Charles Mills on Building GELIDA: When Clinical Science Meets Human-Centered Design
From reality TV star to visionary entrepreneur, Charles Mills has defied expectations by building GELIDA—a groundbreaking brand at the intersection of clinical science and holistic wellness. In this candid interview, Mills opens up about the pivotal moment the idea took shape from a conversation with his mother, Susan, whose decades of clinical expertise inspired their mission to create non-invasive aesthetic solutions that work.
He reflects on the challenges of transitioning from the spotlight to the boardroom, battling imposter syndrome, and learning to "fail forward" as a first-time founder. With GELIDA’s rapid rise in a competitive market, Mills shares how their human-first approach, prioritising trust, education, and real results—set them apart.
Read the full interview to learn how Charles Mills turned a mother’s clinical wisdom into an aesthetic revolution—and why GELIDA is redefining what ‘results-driven wellness’ really means.
Take us back to the very beginning—what was going on in your life when the idea for Gelida first took shape, and what made you believe it was worth pursuing?
I was at a real crossroads, publicly I’d stepped out of the Made in Chelsea bubble, but privately I was searching for something that felt rooted and would give me purpose. I was in Dubai, on the phone with my Mother, Susan. She was talking about her passion of the aesthetics space and its lack of non-invasive solutions that actually work, and something clicked.
I realised we could fuse her decades of clinical insight with my eye for brand, narrative, and culture. That’s when GELIDA was born, not just as a company, but a belief in real holistic wellness combined with outstanding surface level results. I knew in my gut that this wasn’t just another wellness brand, this was ours to build. And more importantly, it was needed! We didn’t build this business because the market wanted it, we built it because the world needs it! And we just couldn’t not! Gelida was founded with a purpose; not a Pitch Deck!
Founding and scaling a company is never a straight path. What personal challenges or turning points have most shaped you as a founder and leader?
I never had a rulebook. I had to learn everything the hard way, business, branding, supply chains, leadership. I’ve battled imposter syndrome. Coming from a Reality TV show, I had to prove, to myself more than anyone that I belonged in boardrooms, not just on red carpets. The real turning point for me was learning to fail forward and embrace failure. To own it when I didn’t know something. To hire smarter people. To choose growth over ego. It’s about showing up, continuously learning, listening deeply, and making the hard decisions!
Gelida has grown rapidly in a competitive market. What was your initial go-to-market strategy, and how did you gain early traction?
We didn’t just launch, we listened. We led with authenticity and built something we believed in so strongly that others felt it. We didn't rush to chase trends. Instead, we focused on building them, building trust with our clients, with our partners, with our early adopters. We identified high-performing clinics, we educated them, we converted them into brand advocates.
Yes, we leveraged our existing network. But more than that, we created honest conversations about skin and body health, pro-ageing, self-confidence, and how true results don’t need to be aggressive or artificial. That message resonated. Our go-to-market strategy wasn’t just B2B or B2C, it was H2H: human to human. That’s how we got traction; by making our clients, and as a result their clients too, feel heard, seen, and supported on their journey.
How do you stay grounded and make decisions under pressure, especially when leading through uncertainty or high-stakes moments?
I remind myself that pressure is a privilege. It means people are counting on you to make the right decision. It means you're building something that matters.
When things get chaotic, and they do, I come back to one simple question:
“What would future me thank me for doing right now?”.
That mindset unlocks clarity. I also surround myself with people who don’t just nod yes, they challenge, sharpen, and elevate me. Your team is vital to your personal and business growth. Pressure tests your values, and I believe every hard moment is an invitation to step up as the next, better version of yourself.
What advice would you give to early-stage entrepreneurs trying to build something meaningful in today's climate
Start before you're ready, because you’ll never feel 100% prepared, so why wait?
What’s next for Gelida—and for you personally? What motivates you as you look toward the next chapter of growth?
We’re building the Dyson of advanced natural aesthetics. That’s the benchmark! We’re stepping into a new chapter of intelligent skincare and body tech, where every device is smart, every routine measurable, and every user is an active participant in their biological optimisation. We’re launching global partnerships that bring our philosophy of natural results, backed by science to the world stage. But more than growth, we’re pursuing depth, deepening our community and deepening our impact. The next chapter for us isn’t about expansion, it’s about elevation.
