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.

Summary

In this episode I sit down with Moni Kupczak Ainslie, founder of Koopslie Consulting, to dive deep into the power of leveraging FAIR, a B2B marketplace, for scaling beauty brands at retail. Moni shares her journey from running a successful fashion business to helping emerging beauty brands stand out in front of independent retailers. Throughout the conversation, they explore how FAIR operates like the "Amazon for retailers," connecting brands with over 700,000 active buyers and providing unprecedented access to independent stores.

Moni introduces her "FAIRE 360 Method," a comprehensive approach designed to help brands optimize their presence on the platform. This method covers everything from crafting compelling product listings with strategic keywords to building eye-catching images and engaging narratives tailored to retailers. Monique and Moni discuss the importance of positioning brands with a retailer-first narrative and explain how brands can differentiate themselves on FAIRE by focusing on what matters most to retail buyers.

The episode also touches on best practices for maintaining healthy margins on FAIRE, navigating its commission structure, and utilizing marketing tools like email automations and the newly launched promoted listings feature. Moni shares insightful success stories, including how she helped a gluten-free cracker brand increase their FAIR sales by 71.5% in one month by optimizing their profile and marketing efforts.

For beauty founders looking to grow their business in the retail space, this episode provides actionable advice on standing out, attracting the right retailers, and making the most of FAIR's platform.

Tune in to learn how to make your beauty brand shine in front of independent retail buyers and drive retail success!

Links

Scaling Emerging Beauty

https://www.instagram.com/scalingemergingbeauty

https://scalingemergingbeauty.com/

Monique

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

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

Koopslie

https://www.koopslieconsulting.com/

https://www.instagram.com/koopslieconsulting/

Moni's Free Guide - How to Get More Out of Faire: https://www.koopslieconsulting.com/how-to-get-more-sales-on-faire-training-video

In this solo episode, Monique Benoit shares essential tips for emerging beauty brands looking to pitch to retail buyers. She emphasizes the importance of competitive shopping, understanding consumer demographics, crafting a unique brand story, ensuring financial preparedness, and sustaining success once on the retail shelf. Each of these elements is crucial for brands to effectively communicate their value and secure a spot in retail stores.

Scaling Emerging Beauty & Monique

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

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

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

Website: https://scalingemergingbeauty.com

Facebook: https://facebook.com/scalingemergingbeauty

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

X: https://x.com/scalingebpod

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

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1qhD42tXm34iFtEnQoHqHS

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/scaling-emerging-beauty/id1666629140

Don't forget to leave a review and subscribe for more tactical strategies and tips to grow from $0 to $20M.

In this episode, I sit down with Shannara Goode, an inventory management professional with experience at brands of various sizes, and at major retailer, Target.

Shannara discusses the importance of inventory management for emerging brands.

She emphasizes that inventory management can make or break a brand's success in retail and highlights the need for efficient supply chain operations.

Goode suggests that emerging brands should prioritize inventory management and consider working with brokers or hiring experts in operations or supply chain.

She also emphasizes the importance of accurate demand forecasting and recommends asking industry experts and retailers for guidance.

A key factor discussed included the importance for brands to set realistic expectations with retailers and ensure that their inventory investment aligns with their business goals.

We talk about the importance of communication with retailers, prioritizing orders, and being transparent about inventory challenges.

Listen in to understand what to prioritize to avoid potential downfalls in this critical area of scaling your consumer brand.

Shannara Goode

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

https://www.instagram.com/shanarragoode/

Monique

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

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

Scaling Emerging Beauty

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

Website: https://scalingemergingbeauty.com

Facebook: https://facebook.com/scalingemergingbeauty

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

X: https://x.com/scalingebpod

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

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1qhD42tXm34iFtEnQoHqHS

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/scaling-emerging-beauty/id1666629140

Don't forget to leave a review and subscribe for more tactical strategies and tips to grow from $0 to $20M.

In this conversation, Monique chats with Zach Stewart to discuss category insights and retail trends.

Zach Stewart is a Category Insights Manager at The Emerson Group.

Zach gives us insights into the shopping habits of different generations, the evolving role of retailers, and the balance between DTC and physical stores.

He emphasizes understanding and catering to the unique needs and preferences of each generation.

We also discuss the shift towards non-traditional revenue sources for retailers and the opportunities and challenges this presents for brands. Overall, Zach highlights the need for brands to adapt and find ways to deliver value and engage with consumers in the changing retail landscape.

The conversation focuses on how brands can identify trends with lasting power. The example of GLP-1 drugs is discussed, highlighting the potential impact on various industries.

They talk about unexpected collaborations between brands and what makes them successful. The importance of shared values, authenticity, and social media amplification is emphasized.

The conversation wraps up with advice for emerging brands.

The Emerson Group

https://emersongroup.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/emerson-group/

Zach Stewart

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

Scaling Emerging Beauty & Monique

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

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

https://www.instagram.com/scalingemergingbeauty

https://scalingemergingbeauty.com/

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

https://facebook.com/scalingemergingbeauty

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

https://x.com/scalingebpod

Don't forget to leave a review on Apple Podcasts and subscribe for more tactical strategies and tips to grow from $0 to $20M.

In this episode, I sit down with Jackie Bae of Lunr Capital to discuss funding option for early-stage brands, and specifically - inventory financing.

Jackie is the Head of Client Partnerships at Lunr Capital. Jackie shares the story behind Lunr Capital and how they provide financing solutions for consumer product brands. We discuss the importance of inventory management and the challenges of funding growth in the retail market. Jackie emphasizes the need for strategic partners who can provide financing and also offer support and guidance in areas such as demand planning and marketing. We also discuss the future of financing for beauty brands and how Lunar Capital plans to evolve to meet the changing needs of the industry.

Lunr Capital

https://www.lunrcapital.com/

https://www.instagram.com/lunr.capital/

Jackie

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

https://www.instagram.com/jackiehbae/

Scaling Emerging Beauty & Monique

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

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

https://www.instagram.com/scalingemergingbeauty

https://scalingemergingbeauty.com/

Don't forget to leave a review and subscribe for more tactical strategies and tips to grow from $0 to $20M.