What Beauty Founders Don't Know? (Jumpstart Beauty Brand)

Rohit Banota, Jump Accelerator

Fasten your seat belts & learn counter-intuitive fundamentals of profitably growing early-stage beauty brands. Take YOUR FREE ONLINE COURSE: https://jumpaccelerator.com/online-courses/ Take the quiz as to how ready is your beauty brand for hyper-growth on our website @ https://jumpaccelerator.com/quiz/ Also, don' forget to apply to your free 30-day trial: https://jumpaccelerator.com/ready-to-jump/ read less
ArtsArts
Fashion & BeautyFashion & Beauty

Episodes

Ep.27-Guest: Gabriela Hernandez, Founder, BÉSAME COSMETICS on "What Beauty Founders Don't Know"
Nov 23 2024
Ep.27-Guest: Gabriela Hernandez, Founder, BÉSAME COSMETICS on "What Beauty Founders Don't Know"
In this guest series episode of "What Beauty Founders Don't Know" Podcast, I spoke to the classy, creative & intellectual founder of BÉSAME COSMETICS, a classic & timeless beauty for the modern times, Gabriela Hernandez. Gabriela is the cosmetic connoisseur behind the brand. As a young girl, Gabriela would watch in complete wonder while her beloved grandmother applied makeup as part of her daily beauty ritual. From the swipe of a bold lip color to the dusting of rouge on a cheek, Gabriela loved how this small moment connected art to beauty, and grandmother to granddaughter. After immigrating to the United States, She became a historian of makeup through the decades, studying photography and art direction before publishing the book, Classic Beauty: The History of Makeup, and then founding Bésame Cosmetics. Embracing proven beauty tools, trends, and techniques of eras past, Bésame offers authentic connection across generations, so you can build looks that transcend time. Watch/Take a listen! Timestamps and Key Insights 04:46-Gabriela moved from Argentina to USA at the age of 14 15:32.5-US beauty lacked femininity 30:33.8-Be yourself, don't hide 40:30.1-How consumption has gone up drastically in the last few decades 54:35.6-Influencers of 1800s, 1900s 01:14:38.0-How cult is BÉSAME's cult community 01:23:20.1-BÉSAME's boutique store strategy 01:32:43.4-Scaling mistakes-hiring is critical 01:44:20.2-BÉSAME's below the sea prom 01:52:50.2-Gabriela's lowest time with BÉSAME 02:03:52.4-The best romances 02:04:55.1-Red lipstick & trends 02:09:37.6-Gabriela's final message to beauty founders -Subscribe to our podcast & don't forget to leave a review  -And then go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jumpaccelerator.com/quiz/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for finding out how ready is your beauty brand for profitable growth &  -TAKE YOUR FREE ONLINE COURSE: ⁠⁠https://jumpaccelerator.com/online-courses/⁠⁠ WANT TO BE A JUMP PORTFOLIO BRAND? Book a call here: https://jumpaccelerator.com/ready-to-jump/
Ep.26-Guest: Evelyn & Brook, Founders, JustUs Skincare on "What Beauty Founders Don't Know"
Jun 27 2024
Ep.26-Guest: Evelyn & Brook, Founders, JustUs Skincare on "What Beauty Founders Don't Know"
In this guest series episode of "What Beauty Founders Don't Know" Podcast, I spoke to the very beautiful, creative and intelligent co-founders of JUSTUS SKINCARE, the only climate-focused skincare on the planet! Brook Dougherty, Founder and Chief Alchemist Evelyn, Sprigg, Co-founder & Chief of All Things Brook is the founder and Chief Alchemist of JustUs Skincare. And she's the author of the memoir, Nothing To Write Home About. And she is supporting women who suffer from domestic violence, victims of domestic violence. Evelyn is a veteran of NYC ad and PR industry, a self proclaimed skincare junkie. Her passion for finding skincare solutions at a very young age let her to work with the biggest beauty brands on the planet. She's a hiker. She loves to travel. She trains people on yoga and she's a painter. And right now she's beating cancer for the second time round. Take a listen! Timestamps and Key Insights 03:53.1-Brook turned 60 and decided to take on skincare 06:49.1-Evelyn's move from the big beauty to indie space 08:50.1-How Brook & Evelyn met at a bar 09:50.1-Some really kind words about yours truly, Rohit:) 12:00.0-How Evelyn went about her life, including this podcast, & her treatments while overcoming cancer 16:00.0-Brook's tryst with Coke & Comedy and Domestic Violence 18:34.7-What motivates Brook & Evelyn to work on JustUs Skincare every single day 23:46.0-How is JustUs skincare a climate focused skincare brand? 27:36.9-What's wrong with generic skin consultations and diagnosis? 34:13.4-Challenges in formulating hero products and where the BIG Manufacturers too were clueless 44:51.0-How beauty is very different from other industries and a very big frustration for indie beauty founders, if not the biggest 58:38.3-How Brook's lab vetted Evelyn in the very first meeting 01:14.7-Evelyn's acid test for aspiring beauty founders 1:16.9-Evelyn and Brook's chemistry 1:28.20-Is survival at stake for Brook & Evelyn? 1:38.5-Speed round: favourite books, movie lines, bootstrap or funding, favourite climate and places and much more... -Subscribe to our podcast & don't forget to leave a review  -And then go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jumpaccelerator.com/quiz/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for finding out how ready is your beauty brand for profitable growth &  -TAKE YOUR FREE ONLINE COURSE: ⁠https://jumpaccelerator.com/online-courses/⁠
Ep.19-Guest: Kate Solomon, Co-Founder, Athletic Cosmetic Company on "What Beauty Founders Don't Know"
Apr 3 2024
Ep.19-Guest: Kate Solomon, Co-Founder, Athletic Cosmetic Company on "What Beauty Founders Don't Know"
In this guest series episode of "What Beauty Founders Don't Know" Podcast, I spoke to the super-fit, driven, genius and a serial entrepreneur, Kate Solomon, who has over 25 years of natural and clean makeup and skin care formulation experience. She was working with the biggies like L'Oreal USA, where she was a product developer. In 2010, launched Babo Botanicals and then sold it eventually to a French baby company, Mustela. And then her kids were growing older, she saw a gap for clean makeup and skincare brand for a more sporty, and active lifestyle and that's where she launched the Athletic Cosmetic company with her co founder Dominique van Boekel. Take a listen! Timestamps and Key Insights 03:27.4-Kate's background and story from Peace Corps to South America to Avon to Loreal 07:01.0-How Kate successfully exited with her previous venture, Babo Botanicals 10:07.6-Babo Botanical's exit strategy 13:52.9-Target market for Athletic Cosmetic Company and Go to Market 18:31.7-How does ACC access its target consumers 21:54.2-Athletic Cosmetic Company's values of positivity, positive mind and body, positive impact & positive beauty 23:50.3-ACC's product formulations with Credo Clean Standard 25:16.0-ACC's next big goal and the biggest hurdle 27:28.5-Toughest time in Kate's entrepreneurial journey 29:44.9-Kate's mantra for keeping her sanity and accessing the well of new ideas 30:57.6-Speed round: women sports, beauty in sports, favorite book, clean beauty, bootstrap... -Subscribe to our podcast & don't forget to leave a review  -And then go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jumpaccelerator.com/quiz/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for finding out how ready is your beauty brand for profitable growth &  -TAKE YOUR FREE ONLINE COURSE: https://jumpaccelerator.com/online-courses/
Ep.18-Guest: May Lindstrom, Founder, May Lindstrom Skin on "What Beauty Founders Don't Know"
Mar 19 2024
Ep.18-Guest: May Lindstrom, Founder, May Lindstrom Skin on "What Beauty Founders Don't Know"
May Lindstrom is the founder of her namesake, awesomely authentic, cult-certified, sensorially formulated and mystically depicted brand: May Lindstrom Skin. May's story is straight out of a movie, about a runaway teenager, love, road trip, wanderlust, and search for fun, truth, wealth and authenticity. May Lindstrom is all about making this moment yours, touching your skin with intention, reigniting the romance within and discovering your skin's ultimate health and radiance. May Lindstrom is a movement that is converting all the skeptics and seekers into believers furthering their quest for authenticity and living life on terms true to themselves, and in doing so, finding the divine beauty within, that never fades! In this super digest, guest series episode of "What Beauty Founders Don't Know" (formerly JumpStart Beauty Brand), May takes us through her hippie childhood, her nomadic formative years, the change she wanted to bring with her eponymous skincare line while sharing million dollar insights on launching and growing an ahead of its time, disruptive beauty brand that no luxury skincare brand on the planet can stand up to! She was the first to pour her love into a bottle! Take a listen! Timestamps and Key Insights 04:56.8-May's childhood and her parents dreamy barn romance 09:21.7-May's first hostile encounter with the fragrance soap on a sleepover 13:04.1-Long hours at the local library 17:04.1-Human guinea pigs, Immersion into ancient to modern beauty texts 19:55.3-May unlocks the key to women's bathroom 28:24.5-May goes for the weird 31:18.2-Perfecting her formulations 34:49.1-What if? 42:01.8-How May got over the fear of sharing her formulas? 44:46.3-The key insight driving her mission 49:24.1-Cult status and revenue co-relation 52:51.6-May Lindstrom retailer conversations 54:46.5-May Lindstrom & Romain of The Detox Market chit chat about the future of natural beauty 01:01:05.3-Why aren't there more disruptive and authentic beauty brands? 01:09:40.6-Worthy of extraordinary care 01:11:15.1-Childhood without running water 01:14:40.4-May Lindstrom's ongoing innovation & the story behind her iconic packaging 01:34:44.9-May Lindstrom Care Bears 01:37:20.9-How would May Lindstrom like to grow? 01:47:57.2-Pandemic's impact on demand 01:52:44.4-A brand with brakes on 02:01:28.8-Next steps to stimulate demand 02:12:29.8-Toughest time in her business 02:25:12.9-Speed Round 02:49:16.5-Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 02:53:32-May getting the majority of her food from a woman's shelter 02:57:05-Set for growth now, scale to stay 03:06:50-May's great big invitation to the listeners -Subscribe to our podcast & don't forget to leave a review -And then go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jumpaccelerator.com/quiz/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for finding out how ready is your beauty brand for profitable growth &  -TAKE YOUR FREE ONLINE COURSE: https://jumpaccelerator.com/online-courses/ .
Ep.17-Guest: Suzanne LeRoux, Founder, One Love Organics on "What Beauty Founders Don't Know"
Feb 20 2024
Ep.17-Guest: Suzanne LeRoux, Founder, One Love Organics on "What Beauty Founders Don't Know"
Suzanne, daughter of a pharmacist, struggled with skin issues from a young age, but neither the range of avaialble products nor her dad's dermatologists friends could help her out of her severe skin issues, but an aromatherapist miraculously cured her skin! In this guest series episode of "What Beauty Founders Don't Know" (formerly JumpStart Beauty Brand), Suzanne shares invaluable insights on launching and growing an organic, ahead of its time, woman-led beauty brand. Take a listen! Timestamps and Key Insights 02:56.4-Suzanne's legal background as a lawyer 05:26.2-Suzanne's thoughts on trends 09:56.2-One Love Organics' EcoCert Certification 10:49.4-Importance of In-House Formulations 12:57.5-Why founders never perfect the formulation? 14:12.1-Difference between kitchen and formulation lab 18:41.9-Issue with infused oils 21:20.7-Beauty founder assumptions 22:20.4-TIme to traction 25:32.7-Secret to retail success: Blue Mercury, Ulta, Credo etc. 29:59.6-Difference between small and micro batch 32:17.2-Perfecting formulation 35:17.8-Edge over new clean and organic skincare brands 37:49.6-Next big goal 39:56.4-Toughest time with One Love Organics 41:52.0-Speed Round-What's fake in early-stage beauty market, DTC vs.. Omni-channel, Exit or legacy, clean beauty? Subscribe to our podcast & don't forget to leave a review and then go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jumpaccelerator.com/quiz/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for finding out how ready is your beauty brand for profitable growth &  TAKE YOUR FREE ONLINE COURSE: https://jumpaccelerator.com/online-courses/⁠⁠⁠⁠
Ep.16-Guest: Sandra Velasquez, founder, Nopalera Skincare on "What Beauty Founders Don't Know"
Feb 11 2024
Ep.16-Guest: Sandra Velasquez, founder, Nopalera Skincare on "What Beauty Founders Don't Know"
Her father used to pick fruit in the central valley fields of California. He was made to whistle, along with others, while picking the strawberries to ensure they weren't eating them.  Sandra saw how diligently and earnestly her parents faced all the hardships without ever losing any pride in where they came from! Growing up, she witnessed & experienced her true Mexican heritage and colorful culture as an unconquerable spirit that always triumphed with dignity in contribution to the American society while offering better future for their families. To honor and celebrate her Mexican heritage, she first used music with her band Pistolera(Spanish for female gunslinger) where she was the songwriter, guitar player and vocalist! Her songs were featured in hits like Breaking Bad, she lived from gig to gig, barely making ends meet but her spirits were always elevated and never dampened, and her music touched all and sundry! While $100K in debt, including student loans, true to her brave heritage & again to honor and celebrate Mexican CULTURA, she bravely ventured to launch an elevated Mexican skincare brand, since she did not see any Mexican prestige beauty brand in the market! This is the story of Sandra Velasquez, founder of Nopalera Skincare, a brand elevating Mexican skincare, who defied all odds and risked everything to place Mexican skincare right at the top, as an ode to her immigrant parents & her Mexican heritage, a symphony every skincare enthusiast in America is currently "whistling to." In this guest series episode of "What Beauty Founders Don't Know" (formerly JumpStart Beauty Brand), Sandra shares invaluable insights on launching and growing a minority, woman-led beauty brand. Take a listen! Timestamps and Key Insights 03:03.4-Sandra's Story 05:34.0-Sandra's debt, learning curve & path to launching Nopalera 08:26.0-Transition from self-expression to a beauty consumer focused business 09:34.2-Why Nopalera resonates more with consumers vs. other Latina beauty brands 15:15.6-Sandra's struggles with funding Nopalera and how she went about fundraising and how she finally managed to get funded 27:12.3-Importance of market timing & cultural perception in venture success 34:45.7-Sandra's insights on different types of retailers and their benefits, from boutique to specialty to department stores 37:19.6-Why Nopalera does so well with beauty boutique stores? 44:59.5-How Nopalera works with independent beauty boutiques? 46:13.4-Sandra's ultimate goal with Nopalera 49:23.4-Importance of profitability for Nopalera or indie beauty brands 52:10.9-Sandra's toughest time with Nopalera 53:50.1-Speed Round: What's fake in the early-stage beauty market, bootstrap or funding, social media, entrepreneurship, and what's next for Nopalera.... Subscribe to our podcast & don't forget to leave a review and then go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jumpaccelerator.com/quiz/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for finding out how ready is your beauty brand for profitable growth &  TAKE YOUR FREE ONLINE COURSE: https://jumpaccelerator.com/online-courses/⁠⁠⁠⁠
Ep.15-Guest: Emily Doyle,Co-founder, Dune Suncare on "What Beauty Founders Don't Know"
Jan 19 2024
Ep.15-Guest: Emily Doyle,Co-founder, Dune Suncare on "What Beauty Founders Don't Know"
In this guest series episode of "What Beauty Founders Don't Know" (formerly JumpStart Beauty Brand), I spoke to the marketing and strategy genius, a creative force disrupting the sunscreen market, co-founder of Dune Suncare, Emily Doyle. Emily worked alongside the CXOs of the biggest fashion and media brands, the likes of Judith Ripka, successfully ran her own consulting business, along with leading marketing for other world renowned brands before strategizing the disruption of suncare with her co-conspirator, Mei Kwok with moves that would make any grandmaster proud! Timestamps and Key Insights 03:01.1-Emily & Mei's story 10:16.0-Why Sunscreen? 16:31.6-Deep inituition & reflection around the opportunity 19:26.7-The category gap that Dune Suncare fills 25:19.9-How Dune uses psychology in marketing & innovation for brand resonance & stickiness 30:10.9-First hand experience of Emily & Mei offered deep category insights 32:04.6-Aggressive Sunscreen Applicator Parents 36:02.1-Sunscreen is essentials 41:18.3-How Dune is trying to succeed at retail, Ulta Vs. Blue Mercury 47:35.0-Dune Suncare is a brand for everyone 51:21.1-Why Dune chose to go to the Derms? 55:08.9-How does Dune differentiate from competition? 01:01:46.2-How Emily & Mei deal with tough times? 01:10:44.8-SPEED ROUND -Ulta or Beauty Boutique Stores, Favourite movie scene, Bootstrap or funding, Elon or Greta, Woke, One word secret to success Subscribe to our podcast & don't forget to leave a review and then go to  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jumpaccelerator.com/quiz/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for finding out how ready is your beauty brand for profitable growth &  TAKE YOUR FREE ONLINE COURSE: https://jumpaccelerator.com/online-courses/ & Apply to the free 30-day trial: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jumpaccelerator.com/ready-to-jump/⁠⁠⁠⁠
Ep.14-Guest: Amy Gordinier, CEO, skinfix on "What Beauty Founders Don't Know"
Dec 28 2023
Ep.14-Guest: Amy Gordinier, CEO, skinfix on "What Beauty Founders Don't Know"
In this guest series episode of "What Beauty Founders Don't Know" (formerly JumpStart Beauty Brand), I spoke to the super-smart, suave and intuitive, beauty disruptor, CEO of skinfix, Amy Gordinier. Amy is an amazingly Amateur astrologer with the Gemini sign. She's forever curious, around 30 years of experience in beauty. She started her career with L'Oreal as a product manager, and then from there to Estee Lauder, then to Space NK and eventually, acquiring and, you can call it founding and CEOing skinfix, which is the first of its kind, clean and clinical skincare brand. Timestamps & Key Moments 04.03.9-Amy's Story & skinfix adventure despite all the risk 06.34.0-Impostor Syndrome 09.33.1-Eternal Optimism meets reality of time 10.39.4-What's wrong with the indie beauty founders' focus? 15.34.4-Importance of profitability for indie beauty brands 18.41.3-Learnings from skinfix's traction phase 21.50.0-skinfix Sephora Success 26.07.1-Target vs. Sephora 37.00.7-Emphasis on skinfix Clean 43.29.9-How Amy overcame tough times with skinfix? 47.40.2-People Amy is super thanful for 49.44.5-Speed Round: What's fake in early-stage beauty market, Favourite quote, social media, function or emotion, Bootstrap or funding, Standardization of Clean beauty, Style or Substance, Entrepreneurship Subscribe to our podcast & don't forget to leave a review and then TAKE YOUR FREE ONLINE COURSE: ⁠https://jumpaccelerator.com/online-courses/⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jumpaccelerator.com/quiz/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for finding out how ready is your beauty brand for profitable growth &  Apply to the free 30-day trial: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jumpaccelerator.com/ready-to-jump/⁠⁠⁠⁠
Ep.13-Guest: Sonsoles Gonzalez, Founder, Better Not Younger on "What Beauty Founders Don't Know"
Dec 21 2023
Ep.13-Guest: Sonsoles Gonzalez, Founder, Better Not Younger on "What Beauty Founders Don't Know"
In this guest series episode of “What Beauty Founders Don’t Know” (formerly JumpStart Beauty Brand), I spoke to the super-intelligent and an accomplished CPG veteran & founder of Better Not Younger, Sonsoles Gonzalez, on a mission to disrupt the hair care category for aging women! Sonsoles had led globally renowned hair and body care brands with corporate giants like Loreal and P&G, and found her calling while questioning the same, repetitive creative brief targeting women aged between 18 and 44 years, and decided to turn her inquisition into a brand, heralding a moment of change in women's hair care & the whole mass media narrative around aging! Timestamps & Key Moments 03.10.0-Sonsoles' story, 28 years in corporate with CPG giants to Better Not Younger 05.01.7-How creative briefs in marketing boardrooms frustrated Sonsoles 09.17.9-Better Not Younger products make women feel 100X better 12.12.6-Big gap in understanding of aging women's hair issues 17.47.8-What is Fiftypreneur and how is she different from others 21.45.2-Two big assumptions that provided BIG learnings while growing Better Not Younger 23.35.7-Better Not Younger's go to retail sequence, strategy, mistakes and refocus & success at ULTA 32.29.6-Does Better Not Younger get trolled? 36.01.4-How did Sonsoles deal with the worst time at Better Not Younger 39.10.3-How Better Not Younger turned around business at ULTA Speed Round: 41.10.2 What's fake in early-stage anti-aging market? Sonsoles' favourite quote, Science or clean beauty? One word for entrepreneurship, emotion or function? Subscribe to our podcast & don't forget to leave a review and then TAKE YOUR FREE ONLINE COURSE: ⁠⁠https://jumpaccelerator.com/online-courses/⁠⁠ & GO TO ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jumpaccelerator.com/quiz/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for finding out how ready is your beauty brand for profitable growth &  Apply to the free 30-day trial: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jumpaccelerator.com/ready-to-jump/⁠⁠⁠⁠
Ep.12-Guest Series: Sarah Hamilton, Founder & Investor: Bella Box, Sand & Sky, STUFF™ & many more on "What Beauty Founders Don't Know"
Dec 15 2023
Ep.12-Guest Series: Sarah Hamilton, Founder & Investor: Bella Box, Sand & Sky, STUFF™ & many more on "What Beauty Founders Don't Know"
In this guest series episode of “What Beauty Founders Don’t Know” (formerly JumpStart Beauty Brand), I spoke to the multi-talented, done it all, energetic founder, investor, leader-Sarah Hamilton, who co-founded bella box, a beauty subscription box, with over 100s of thousands of followers on Meta, Sand & Sky-a pure Australian botanicals skincare brand sold through every major beauty and fashion retailer across the planet, is a board member at a "Unilever Ventures" portfolio brand Straand, which is turning scalp care on its head, is a board member at STUFF™ -a cruelty-free personal care brand that promotes healthy masculinity, is an advisor at Mermade Hair, and has a few dozen more ventures and roles, and in the interest of not making you feel like an under-achiever nor taking too much of your mind space, I decided to not write about here! Timestamps & Key Moments 03.27.0-Sarah's journey from finance to business leader to entrepreneur to an investor and advisor 08.54.5-Wrong assumptions that Sarah sees ventures making repetitively 13.41.3-Transition from an entrepreneur to investor 17.03.6-Sarah's entrepeneurl/investor thesis 18.08.5-Sarah's investment red flags 21.12.7-What is execution? 25.23.6-How should beauty founders think about exit? 27.10.0-When Sarah broke down and called her mum 28.30.2-How does Sarah deal with setbacks Speed Round 31.22.7-What's fake in early-stage beauty market?, Sarah's favourite movie, Beauty subscription boxes? Work-Life?Favourite beauty brand? Poor Pioneer or Rich Replica? Subscribe to our podcast & don't forget to leave a review and then TAKE YOUR FREE ONLINE COURSE: ⁠⁠⁠https://jumpaccelerator.com/online-courses/⁠⁠⁠ & GO TO ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jumpaccelerator.com/quiz/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for finding out how ready is your beauty brand for profitable growth &  Apply to the free 30-day trial: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jumpaccelerator.com/ready-to-jump/⁠⁠⁠⁠