Ava Anderson Non Toxic named ‘Coolest College Startup’ by Inc.

AVA ANDERSON founded Ava Anderson Non Toxic as a teenager. Her East Providence company has been named Inc.'s 2015 Coolest College Startup, beating out 15 other companies for the title. / PBN FILE PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY
AVA ANDERSON founded Ava Anderson Non Toxic as a teenager. Her East Providence company has been named Inc.'s 2015 Coolest College Startup, beating out 15 other companies for the title. / PBN FILE PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY

(Updated 3:29 p.m.) EAST PROVIDENCE – Ava Anderson Non Toxic is Inc.’s 2015 Coolest College Startup, beating 15 other companies in a March Madness-style competition, according to the magazine.
Anderson, 21, got the idea for her company as a 15-year-old watching television with her mother. They saw a report about how adolescents across the country are exposed to, and sometimes contaminated by, chemicals used in body care products and cosmetics. That led her to start a blog and her own natural beauty care products line, Ava Anderson Non Toxic.
Now a junior at Babson College, Anderson has 11 product lines, featuring more than 75 items. The company’s 2015 projected revenue is $25 million, representing at least a doubling of sales over 2014.
Anderson told Inc. that her biggest challenge was that in the beginning, it was hard for people to believe that a teenager could really start a business.
“Yes, I had help from my parents and a few employees, but this has been my passion and my idea from the beginning. Once people meet me or hear me speak, they understand that,” Anderson told Inc.
She also offered advice to other young entrepreneurs.
“Know your market. Make sure it is a scalable product or service; get support from mentors and/or family and be sure this is something you are going to want to be doing for many years to come. If it is your driving passion you will love your work every day and others will feed off of that energy and want to be a part of it!” Anderson told Inc.
In addition to winning “bragging rights,” Inc. said Anderson will receive two tickets to next year’s GrowCo conference, a three-day event for entrepreneurs and business leaders who want to achieve growth within their organizations.
Ava Anderson Non Toxic also recently was recognized by Providence Business News as an Emerging Manufacturer through PBN’s annual Manufacturing Awards.
“We’re so excited to be INC. magazine’s Coolest College Startup of 2015 and coupled with our emerging manufacturer in R.I. award by PBN, it’s been quite the few days!” Anderson said via email.

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