Our 10 minutes with local business owner Jayne Clark-Denyer Owner and Founder of Organically Epic

July 1, 2025

This week we spent some time with local business owner and entrepreneur Jayne Clark-Denyer Owner and Founder of Organically Epic. Read Jayne's journey creating her wonderful organic business.

Let’s introduce you with your vital stats. What’s your name and what local business do you own?

Hi, I'm Jayne and I own Organically Epic, a certified organic, natural, cruelty free and vegan dental and skincare brand based in Westcliff-on-Sea.

Can you tell us a bit more about Organically Epic ? Where can we find you and what do you do?

We are a super small, independently women owned micro business. We have been in business for some time, evolving with the times so to speak. We launched the UK's first certified organic, Brightening Antioxidant Toothpaste in 2021 alongside the UK's first bamboo electric toothbrush and have been steadily growing our customer base online and in store via social media (@organicallyepic on insta, tik tok, facebook and pinterest), in person events and that all important sales call, when contacting businesses of course. We are GDPR compliant

We can be found online www.organicallyepic.uk where you can find information on Organically Epic, me as the founder, our social media channels, blogs and how to get 10% off by signing up to our newsletter as well.

We can also be found on Amazon, Superdrug online, online ecommerce stores and also IRL in small independent wholefoods stores, dentists, chemists and beauticians. Basically anywhere that will have our wonderful dental and skincare.

What have you found is key to running a successful small business?

I wouldn't say I'm successful in business in a traditional sense, success us different to everyone but I would say, the key to longevity is moving with the times, not trends and things like that but keeping up to date on what's going on in the world, politically and in your sector. It's not unheard of to have something happen at the other side of the world that hugely impacts supply lines and consumer confidence.

In my industry, I feel like what I do is heavily intertwined with climate and social justice so being aware of legislation globally and nationally with regard to this helps me massively, personally and professionally.

Having friends in business helps, you can all offer advice where needed. Networking where you can but staying targeted to groups where you will truly make connections, not so much so for selling to other businesses but definitely for growing your supportive network around you.

Training yourself on anything and everything to do with your business, know it inside and out. Being the expert in your field. In small business we wear so many hats and have to be accountant, marketer, social media expert, product developer, PR aficionados and sales powerhouses.

Once we can do all the things, it makes it easier to hire a team around you who can then take your business to the next level.

You cannot build a business around your life or family without knowing your business in and out, the buck always stops with you.

A problem we have as small business owners is thinking that anyone working with us feels the same passion we do for our business. I mulled this over for years, not understanding why others who worked for were not stark raving loony with the passion I had for Organically Epic. The truth. They don't care. Not in a horrid way.

We are all the hero of our story. Our business doesn't matter to anyone who works with us. Or at least not in the way we'd like it to matter. It's a job. So as soon as you realise that, when you're hiring or working with an amazing team of people, the easier it is for all of you. You can still be in charge and lead the business to where you want it to go, and your team get to work in a role that they love, get paid and not sweat the small stuff.

It's a hard pill to swallow but if owning a small business were that easy, everyone would do it.

What made you decide on a career within your sector?

I fell into it. The age old story of having children and them changing your life, literally. I was pregnant with my first child in 2012 and was made redundant from my Business Assistant Role in asset management in London. I worked in London in various admin roles for 15 years. Nothing fancy or high paying. When I was made redundant at 5 months pregnant, my options were limited but I've been very lucky. Luck has played such a large part of my life that I cannot ignore it's existence. It's not all about how hard you work as we can see from all the mediocre CEO's and Managers out there. I was lucky enough to have a Mother who owned a business and wanted me to take it over.

Spoiler alert, I didn't take it over but I did learn the business and work alongside my Mum for a long time. We ran the business and shared childcare (my husband is a teacher) which was absolutely lovely to be honest. Hard at times, but again, I was very lucky to be able to do this.

Organically Epic was launched after my baby daughter had a horrendous skin reaction from a well known baby bath wash. She was hospitalised and I went down the rabbit whole of ingredients research. I overhauled our skincare and body care shelves and the idea of Organically Epic was born.

It sounds easy and in some ways it was. I had support and luck. When I look back I think how on earth did that happen, I had no idea what I was doing. But if you have a passion for something, the means to start it and the tenancy to learn everything and anything to make it work... sometimes it actually grows and evolves.

Organically Epic is multi award winning as well as being featured in Stylist, GQ, Cosmetic Business, Natural Health, Women's Fitness, to name a few. I've made actual products that people love and continue to buy, it's wild right? So I must be doing something that works.

It's been tough to keep going through the turbulent last 5+ years and it has been touch or go many many times but for now, I'm still hear, still having the ideas and keeping on keeping on.

What do you love about living in Essex?

I've always lived near Southend, I grew up on Canvey then moved to Hadleigh when I was in my early 20s. I went travelling for 18 months in my late 20's and had an amazing experience, I even met my husband half way across the world but there's something quite lovely about this funny little place by the sea.

My little family and I have built an amazing community around ourselves from our family to our wonderful friends and colleagues. We live in Westcliff and I love the place, the rawness of it.

The multicultural melting pot. So many different cultures, ethnicities and religions.

I'm also a trustee of The Southend Care Bank www.southendcarebank.org that I run with 3 other trustees who are close friends of mine. We work our bums off for our local community. Making sure that those who need to, have access to hygiene products that they need.

When some people have so little, it's up to the rest of us that have even just a little something, to help.

That's what Organically Epic is about at it's core. Helping my local community and helping solve peoples dental, skincare and sustainability problems.

It's not too bad living near the sea (ok ok estuary) either ;)