If you’ve been following my scientist blogs for a while, you know I’m obsessed with microbes, skin health, and innovation. But today I want to pull back the curtain on something less glamorous: the cost of launching a product.

If any of you are thinking about leaving your well-paid job to start your own company, imagining that money will flow in quickly once you launch… I suggest you read this blog a few times. 😂 But seriously—if someone had told me how hard it is to get to profitability, even when your product works, I would have been a little more prepared.

So, let me be the one to crack the code for you.

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The MRQ Reality Check

Once your research and development finally pays off and your prototypes are working, you think: I’m ready to launch this thing into the world! That’s when another reality kicks in—the infamous MRQ (Minimum Required Quantity).

This is the phrase you’ll repeat 100 times a day. Why does it matter? Because MRQ determines how broke you’ll get before you even sell your first unit.

For Fafabiotic, here’s what MRQ looked like:

• Lotion bottles: 5,000 per color
• Activation bottles: 10,000 bottles and 10,000 caps
• Boxes: 6,500 per color
• Probiotic powder: 5 kg per strain
• Lotion ingredients: typically 5–50 lbs each (I ended up sourcing small, high-quality lots at a premium price just to start).

Do the math, and you’ll realize how quickly this adds up before your first sale.

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Marketing: The Hidden Cost

You think you’re broke when you launch? Wait until you realize no one knows your product exists. That’s when you find yourself spending even more money on marketing, advertising, and sales just to move what you’ve already poured your savings into.

And that’s exactly when your P&L (profit and loss sheet) smacks you in the face. If you only calculate raw materials, you’ll convince yourself you’re profitable at a 50% margin. You’ll daydream of empires, sleep well for one night… and then remember you’re also doing the work of 35 positions—sales, IT, bookkeeping, CEO, shipping, customer service, etc.—all for free.

When you add in all the real costs, you realize you’ll need to sell thousands of units (5,000 in my case) just to break even.

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Pricing and Discounts: Lessons Learned

Everyone expects either a low price or big discounts. Early on, I decided Walmart pricing was not for me. My product’s value justified its price. If anything, I should have priced higher to cover hidden costs I learned about later—but once you launch, constant price changes erode trust.

And discounts? Let’s be honest: they’re my salary. Right now, every time I offer a discount, it’s basically me working for free to grow the brand. And that will likely be the case for you too, in the early years.

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So Why Do It?

After all this, why keep going? Because my products are working. Nearly 90 customers so far, most with amazing results. Because I love big challenges. Because I want to live a big life and prove that what looks unachievable can be within reach.

And that’s why people say: Start a company for something bigger than money. If your only motivation is to get rich fast, you’ll probably quit right before launching anything.

For me, it’s about changing the way people use skincare—and that keeps me going.

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Final Thoughts

I don’t share this to scare anyone away from chasing their dream. I share it so you go in with eyes wide open. Launching a physical product is rewarding, but it’s expensive, relentless, and humbling.

So, if you’re about to jump in, read this blog again… and then get ready for the ride of your life. 🚀

Until next time—cheers!