Denisse Reynoso Barragán was the winner of the Adolf Horn Award for Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2024.
The director and founder of Gardenia Naturals He dedicated his recognition to the women who every day give all their effort to their work and family, because for them the path is often difficult.
“Women, do not forget that you can, because we still have a lot to demonstrate and contribute to society and promote economic development. “I am committed to continuing to work to promote them,” he said during the award ceremony last week.
Industrial engineer by profession and with studies in cosmetics from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Denise Reynoso He has stood out among young entrepreneurs, obtaining several recognitions in the Jalisco ecosystem.
Gardenia Naturals is a cosmetics manufacturing company and through Inspira Lab offers various products. It currently does assembly work for more than 400 brands and sells in more than five countries. In this company, 30 jobs are generated directly and more than 100 indirectly:
—What did you want to be when you were a child?
— Curiously, I always drew companies or factories with happy collaborators, so I always envisioned myself having a factory and being a businesswoman.
— Did you imagine yourself in the beauty sector?
— Not necessarily, this came in 2020, in the midst of a lot of economic need, and an opportunity arose in the area of natural cosmetics.
— In addition to winning the Adolf Horn Award, she has won other recognitions as an entrepreneur. What do they mean to you?
— The first was the Coparmex Entrepreneur Award 2023, then came the Jalisco Entrepreneurship Award in 2024 and now the Adolf Horn Award for Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2024.
It means a lot to me because we represent a community of entrepreneurs to all the clients whose brand we make, so winning a vote of confidence that they can leave their cosmetic brand in our hands. We have already gone through this path of entrepreneurship and we will gladly guide you so that your project is a success.
—What do you consider to be the key to the success of your company?
— Seeking how you can benefit and boost your society through products or services that you are offering and always seeking business satisfaction and innovating. With our company Gardenia Naturals and Inspira Lab we solved the main need that the entrepreneurial cosmetic sector in Mexico had, which was access to innovative formulas with exclusive packaging and low investment amounts.
—During the beginning of your venture, were there moments when you thought about “throwing in the towel”?
— There were definitely many occasions, starting a business is not easy, especially with a service that involves issues related to health or the complex formulation of cosmetics because they are one of the most difficult products to manufacture in the world. Many times I found myself in the middle of difficulties, but I believe that our community of clients, collaborators and support networks were what motivated me to move forward.
—Who has been your support on this long path of entrepreneurship?
—My family and my husband Diego Álvarez. He has been my total ally, the strategist in the company because many times it is difficult to consolidate a business. I am very creative, very innovative and I needed that part of him and of course our collaborators who are loyal to our company, industrial secrets and our clients. Of course, also all the entrepreneurs, mentors that you meet along the way.
—What are your short-term plans?
— Consolidate our company, which has had very rapid growth and this has represented a challenge for us, in the medium term to reach these large brands and in the long term to reach the strongest international brands.
—What do you consider to be the main problem faced by entrepreneurs in Mexico?
— The lack of support for SMEs, since at first it is difficult to cover all fixed expenses, the responsibility of paying taxes.
—What do you recommend to young entrepreneurs who decide to start a business?
— That they have a lot of tenacity, that they do not give up, that they know that their mission is much bigger than what they can visualize today, if they have that dream it is because they can achieve it, knowing that they will always be able to do it.
Recognition of an upward trajectory
Last October 30, Denise Reynoso was awarded the Prize Adolf Horn to the Young Entrepreneur of the Year in its 17th edition.
The award was presented by businesswoman Marisa Lazo, who was the godmother of this generation of entrepreneurs.
The other four finalists were: Ángel Adrián Contreras from the company Holix Lab, Carlos Errejón Flores from Morhada, Santiago Tejeda from Singular Care and Jorge Ignacio Olivo Padilla from Auténtico Corajillo.
CT