Beyond Beauty: the business of beauty

Show Notes:

In this Beyond Beauty podcast, Anne interviews Tara Cohen, a seasoned entrepreneur and beauty executive. Tara shares her journey from being an artsy kid working in her father's businesses to becoming a product development expert in the beauty industry. Her career began with internships and connections made through her father, leading to a pivotal role with Jennifer Barbieri's company, the Pink Jungle. Tara emphasizes the importance of internships, trying different jobs, and the value of learning on the job. She discusses her transition into entrepreneurship, launching Mixed Beauty, and consulting for various brands. Tara advises on budgeting, utilizing resources, and the significance of confidence and courage in business. She reflects on her younger self's expectations and her current achievements. Tara can be found on LinkedIn, and Mixed Beauty's website is set to launch soon.

About Tara Cohen:

Over the past 20 years, Tara Cohen has driven innovation and strategy as a senior executive for some of the world’s most influential beauty brands. Now, as a C-Suite Executive, Founder, and Startup Advisor, Tara Cohen is reimagining global beauty through a multi-ethnic lens and human-centric approach. Tara is the founder of Mixst Beauty, a startup incubator, guiding the development and launch of new beauty brands. Mixst Beauty guides founders from competitive and consumer insights to brand development, strategic planning, and product and package development

Timestamps:

Starting in the Beauty Industry (00:00:26)

Tarik Cohen shares her journey into the beauty industry, from internships to product development at a young age.

Importance of Internships (00:03:40)

The value of internships and taking jobs related to one's interests for career exploration and networking.

Choosing a Career Path (00:05:48)

Tarik discusses the choice between specializing in a niche or becoming a generalist within the beauty industry.

Transition to Entrepreneurship (00:10:18)

Tarik's pivot to entrepreneurship, including developing a luxury CBD skincare line and launching her own brand.

Impact of Recent Changes (00:16:26)

Discussion on significant shifts in the beauty industry, including social and political changes and the impact of COVID-19.

Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs (00:21:47)

Tarik offers advice to those considering entrepreneurship, emphasizing the challenges and the need for perseverance and networking.

Budgeting and Resources (00:23:26)

Discussion on budgeting wisely, utilizing tools, and negotiating costs for starting a business.

Starting Small and Building Confidence (00:24:20)

Advice on saving money, starting a side project, and gaining confidence in entrepreneurship.

Understanding Confidence and Courage (00:25:46)

Exploration of the difference between confidence and courage, and the importance of taking risks.

Reflection and Encouragement (00:27:10)

Reflection on past aspirations and encouragement to continue striving for more.

Future Plans and Gratitude (00:28:39)

Details on where to find the guest, future plans for her business, and gratitude for the opportunity.

Closing Remarks (00:29:39)

Final thanks and goodbyes to the guest.

This podcast is produced by the team at Dillie: a marketing agency with a niche focus on beauty and personal care brands

https://dilliecreative.com/

It all started on a pirate ship for Laura Crymble's dynamic creative marketing career. After interacting with the many roles across film, tv and media, she found her spark in a balance of creativity meets business with en exciting carerr in innovative marketing at major studios, including Warner Brothers, Universal and Sony Pictures. And After moving from England to LA in 2020, Laura held afternoon iced teas for new friends and built an incredible group of colleagues, cohorts and amazing friends. This led her to launch Marketing Mixer LA, a community for creative marketers to network, learn and collaborate. Discover the can-do spirit and spark that Laura brings to creative businesses.

If you're looking for a story to change your trust in manifestation, press play to view Lisa Tran's transformational story from athlete to beauty business entrepreneur. Lisa's manifestation work will revitalize the way you approach a challenge and say yes to a risk. Tune into Lisa's story to learn and discover the motivation you've been searching for and to launch your entrepreneurial venture.

Show Notes:

In this podcast episode, Anne and Nima discuss the economic challenges and strategies for tech companies during uncertain times. Nima, whose company is linked to Salesforce, talks about the impact of Salesforce's layoffs on his business and the broader tech industry. He shares how his company is adapting by focusing on business processes and valuing leads. The guest also reflects on his journey from solo entrepreneurship to leading a team, the importance of niching down, and the psychological shifts needed for growth. He dismisses luck in favor of hard work and clear goals, advising aspiring entrepreneurs to gain experience in key business areas.

About Nima Mohajeri:

Nima Mohajeri is the Company Owner, Chief Strategist, and Director of Strategic Operations of SM Innovations. Nima Mohajeri attended the University of Southern California and UC San Diego.

Timestamps:

Drinks and Introductions (00:00:05)

The hosts discuss their drinks and make introductions.

Impact of Salesforce Layoffs (00:00:51)

The guest talks about the layoffs at Salesforce and the impact on his company, which is tied to Salesforce.

Challenges Faced as a Salesforce Partner (00:02:01)

The guest explains the challenges his company faces as a partner of Salesforce due to the layoffs.

Effects of Economic Tightening (00:04:21)

The guest discusses the impact of economic tightening on tech companies and their market strategies.

Survival and Growth Strategies (00:08:24)

The guest shares strategies for survival and growth during challenging times, emphasizing the opportunities hidden in fearful times.

Business Origin Story and Entrepreneurship (00:11:13)

The guest shares insights into the origin story of the company and discusses the entrepreneurial myth and business growth.

Psychological Shift (00:14:54)

Discussion on the psychological shift experienced while running a business and the responsibility of keeping the business afloat.

Limiting Business Growth (00:15:58)

The impact of trying to do everything in the business and hindering its growth by not bringing in experts.

Business as a Living Organism (00:16:26)

Analogies of a business as a living organism and the negative effects of overprotection and fear in business growth.

Cost of Payroll (00:17:46)

The fear and challenges associated with hiring employees and the impact of payroll on early-stage businesses.

Advice for Starting a Business (00:18:36)

Advice on not hiring until necessary and the potential limitations of freelancing in business growth.

Transition from Freelancer to Company (00:19:14)

The challenges and strategies involved in transitioning from a one-person show to a company with employees.

Saying No to Clients (00:27:41)

The challenges of saying no to clients outside of the business's niche and the impact on scaling the business.

Business Processes and Automation (00:28:29)

The importance of building processes, automation, and focusing on a niche market for business scalability and potential sale.

The race to the bottom (00:29:33)

Discussion on how focusing on expertise and value shifts the paradigm of pricing.

Narrowing the focus (00:30:28)

The importance of narrowing the business focus to build a brand and reputation.

Valuation potential (00:30:55)

Exploring the potential valuation of the business within the industry.

The concept of luck (00:32:08)

Debate on the role of luck in business success and personal background.

Importance of clarity (00:39:13)

The significance of clarity in achieving goals and overcoming conflicting ideas.

Advice for the 20-year-old (00:41:08)

Recommendations for aspiring entrepreneurs, emphasizing the value of learning and gaining sales experience.

This podcast is produced by the team at Dillie: a marketing agency with a niche focus on beauty and personal care brands

https://dilliecreative.com/

Maria Bond is a seasoned creative media professional who has specialized in branding, content marketing and PR for luxury brands. Originally from Norway, she has been working in Los Angeles for 7 years in several positions in the creative branding space. Her clients have included CPG brands, Media Organizations and cosmetics.

Alper is an Emmy Award nominated visual engineer and director of photography working independently in Los Angeles, CA. He's also won best Motion Design Award by Adobe. Alper creates extraordinary art in his Los Angeles studio, specializing in lighting fixtures. He's the ultimate rennaissance man, riding motorcycles, building stuff and creating incredible motion graphics. He is also one of the hosts of Turkish Breakfast Club, a singular gathering around Turkish cuisine and social connection happening in Los Angeles.

Dave Shirley is a Creative Producer and the Owner of Day at Nite, a production company that creates commercial-grade and branded content for artists, musicians, fashion brands and more. Dave launched his career with an internship for Sean Combs and later became his personal assistant, learning the ins and outs of an enterprise company, building brands, and the art of making strategic decisions. Dave learned from the very best and optimizes business and creative skills to expand his career across production and exciting new ventures.

Show Notes:

In this podcast episode, Annes interviews Tommy Flaim, the founder of an activewear brand who shares their journey from a finance and social entrepreneurship background to launching a sustainable and affordable activewear line. They discuss the brand's growth, including direct-to-consumer sales, retail partnerships, and co-branding strategies. Despite being unprofitable, the brand has seen success through social media, particularly a viral TikTok video, although it didn't convert as expected. The need for external capital to manage fixed costs and inventory is highlighted. The guest also touches on the challenges of influencer marketing, the importance of brand building, and the potential of collaborations in the consumer product industry. The pandemic's impact on retail partnerships and the brand's approach to outreach are discussed, along with the significance of a strong brand identity. The episode concludes with the guest's commitment to responsible business practices and the importance of consumer trust.

About Tommy Flaim:

Tommy Flaim knew from a young age that he wanted to do something that would make a positive impact for others. He just didn’t know at first what that “something” would be.

Growing up here in Clifton Park, he played soccer and tennis at Shenendehowa. He also was involved in student government, serving as class president his senior year.

Timestamps:

The origin story (00:00:21)

Guest's background and college experiences, involvement in social entrepreneurship, and the exploration of sustainability and humanitarian issues in the fashion industry.

Formation of the activewear brand (00:01:49)

Reasons behind the creation of the activewear brand, including personal experience in sports, identification of a white space in the market, and the need for initial funding through investment banking.

Challenges in the consumer product industry (00:03:28)

Discussion of the wasteful practices in the fashion industry, the financial dynamics of clothing brands, and the challenges faced by small manufacturers in competing with larger companies.

Growth and co-branding strategy (00:05:02)

The current status of the brand, the focus on direct-to-consumer and retail channels, and the strategy of co-branding partnerships for growth and profitability.

Leveraging social media and funding needs (00:09:55)

The role of social media, particularly TikTok, in driving growth, the pursuit of profitability, and the need for external capital due to fixed costs and working capital issues.

Sustainability and profitability in the industry (00:16:51)

Discussion on the importance of profitability in the consumer product industry, challenges faced by unprofitable brands, and potential shifts in financing models.

Influencer Marketing (00:19:35)

Discussion on the effectiveness and challenges of influencer marketing, including the conversion to revenue and the saturation of the influencer space.

Retail Partnerships and Cold Outreach (00:24:27)

Challenges and strategies for establishing retail partnerships, including using part-time employees for cold outreach and the cost and conversion rates of sending free samples to retailers.

TikTok and Branding (00:26:33)

The guest's initial resistance to TikTok, the unexpected success of a viral TikTok video, and the importance of branding in the clothing and activewear space.

Brand Development and Consumer Connection (00:31:20)

Importance of branding, consumer perception, and developing a desirable brand that people want to support and represent.

Responsibility and Transparency (00:34:14)

Emphasis on responsible growth, transparency, and continual improvement in the business operations.

Company Information (00:34:46)

The guest provides information about the company's social media handles, website, and a product recommendation.

This podcast is produced by the team at Dillie: a marketing agency with a niche focus on beauty and personal care brands

https://dilliecreative.com/