Susie Ma is a British-Chinese entrepreneur, philanthropist and the founder of Tropic Skincare, one of the UK’s fastest-growing privately owned beauty brands. Renowned for combining commercial success with purpose-driven values, Susie is a compelling motivational speaker whose story embodies resilience, ambition and ethical leadership. From building a global business rooted in natural skincare to championing education and women’s empowerment worldwide, she represents a new generation of entrepreneurs committed to creating positive change. In 2026, Susie will further cement her profile as a business leader when she appears as a guest dragon on Dragons' Den.
Susie’s entrepreneurial journey began at just 15, when she started making body scrubs using recipes passed down from her grandmother. Blending sea salt, macadamia oil and essential oils at home, she sold her products at markets across London, laying the foundations for what would become Tropic Skincare. Her early passion for natural ingredients and sustainability shaped the brand’s ethos from the outset. Public attention followed when Susie appeared on The Apprentice, where she finished third yet still secured a significant investment from Lord Sugar, enabling her to scale the business nationally.
Under Susie’s leadership, Tropic has grown into a community-powered brand with over 38,000 ambassadors across the UK, supported by an innovative commission-based model. The company’s annual Glammies event celebrates this network while raising substantial funds for charity partners. Tropic’s social impact is equally remarkable, having funded millions of days of education for children in hard-to-reach communities and opened schools in Nepal, Cambodia and Madagascar. Susie later regained full ownership of the company and committed Tropic to long-term initiatives supporting women and girls into employment. Alongside this impact, Tropic has earned over 400 industry awards from the likes of Glamour, Women&Home, Beauty Shortlist, CEW, while Susie herself has been recognised with the EY Entrepreneur Award for ‘Building a Better Working World’, and the Marie Curie Prix D’Excellence award for ‘Beauty Gives Back’, and has been featured in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list
As a motivational speaker, Susie Ma brings over two decades of real-world entrepreneurial insight to the stage. Her talks inspire audiences to think boldly, lead with values and pursue success without compromising integrity. Blending personal storytelling with practical business lessons, Susie empowers individuals and organisations to build purpose-led growth, making her an exceptional choice for business conferences, leadership events and International Women’s Day programmes.
