Why A Dentist Started Her Own Oral Care Line Fatima Khan
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Photo Credit Thu Nguyen
Fatima Khan is a healthcare professional. She has contributed to the healthcare industry as a nurse, nutritionist, adjunct professor, and Dentist. She holds a master’s degree in Biomedical Science and Doctorate in Dental Medicine and is currently practicing Dentistry in Houston, TX. She is the co-founder of Riven oral care, a probiotic-based mouthwash that helps you achieve a healthier, cleaner mouth and strengthen your oral microbiome.
Can you tell readers about your background?
I’m a first-generation Pakistani American and education was paramount at a young age. I have a diverse background in healthcare. I worked as a nurse, nutritionist, adjunct professor, and currently as a dentist.
I went to Blanche Ely High School, in Pompano Beach, FL. I was part of a science magnet program. The practical nursing program there created opportunities for students who were interested in the healthcare field to have hands-on experience at a young age. We were taught education is about learning more than just a skill, but creating opportunities, communities and expanding knowledge. It opened scholarship opportunities for myself as well as my classmates.
I furthered my education and received a Bachelors in Nutritional Science at the University of Florida. Later, I received a Master’s degree in Biomedical Science at Barry University in Miami. I began teaching at Barry University as an adjunct professor In Biology. I enjoyed the experience but was ready to tackle something new. I began my dental journey at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA.
After dental school I began practicing as a dentist in Lubbock, TX. I had the opportunity to become faster and learn new skills. I loved the doctors and staff members. They were a great support system. I later moved to Dallas for a year and then after to Houston. I had the opportunity to work with different demographics, from pediatric to geriatric, in a private practice setting and corporate. I still practice in Houston, TX.
What inspired you to start your business?
My journey to Riven started off as a personal one. A few years ago, my sister was diagnosed with a rare medical condition. It was a challenging time for my family. I remember the shock, anxiety, and the fear of the unknown took a toll on my body. The stress caused migraines, grinding of teeth at night, dry mouth, bleeding gums, hair loss, and eventually bronchitis and due to the phlegm, halitosis.
I was seeing several healthcare professionals for all those symptoms and even had to get dental work done. After that I became meticulous with brushing and flossing and started using products I used to recommend to my patients. I realized they all came with side effects, dry mouth, staining, change in pH and imbalance in bacteria. That harsh feeling from products felt similar to antibiotics. They get rid of good and bad bacteria and cause side effects. However, nobody would suggest taking antibiotics every day for the rest of your life, knowing they diminish the friendly microbes. Then why would we suggest such harsh oral care products? I thought to myself what if I were having oral side effects due to an imbalance of oral bacteria and if I strengthened my oral microbiome the symptoms would improve. This curiosity is what led me to my journey of nourishing our mouth instead of sterilizing.
Although the story was unique to me, the oral issues are common amongst many people due to the products they are using, stress or several environmental factors. However, strengthening and balancing your oral microbiome will help achieve positive outcomes.
Where is your business based?
We are a direct-to-consumer brand. You can purchase directly from us online at our site. We work with wellness bars and clean/natural product shops and eco-friendly retailers. We want to do our part in decreasing our carbon footprint and providing the best ingredients backed by science.
How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?
Initially, I was not planning to start my own business, instead I was looking for products on the market to resolve the issues I was having. I then started reading scientific articles about different natural ingredients. I reached out to companies like Proctor and Gamble and Colgate to see if they had any products they would recommend or if there was research being done on the microbiome. Unfortunately, they cannot disclose information on new research being done until it is completed.
I then began formulating and mixing ingredients and tried finding an effective solution. After I realized I had something that was effective. I started working with a team to fine tune the details. I wanted to ensure the probiotics strains would remain alive and have a stable shelf life. I worked with chemists and microbiologists to do the testing and had the product verified by a 3rd party lab.
I then started working with a manufacturing company in the US, that is CGMP certified, meaning they follow current good manufacturing practices. We wanted to ensure safety. After that we organically spread the word.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness of your business?
Networking really helped us. We are a new brand and still have a lot of growth ahead of us. Our brand resonated with holistic dentist and wellness influencers, and they shared the love and helped spread the word and small retail partnerships.
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
We had several hiccups along the way. I am sure many people can relate.
I think finding a manufacturing company to take on this task was difficult. It required a lot of testing, critical thinking and collaboration with formulators, chemists, microbiologists, and dentists for the vision to come together.
Our glass bottles shattered in transit to the manufacturing team and our timeline was behind. Many people suggested moving to plastic, but it went against our belief, and we had to wait for the new inventory to arrive.
We had issues with our logistics team and packages not arriving on time. I had to work with our 3PL partners to resolve any backend problems. Thankfully, we were able to solve problems quickly and that is the most valuable tool of being an entrepreneur. If an issue arises, being able to solve them promptly.
How do you stay focused?
I set tasks for myself each day. I make a list of short term and long-term goals. You become so invested that taking a break is harder than focusing. I talk to my co-founder daily and we discuss the tasks we have done and update each other. We also discuss ideas and brainstorm regularly. I think that has helped us focus and grow.
How do you differentiate your business from competition?
The reason we built the brand was because there were no other oral care brands doing the same thing. Everyone was so fixated on sterilizing their mouth instead of strengthening and balancing. We wanted a brand that was natural, but science backed.
We also wanted a bottle that was beautifully packaged with zero plastic. We believe in giving back and partnered with a charitable organization. We wanted a brand that makes you feel good. A brand that was trustworthy, exciting, innovative and community focused.
What has been the most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?
Social media across different platforms is key. You can tell your story and engage with your audience. It allows you to build trust with potential customers, partners and you build a community. Once you build a community it can help with user generated content that you can repost.
What’s your best advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?
Network with other entrepreneurs and find a trusted mentor. Attend entrepreneur network events and tradeshows to find like-minded people who are doing the same thing and can help guide you. Most importantly, if you believe in something give it your all even if people try to talk you out of it. Trust your intuition.
What is your favorite app?
My favorite app is TikTok. It is fun, light, creative and you never know which video will go viral. I believe it is a great marketing tool because there is a huge growing audience.
What’s your favorite business tool?
My favorite app is notion to stay organized. You get to decide how to organize your content. You can use it for text editing, journaling, note taking, and project management. It is designed to be user friendly and easy for team members to reference back and comment.
Who is your business role model?
Jaime Schmidt, founder of Schmidt’s Natural. She believed in clean and natural deodorant and started off making it in her kitchen and selling it at farmer’s market. She believed in her product and scaled her brand into over 30,000 stores. She is an inspiration to women and provides insight on scaling, branding, product development, marketing, and partnerships.
How do you balance work and life?
At times it seems difficult to do because you are pulled in so many directions. However, I try to exercise, meditate, and plan events with friends. Even when I do not want to take a break, I force myself to do those activities because I realize the negative impact of stress and taking care of my health is essential. Wellness starts within.
What’s your favorite way to decompress?
My favorite way to decompress is by taking a nice warm shower. It helps with my body tension and soothes muscle fatigue. It feels like I washed away my stress and I feel more focused and at ease.
What do you have planned for the next 6 months?
The next 6 months I want to build an audience. My focus will be on content creation and building a community who shares the same wellness values as I do. I would love to connect with other female entrepreneurs and grow together.
How can readers connect with you?
To connect with me online:
Shopriven Official on Instagram
www.instagram.com/shoprivenofficial/
Our website:
www.shopriven.com/
My email address: