I'm so sad to say that this is the final episode in our 'You Won't Believe What We've Seen' mini-series, in partnership with SQA services. But over the course of these four episodes we've had a blast! We've chatted to some inspirational people, learned a lot and heard some amazing stories – we really can't believe what they've seen! I hope you've enjoyed the series just as much as I have and don't forget, you can still catch up on any episodes you might've missed HERE.

In last week's episode 'High Stakes', we were joined by father and son team Jim and Mike McKay to tackle the ever-changing landscape of technology. We talked about the latest technological advances in the industry and really did a deep dive into the importance of quality, right from the outset, and how it's achieved through honesty, communication, collaboration and partnership.

And today, last but definitely not least, we're headed to the multi-billion-dollar world of beauty. Mike McKay is joining us one last time alongside the incredible Ashley Goldberg, Executive Director of Quality and Operational Excellence at Merz North America. We're taking a closer look at the changing face of the beauty industry, the rise of social media and the impact of influencers, and why quality is more important than ever.

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

[01.03] Introducing Mike McKay. [02.19] Introducing Ashley Goldberg. [03.46] SQA's key beauty industry partnerships, from Estee Lauder to Colgate-Palmolive. [04.18] An introduction to Merz. [05.32] How SQA's early partnership with Colgate-Palmolive helped the business take off.

"I went from zero sales to several hundred thousand, by employing two or three hundred people in three different cities and shipping over 38,000 tubes of toothpaste!" (MMK)

[11.40] The importance of relationship-building in every stage – from raw materials to manufacturing to supply chain – to ensure quality, particularly in the start-up space. [15.26] The relationship between Merz and SQA, and the importance of teamwork.

"They're going to come in as an honest partner… to support it, augment it, and ultimately make sure you have the ability to build a robust supply chain." (AG)

[19.36] Why it's essential to ensure quality at source.

"Ensuring that your entire supply chain and all of your partners have the same values and integrity you have for your product is so important, because ultimately your customer is what matters." (AG)

[23.14] Why cost-cutting strategies aren't always the best approach, particularly for quality.

"Is the risk really worth it? What's the cost of customer dissatisfaction?" (MMK)

[26.25] How consumer behavior is driving supply chain optimization. [29.30] How social media, communication speed and influencer impact can have a very positive, or negative, effect on your brand – making quality even more important. [31.29] SQA's 'Quality Is' campaign and how it helps customers to ensure quality is an accessible and better understood topic. [35.08] Why designing quality into the supply chain from the beginning is going to be vital to the future of the beauty industry.

You can connect with Mike on LinkedIn, or head over to SQA's website now to find out more, meet the team and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Ashley on LinkedIn or find out all about the different facets to Merz on their website.

Check out our other podcasts HERE.