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Rio Viera-Newton has provided skincare advice in her writing work for years. "The beauty market, and specifically the skincare industry--is so oversaturated, it can be extremely confusing for those who aren't authorities in the space to parse through the maze of options," she declares. "I always loved how rewarding it was to be able to consumers understand the market and discover products that are suitable for their needs."

In 2017, a viral moment brought that message to a bigger audience than ever before. The actress shared the details of her skincare routine after an unfortunate flare-up with her acne and was passed around between her friends and the friends of her friends before finally making it the pages of New York Magazine. Since then, Rio has gone to the school of estheticians, created the company of a skincare consultant as well as published a book on the topic.

Find out what she did to start her business, how helps her keep her business on track and the reasons authenticity is crucial to the way she speaks about skincare.

From viral article to business plan

Rio's viral skincare routine was a start, but turning that moment into an opportunity was a longer and more nerve-wracking journey.

"When I graduated from an esthetician's school, I knew I wanted to build an organization that was more intimate and individualized," Rio says. "I was terrified to death like I believe most people are in the beginning of new ventures."

"When I first started, I wanted to make sure I was structuring my consulting with the best way feasible, which is why I conducted about 20 or so free consultations for relatives and friends before launching the business and then asked them to provide me with some feedback," she adds. "Because of this, I was able to iron out the kinks once I had my first few paid customers. This was crucial, since it ensured that by the time I started my business the business, I was able to get a lot of experience and could launch my business with loads of faith."