The Story of a Brand Show

For Divya Gugnani, CEO & Co-Founder of Wander Beauty, life has always been about forging new paths. Whether it was graduating from college and working in investment banking and venture capital or starting her first company, an Auto Parts supply company.  So when she noticed that there were no beauty brands speaking to women like herself, who were always on the go and constantly in motion, she decided to make one. That's where the idea of "beauty in motion" came about and which eventually led Divya and her co-founder to forge a new beauty category which they passionately refer to as "On the Go Clean Beauty". But there is so much more to the story. 

  In Part 1 of this feature, Divya is going to share her background including the companies that she has built, the origin story of the brand and how it came about from personal experience including why brands weren't speaking to women of color like herself, advice for entrepreneurs such as "not all businesses models scale" and the need to be self-aware, and finally her experience raising capital and dealing with the male-dominated industry of venture capitalism and how uniquely difficult this process can be for women entrepreneurs.  Listen while Ramon Vela interviews Divya Gugnani in Part 1 of this 2 Part episode and hear Divya share the inside story of a brand.  For more on Wander Beauty visit:  https://www.wanderbeauty.com Visit our advertiser: https://www.holidaycbd.com/ Visit our advertiser: https://www.privy.com/cf Visit our Sponsor: https://www.retentionscience.com/

In Part 2 of this two-part episode listen to Ramon Vela interview Roberto Milk, CEO & Co-Founder of NOVICA, as he shares with us the story of a brand.    Including everything from the extremely weird and strange way NOVICA got started, what steps you need to take if you are a college student or entrepreneur and you want to build a social impact brand or you just want to make an impact & help others, how revolutionary ideas come from traveling, why Indigenous arts are dying and what we can do to preserve them, how his kids helped find some unique artist, and how when the core business is the mission, you can be fulfilled, passionate, happy, and grateful (like Roberto).   Check out other episodes at https://www.commercefocused.com/   For more on NOVICA visit: https://www.novica.com/   Try their products with this discount: Storyofabrand10, expires in July

For Roberto Milk, telling the Artisan's story is at the core of NOVICA and for many of these Artisan's, who are treated like 2nd class citizens in their countries, it is their first time telling their story. These artists, their talent, and the virtual travel experiences are what brings customers to NOVICA's site but it's the stories that keep people coming back.   In this episode, you'll hear Roberto Milk, CEO & Co-Founder of NOVICA, share with us the challenges they faced building NOVICA in different countries; the difficulties in finding the artist in remote locations; why so much of branding is fake and that branding should be more about Authenticity; why traveling and social impact is in his blood; and why from the beginning NOVICA wanted to think and do something big, like start a revolution in hand made goods and send nearly $100 Million to Artist/Artisans around the world.   Listen while Ramon Vela interviews Roberto Milk in Part 1 of this 2 Part episode and hear Roberto share the inside story of a brand.    Check out other episodes at https://www.commercefocused.com/   For more on NOVICA visit:  https://www.novica.com/     Visit our advertiser: https://www.holidaycbd.com/

In today's special episode, we bring you our interview with Jon Provisor, Owner & CTO of Guidance, live at the Fashion Digital LA 2019.  Listen as Ramon Vela interviews Jon as he shares his advice for retail brands as they navigate the digital & e-commerce landscape.  In this brief special episode, Jon shares the story of building an e-commerce brand. Including everything from how they worked with K-Swiss and Tom's to help them with their digital strategy, how product drops put pressure on an e-commerce platform and what to do, how born on the web brands are going omnichannel, how Shopify Plus is tackling enterprise prime time, how to outsource your web and creative, and what the latest trend in e-commerce is doing to change how we cross-sell and upsell products.  Check out other episodes at https://www.commercefocused.com/ For more on Guidance, visit: https://www.guidance.com/

In today's special episode, we bring you our interview with Josh Model, Director of Business Development at UpSellit.com, live at the Fashion Digital LA 2019.  Listen as Ramon Vela interviews Josh as he shares his advice for retail brands wanting to answer the perennial question of "Why are people leaving our site without converting"?  In this brief special episode, Josh shares the story of building an e-commerce brand. Including everything from how to increase average order value, how UpSellit helps you build out your strategy, why you should determine your baseline results and then determine how you can improve upon that baseline and why UpSellit's performance model is so beneficial to retail brands. 

For more on UpSellit, visit: https://us.upsellit.com/ Check out other episodes at https://www.commercefocused.com/

Please support our sponsors: https://www.retentionscience.com/

In today's special episode, we bring you our interview with Bayou Bennett and Daniel Lir from Dream Team Directors, live at the Fashion Digital LA 2019.  Listen as Ramon Vela interviews Bayou and Daniel as they share their advice for retail brands learned by working with a variety of people and companies such as Mark Ruffalo, Addidas, Oilogic, Urban Decay, and many others. In this brief special episode, Bayou and Daniel share the story of building content for a brand. Including everything from Branding, the art of differentiation, How do you create perception, what questions you need to ask yourself, why consumers want to connect, advice such as "do a behind the scenes mini-documentary while doing your photo shoot" and finally why it's important to "unite around stories that matter".  Check out other episodes at https://www.commercefocused.com/ For more on Dream Team Directors, visit: http://www.dreamteamdirectors.com/

In today's special episode, we bring you our interview with Jennifer Yen, Founder of Purlisse and Yensa brands, live at the Fashion Digital LA 2019.  Listen as Ramon Vela interviews Jennifer Yen, a former villain on the Power Rangers TV show turned entrepreneur, as she recounts the advice she received when she sought to raise funds to keep her business going. The advice: "Why don't you sell your through your problems".  She followed this advice and today her companies are 100% self-financed.     In this brief special episode, Jennifer shares with us the story of building a brand. Including everything from what inspired her to start the business, what problems do her products and brands solve, 3 pieces of advice she would give to Entrepreneurs starting a brand, and how she overcame emotional and financial struggles as an entrepreneur.   Check out other episodes at https://www.commercefocused.com/ For more on Purlisse, visit: https://purlisse.com/ For more on Yensa, visit: https://yensa.com/

In today's special episode, we bring you our interview with Saena Park, CMO of The Hair Shop Inc. live at the Fashion Digital LA 2019 event. 

Listen as Ramon Vela interviews Saena as she shares with us the story of building a brand. Including everything from introducing us to the company's Origin Story, the Market for Hair Extensions, How they use influencers to grow their business, How they differentiate their business with hi-touch consultations, their ambassadors the "Hair Shop Collective", their Extension Master Class Certification, Why the Hair Shop is all about giving you extra Confidence, How they are extending the product line, Partnerships, Creating Messages for each of their Segments, and why their primary customer will always be the Hair Stylist Professional.    Check out other episodes at https://www.commercefocused.com/ For more on The Hair Shop, Inc., visit: https://www.thehairshop.com/   Please support our sponsors & advertisers: https://www.retentionscience.com/ (Email Marketing) http://axidigitalmarketing.com/ (Digital Marketing)

In Part 2 of this two-part episode listen to Ramon Vela interview Melissa Palmer, CEO & Co-Founder of OSEA Malibu, as she shares with us the story of building a brand. Including everything from working with influencers, targeting micro-communities on social media, partnerships, #1 beauty secret and the importance of sleep, Advice of "Clean Beauty" brands, Advice for entrepreneurs, morning routine, being "Product first vs. Brand first", growing up in an entrepreneurial family, customizing the consumer experience with a quiz and live chat and more.   Check out other episodes at https://www.commercefocused.com/   For more on Osea Malibu visit: https://oseamalibu.com/   Just for our listeners, any purchase over $50 gets a free travel size product of their choice discount code: "thebrand"

It seems like Melissa Palmer, CEO & Co-Founder of OSEA Malibu, was born to be in the Wellness and Skincare market. It all started in the early part of the last century with her Great grandmother. She was a fierce German immigrant, who among other things was the first woman chiropractor in the United States, and who strongly believed that the ocean was the source of life. This family legend and lore took hold of Melissa's mother who went on to start experimenting with skincare ingredients. Her central hypothesis or question was this: "If she created a company that used ingredients that were safe and effective and natural. Would people notice the difference?" This led to using seaweed as a natural ingredient and the launch of the forward-thinking, innovative clean beauty brand, OSEA Malibu.    In Part 1 of this two-part episode listen to Ramon Vela interview Melissa as she shares with us the story of building a brand. Including everything from the growth of the Wellness Health industry, how Osea got started (the full story), why customers are now searching for natural ingredients, why D2C helps you control your message, how starting in Spa's help them learn the art of educating consumers, why Seaweed is one of the fastest growing segments in the market, why "Clean Beauty" is now the latest thing and why "performance-based naturals will be the next big thing in Clean Beauty.    Check out other episodes at https://www.commercefocused.com/   For more on OSEA Malibu visit: https://oseamalibu.com/   Discount code: "thebrand" - Any purchase over $50 gets a free travel size product of their choice.