Summary

In this episode, Janell Stephens, CEO and founder of Camille Rose, shares her inspiring journey of creating a textured hair and beauty brand from her kitchen to major retailers like Target. She discusses the challenges and triumphs of entrepreneurship, the importance of mindset, and the lessons learned along the way. Janell emphasizes the significance of taking one's time in business, trusting others, and enjoying the journey of building a brand.

Janell Stephens & Camille Rose

https://www.linkedin.com/in/janell-stephens-0b6b15a6/

https://www.instagram.com/janell_stephens/

https://www.instagram.com/camillerosenaturals/ 

https://www.camillerose.com/ 

Scaling Emerging Beauty & Monique

https://www.instagram.com/moniquehbenoit/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquehbenoit/

https://www.instagram.com/scalingemergingbeauty

https://scalingemergingbeauty.com/

Remember to leave a review and subscribe for more tactical strategies and tips to grow from $0 to $20M.

In this conversation, Senait Tzegai, a health and beauty buyer at Pop Shelf, shares her insights on the beauty industry, focusing on the assessment of new brands, the importance of brand stories, and the role of independent brands in retail. She emphasizes the need for brands to understand their purpose in light of the competition, the significance of community engagement, and the trends in multicultural hair care. Tzegai also emphasizes the challenges of scaling in retail and the importance of production capabilities for success.

Senait Tzegai

https://www.linkedin.com/in/senait-tzegai-b838b1140/ 

Scaling Emerging Beauty & Monique

https://www.instagram.com/moniquehbenoit/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquehbenoit/

https://www.instagram.com/scalingemergingbeauty

https://scalingemergingbeauty.com/

Remember to leave a review and subscribe for more tactical strategies and tips to grow from $0 to $20M.

Summary

Keren Davy, a fractional CMO, shares her marketing philosophy rooted in integrity, empathy, and intention.

She emphasizes the importance of understanding the target audience and crafting marketing strategies that resonate with them.

Keren advises brands to start with an internal and external focus, balancing their unique offerings with consumer needs.

She suggests low-cost, high-impact marketing efforts such as cross-promotions and collaborations.

Keren also highlights the significance of storytelling in connecting with consumers on a deeper level.

She discusses the role of empathy in marketing and the importance of community and connection.

Lastly, Keren provides advice for early-stage brands, including knowing oneself, reinforcing key messages, and seeking external perspectives.

The Peculiar CMO & Keren 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerendavy/ 

https://www.instagram.com/thepeculiarcmo/ 

https://www.thepeculiarcmo.com/ 

Scaling Emerging Beauty & Monique

https://www.instagram.com/moniquehbenoit/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquehbenoit/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@scalingemergingbeauty

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scalingemergingbeauty

Facebook: https://facebook.com/scalingemergingbeauty

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@scalingemergingbeauty

X: https://x.com/scalingebpod

Website: https://scalingemergingbeauty.com

Remember to leave a review and subscribe for more tactical strategies and tips to grow from $0 to $20M.

In this monologue, Monique shares essential strategies for effectively networking with retail buyers.

Monique emphasizes the importance of research, personalizing outreach, and mastering follow-up techniques to build strong relationships with retailers.

Monique also highlights the significance of in-person networking and the need for a concise pitch to stand out in a competitive environment.

Scaling Emerging Beauty & Monique

https://www.instagram.com/moniquehbenoit/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquehbenoit/

https://www.instagram.com/scalingemergingbeauty

https://scalingemergingbeauty.com/

Remember to leave a review and subscribe for more tactical strategies and tips to grow from $0 to $20M.

Host: Monique Benoit

Guest: Vanessa Lee

Vanessa Lee, founder of GuestHouse, discusses the importance of sales in scaling emerging beauty brands. She emphasizes the need for a strong pitch deck when approaching retailers, with key elements including strong visuals, concise copy, and data points. 

Vanessa also highlights the importance of tailoring the pitch deck to specific retailers, using their terminology and addressing their competitors. She advises against making the deck too wordy and emphasizes the need for a concise and visually appealing presentation. 

Vanessa also discusses the differences between virtual and in-person presentations, suggesting that in-person meetings allow for more storytelling and personal connection.  She emphasizes the importance of energy and passion in delivering the brand message. 

Vanessa also shares insights on differentiation, suggesting that brands should focus on sustainability and addressing current industry concerns as points of differentiation. 

The conversation explores the importance of differentiation in the beauty industry, including product innovation, tone of voice, packaging, and sustainability. We also discusses the significance of transparency in pricing and sourcing. 

The conversation delves into the topic of scaling and the importance of demonstrating readiness to retailers. It emphasizes the need to strategically handle pricing and margins in pitch decks, including not disclosing wholesale costs. 

The conversation concludes with advice on building relationships with retail buyers and the importance of persistence in the face of rejection.

Hey Guest House & Vanessa 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-lee-a6433a5/

https://www.instagram.com/heyguesthouse/

https://www.heyguesthouse.com/

Scaling Emerging Beauty & Monique

https://www.instagram.com/moniquehbenoit/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquehbenoit/

https://www.instagram.com/scalingemergingbeauty

https://scalingemergingbeauty.com/

Remember to leave a review and subscribe for more tactical strategies and tips to grow from $0 to $20M.

In this monologue, I discuss the significance of strategic promotions in retail and consumer packaged goods (CPG). 

Promotions should not just be random discounts. They should align with business goals to drive visibility, revenue, and customer loyalty.

Also, keep in mind the importance of analyzing the effectiveness of promotions and keeping track of past promotions to inform future strategies, especially during key holiday seasons.

Scaling Emerging Beauty & Monique

https://www.instagram.com/moniquehbenoit/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquehbenoit/

https://www.instagram.com/scalingemergingbeauty

https://scalingemergingbeauty.com/

Remember to leave a review and subscribe for more tactical strategies and tips to grow from $0 to $20M.

Reena Goodwin, founder and CEO of Facteur PR, discusses the role of public relations (PR) in helping early-stage beauty brands enhance their marketing strategies.

PR is the activity of influencing public perception about a brand through various communication channels, such as journalists, influencers, and social media.

Good PR can create tension and impact consumer decision-making. It is important for brands to leverage PR exposure by using it as content across different platforms.

DIY PR strategies include building relationships with journalists, reading news publications, and hosting interactive media and influencer events.

When outsourcing PR, brands should consider factors such as media relationships, results, resources, and personalized experience. 

Good PR involves focusing on the customer experience, adding value, and avoiding directly mentioning competitors. PR is a long game that requires patience and can pay off in the long run.

Reena Goodwin

https://www.linkedin.com/in/reena-goodwin-6919411/ 

Facteur PR

https://www.facteurpr.com/ 

https://www.instagram.com/facteurpr/ 

Scaling Emerging Beauty & Monique

https://www.instagram.com/moniquehbenoit/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquehbenoit/

https://www.instagram.com/scalingemergingbeauty

https://scalingemergingbeauty.com/

Remember to leave a review and subscribe for more tactical strategies and tips to grow from $0 to $20M.

Summary

In this conversation, I share insights on how brands can identify and leverage white space opportunities in the beauty and retail industry. I draw from my experience as a former retail buyer. I discuss the importance of understanding market gaps, the dynamics of retailer relationships, and the significance of consumer insights.

I emphasize the need for brands to recognize what retailers value, such as margins and consumer targeting, and how to effectively shop the retailer to find unique opportunities for product placement and growth.

Chapters

0:00 Intro

0:40 Buyer's Responsibilities

2:02 Identifying Whitespace with Consumer Insights

3:35 Launching This is L & The Honeypot Company

6:32 How Aligning with a Buyer Helps Your Brand

9:41 Bringing In a New Consumer

11:51 Hero Cosmetics Spotlight

13:11 Category Observations Lead to Whitespace

14:35 Shop the Retailer

Scaling Emerging Beauty & Monique

https://www.instagram.com/moniquehbenoit/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquehbenoit/

https://www.instagram.com/scalingemergingbeauty

https://scalingemergingbeauty.com/

Remember to leave a review and subscribe for more tactical strategies and tips to grow from $0 to $20M.

Kellie Chen is the co-founder of 8Rue, a boutique branding agency, shares her expertise in brand strategy for emerging beauty brands. She discusses the shift in consumer engagement with brands due to the rise of social media, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and transparency. Kellie also highlights the key elements of brand identity, including audience understanding, mission and story development, and differentiation from competitors. She provides insights into crafting effective social media strategies, such as building a strong funnel and creating engaging content. Additionally, Kellie discusses the benefits of in-house marketing teams and working with agencies, offering advice for emerging brands.

Kellie Chen

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelliechen/ 

 Free Resources from 8Rue Inc., Kellie's Agency

https://www.8rueinc.com/freeresources

8Rue Inc. Marketing Agency Website

https://www.8rueinc.com/ 

https://www.instagram.com/8rueinc/ 

Scaling Emerging Beauty & Monique

https://www.instagram.com/moniquehbenoit/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquehbenoit/

https://www.instagram.com/scalingemergingbeauty

https://scalingemergingbeauty.com/

Remember to leave a review and subscribe for more tactical strategies and tips to grow from $0 to $20M.

In this solo episode, I discuss the critical role of packaging in retail. Packaging is often your first impression at the shelf. I emphasize that even the best products can fail if their packaging does not meet retail standards.

I outline key considerations for creating retail-ready packaging, including supply chain logistics, shelf appeal, and the importance of brand visibility. This episode is packed with actionable insights for emerging beauty brands to ensure their packaging stands out on the shelf and resonates with consumers.

Scaling Emerging Beauty & Monique

https://www.instagram.com/moniquehbenoit/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquehbenoit/

https://www.instagram.com/scalingemergingbeauty

https://scalingemergingbeauty.com/

Remember to leave a review and subscribe for more tactical strategies and tips to grow from $0 to $20M.