– the blackboard– and I moved these white things around– and I moved everything around in my head– and I said– right– I'm going to go mobile beauty therapist when I leave college. I'm going to go mobile beauty therapists– make my own skincare– then I'm going to go to health clubs– I'm going to go to health clubs and sports centres, because the hotels– yeah– because those will pay the rent– the rent won't be so much– I can get more done– employ people– plan this, plan that– from there I'm going to be here, then I'm going to be there. And that was about it– but forgot everything. 00:24:47 **Aleksandra King:** Can I ask– while you're doing this– so– so you've got this vision of– I want to be here with the health clubs, I want to be doing this, this and that– but whilst you're planning all of this, you're also thinking about the finances– the money– how are things going– 00:25:01 **Deborah Mitchell:** No– I didn't. No– I didn't. No– I– I just literally thought– there was the board– moving it all around– this is what I want to do. Now– you should think about finances and things like that– but I didn't. 00:25:12 **Aleksandra King:** Okay. 00:25:12 **Deborah Mitchell:** So that day– that day when I arrived at the health club– which I may– can I say who I arrived at the– at the health club with? So one of my mobile customer– I'd got really, really busy with the mobile, and people were on waiting lists– and one of the people– customers– 00:25:33 **Aleksandra King:** So you mean travelling to the customer? 00:25:34 **Deborah Mitchell:** Yeah– travelling to the customers– so mobile beauty– the– therapist. It's a great job, to be honest– because you get to go into the houses and things like that– it's lovely. \[snorts\] And one of the mobile customers that I'd go to– that had been waiting for about three months– was Tracey– Tracey Taylor– which was the wife of Andy Taylor out of Duran Duran. 00:25:55 **Aleksandra King:** Okay. 00:25:55 **Deborah Mitchell:** So she'd had to wait three months for me– because there was only one of me– and– yeah– wasn't many hours in the day. Anyway– I started to become friends to– with her– and she said– let's join the health club together. So it was with her that I walked in– and they said that– do you fancy having a treatment room here? So I'd said yes– it ended up being a disabled toilet. But when I was sitting there in that disabled toilet– doing the facials– and body massage as well– I thought– that was on my blackboard. And I'm here. All I had to do was think about it– and I'm here. So– Deborah– that's what happened then– is that achieved itself– I didn't have to do anything. So I thought about it– it achieved itself. 00:26:48 **Aleksandra King:** So what is that? What is that? Is it manifestation– is it the power of the mind– what is it? 00:26:53 **Deborah Mitchell:** It is– but– but what you've got to do is realise that it's happened. So once you realise it can happen– think about something– it arrives. Think about something– it arrives. Then you plan– think about something– think about all of the finances around it– that arrives. Think about how you feel about it– how you feel. So then– then this was all– it's happened to me– I've thought about something– it happened– happened. 00:27:26 **Aleksandra King:** Oh– 'cos my next question was– how did you feel about it– literally. 00:27:29 **Deborah Mitchell:** Yeah– well, this is it– it's like– amazing– amazing. It's fulfilling what you want. 00:27:36 **Aleksandra King:** And you were happy with the way things were progressing– 00:27:38 **Deborah Mitchell:** At this stage, we've got to say I'm sitting in a disabled toilet– so– yeah. 00:27:45 **Aleksandra King:** That turned into a beauty room– 00:27:48 **Deborah Mitchell:** Yeah– well– yeah– yeah– because I'm earning all this money– and then they give me another one– and then somebody else comes and sees– sees what I do with that hotel– they give me another hotel– and I'm sitting there thinking– that was on my blackboard. And then I'm passing people these skincare and everything. It's when you start actually changing your thought process. Because I think negative thought process only will breed negativity– so please– just don't do it. Don't even think it– don't even bother with it– just don't go there yet. \[laughter\] Just forget it. 00:28:26 **Aleksandra King:** Gosh– okay. And– with this situation– was it still– was it on you– everything on you– or did you stop– building out a team somehow– or what? 00:28:36 **Deborah Mitchell:** Of course– because I trained beauty therapists. And occasionally the beauty therapists would say to me– you're giving us all that– your knowledge– do you think that's a good idea? You know– we can leave and take all this knowledge. I said– no. Because I like it– I like giving people knowledge– because I can gain more knowledge. Can they? I don't know. 00:28:57 **Aleksandra King:** Interesting way to look at it. 00:28:59 **Deborah Mitchell:** Yeah– that's how I think. Yeah– not competition whatsoever. 00:29:03 **Aleksandra King:** But they're working with you– and what you're doing is– you're expanding into a business now– because it's not– well, it is still a business– it can be just you– but you're now multip– you're scaling at this point. So you're building– you're getting more people– more training– everybody– and you're building this out. 00:29:17 **Deborah Mitchell:** So every single month I'd train them– every month– and they'd get better and better and better. So they'd start off at 8:00 in the morning till 10:00 at night. Obviously I had the experience where those people stole my skincare– 00:29:31 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah– terrible. 00:29:32 **Deborah Mitchell:** Then I sort of– I'm a little bit psychic. 00:29:36 **Aleksandra King:** You are? 00:29:37 **Deborah Mitchell:** Yeah– and so– 00:29:40 **Aleksandra King:** Oh gosh– psychic. Sometimes– are you– 00:29:43 **Deborah Mitchell:** So part of my treatment– and my healing– you know– so when I do it, I sort of get a– get an idea, or a thought process. And I think– someone's pregnant. So I go around all my staff– and I go– literally– like– almost sniffing them– are you pregnant? No. Are you pregnant? Somebody's pregnant. \[laughter\] Somebody's pregnant. It's like this fever feeling. Anyway– I thought– actually– have I had a period? It was me that was pregnant. 00:30:16 **Aleksandra King:** It was you. 00:30:17 **Deborah Mitchell:** And they– I mean– it's funny– it was funny that I knew somebody was pregnant, but I didn't know it was me. Anyway– so– had a baby– and Ella was born– my– my first child. And I have actually got another child, called Christopher– 18 months apart– okay– but Ella was my first born. 00:30:39 **Aleksandra King:** And how old is Ella now? 00:30:41 **Deborah Mitchell:** So she's 28 now– okay– and Christopher's 27– he's going to be 28– there's 18 months apart– so they're very close together. So– but Ella– 00:30:52 **Aleksandra King:** You do look incredibly young– let me just– \[laughter\] for someone who's got a 28– like, literally. 00:30:57 **Deborah Mitchell:** Oh, thank you for saying that. Well– 60– I'm 60 in– yeah– in– in November– the 7th. 00:31:04 **Aleksandra King:** So what you can do is– it's easy to sell– you probably just go– proof is in the pudding– I use my own products– look at me. 00:31:11 **Deborah Mitchell:** Well– what– \[laughter\] I value about my products is– if– say– if I've sent some products to somebody, or somebody's bought some– and they come back to me– I can tell whether they're using them or they're not– because I can see the look on their face. The– the skin looks young– fresh– yeah– you all know– yeah. 00:31:34 **Aleksandra King:** But also– I can tell that– because you're a– you're– you've got this facialist– it's– you live this– you live what you do– in many ways. When we sat down– you look at the skin– I'm like– I love your skin– your skin looks really great. Yeah– it looks very, very good. 00:31:51 **Deborah Mitchell:** Yeah– thank you very much. That is a compliment I'm going to take– for sure. 00:31:55 **Aleksandra King:** For sure– for sure. So you're building a business– and you're scaling– and you've got these people– and you're training them– and that's okay– because you want them to learn– and– and that's absolutely fine– because you are confident in yourself– that you will re– you'll learn anyway– so you're not threatened by– by anything– in– in– no negativity. And what's the moment where you thought– well– actually– I mean– at which point did you realise– this is actually going to now be a really big thing? Like– I'm– you know– what's that moment for you? Or was it– 00:32:27 **Deborah Mitchell:** No– and it's not gradual– it's not gradual. In the back of my head– I'm– I'm going to be the ne– next Estée Lauder– but alive. That was in the back of my head– there was no two ways about it. In that– you know– I knew– I knew I was going to achieve. 00:32:51 **Aleksandra King:** The people around you– did they know? Like– what– they didn't– did you tell anyone? Did they go– oh, come on– did– 00:32:57 **Deborah Mitchell:** No. I– if you start talking and telling people that you're going to do this– I think you never do. You know– it's a procrastination, I think. I think– just don't say a word, really. Don't say a word. 00:33:14 **Aleksandra King:** It's just– I know– I sometimes feel that if I say it– then I– I'm held accountable– and I– I like the pressure. But then– it's– it's like what you said– that then it also comes with a stress– or you're sort of– whereas if you keep it to yourself– and it's your thing– you can go at your pace– and you don't feel this– like– 00:33:37 **Deborah Mitchell:** No– I think that's– that's all different– that's all different– okay. So– you know– I think– I think giving yourself goals– and writing those goals down– could be a good thing– they're very, very much a good thing. But \[sighs\] sitting around– I'm going to be this– I'm going to be that– talking about it– 00:33:56 **Aleksandra King:** You mean that's never going to happen. 00:33:58 **Deborah Mitchell:** No– it's never going to happen. Like– going– hear you– I'm definitely– this is it. So if you silently write it down– what you want– and what you want to achieve around that– which is– goal– plus how you feel– how you're going to feel– that was constantly on my mind. 00:34:20 **Aleksandra King:** I love that. I love goal with how you feel– and how you're going to feel. I love that– because you're looking after your– you know– your own mental health. You're looking after how you're responding to that success– and whether that's right for you. And you've kind of got to take yourself with– don't you– on this journey– and– 00:34:37 **Deborah Mitchell:** Exactly. 00:34:37 **Aleksandra King:** I just– I love that. I've never thought about it in that way. 00:34:40 **Deborah Mitchell:** But it's– it's really strange– because it– it– it's held– like– there was so many things that happened to me. Having– having children takes your time away from where your goal is. Because when you look at something that you want to achieve– you have to say– what do you want to lose– to gain that? 00:35:01 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah. 00:35:01 **Deborah Mitchell:** And obviously– not children's happiness– not family happiness– is what you want– prepared to lose– to get– yeah– your dream– or your goal. So that does take a bit more time– that's like a bit more– when you're single– and you've got no kids– or no dependency– is different. 00:35:21 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah– yeah. So you've– you've mentioned Victoria Beckham– you– you've treated these celebrities. So this is– this is who I have on– on the list– of– Victoria Beckham– Gwyneth Paltrow– I mean– these are all mega A-list celebrities. 00:35:37 **Deborah Mitchell:** It's funny with Gwyneth Paltrow– it's like– there was all this– what happens with me– and I don't know why it happens– but it's like– the bees– and the bee venom– and the– the– everything about it– then it creates a media storm. It created a media storm around everything. 00:35:59 **Aleksandra King:** So– just so people that don't know– so they won't be aware– so there's just– just explain this connection between the bees and your products. Let's go– 'cos they want to know. 00:36:09 **Deborah Mitchell:** Right. So– the whole time that I was working– I was building up my client– my clients– but I was also building up my portfolio of products. And I reached a stage where my skin and my products probably didn't level out– like– I'd got my Age Defiance– had got wonderful hydro cleansing milk– toners– and polishes that polish little lines away– so I'd got a polish that polish lines away– and it was brilliant. And I sold those products. And I had people like Theo Paphitis– 00:36:54 **Aleksandra King:** Mhm. 00:36:55 **Deborah Mitchell:** Offering to give me money– okay– before his Dragons' Den appearance. And I went out several times– and several meetings– and he– he's– he's really clever– because he knows what's good– 00:37:11 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah. 00:37:11 **Deborah Mitchell:** Even before I knew how good I was. And I won't doubt and say– I am good. 00:37:17 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah– he– he saw you– and he was– he saw– 00:37:19 **Deborah Mitchell:** Saw– saw me– and– and offered– £150,000– and– which I needed at the time– and I didn't– I didn't say yes to it. 00:37:28 **Aleksandra King:** But it was– why didn't you say yes? 00:37:30 **Deborah Mitchell:** I didn't– I asked the question to myself– and the answer came back– no. Literally– no thanks– to £150,000\. Yeah– I need to change my packaging– and I needed 150– and he was going to give it to me. And then it said– shall I do it? No. 00:37:49 **Aleksandra King:** Oh– that's a moment. 00:37:52 **Deborah Mitchell:** There's lots of moments like that. 00:37:53 **Aleksandra King:** Such a moment. There's so many moments like that– goodness me. 00:37:58 **Deborah Mitchell:** I think our bodies know what's right for us. I think our future is mapped out. 00:38:04 **Aleksandra King:** Gosh. 00:38:05 **Deborah Mitchell:** I don't– I don't doubt that my future was mapped out. 00:38:10 **Aleksandra King:** Well– I had the very first guest that I– that I got on the show– is Mark Wright– who won The Apprentice– and he's now living in Australia– in a beautiful house by the lake. And he said to me– you know– there's a reason why I'm here– and the reason is– because I engineered my life in this way– to have it exactly like it is now. And I really loved the term– that he engineered his life. Because he made it– you know– he knew exactly that he wanted to live by a lake– he wanted to have this sort of white kid– this situation– this kind of business– and the journey was– you know– a bit crazy to get there. But he– that's the term that he used. Do you see it in a way– 00:38:53 **Deborah Mitchell:** I do see it– I do see it there. But there is an extra bit as well– an extra bit. 00:38:58 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah– I thought you– I do think so. 00:39:00 **Deborah Mitchell:** There is an engineering– and you can engineer– you know– you– you can engineer things– and you can visualise them. But also– I do think you have to say to yourself– trust– trust in a higher thing– or– something knows what's better for you. If it doesn't go that right way– just go– yeah– okay– let the direction go where it should do– and whoever's pushing it. And it's– it's really good– because it– it gives you a rest. It gives you a rest from all this negativity. There is a lot more– I mean– in this podcast, I can't tell you– but I have researched why it works– and I do understand it. 00:39:48 **Aleksandra King:** Okay. 00:39:49 **Deborah Mitchell:** So there is a lot more to it. And the brain is a massive thing that– that does things for us. But I don't know the connection between– I really do feel that I was supposed to be where I am. 00:40:05 **Aleksandra King:** Wow. And you feel it– you feel it deeply– you feel it deeply. Okay– let's go back to the– to break it down into its finest form– which is this bee venom inside the product– did cause a big stir. Yeah– and you see– why is the connection– what's– 00:40:23 **Deborah Mitchell:** Go– going back to the– the– the power of something– if you think about it– beauty therapist– in treatment rooms– did good– did okay– earned quite a bit of money– put all my money into making a few products– sounds all very good– yeah– then obviously– I then struggled. I sold to department stores– I thought– this is going to be it– this is going to be it– this is going to be it– yeah– struggled– struggle– struggled. Wow– money hand over fist in a department store– there's a lot of money that it costs to run products in a department store. There's also a lot of politics– there's also a lot of everything. But basically– I'm there– getting phone calls from Victoria Beckham as I'm at the department store floor– you can't beat that, really– you know. It's got– \[unclear: but success?\] was not– was not there totally– because it's like– next month, we need to make sure we get this payment– because I've got to pay my staff. 00:41:34 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah– that pressure. 00:41:36 **Deborah Mitchell:** Yeah– the pressure is there. 00:41:37 **Aleksandra King:** How are you coping with the stress– and the thing– I have to pay the bills– and I have to do this– because you're very creative person– 00:41:43 **Deborah Mitchell:** Just work harder. Just work harder. And– and– you know– I'd got two kids– and then I'd be a– home– luckily I'd got a mom that looked after them– I didn't have a nanny. But– put a lot of pressure on my husband, to be honest– you know– he used to take the brunt. He'd got a business– it's a big pressure for him. I appreciate him very much. But– so all of these things happened– then– we were the top-selling brand in this department store– and then you get all the emotions of all the people in the department store. There was Estée Lauder– and some of the other people– Clarins– and Estée Lauder– Dior– we were beating all of those in this department store. And our products are– all organic bases– organic ingredients– and really great quality– and work– and do their job. They're not made in a lab– they were– they were made by me. And so basically– they are super amazing– and people love them. So– this one day– they goes– like– we're not paying you this month. So– I don't know how to pay the wages. Well– we've got a cash flow issue– you know– department store. Sorry– I can't stay here if you don't pay my wages. Well– you know where– you know where the door is– literally. So the door was there. Oh– so– okay– fair enough. 00:43:27 **Aleksandra King:** Brutal. 00:43:27 **Deborah Mitchell:** Yeah. So then I took all the cash that I'd got– opened a salon– took all the staff there– and I'd got the places and– department stores– and then it's like– oh my god– what– what happens now? What's going to happen now? And then I get the phone call from– the palace. 00:43:51 **Aleksandra King:** The palace. 00:43:52 **Deborah Mitchell:** So basically– it's like– almost– there was a gap– 00:43:57 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah– ready for the palace. 00:44:00 **Deborah Mitchell:** I hadn't got the time to do the palace if I'd got the department stores– 'cos I was on– on the counters– and checking everything. So then I go off– the palace– so– so many years later– I'm still doing the palace. I look at her– there's worn lines on my face– I'm doing a treatment on Camilla Parker Bowles– and I look in one of her beautiful mirrors– can't say anything about the interior of the palace– not allowed to– but there was a beautiful mirror there. And I thought– my god– I– yeah– I'm not frowning– and I look like I'– I'd got lines. I don't want– I don't want Botox. No. What can I do? That night– I go– go home– and I go– right– I did this thing– I do this thing– you can laugh at me if you want. So– you take a drink– yeah– you look at the corner of the room– and you go– right– think about what you want. Drink it. Put the glass down. Next morning– you pick up the glass– \[unclear: it's coffee?\]– and the answer comes to you. 00:45:15 **Aleksandra King:** Oh. 00:45:16 **Deborah Mitchell:** And the answer came to me– bee venom. 00:45:21 **Aleksandra King:** Gosh. 00:45:22 **Deborah Mitchell:** How that answer came to me– take a drink– who \[laughter\] knows– who knows how that answer came to me. Whether it was 'cos my– my sister kept bees– yeah– I will never know. So whether that had gone in my head– and that had sort of– whether the bees themselves– you think about something that's going to plump something out– but basically– that product made the skin younger– yeah– and obviously– my first customer was Camilla Parker Bowles then– and her skin was getting younger. There was other people that I was doing– and their skin was getting younger– using bee venom in a cream that I'd made with honey. And I called it the Bee Venom Mask– the honey was quite sticky– so it had to be a mask. It's not a mask now– and it's an incredible anti-ageing product. So I'm looking at you– and I'm using my– my– yeah– features– yeah– but I'm not overstimulating them– so that's why– yeah– that's why it's the bee venom. So what it does is– it makes you think you've had Botox– or– sorry– not Botox– injectables– basically– yeah– yeah. And so it softens it all– and then it sends all the helpers– and all the anti-ageing– and makes the skin younger. So– but it makes it tighter everywhere– so it– it's really good– releases collagen– elastin– and everything. The honey heals– it's fresh honey that I put in my products– spoons full of honey– real honey– it's not like honey extract or anything– it's like a spoonful of honey. 00:47:08 **Aleksandra King:** Wow. 00:47:09 **Deborah Mitchell:** You know– literally– and the bee venom. So– this– I was doing this treatment– the honey– the products were being loved by people– the bee venom– but the client's skin was getting younger– it was getting less aggressive– like– people with redness– and their– their sore skin– but like– I'd put something on somebody's face– and they'd be red– and then all the little lines had come down– and then the whole neck would go smooth– and you'd see it all in front of my eyes. Then it's– how much bee venom to put in? Could people have an allergic reaction? So the ABEETOXIN was born– the patent was born– so to make sure no allergic reactions– so it's a way I develop my \[unclear: colour?\]. 00:47:58 **Aleksandra King:** Goodness me– it's very scientific– but working. And it's– and then the– the global press went crazy for this stuff– didn't they? You– 00:48:07 **Deborah Mitchell:** Oh gosh. 00:48:08 **Aleksandra King:** It just exploded– right? 00:48:10 **Deborah Mitchell:** It did. 00:48:11 **Aleksandra King:** Talk us through that. 00:48:12 **Deborah Mitchell:** So– the worst time in my life– yes– when everything in my life was going completely terrible– I'd worked too hard– I probably didn't put enough effort into my family– and to my husband– and we had a break– okay– and it was my fault. 00:48:32 **Aleksandra King:** Right– yeah– by break– you broke up– the marriage broke up. 00:48:36 **Deborah Mitchell:** The– the marriage broke up– because– because of me. I was working too hard– I was– you know– it wasn't him– it was me. So the– the marriage broke up– and I– I– you know– I was like– so what am I doing? I'm going to divorce courts and things like that– and– you know– I'm not going to– you know– I'm not going to be– you know– so– then I get a phone call– worst time in my life– and it's like– you're in the press. What you mean– I'm in the press? It was the palace– you're in the press. I never said anything– and I never told either– my mom– that I was doing the treatments on royalty. 00:49:19 **Aleksandra King:** Yes. 00:49:20 **Deborah Mitchell:** I couldn't– I wasn't allowed to. 00:49:21 **Aleksandra King:** Of course– signed an NDA. 00:49:23 **Deborah Mitchell:** I wasn't allowed to. So basically– it's like– yeah– you're in the press– so be careful. Said– who said? I said– well– we– we said– they phoned up– and the palace never lies. That's it– that was the words they said. If I get into trouble for saying that– I'll get into trouble. So– I'm then driving along– and– I can't speak to any press. So then– Daily Mail phones up– and said– look– we know you're in the press– we don't want to talk about Camilla Parker Bowles– but what we do want to talk about is– why are these bees harmed by your product? 00:50:01 **Aleksandra King:** Oh– that's what they wanted to talk about. 00:50:04 **Deborah Mitchell:** I said– well– the bees aren't harmed– yeah– they– that– you're milking the bees– the sting– a pane in a glass– the \[unclear: stamen?\] doesn't come out– they're fine– and no one dies– in the person– no one dies. And not only that– I think it's really good that bees are looked after– and every pot of cream– we give some money to some bees. So basically– that's it– that went in the press– with a big picture of Camilla– 00:50:27 **Aleksandra King:** And your sister has bees– was it– didn't you love– 00:50:30 **Deborah Mitchell:** So there was a picture of Camilla– and a picture of the bees– and I hadn't said anything– and they took everything in– and said it all. And so I was like– oh– what the heck. Anyway– it went all over the world– and I became a multimillionaire overnight. 00:50:47 **Aleksandra King:** Oh my goodness. 00:50:48 **Deborah Mitchell:** I was like– there was phone– I– I hadn't got many staff– I'd got a phone in this ear– a phone in that ear– I'd got two phones– one to phone out of– one to answer the call– say– sorry– can't speak to you just yet– can I put the phone down– yes. And this was on trains– everywhere. There just wasn't enough– our staff were hiding– 00:51:08 **Aleksandra King:** I was thinking– how do you scale up at that level? Like– what do you even do? 00:51:12 **Deborah Mitchell:** Our staff were like– hiding– piece of paper– that people wanted the product all over the world– they were hiding it under– under other things. The money was flowing in– it was coming through– through the website– there was– you know– it was just incredible– incredible. And– you know– everything that I'd thought about was going to happen– was happening to me. How did I feel? 00:51:33 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah– and your marriage was breaking up. 00:51:35 **Deborah Mitchell:** And all I wanted was my marriage back. I didn't want that– I didn't– I wanted my marriage back. But obviously– I didn't get it back straight away– 00:51:45 **Aleksandra King:** Mhm. 00:51:46 **Deborah Mitchell:** But I did get it back eventually. 00:51:50 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah– okay– so in the most crazy moment– when all this is kicking off– your marriage is gone– you're trying to get it back– you're not getting it back– so you're not feeling happy at that point– completely. 00:52:02 **Deborah Mitchell:** No– I wasn't feeling happy– but– but– but– but money was flowing in– I was flying all over the world– to– everywhere– and– you know– I– I got off a plane in Taiwan– to– the whole of Taiwan actually there– all the film crew– flashing and everything– and they'd got Heaven written on their– the name of the brand– yeah– the name of the brand– on their forehead. I'd never seen that– like– they write it on their faces– in– and it was like– and there was flowers– and this, that and the other– and all of this money was coming in. 00:52:45 **Aleksandra King:** And it's just amazing, really– that what you want out of life is actually base things– a lot of the time. You did that whole journey– to come back to this. And how did you– how did you repair this relationship? 00:53:02 **Deborah Mitchell:** I trusted that it would work. I kept on saying– I did go to counsellors– and this counsellor said to me– I said– look– I'm going to be back with my husband– and they said– look– there's absolutely no way you're going to be back with your husband. He won't want you– like– he just won't want you– lots of things– won't go into it– but there's no way he'll want you. Anyway– I said– believe you me– I'm going to be back with him. Okay– day before we were going to get finally divorced– he goes– do you want to try again? He goes– yes please. Done– and we're back together. I'm very happy– and I love my husband very much– I always did. 00:53:42 **Aleksandra King:** So good. 00:53:43 **Deborah Mitchell:** Yeah– and he's an amazing person. I– I don't think I would be here now today if it wasn't for him. 00:53:50 **Aleksandra King:** Well– you found your way back to each other– that's a lovely love story. I love that that worked– I love that. I mean– no one forces two people to be together– so if you want to be together– you're going to be together– and that's just magnets– you came back to each other– and I love that. I love that. I'm going to take a look now at– at you– the entrepreneur– you know– behind the business– the personality type– you know– who you are behind the sort of– you know– the entrepreneurial side. And– and I know that you've had these personal struggles anyway– but– do you think that your personality type fits with that of what an expectation is of an entrepreneur? 00:54:30 **Deborah Mitchell:** No– they don't– no– no– not at all– no. Because I'm too easygoing. Yeah– I am entrepreneurial as such– but I think as a CEO of a big company– like– I– I have a big company– and– I don't think my personality necessarily suits what people think that narrative should be. Like– we've got wheels on my– on– on the chairs– and I sit on the chairs– and I wheel myself round to sit by somebody's desk– I don't get up and walk– and my daughter– who works for me now– she goes– Mom– that's not professional. I said– I don't care– that's me– you know– that is me. It's like– the staff will say– I said– you're looking a bit tired– do you think you ought to go home now? You're looking– you've worked really hard this week– yeah– get off home. My daughter goes– what do you want about– Mom– right– look– it's really sunny outside– let's go home– come on– let's go home– everything will be here tomorrow– let's go home. I'm like that– and I do do that. And it's not very often that I'm the big boss– my daughter is now the big boss– to be honest– she's the– so I don't fit the scenario– the mould– I don't fit the mould. 00:55:50 **Aleksandra King:** No– but you probably do– in a way– you probably do– because you need that big personality– the vision– the energy– the– the risk-taker in you– you know– yes– we'll be okay– and when everything goes all crazy– you just– let it be– let's try again– you have all that. 00:56:07 **Deborah Mitchell:** Oh– you're like me– that's exactly what I think. What you just said is exactly what I think. Because I always think– if somebody scratches my car– or– I– you know– it's going to be all right– doesn't matter– it's only fixing. But– and that's the same in all– all of the things. The thing I get bothered about is– emotionally– if I've probably upset somebody– or something like that. 00:56:31 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah– so that's the only thing. Oh– right– so what– in– why is that– do you think? What– what is that? 00:56:39 **Deborah Mitchell:** Well– I just wouldn't want to upset anybody, really. You don't want to hurt people's feelings. 00:56:42 **Aleksandra King:** So you're aware of what someone's feeling and thinking all the time– are you trying to manage their feelings– is that– 00:56:47 **Deborah Mitchell:** Well– I don't know– I don't know. That's probably another story for another day, I reckon. 00:56:52 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah– no– that's interesting– that's interesting. That would almost be the thing– well– that's the thing that you wouldn't like– that's your– if we say fear– it's just something that would make you uncomfortable. 00:57:02 **Deborah Mitchell:** Yeah– it does– yeah. 00:57:04 **Aleksandra King:** Okay– that's– you know– but it speaks to your sensitive side– you know– because you consider yourself a healer– that's what you do– that's how you– that's what– that's the value that you feel you're providing to the world– so this would be the opposite. 00:57:18 **Deborah Mitchell:** Oh– amazing– yeah– I never thought about it like that. 00:57:22 **Aleksandra King:** Interesting. And do you think that your– as an entrepreneur– this business side– and personality– do you think that your success has largely come from– is it your– your resilience– your ideas– or is it something else– the deeper thing– what is it? 00:57:40 **Deborah Mitchell:** Resilience is a good word. I– ideas are obviously another word. Ideas do create things– but I do think if you've got an idea and you don't follow it through– you're never going to get anywhere. 00:57:53 **Aleksandra King:** Mhm. 00:57:53 **Deborah Mitchell:** So resilience is probably important– one of the important factors. Because– going back to my husband– years ago– when I was looking for a new– new salon– we'd go to a– this place– and it was a very good salon– he said– I think this would be a good salon for you– and I looked– and I thought– this might be a good salon– but I can't run my multimillion-pound business empire from here– so I need another one– and I didn't mention it to him. And so that is resilience. And when things don't turn out right– think– okay– just try again. Yeah– I think that's resilience– and I definitely do know that if I never had that– I wouldn't have had anything. 00:58:42 **Aleksandra King:** Okay– okay. But just going back to something that you said earlier in the podcast– you– you kind of knew– didn't you– that you would be where you are. You knew it– you just knew– from– yeah– don't even know how to explain it– but you just knew– no? 00:58:58 **Deborah Mitchell:** Yeah. 00:58:58 **Aleksandra King:** You had a vision. 00:59:00 **Deborah Mitchell:** Yeah. 00:59:01 **Aleksandra King:** Gosh. So you were just stepping into something that you– little instinct– what is it– what is that thing– a little belief in yourself– what is it? 00:59:10 **Deborah Mitchell:** I don't know, really– but I know– I know the things that I– I want– but I also know it too. And it's like– the factory we've got now– I was happy with the factory we've got– we rented a factory– it was a little bit old– and I was fine– and we've got loads and loads of money– in the bank– and we were doing really well. And my daughter come along– she says– I want– I don't like this factory– it's old– it's not good enough. Okay– okay. So I went to look for a new factory– and my husband actually said– this is a good place– and it was great– and I could see it– like– it shone out of the papers– so it's– sort of– shone– so you can feel when things are right– so you– you can feel it– it's almost shining out. So I go– okay– and then I go to the people– and there was nothing– it was expensive– you know– there was nothing in me that thought I couldn't do it. So I go– okay– I'll have that factory. And– then I said to my daughter– I said– look– you wanted the factory– here's the keys– you do it. So it was an empty shell– she had to do it– and create it– and she created it very beautifully– and you'll see my factory– it's– it's really pretty– yeah– really gorgeous. And she achieved that. So when I went into the boardroom– something that I'd thought about at 28 years old– I thought– I'll have a– factory– or– or premises– or offices– and I'll be able to do treatments– and they'll call me out from the boardroom– and there'll be windows there and there. Of course– when I walked into our boardroom– that was finished– she'd created what I'd created in my mind. And so this is where that is– you know– it's like– you've got to recognise the success of your thoughts– not just the success of you. 01:01:13 **Aleksandra King:** And you showed me that– because we did the pre-podcast call– and you showed me the room. 01:01:18 **Deborah Mitchell:** Yeah– exactly. 01:01:19 **Aleksandra King:** And you do have a very nice factory. But yeah– that– that's– it just shows you– there's something that– that we can't explain– but you do think about these things– and it does create some sort of connection there– and it helps you– or actually makes things happen for you. 01:01:36 **Deborah Mitchell:** Exactly– that's why– negativities– that's why you really despise the negativity– in any way, shape or form. But it's like– strange how things can happen with me. I mean– I'd got– when I buy– when I sort of– sort of buy any items myself– that I– I– and– and I care about the items– and I don't over buy things– because it's something in the way I am. So– I don't necessarily need too much money as such– as a person. So \[snorts\] I'm not thinking about work– or to buy things– or to own money– or have money– or things like that. But– when I create new products– that's an easy thing to do– 01:02:29 **Aleksandra King:** Mhm. 01:02:29 **Deborah Mitchell:** And it's expensive to create a new product– of course– yeah– yeah. So when I create a new product– like– I create a new product for a need– in– for people. So one of my needs were– we used to do exhibitions– and people used to get tired at the exhibitions– they'd walk up to the counter– and they'd be shattered– and so I thought– if they weren't tired– they'd talk better. And \[snorts\] so I made this drink– with collagen– and vitamin C– to give them a boost. And they kept on coming back for the drink– and so I'd sell to them every time when they come back for the drink. And I thought– if I could put this into a dropper container– they'd– they'd absolutely love it– give them a boost– and I did– later on. So– and I did it just for no real apparent reason– but I'd planned to do this– and they're little dropper bottles– which obviously you can show a picture of that– little dropper bottles– you put the dropper in– and it gives you a real big boost. But it grew people's hair– it makes their skin look younger– and gave them– like– no pains in their joints– and everything. And it works better than anything on the market– and the reason it works better than anything on the market is– it doesn't go through the liver– so it actually goes straight into the system– so within a couple of days– 01:03:52 **Aleksandra King:** Straight away– yeah. 01:03:52 **Deborah Mitchell:** Absorbed straight away– and they don't have to use– and– and so it's been the best-selling product of my business– better than the venom– now. 01:04:02 **Aleksandra King:** No way. 01:04:03 **Deborah Mitchell:** Exactly– so it's incredible– and it's obviously got the royal crest on it. 01:04:11 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah– because you basically– so just for the viewers that– that don't know– you've got the royal stamp of approval on your products– so– they are the real deal– and they've done extremely well– and you've got these natural ingredients in them– and everything that you've done– you do– for– to resolve this need– and– and if possible– if there's a– a natural alternative to wrinkling– and dry skin– and all that– you're going to– you're going to look to find that– in whatever way, shape– but– 01:04:40 **Deborah Mitchell:** The– I didn't imagine that the collagen drops would be so good. I didn't imagine that they'd be so– so big– because they– they were just an additional thing that could help– make the skin younger. But what I didn't realise is– people with alopecia– people that have a thing called– alopecia– hair– where the hair drops out– because– through dieting– you know– people that are on the drugs– yeah– Ozempic and that– they're losing the hair drastically– people that took– had injections in Covid– or Covid– they lost their hair. So there's a big issue with the regrowth of hair– and everything, really. So– my hair is my hair– this is my hair– so it's– it's thick– it's not hair extensions. You just have a little tiny bit every– every morning– and it's amazing. And men with no hair– 01:05:46 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah– let's talk about men. We have a– we have a male audience as well– watching us– and men– don't– they don't seem to– majority– care that much about their skin– or their hair– you know– \[laughter\] do they care about their skin? 01:06:00 **Deborah Mitchell:** But they don't know what to do– they don't know what to do. 01:06:01 **Aleksandra King:** So what– what– very basic– what should they do? 01:06:05 **Deborah Mitchell:** Well– a lot of men buy their products for their wives– or their girlfriends– my Heaven Skincare products– and they use them– and they look younger. Oh– we do have a men's range of products– and– but we have men's– women's range– and particularly men's range– because men's skin and women's skin is different– and I've made a range for men's skin. 01:06:28 **Aleksandra King:** How is it different– thicker– or– 01:06:30 **Deborah Mitchell:** It's thicker– so the molecules actually need to be smaller– to go through the skin tissue– because the skin's too thick– so they literally need to be using a product for men. 01:06:43 **Aleksandra King:** It is a good idea. 01:06:44 **Deborah Mitchell:** So I've got– the– I've got them– I've got– like– the Age Defiance– works for both men and women– the Bee Venom works for both men and women– okay– and then the collagen drops– they can also– if they've got hair loss– they can also take that. 01:06:56 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah– but they drink it– they– they drink it– yeah– and the hair grows– no– 01:07:01 **Deborah Mitchell:** It's a shot– yes. You can put it in coffee– in fact– a coffee company has asked me to do it– but when you put it in coffee– the coffee gives you a boost– and the collagen gives you a boost. 01:07:13 **Aleksandra King:** Do that– you should do– \[laughter\] that– I would have that– 'cos– you know– everyone's– most people have a routine with this coffee thing– you have your coffee in the morning– it's just there already– you don't have to change. 01:07:23 **Deborah Mitchell:** You can't have milk– if you put milk in with the drops– then that takes longer– it takes three months. These sachets– that are viscous and chewy– or whatever– or powder– they– they– they– they work with time– they work three to six months. I don't like things that take three to six months to work– okay– because I can't really quantify that– I don't even know whether that would work. If I'm buying something– I've got to wait six months for something to work– I'm– I'm not too impressed about that. 01:07:59 **Aleksandra King:** Lose your patience. 01:08:00 **Deborah Mitchell:** I might lose my patience– I might stop it– I might have spent all my money– and then get six months– and then it not– not work. So I like things that work in couple of days. 01:08:10 **Aleksandra King:** Slight change of course– women in business. Do you think women in business are treated a bit differently? Do you have– what are your views on that? I know it's a big topic for many– and we do have also female viewers– and they– they tend to be younger– I would say– our female viewers. But what do you– do you feel that there's a difference– men and women in business? 01:08:28 **Deborah Mitchell:** How– you're– right now– I've achieved– yes– so I am an achiever. So once you've achieved– or you've got a grounding– you don't get men as much– saying– you know– questioning. But when I hadn't achieved– and I wanted to change my packaging– I phoned up a company– it was Roma Glass– and they wouldn't supply me– because I was a woman. 01:08:58 **Aleksandra King:** So how did you know that– 01:08:59 **Deborah Mitchell:** My boyfriend at the time– which became my husband– I said– will you phone up and ask– ask for an account– and they gave it– in– they wouldn't give me one. And I bought such a lot from Roma Glass. 01:09:13 **Aleksandra King:** Oh– that's– in the end– that's– yeah. 01:09:18 **Deborah Mitchell:** Yes. I– I don't know– I would love to know from your podcast viewers whether anybody's having problems now. I'm hoping that the– the men and women divide is not as bad as it was in my time. 01:09:35 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah– I mean– from my perspective– I think it is getting better now. But I definitely– I mean– I originally started in a– in an IT field– in computers– and– technology– and when I went into my first job as a consultant– it was just a sea of males– you know– like– three females in the entire office– everyone male– and I worked in this field– so it was very– dominate– male-dominated. But– when I actually saw my friends– my South African friends– they were like– what– what are you doing now– you know– after school and whatever– and I said– well– I'm– I'm in IT– I do billing systems implementations– and they're like– what do you mean– what's that– you know– I said– yeah– it's computers– you know– it's digital things. And I said– you don't look at all like a person that would know about that– you don't– it's just the way– you know– because probably– I don't know what the expectation is for me– to do what– like– what would– what would they like me to do– what would– sort of person would I look like– for them. But thought– what– why– you– why would you say that– why would it– there was a little bit of that– and you sort of think– well– how would you know anything to do with that– but actually– you know– I was– I was okay at it– I did it– so I must have been all right. But I've had a few things like that– where you sort of think you have to fight harder. But I do feel like– if you have that sort of victim mentality– that's not going to help– you know– where you think– oh– I'm so disadvantaged– poor me– and you go around– and almost like– almost playing that card too much– it's not going to do anyone any favours– especially women. So I'm not really for that– I don't really like that– I think– crack on– you know– come on. 01:11:01 **Deborah Mitchell:** Well– I mean– that was the one occasion that it was difficult for me– yeah– but I don't have it much now. I– I probably do think sometimes– women– well– when I was younger– I was– I was a bit more of– bit of a looker– yeah– and– oh– you– I probably did– I probably did sort of go– come on– let us know– \[laughter\] so– I– there is two ways of looking at us– I'd say. 01:11:28 **Aleksandra King:** 100%– you know– could have just– you know– 01:11:31 **Deborah Mitchell:** So there– there probably was– there is fors and against– isn't there? 01:11:36 **Aleksandra King:** 100%– 100%. I mean– even– you know– like– I mean– I don't know– everyone's got their own types– but for sure it will help if you're– you know– someone's type– or whatever– for them even to follow on the podcast– or whatever– there's– there's things like that too– which you're not going to say to someone– oh no– you– you're only allowed to follow the podcast if you believe every word I say– and not– you know– you've got to be human with this– and I think it's– sometimes we get a bit too obsessed with that topic– I think. 01:12:04 **Deborah Mitchell:** Yeah– I– I think– you know– there is– there is things that happened before– and I don't know whether they would happen now– and when they do– I'll come back and tell you. 01:12:17 **Aleksandra King:** Yes– yeah– we'll have another– we'll have another session. So what's next for you? What– what's the next big thing– or is it going to come to you– you know– and you're not sure– or– 01:12:26 **Deborah Mitchell:** I love– I've got loads and loads of beautiful– product– product ranges– I mean– we've spoken about Age Defiance– spoken about the Bee Venom– making the skin younger– and the collagen drops– they are the three big ones. But I've got another one– which is– which we've just launched– and it's about light, really. You know– this light's very bad for our skin– 01:12:54 **Aleksandra King:** Yeah– it is– yeah. 01:12:55 **Deborah Mitchell:** And it breaks down our collagen. So I've got– stop ageing me– it ages you– it ages you. So I've got a product called Prism Protection– and you put– put the moisturiser on the skin– and then it makes that light make you younger– by releasing peptides. So you sit here– and just get younger. 01:13:17 **Aleksandra King:** Give it to me. 01:13:18 **Deborah Mitchell:** And if you go in sunlight– it makes you younger. 01:13:21 **Aleksandra King:** Awesome. 01:13:22 **Deborah Mitchell:** It's got a factor 50– and protects your skin– but mainly– it makes the skin– make you younger. And that is a new thing– 'cos I love inventing new products. 01:13:33 **Aleksandra King:** And on that positive note– that we can age in reverse– thank you so much for joining us– and I've loved \[unclear: chatting?\] with you– thank you so much– very interesting. 01:13:43 **Deborah Mitchell:** Thank you– thank you. ## Follow Aleksandra - [Instagram](https://instagram.com/king.aleksandra) - [X](https://x.com/aleksandrabking) - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleksandraking) - [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@AleksandraKing) - [Aleksandra's Inner Circle](https://laylo.com/aleksandraking) Business and collaborations: [aleksandraking.com](https://aleksandraking.com) | [aleksandra@aleksandraking.com](mailto:aleksandra@aleksandraking.com) *The views expressed by guests are their own and do not reflect those of Aleksandra, the podcast, or its producers. This podcast is for entertainment only.*