Meet Kate Delgado | Owner of Isola

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kate Delgado and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kate, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I was living in Montego Bay, Jamaica with my husband, our daughter and my husband’s family. My mother in law, who is Jamaican, had owned her own spa for many years and then became the spa director at one of the largest spas on the island. She had a secret family recipe for a Coffee + Cane Sugar Body Scrub which she used on her treatments and when I tried it, I was immediately blown away by the way my skin felt after just one use. What I loved the most was how clean and natural the ingredients were. I always knew I wanted to own my own business one day – I had the tools and experience I needed – and this is how it started. I started watching and learning from my mother in law. I studied what she did, I did my own research – and together, we began selling the Body Scrubs to various hotels and spas on the island.

I became pregnant with my son while living in Jamaica and eventually moved back to the states with our two children. I gave the Body Scrubs a name, isola, which means island in Italian and I launched a small business selling mainly to friends and family. I worked from home and made all of the products out of my kitchen. Shortly after, I started creating Body Oils, and then Candles, Lotions, Hand Creams and Lip Scrubs.

I soon had a real business. Isola was being recognized. I landed spots on The View, The Today Show and Good Morning America.

The thought process of starting isola was to create a clean, vegan skincare line that works and is affordable.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Isola is very unique because it was founded based upon a very old family recipe that has been used for years in Jamaica to obtain soft, smooth skin. We set ourselves apart by keeping our ingredients simple, keeping our prices low, yet sharing products that actually work and lastly, not compromising on packaging.

We have had numerous challenges along the way. Anyone who says starting a business and succeeding without any growing pains is not telling you the truth. I have spent many nights with no sleep and have missed deadlines due to unforeseen delays. However I do believe that without struggles, you can not learn and grow. It is part of the gig. I have had to trust the process and keep moving forward. The key is to do it professionally.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love South Florida! I was raised here but have lived in many other cities and states throughout my life. What I love about South Florida is the tropics. I am an island girl at heart so having the beaches, palm trees and warm weather is very important and therapeutic for me.

If I had someone special in town, I would definitely take them to Wynwood in Miami. I love the art, culture, shopping and food. You can do it all on your feet without needing any transportation and you will find unique food spots like KYU for lunch or dinner, Salt + Straw for ice cream and Panther Coffee, well for coffee!

We would also hit the beaches which I especially love on hot days because usually that is when the water is the most clear and calm. I truly feel fortunate to live here.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
They say it takes a village and it literally does. I could not have done this without the help of my husband who, despite having a full time job himself, has been there to support me, to help me and to encourage me. I dedicate everything I do to my children. There is nothing I want more than to provide for them and to show them that they have a hard working, determined mom who will never give up. The days haven’t always been pretty but showing them that I can do hard things and get through the tough times is everything.

Website: www.isolabody.com

Instagram: @isolabody

Linkedin: Kate Delgado

Facebook: www.facebook.com/isolabody

Other: info@isolabody.com