Beauty Is Your Business – cosmetics, beauty, and lifestyle industry podcast

068 – Erika Zauner of HealthKick – The Beauty of a Healthy, Happy, Holistic Workforce

December 16, 2018producer Leave a Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 36:29 — 41.8MB) | Embed

Corporate wellness membership that incentivizes and rewards employees’ healthy behavior…

Erika Zauner, Founder/CEO of HealthKick (offering exclusive discounts and experiences for 100+ leading consumer health, fitness and wellness brandHealth kick serve ecosystem for over 150 fitness and wellness brands) joins Karen Moon and Abby Wallach in the MouthMedia Network studios powered by Sennheiser.

In this episode:

Addressing all dimensions of someone’s wellness, on a holistic basis
A consumer-first experience to corporate programs
Helping people discover what’s out there to several lifestyle needs, discounts, special member experiences
Attracting the right talent
Benefitting three different parties
Why sleep matters so much
A benefit strategy as tied to talent acquisition and retention efforts
Working at a company that understands you and your needs
Meditation

HealthKick’s mission is to make healthy living accessible, personal and fun for employees, as a take-home wellness option for on-the-go lifestyles with access to popular and up-and-coming brands.

067 – Nancy Berger of Marie Claire – Storytelling Beauty

December 7, 2018producer Leave a Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 43:35 — 49.9MB) | Embed

A pioneer in the media industry who brings brands to life in a new and fresh way, who is also super fancy, pops up everywhere, and coins words that become part of the fabric of beauty and fashion industry…

Nancy Berger, Publisher of Marie Claire Magazine, joins Abby Wallach and April Franzino in the MouthMedia Network studio, powered by Sennheiser.

In this episode:

The evolving landscape of beauty brand advertising; telling your story and finding your super fans
Omnichannel advertising as it pertains to Marie Claire; Print, Digital, Social, and Experiential
The importance of experiential marketing and print’s ease of access to sample based advertising
Building trust amongst your audience, thinking about months to moments when connecting channels; a story in the magazine may have video content available only on the website or social media
Stretching the “old” budgets to meet the needs of today
The Global Beauty Awards – Marie Claire’s editorial team from around the world voting for the best products and brands
Partnering with Amore Pacific to create a pop event with influencers
The importance of real tactile experiences in today’s digital age
Partnering with Clarins to create “The Next Big Thing,” a pop up experience in SoHo; next gen retail experiences: smart mirrors, cashless transactions, touch screen window shopping, the future of retail
The Marie Claire Power Trip, and meeting Flower Shop’s owner
Nancy’s history in media and her initial trepidations about the beauty industry
Her surprise about the vastness and nuances of the beauty industry
The pre-Sephora/Ulta world of beauty and the reality of what’s in every woman’s make up bag
Beauty as a life style and inventing words; “Beautitude”
Beauty as part of the pop culture fiber at Alure
Recognizing the white space for beauty at Gourmet; creating events pairing wine and fragrance
Marie Claire’s platform for women’s empowerment, and the emergence of the “professional” market in beauty
The ying and yang of Marie Claire’s Marie Claire Play and Marie Claire Work
The founding of Marie Claire in France, and projecting where the women’s empowerment movement will go
Finding good role models, and “holding the door”
Disruptors in the beauty industry that caught Nancy’s eye
Working with the beauty industry vs. working with automotive or fashion, etc.
The type of person that the beauty industry attracts
The Global Beauty Forum – meeting with Marie Claire editor’s from around the world
Nancy’s favorite destination
Finding fun products in local pharmacies you won’t find at home
What’s currently in Nancy Berger’s make up bag?

066 – Sabeen Mian of Ipsy – Valuable Samples

November 29, 2018producer Leave a Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:46 — 37.6MB) | Embed

Monthly makeup and beauty subscription box amplified by tutorials and extensive community, with valuable feedback and data for brands, and an influencer network…

Sabeen Mian, Head of Brand Partnerships & Merchandising at ipsy, joins Karen Moon, and guest hosts Stephanie Flor [Episode 17] and Deanna Utroske [Episode 14] in the MouthMedia Network studio powered by Sennheiser.

In this episode:

Addressing the need of beauty junkies
Inspiring people to express their unique beauty
Embracing changes in the beauty industry, working with influencers
Democratization, driving content-driven commerce
3 Million beauty obsessed people receive a monthly “glambag” that is personalized
A marketplace for 3 Million members with access to exclusive brand deals
Engagement with community pages for ipsy without ipsy’s direct involvement
Ipsy Gen Beauty
Working with brands when they want them to help create content and build brand awareness, help wth conversion, sampling program
Many reviews result in signficant data for brands
Patterns of keys to success
Becoming a part of the family—hard for small brands to invest in reaching a lot of people, so ipsy is a strategic partner to brands
A network effect with influencers
Sabeen’s own subscriptions, personal escapes, SoulCycle, and sheet masks on long flights to stay moisturized

065 – Romain Daumont of MemoMi – Memory Mirror

November 23, 2018producer Leave a Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 14:00 — 16.1MB) | Embed

A high-end digital mirror for a new generation shopping experience…

Romain Daumont, General Manager of MemoMi Memory Mirror (a mirror for fashion and beauty — using simple body gestures, on the mobile app you can control the MemoryMirror™ to see 360-degree back and side views in new outfits) joins Karen Moon, Regina Gwynn, and Abby Wallach on location at NRF Big Show 2018.

In this episode:

MemoMi – digitizing mirror, experiences through digital mirrors
How MemoMi created three experiences — fashion, eyewear, cosmetic tutorial
Trying to reproduce beauty methods at home – working with a makeup artist – every step recorded – quality video via link in the mirror
Augmented reality, animation possible
Video recorded — comes with an angled camera, computer – process the image to make it look like a mirror in real time
At NRF, working with Intel
Two sided mirror, two experiences at same time
Beauty is about training, i.e. master class
Ability to run ads, and drive intention
Creating unique products allow creativity of brands explode and explore
Studies of people trying colors they wouldn’t have otherwise
Working with Sephora
Finding something immersive, an interesting experience
Capturing data on trends, can translate data very early, predict likely hot products
Ability to opt in and receive video library of all try-ons and tutorials and share
The customer feedback so far, monitoring multiple devices in a single store
A way to engage people in a store, a nice and fun experience, icebreaker
The ability to customize for the retailer client

064 – Essence Gant of BuzzFeed – Beauty Buzz

November 16, 2018producer Leave a Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 46:49 — 53.6MB) | Embed

What it takes for beauty brands to grab the attention of BuzzFeed, what kind of posts perform best (and when they fall flat), diversity as a priority, the choice to use real people instead of models, a new lifestyle platform, and the journey from social work to BuzzFeed…

Essence Gant, Senior Beauty Editor for BuzzFeed (an Internet media and news company based in New York with a focus on digital media) joins Regina Gwynn, Abby Wallach, and April Franzino in the MouthMedia Network studios powered by Sennheiser.

In this episode:

Making sure all diverse voices are heard in beauty narrative
Diversity as a priority from the beginning has been part of success
Videos a big part of communication—don’t really use models—they use each other
Real beauty, real people, real talk
Trying to be funny
Anything that they really love and lives up the hype—performs well
Stories vs. tips doing well, products do well, consumer audience
The journey from social work to buzzfeed
Launched womens lifestyle platform in March
“As Is”
More thoughtful conversation about beauty
What gets attention with products to cover
Whats special about brand, sticks out from the rest
Why BuzzFeed will cover super indie brands
The impact of giving attention to small brands, and how it can transform their business
When content falls flat
Depends on what’s going on in world at moment, timing
You know beauty when you seeit, finding beauty at Afropunk
Instagram is pretty, and insane nails from Cardi B’s nail artist
Why reflection is so important to success

063 – Pamela Baxter of BONA FIDE Beauty Lab – A License to Succeed

November 8, 2018producer Leave a Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 49:43 — 57.0MB) | Embed

How forging a licensing agreement with PopSugar has created a dialogue between beauty industry great Pamela Baxter and the next generation of beauty consumers…

Pamela Baxter, Founder of BONA FIDE Beauty Lab, President/CEO of CHRISTIAN DIOR Couture (LVMH Group), former President Specialty Group of Estee Lauder Companies, joins Karen Moon and Abby Wallach in the MouthMedia Network studios powered by Sennheiser.

In this episode:

Baxter’s extensive experience with 23 years with Estee Lauder – President of Speciality Group
Transitioning to being an entrepreneur
A pioneer in fragrance licensing agreements
Forged the first fragrance license agreement with Tommy Hilfiger
A major career change announced to her on stage
When a transition came from looking at moving into fashion as another move later in career, and no one would interview her
a challenge from Bernard Arnault (Christiand Dior) when beauty and fashion brand didn’t match
Playing a role in shutting down a company, at a cost of more than $30M, and the most difficult meeting in Baxter’s career
Starting BONA FIDE Beauty Lab, partnering with a media company, developing a beauty incubator
Seeing a lot of entrepreneurs, female founders of businesses
Moving into licensing
Why (and how) Baxter began partnering with PopSugar for audience
Considering that influencers with high engagement are doing makeup
How Baxter’s current feedback loop is a dialogue with the PopSugar audience
Fitness and wellness taking over celebrity as an audience interest
BONA FIDE Beauty Lab’s partnership with Ulta Beauty and is own direct to consumer Beauty by PopSugar
Today’s consumer is a multi channel shopper
A before and after storyline — with a swipe
Jazz in Marrakesh, and barrel racing
Taking risks

062 – Allison Collins of WWD – Beauty on the Financial Front

November 1, 2018producer 1 Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 38:55 — 44.7MB) | Embed

The growth of mergers and acquisitions, innovation, mitigating risk, influencers platforms, the changing consumer mindset, performance marketing, dangerous discounting, surviving in a crowded industry, and more…

Allison Collins, Beauty Financial Editor for WWD, shares her perspective and observations on the current state and possible future of the beauty industry with Karen Moon and Abby Wallach in the MouthMedia Network studios powered by Sennheiser.

In this episode:

Collins on rapid fire M and A, and the current related climate
Entrepreneurs have more capital sources than ever, but where are the exits?
Big companies are looking for to help from small companies to make their business grow, an engine of growth, innovation, and “learning deals”
Why there is more money for beauty now as beauty tech is hot
People are looking for things that mitigate risk – crowd funding demonstrates interest
Determining what’s interesting?
An influx of various influencer platforms
Executives leaving and joining or starting small companies
How it is tough to work nimbly in a big corporation that has lots of rules
How the Internet and mobile have changed buying behaviors, which means ecommerce retailers need to up their mobile game, and the need for brands to hire experts at these things
Companies now have full staffs to have an ear to the ground, see what influencers are hot on
Managing customer views, performance marketing
The changing roles in companies based on consumer telling companies what they want
A lot of content on blogs are coming from user comments
Taking the voice of the people and packaging it up in a way that makes sense
Is there room for optimism in beauty or is a correction in beauty’s future?
The potential challenges of more regulation?
So many brands, so many duplicates
What is the right size for success and a sustainable model, and does industry fragmentation offer an opportunity?
Unit economics now vs. looking at an exit
Running unprofitable businesses in the name of growth
How brands are not just succeeding with direct to consumer, creating discount floors to generate foot traffic
Discounting from prestige brands in retailers, what part is a negotiation, and why this brings concern
Consumer mindset – the consumer has real and specific expectations

061 – Alexandra Wilkis Wilson of Allergan – Entrepreneurial Beauty

October 25, 2018producer Leave a Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 43:47 — 50.2MB) | Embed

Serial entrepreneurship and moving into medical aesthetics…

Alexandra Wilkis Wilson, entrepreneur and cofounder of Gilt Groupe, GlamSquad, and Fitz, and who currently leads a digital ventures team, helping to disrupt the aesthetics industry, at Allergan USA, Inc., including digital editorial hub Spotlyte, joins Regina Gwynn, Karen Moon, Abby Wallach, and April Franzino in the MouthMedia Network studios powered by Sennheiser.

In this episode:

Wilkis Wilson on learning
Focused on at Allergan medical aesthetics
Created moonwalker, consumer and digitally oriented – spotlight a content site targeting consumers
Preventative care at earlier ages
40M Americans considerers of medical aesthetics
Botox uses
Resources about providers
Medical aesthetics division Botox, coolsculpting, etc
Why this role is now created, and bringing Spotlyte into forefront
Where Wilkis Wilson’s interest in beauty came from
GlamSquad, Gilt, etc.
Beauty was hard, not an industry open to discounting, sensitive to gray market activity
Changing to focus on launch of beauty products
Gilt City found success with beauty related products
The value of feedback while building a business and product, and being transparent with team
Taking an agile learning approach
Building a culture in a company or team
A sense of entrepreneurial failure if feeling like not giving value
A secluded island, a Brazilian adventure, and JetBlack, podcasts, and LinkedIn

060 – Meghan Asha and Navi Ganancial of FounderMade – Helping Others Build

September 27, 2018producer Leave a Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 52:19 — 61.4MB) | Embed

Consumer discovery platform and event summit series dedicated to helping current and future founders build their business…

Meghan Asha and Navi Ganancial , Co-Founders of FounderMade (a platform dedicated to promoting and inspiring entrepreneurs worldwide) join guest hosts Marc Raco and Barbara Zinn Moore in the MouthMedia Network studios powered by Sennheiser.

In this episode:

Consumer Discovery Show in Santa Monica, CA 10/04/18
Why does it matter?
The big master plan of FounderMade as a mission, current stage is the shows
Help launch, drive commerce in an efficient way
Wasn’t supposed to be a business, Meghan sold a digital media company, started working in venture capital
FounderMade came from question – when you’re 90 what will make you happy (guiding principle)
Wanted to do 12 dinners, call them founder made – like founder therapy, and bring the next generation, dinners got bigger and bigger
Follow the breadcrumbs
Hearing stories of imperfect buildings of business, human stories of building business, build for dreams
Why it is easier now than ever before to start a business, but special sauce of why you do it, getting mentorship, and a certain element that you can’t Google
Meeting at Randi Zuckerberg’s birthday party
How Google Glass played into forming a partnership
Helping to launch Fashion Tech Forum
Adding a beauty summit
Not believing it was a real business, and how it is so much fun
How Meghan and Navi didn’t really understand the trade show business
Getting feedback from exhibitors, what was learned from retailers and brands, investors secondary
Trying to be the most efficient way of driving commerce at the show
Launchpad for brands in consumer space
Companies need to be mission driven, transparency and innovation, 2M in revenue optimally
The next generation of wellness — and trends
Men’s sector of wellness not yet owned
A hair system that’s being launched at the conference
Consumer Discovery Show
Providing value, doing something beyond yourself, the greater good
Finding joy and peace
The importance of trying
Helping others build

059 – Jennifer Goldstein and Jessica Matlin – Beautiful Content and Fat Mascara

September 14, 2018producer Leave a Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 46:43 — 54.1MB) | Embed

An in-depth discussion about the ways that content and media shape our understanding of emerging beauty companies and trends, through the lens of two beauty directors…

Jennifer Goldstein (Beauty Director and Features Editor, Marie Claire; Host of Fat Mascara Podcast) and Jessica Matlin (Beauty Director, Harper’s Bazaar; Host of Fat Mascara Podcast) join “Beauty Is Your Business” hosts Karen Moon (CEO and Co-Founder of Trendalytics) and Abby Wallach (Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Scentinvent Technologies), along with Content Is Your Business host Amber Mundinger (SVP, Live Media & Strategic Partnerships, Rolling Stone Magazine) as part of a MouthMedia Network Live event recorded in front of a live audience at Experience Knotel.

The interactive space ia located in the heart of Noho in New York City (666 Broadway) and designed to showcase the experience of working in a flexible, adaptable, always energized environment. Sponsored by Knotel – Your agile business deserves an agile space. Knotel will find, customize, and operate your ideal office while you focus on your business. Discover more at www.knotel.com.

In this episode:

There’s something lush about a print ad
How the “Fat Mascara” podcast got started, telling more of the story than print or digital publications will do
Picking shea nuts in Ghana, Goldstein and Matlin meeting each other
Knowing the difference between editorial content or branded content, and being clear
The use of “Presented by…” and what consumers and readers are used to seeing now
Who does native content well, smart content
Consumers are smarter, writers need to tell stories very well
New rules are changing things, how readers can tell the difference
The need for education for the consumer
Fact-checking
A higher standard to abide by
Can’t promote things that aren’t science as a writer
The era of “fake news”
A recent scandal – influencers are paid to speak negatively about other brands, and one who is reported to have said she won’t speak negatively if she is paid by that brand
Mistrust of media and journalism
A code of ethics
Is there really no bad press?
The call for a governing body for influencers?
Social media’s Achilles heel for accuracy and truthfulness and abuse
Scotland, a good lip product, hair like you got off a motorcycle, algae and seaweed forests, a perfume school wish, a migraine, partnership give and take and the rhythm of constant communication