While reading an interview with Ama Amo-Agyei on The Numbers Game YouTube channel, I was struck by how an ordinary setback led to creating one of the UK’s most inspiring beauty brands—Plantmade. Ama’s journey isn’t the polished, investor-backed, perfectly planned story we often hear. Instead, it’s a powerful tale of resilience, DIY hustle, and turning personal struggle into a business that’s now generated over £12.5 million in revenue, from a £100 start.

Here’s what stood out from the interview and why her story is worth studying.

She Didn’t Set Out to Build a Business

Ama wasn’t trying to launch a brand. She was trying to fix her hair.

After being fired from a recruitment job that left her anxious and burnt out, she started researching natural remedies for hair loss—something she was experiencing in clumps. Drawing inspiration from Indian hair care traditions and her own Ghanaian roots, she mixed a formula using herbs and oils she bought from Amazon for £50, which her brother matched with his own £50 to grow his beard.

The result was Inches, the product that would become Plantmade’s flagship. Initially, she shared it with friends and family, and demand exploded almost instantly.

From £100 to £1,000 in 10 Days

Ama flipped that initial £100 into £1,000 in 10 days just from Instagram DMs. Within 5 months, she made £100,000. By the end of her first year, revenue hit £1 million.

And yet, she calls it an accident. She didn’t have a fancy business plan—just a working product, a genuine backstory, and an audience that resonated with both.

A Legal Setback That Nearly Shut It All Down

One of the biggest lessons from the interview came from a branding mistake. Originally named Planted, Ama didn’t realize another company owned the trademark. After her first million, she received a cease-and-desist letter that forced her to shut down for 3 months, destroy all packaging, and rebrand to Plantmade.

They went from making £150K+ a month to just £50K after rebranding. The momentum was crushed, but Ama rebuilt it brick by brick.

Social Media Was the Foundation—Not Ads

What’s most impressive is that for the first three years, Plantmade ran entirely on organic marketing. Ama credited Instagram as the core of her community and storytelling, while TikTok helped with viral reach, though not always with conversions. That changed with TikTok Shop, which brought in £30K/month from just £500 in ad spend, mainly thanks to consistent live streams and viral product videos.

Bootstrapped All the Way

Unlike many competitors who raised millions, Plantmade was bootstrapped from day one. Ama used credit carefully, reinvested profits, and only started paying herself 2.5 years in. She admits she waited too long and now encourages founders to take care of themselves financially earlier.

Despite having no investors yet, the brand has scaled to 8 figures and is now eyeing its next phase with plans to bring in external funding for growth.

Product, Not Just Marketing, Drives Growth

Ama stressed the importance of differentiation—not just through storytelling, but through naming and packaging. Inspired by Apple, she created product names like Inches, Soil, Rain Dew, and Drizzle—all metaphors for growth, strength, and hydration. This helped Plantmade stand out in a saturated beauty market.

And even though her marketing is strong, Ama insists the product is the #1 marketing tool: “Every product is a chance to enter a new market.”

Her Mum Is Still Involved

A charming moment from the interview revealed that her mum still works at the Plantmade HQ, helping with shipping, ingredients, and even calling meetings. It’s a reminder that this is still a family-rooted business with soul, even as it scales.

Lessons from Overhiring

There was a phase where the team grew too fast. Ama revealed they once spent nearly £1 million on staff in a single year, only to realize it didn’t lead to more productivity. She’s since become more strategic, exploring whether tasks could be replaced by systems, automation, or part-timers before hiring.

Community Over Everything

Ama emphasized the value of building a network of founder peers, especially during hard times. She’s leaned on this community for advice and perspective, especially after the rebrand setback.

What’s Next for Plantmade?

Looking ahead, Ama envisions physical stores, deeper US expansion, and launching a wellness arm under the Plantmade umbrella. The goal? To make the brand global while staying true to its organic roots.

Final Advice: Stand Out or Stay Invisible

Her closing advice to anyone starting in the beauty space was clear: “How are you going to differentiate?” With celebrities entering the space and competition at an all-time high, success will go to those who look, sound, and feel completely different from the rest.

Reading her story was a masterclass in resilience, branding, and staying authentic. Ama didn’t build a £12.5M brand by trying to be perfect—she built it by solving her own problem, showing up for her community, and learning on the go.

Truly, one of the most inspiring “accidental” entrepreneurs of this era.

How You Can Extract Ama’s Strategies to Build Your Own Business

Ama’s story might feel exceptional, but it’s also replicable. She didn’t have a team of investors, a perfect plan, or a big launch budget. What she had were a few key principles that anyone can apply to start and grow a business in today’s digital world:

1. Start by Solving Your Own Problem

Ama didn’t chase trends. She created a product she genuinely needed and believed in. The same applies to you. Look at your life; what problem have you solved for yourself that others may be silently struggling with? That’s often your most authentic business idea.

2. Validate Early with Your Network

Before launching a website or brand, Ama sold through Instagram DMs and delivered real results to friends and family. Don’t get caught up in perfection. Test your idea with the people around you. Ask for feedback. Let your first few customers shape the product.

3. Leverage Organic Marketing First

Ama built a 7-figure business before touching paid ads. She focused on storytelling, consistency, and community building. You can do the same on platforms like Instagram or TikTok. Document your journey, share behind-the-scenes moments, highlight customer results, and create a brand people want to follow.

4. Give Your Product Personality

Her product names (Inches, Soil, Drizzle) weren’t generic, they were memorable. Think beyond function. How can your product stand out just by how it’s presented or named? Branding isn’t just about logos; it’s about how people feel when they see or hear about you.

5. Operate Lean and Learn as You Grow

Ama bootstrapped everything. She stayed scrappy. No fancy offices. No overhiring. You don’t need massive resources to get started—you need resourcefulness. Start small. Learn fast. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, but stay smart and strategic as you grow.

6. Build a Founders Network Early

She made it clear: having peers on the same path is a cheat code. Don’t build in isolation. Join communities, masterminds, or group chats with other entrepreneurs. You’ll make fewer mistakes—and get back up faster when you do fall.

7. Create Systems Before You Scale

Before hiring a big team or pouring money into inventory, ask: Can this be automated? Systemized? Simplified? That mindset saved Ama from further mistakes and made the business more profitable. Focus on systems, not just sales.