A 9-Step Guide to Starting Your Beauty Brand

A 9-Step Guide to Starting Your Beauty Brand

If you’re looking to start your own beauty brand, there are some important decisions to make. Whether you’re aiming to create makeup, skincare products, or even just post on social media, the first steps towards launching a successful business can be overwhelming. But don’t worry! We’ve collected all the information you need for starting your own beauty brand in one place. So whether you’re an entrepreneur looking for tips or someone who just wants to learn more about what goes into starting a business from scratch — this is for you!

Step 1: Don’t get overwhelmed by all the options

The first step to starting any business is making sure you’re ready for what lies ahead. We know how overwhelming it can be when there are so many options, but one of the best ways to get a better idea of what will work for your brand is by choosing a niche that you’re passionate about.

If you already have an idea of what type of products or services you want to offer, do some research and find out what other people in this area are doing. Look at their websites, Instagram accounts, and other social media platforms to see if they have anything similar and if so, how those brands differentiate themselves from each other. It might not be easy finding those answers at first glance — especially if there are lots of similar businesses around — but once there’s something specific that makes your brand unique then it’ll be easier for others to notice what makes yours different!

Next up: Don’t get overwhelmed by all the options! It can be tempting right now because everything seems possible (and maybe even probable), but take some time away from thinking about all these things before diving into anything else just yet…

Step 2: Decide if you want to be a B2B company or a B2C company

Deciding whether to be a B2B or B2C company is important, as it will dictate the type of customers that you want to target and how your business operates. If you’re building a beauty brand, then the most important thing is this: don’t start out selling wholesale. It’s easy to get excited about pricing, discounts and inventory management, but unless you have an established network of buyers lined up, it’s not worth trying to sell wholesale. There are some key differences between these two models:

• B2B companies sell their goods directly to other businesses (for example: makeup artists), whereas B2C companies sell directly to consumers (like Sephora).

• If you’re thinking about building a beauty brand from scratch, I highly recommend starting out as a B2C company because they tend to be easier than B2B companies when it comes time for scalability later on in life.

Step 3: Don’t rush it (Remember Andrew Carnegie)

Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, business magnate, and philanthropist. He led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century and dominated the nation’s steel industry for three decades. In 1901, he sold his company to JP Morgan for $480 million ($15 billion today). He later set up what became Carnegie Corporation of New York, one of his largest philanthropic foundations. He also gave away millions to charities and universities across the country.

Step 4: Run your idea by your network before spending a lot of money

Now that you have a solid idea, it’s time to talk with your network about your plans. Your friends, family, and colleagues can be great sounding boards because they know you best and will be honest about the quality of your idea. They may also be able to provide advice on how to make it better. If you’re working with an existing business partner or investor, consider asking them for feedback on how much money they’d invest in this project if it were theirs.

If anyone thinks there is a market for what you’re selling, ask them if they would use the product themselves — and pay for it! Make sure that what customers are willing to buy aligns with what people say they want before investing too much time into developing something no one wants or needs.

STEP 5: GET THE BEAUTY BUZZ STARTED BEFORE YOU LAUNCH

• Get the beauty buzz started! Let people know the vision. What problem are you looking to solve?

• Start a blog, social media accounts, and YouTube channel, you will use these resources to build your brand. It’s important to establish yourself as a subject matter expert in your particular niche.

• Create a newsletter list. Although social media is great, they control if and when you can connect with your audience. If a social media site decides to shut you down, how would your people know how to find you? Getting the email addresses of your audience is highly recommended for your brand longevity.

• Start a Meta group or Twitter account if you are selling products. Meta now even affords you an opportunity to manage your business with a shop on both your Instagram and Facebook fan pages respectively.

• Create Pinterest boards with relevant images that will go with your brand’s aesthetic and style guidelines to use as inspiration for future product development or marketing campaigns. Pinterest is the second largest SEO channel online. You want to ensure your business is populating often in the search engine and most importantly, you want to appear at the top of the first page.

• If you’re selling products online through Amazon or other eCommerce sites like Etsy, Shopify, etc., then I highly recommend creating an Instagram account where you can share beautiful photos of the products that people might buy from those platforms using hashtags related to the type of customer who would purchase from each one (eBay sellers should use “ebayfashion,” for example).

STEP 6: HAVE SALES GOALS

You miss all of the shots that you don’t take! It’s important to have sales goals. If you don’t, it will be difficult to make sure that your business is growing and thriving. You can set a goal for how much you want to sell, how much money you want to make, and how much money per month or year. I love to use my Yellow Brick Road method to help create these goals and reach them! Your sales goal is “Oz.” Now that you know what your goal is, what are all of the steps needed to get to your final destination? In my Win the Year Digital Course, I break down each step to make the goal clear and attainable. 

STEP 7: THINK ABOUT THE TYPE OF CONTENT YOU WANT TO CREATE FOR CUSTOMERS

Now that you have a clear picture of who your customers are, it’s time to start creating content for them. When we started our company, one thing that was important for us was helping other female entrepreneurs create and grow their businesses. We thought about what kind of content would help them do this in a meaningful way, and eventually decided on videos.

We published blog posts to build up an audience around our brand while also building relationships with influencers in our industry (and beyond). But ultimately, YouTube is where we found the most success when it came to getting new subscribers and increasing sales conversions — even though they took more time than other forms of content like blogs or Instagram stories.

STEP 8: DON’T FORGET ABOUT BRAND MANAGEMENT AND MARKET RESEARCH

Now that you have a strong brand, it’s time to make sure that your product meets the needs of your audience. This is an important stage in marketing as it helps you identify any gaps between what you’re offering and what customers want.

You can do this by doing market research: speak with potential customers about their preferences and behavior, then compile the data into a report. Ask them about their favorite products and why they liked them; find out what features are most important to their buying decisions; ask them how much money they would be willing to spend on similar products. The more information you have on what people like or dislike about existing products, the better off you’ll be at determining how much innovation is needed in order to stand out from competitors.

Here are some tips for conducting successful market research:

• Ask open-ended questions — avoid yes/no answers

• Make sure everyone understands confidentiality before collecting feedback (if possible)

STEP 9. FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH TO CHARGE FOR YOUR PRODUCT.

Pricing your products is one of the most important factors in determining your success. You need to get it right, or else you’ll risk disappointing customers and losing sales. Use this formula to figure out how much to charge for your product:

• What are my competitors charging? This is the easiest place to start, but don’t be afraid of breaking away from them if you think that’s what’s best for your brand. If they’re overcharging and you believe you can offer a similar product at a fraction of their price, then go for it! Just make sure you’ve done all your research before making this decision.

• What are my costs? Make sure that whatever profit margin (or lack thereof) is built into the price tag doesn’t compromise quality ingredients or craftsmanship — otherwise, no one will buy from you again! And unless someone pays too much attention during chemistry class in high school (not likely), then chances are he won’t care about whether his shampoo has sulfates in it — so don’t worry about being able to add more expensive ingredients into something like shampoo because no one will notice anyway!

WHEN STARTING YOUR OWN BEAUTY BRAND, THERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT DECISIONS TO MAKE, WHETHER YOU’RE AIMING TO CREATE MAKEUP, SKINCARE PRODUCTS OR EVEN JUST POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

When starting your own beauty brand, there are some important decisions to make, whether you’re aiming to create makeup, skincare products or even just post on social media.

There are a few different business models that could work well for you:

• B2B (business-to-business) — This type of company focuses on providing services or tools to other businesses. For example, L’Oréal sells its products directly to salons and spas; each salon uses the products but does not resell them.

• B2C (business-to-consumer) — This type of company focuses on selling directly to consumers via multiple channels such as an in-store boutique or website. For example, Too Faced sells its products at Sephora stores and online; customers can buy directly off the website without having to go into physical stores first!

It’s not easy to start your own beauty brand. It takes time, dedication, and research. But if you follow these steps, we think you’ll be on your way! Let me know which step you’re taking next! 

Hello, I’m Tricia J. You may know me as Ask TPJ I help build businesses, brands, and people! I am the lead project manager and podcast host at Mogul Mom Mindset. I started making websites for friends and fixing their social media presence in 2013, and never lost interest in building online sites and brands for up-and-coming CEOs. I have an amazing boss (me!) and I’m unapologetic when it comes to teaching women how to build successful businesses around their family life. I am a lover of good music, interior design, and I’m constantly searching for the best brunch every time I travel. Some day I’ll tell you about the time when, as a corporate employee, I grew and strengthened a corporate account from $40 million during a 12-month contract by creating new systems and building external relationships for an international media conglomerate. For more information about The Purpose Doula, visit my website: www.asktpj.com .

Top 10 Branding Mistakes Small Businesses Make

Branding is not an easy task. It requires a lot of effort and time on your part. In order to achieve the best results, you need to follow certain rules that will help you build your brand in a way that will be beneficial for your company as well as for yourself. Here are the top 10 mistakes I see happen with my clients before we start working together.

1. Thou shall not skimp on the logo

A logo is like your business card: It should be bold and memorable so that people remember it and can identify it with your brand. Make sure to keep it consistent across all of your channels — and don’t use it for everything (think about how many companies use their logos as links or in social media bios). Also, avoid changing your logo just because you want to make a big deal out of something new — it should still make sense when people see it by itself, without any context around it. Finally, save some money by not using the same picture in different places; this usually doesn’t work well because viewers will get confused about what’s being advertised or promoted.

2. Thou shall not be intentional with branding

Branding is a critical piece of any business, but it’s important that you focus on what makes your company unique and different from competitors in the marketplace. The more different you are, the more likely people will want to do business with you. Take some time to think through all of these areas:

• Why is your company better than everyone else?

• Think about what sets you apart from other businesses in your industry.

• What problem do they solve that yours solves better?

• Are there features or services they don’t offer?

• Is their pricing higher than yours?

• Can they provide proof of success stories or testimonials from customers who have been happy with their experience working with them?

• If so, what’s their process for getting those testimonials (and why does it work)?

Do some research into the key advantages that make up your value proposition so that when someone asks why should I buy from this company instead of another one like it (or even better), there are specific reasons why they should choose this one over all others — and those reasons should be backed up by data points or anecdotes which illustrate how great those advantages actually are!

3. Thou shall not launch a brand without efficient research or strategy.

We’re talking data, baby! The right type of research can help you build a better brand by providing valuable insights into your target audience and what they want from your brand. It also lets you know how to differentiate yourself in the market and gives you ideas on how to position your business as an expert in its field while also communicating its purpose and mission effectively.

If you don’t have time for all that, then just answer these three questions: 

1. What do my customers like?

2. Where do they hang out online?

3. And why would they buy my stuff?

Then click this link to schedule a chat with me and I’ll take it from there. 

4. Thou shall not constantly change the brand direction

You should never, ever change your brand direction without a plan. This is a cardinal sin, and I’m not going to sugarcoat it: changing the course of your brand for no reason is the fastest way to get lost in the woods and leave money on the table.

If you don’t have a good reason for making a change, then don’t make one! Change for change’s sake can be harmful and confusing for your customers (and employees), so resist the urge. Instead of trying to reinvent yourself every few months or years — or even worse, as soon as something blows up in your face — take time to evaluate what needs fixing before you fix anything at all.

5. Thou shall not be hands-off during the branding process

You’ll want to actively participate in the branding process, and here are some ways to do that. Speak honestly about your brand. A brand is a promise, a promise that your company will deliver on its product or service. You need to take this seriously and be aware of what you’re promising because people will hold you accountable for it if they feel like it hasn’t been delivered. 

If you don’t know what exactly the promise is yet, then ask yourself: 

• What does my customer expect from me?

• What do I want them to think about when they hear about my business?

• How can I clarify this so that everyone understands what we’re doing — and why?

• Recognize the importance of consistency across all channels (including voice).

  • The goal is for each channel (web site design; social media profiles; advertising) to reflect the same thing — a consistent brand message.

6. Though shall not ignore social media

Though you may be selling a product or service, it’s important to remember that your brand is also positioning itself as an expert in solving the problem associated with that product or service. You need to know what problems you are solving and how you can solve them better than anyone else out there. You need to understand who your audience is and why they would want what you’re offering them.

“Don’t ignore your brand in social channels and other avenues where people connect with you online and off.” -Ask TPJ-The Purpose Doula

You should have a presence on all major social media platforms, as well as any sites or apps that are relevant to your business or industry. You’ll want to use these outlets to engage with customers, get feedback from and them, help them learn more about what you do and how they can benefit from doing business with you. Social media is also an excellent way to increase brand awareness by getting the word out about new products or services (and driving traffic back to your site).

7. Though shall not be a Jack/Jane of all trades

Don’t be afraid to spend money on your brand, especially if you’re a startup looking to grow quickly. Hiring an expert is always the more cost-effective route than doing it yourself, and there’s no better way to ensure that your branding will be effective than by hiring someone who has done this kind of work before. The benefit is that it’s tax deductible as a business expense. 

As they say: time is money! If you choose to go down the DIY path, expect it to take weeks or months before you have any semblance of a brand identity with which to attract customers and investors. In addition, these types of projects are rarely ever perfect — the one thing I’ve learned from being a designer for over ten years is that when you pay an expert to do what is outside of your zone of genius, it frees you up to make more money doing the things you’re great at doing!

The best brands in the world were created by teams who had years of experience under their belts; without this knowledge base at their fingertips, even great ideas tend to fall short somewhere along the way when implemented without proper planning or execution.

8. Thou shall not avoid spell check

If your content is riddled with misspellings and grammatical errors, your audience will immediately associate you with that level of quality. When someone discovers that the company they’re interested in working with has these issues, they likely won’t want to work with them at all — and if they do choose to work with said company, they’ll probably only do so because they’re desperate enough not to care how much their work suffers as a result. When all else fails, read the text aloud to help you catch those basic grammatical and spelling errors. 

9. Thou shall not work without a brand kit

Time and time again I work with a client on a project and I ask them if they have a specific font they use for their brand and they say, “no!” Having an aesthetic flyer and Instagram page is cool, but in order to have a consistent brand, you need a brand kit. I lovingly call it my Brand Bible, because it helps me guide my employees and contractors while staying consistent with the branding. I ensure all of my clients leave with a Brand Bible to ensure the quality of work is consistent. A brand kit is a collection of documents and other resources that you can use to help you manage your brand. Your kit should include information to help you manage your brands such as logos, hex codes, colors, fonts, etc. Your brand kit should also include things like a style guide and your mission statement and values statement to ensure the brand is consistent even when outsourcing the work. 

10. Case Study: Thou shall not make a branding mistake like the Gap

The Gap, which most people remember as a go-to place for basic crew necks, khakis and jeans in the 90s and early 2000s, tried to rebrand itself in 2010. The company replaced the old logo — which featured a blue square with yellow text — with a new one: A blue square with white text.

It was meant to be cleaner and more modern; it was supposed to be more versatile; it was meant to be more inclusive. But none of these things happened because this sudden change completely failed on all fronts: It didn’t make sense; people didn’t recognize it as being associated with The Gap anymore; they hated it so much that they started making fun of how bad it was (YouTube videos like this exist).

The whole launch ended up costing them around $100 million dollars because they had to spend money on rebranding their stores when all they really needed was some paint.

The result of these branding mistakes can be disastrous for a company. Take the Gap, for example. They launched a new logo without doing any research or strategy and it was met with harsh criticism from customers and employees alike. Soon after that, they switched back to their original logo but now face the challenge of rebuilding trust with their audience.

Now that we know the top 10 rules people break…which commandments are you violating? Comment below! 

About the Author 

Hello, I’m Tricia J. You may know me as Ask TPJ I help build businesses, brands, and people! I am the lead project manager and podcast host at Mogul Mom Mindset. I started making websites for friends and fixing their social media presence in 2013, and never lost interest in building online sites and brands for up-and-coming CEOs. I have an amazing boss (me!) and I’m unapologetic when it comes to teaching women how to build successful businesses around their family life. I am a lover of good music, interior design, and I’m constantly searching for the best brunch every time I travel. Some day I’ll tell you about the time when, as a corporate employee, I grew and strengthened a corporate account from $40 million during a 12-month contract by creating new systems and building external relationships for an international media conglomerate. For more information about The Purpose Doula, visit my website: www.asktpj.com .

Consultant Commandments

1.         Thou shall not do work for a client without a signed letter of agreement

Working with no letter of agreement is the biggest mistake any novice consultant would make. You are not an employee, you are not a friend, you are a consultant providing a service and possibly products to bring additional value to your client while solving a particular problem. It is good business practice to do all work with a signed letter of agreement. Think of it as a business prenuptial agreement. It’s best to outline the scope of the project and identify the deliverables, so both parties have a clear understanding of what is to be expected on both sides. This is a wise practice. Signed letters of agreement have saved friendships and work relationships for ages. It has also been a means of protection for the consultant, so there is no ambiguity and therefore room for manipulation.

2.         Thou shall be sure to provide valuable information on each proposal

As the information expert, it is imperative that you are very detailed within that letter of agreement for your client. This ensures that even if your client feels they are not happy with the services you have provided, there is a benchmark for each of you to reference and discuss appropriately. Each letter of agreement should always include:

o   Objectives

o   Metrics

o   Value

o   Options

o   Terms & Conditions

Objectives detail what outcomes will be achieved upon hiring you as the consultant for the project. What does the client need you to do? Metrics will list indicators to mark progress and completion of each step to complete the project along with a timeline to which this information is to be completed. Finally, clients are seeking some bang for their buck. It’s your job as the expert to ensure that you translate your skill set into a necessity the buyer cannot resist for the project on the table. Because every client is on a budget or will try to go the cheap route on you in an attempt to prove themselves fiscally responsible: It is a smart move for the consultant to provide at least three price options detailing what you can accomplish for your client. Detail who is in charge of what to ensure each team member, including you, is accountable throughout the project. How long will it take to accomplish the listed objectives? What are the choices for implementation? How much value does each option will bring to your client? And we can’t forget terms & conditions. Terms & conditions ensure each party is protected. Additional clauses include: project cancellation, cancellation fees, project postponement, quality of work

3.         Thou shall always ask for ratings, referrals & testimonies.

I have this gift. If I co-sign a small business on my personal Facebook page, the people will pay for the product or service when they are in need of that particular amenity. I mean seriously, it’s how potential clients jump off of the fence and into your clientele. Someone else took the risk for them! Until you gain the trust of a potential client, they will continue to opt for all of the free information you offer. Ratings on your business page are the most watched area of your social media, thus providing someone on the fence with paramount information. Referrals and testimonies of previous clients bridge the gap of trust. For those customers who wish to remain anonymous, a referral will do just fine. The goal is to continue to build your list and ultimately increase your profit margin. References, testimonies, and email addresses are gold in the consulting world.

4.         Thou shall never discuss client information with the staff of your client

There are two things you should never, ever, never discuss with their workforce: confidential information and client flaws. You are the consultant for a reason. You did not take on this project to make friends, join the coolest workplace cliques, or to gossip about the latest and greatest news everyone has heard around the office. When you hear information like this: Do not participate! While it’s true you may not be able to change the culture of the company; you do not have to yield to such unprofessional measures. Doing either of the two could lead to immediate termination of your consulting contract. If your contract is terminated, I can guarantee you will not be invited back for a future project.

5.         Thou shall never let your clients add on additional responsibility without adding additional fees to the invoice

Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Go straight to your contract agreement! Never allow the client to grab you “since you’re here anyway” to do additional work since you are “on their payroll.” Let’s face it: being a business owner is tough. There are times where the CEO feels it necessary to pinch every penny earned. If you as the consultant are not careful, you will be doing additional work to prove your worth to yourself and keep the client happy. Do not fall for this trap. When the agreement was signed, there was an objective, scope, metrics, timeframe, and pricing that was agreed upon. It is not of any concern to you that the client wants to ensure they get their money worth by providing additional services without extra costs paid to the consultant. To be clear, it’s fair to ask for an opinion of a logo or branding color “since you’re here anyway,” but should the client attempt to add additional tasks, be sure to reframe politely. For example, you reframe by ensuring they want you to complete the current project, which is of top priority and inform the client that you could send an additional proposal or amended proposal to ensure those extra tasks are completed as well for a nominal fee of course. Moral of the story: even if your client is s non-profit you are for profit. Your time, talent, and know-how are of high value. Do not fall for the "add on" trick.

6.         Thou shall know your worth

Your client pays to execute concerning three gems you possess:

a. Degrees/Certificates

b. Experience

c. Knowledge

Your execution by implementing a successful strategy or completing a project your client is pleased with all due to the gems you possess. In all fairness, because you can’t resend your degree to Sallie Mae or Navient, it’s best that you put that degree to work for you. Your fees are indeed justified because you have the experience, but also years of educational training further confirming your expertise. Don’t apologize for the rate you charge. Be sure to charge enough so that you are adequately compensated and able to complete the project without taking a financial loss. Translate your price by knowing your value. What do you bring to the table? How are you able to translate those three possession gems into a winning formula for your client? Once you know your worth, you can convey to your client why they need your services and how valuable it is to them for their current project.

7.         Thou shall always negotiate

If you don’t negotiate, you will always cheat yourself. Let me break the news to you now; you will regret that decision later should you decide to move forward by accepting the position and being underpaid for everything you bring to the table. Word of advice: deals come, and they go. Do not feel compelled to say ‘yes’ to the first deal that is placed on the table. There is always room for negotiation. Adding insult to injury, there is significant gender pay inequality, and I’m led to believe that it is because women forego negotiating better salary packages to maintain the positive reputation of “the nice girl” instead of being perceived as demanding when asking for more. If you need to walk away from a deal, do so respectfully, but negotiating is necessary. As a woman, mother, and a businessperson, I’m not negotiating to be rude or greedy, I'm negotiating for my family of seven in addition to any other financial obligations. Not only are you worthy of negotiating, but it is also very necessary that you do so to earn what you are worth instead of what the client is willing to offer. 

8.         Thou shall always be visible

As a leader in your field of expertise, it is imperative that you are visible on many platforms. Your customers are on various platforms and let’s face it: it’s more advantageous to spread the knowledge to catch new clients in places like:

o   Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Snap Chat, Periscope, Linked In, etc.

o   YouTube

o   Blogs

o   Magazines

o   Online Articles

o   Press Releases

o   Speaking Engagements

Opportunities come the more visible you are. People don’t care that you are the next thought leader of your generation or best influential architect (leader) in your area of expertise if you cannot be found. Share the wealth. Hook your potential client by sharing useful information (for free) on various platforms. The clients you secure from magazines may not be the same as your podcast audience and may also differentiate from your YouTube subscribers.

9.         Thou shall always open your mouth

The more you open your mouth, the more you grow your business. I’ve been guilty of this in my beginning days of consulting. I’ve been guilty of not using titles for humility sake and to stay in my comfort zone. And as a result, I had little to no paid clients. And I was up to my eyeballs with pro bono work. I’d given enough free work to build my portfolio. Don’t do it. Sometimes it’s a small gesture such as sharing your accomplishments and skill set is necessary to yield those lucrative projects you so desire. Opportunities didn’t start to come until I began to open my mouth. The anxiety was real! I didn’t want to come off as braggadocios but, as the saying goes, “closed mouths don’t get fed!” For those who struggled with being perceived as cocky instead of unapologetically knowledgeable: “It’s not bragging if you have the receipts!” You’ll thank me later. Be clear about what it is you can do for the client, what problems you can solve, and what value you bring to the table. You sell what you know, always be learning, and always be sharing. Open your mouth strategically.

10.     Thou shall not betray your moral compass

I’m not opposed to passing on a sound financial opportunity where I would be forced to betray my moral compass. As a consultant, do not be afraid to trust your gut. Do not betray your moral compass for monetary gain. All money is not good money! If it causes you to betray your values and code of ethics, chances are it will cost you more than you ever stand to gain from accepting the position. Believe me; it’s the experience you’d wish you’d learned from someone else instead of having to go through the unproductive experience yourself. Your personal and professional values frame the type of client and projects you are willing to accept. Do not betray the framework meant to protect your sanity as well as your brand. Follow these commandments and watch your consulting practice flourish.

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The CEO and published author is a millennial M.B.A. graduate in love with helping others fulfill purpose by working in the areas of writing, personal development, business leadership, and project management. Tricia J. specializes in non-profit organizations, project management, business administration, organizational strategy, and small business start-ups. She’s also a mom to a starting lineup of 5 little A’s. Check out her business blog: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to: for the latest merger of pop culture and business tips.

The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Marketing: Why Teyana Taylor Missed the Mark - TWICE!

I’ve tried to stay quiet concerning all of the “body goals” posts Teyana Taylor inspired this past week. For those of you who do not know, there was a live music awards show hosted by MTV. And no matter how hard I try to enjoy a night of relaxation watching TV, my business hat just won’t stay off. Teyana had the opportunity to slam dunk in the sales arena twice this year and didn’t! Here’s five lessons any entrepreneur can learn from this mistake. 

5 Lessons Teyana should have learned twice in 2016:

1. Seize the opportunity

I do understand that the video debut was Kanye’s, but Teyana starring in the video made her a partner in the endeavor. She was trending on Twitter because of the video! He may not have given her all of the details for the release, but her team should have had a plan ready to strike the moment the video released. By the way, who is her PR & Marketing squad? Fire them: twice! There should be a TeyanaTaylor.com website up with a shop to purchase all the latest and greatest from her brand. Now, the Hip Hop Honors event was another opportunity she had more control to seize the opportunity to close the deal after such a stellar performance. Moral of the story: always have at lease one product ready to launch in the queue.

2. Execute great marketing

Marketing is key: If you have not read Beyoncé’s Marketing Syllabus for Entrepreneurs please do! You do not have to be the best at what you do, but if you can monetize the gift/talent/skill then you are five steps ahead of the best. I don’t care if you are an artist, an entrepreneur, an author, stylist, consultant or whatever if you cannot monetize your talent you’re five steps behind. It is your job to be the best salesperson in your field. The best ideas must be sold. Let me share a secret with you: people buy you before they buy your product. Teyana: the people are sold on you, but you have nothing to sale! She did confirm she has Halloween costumes “the wet wig & coconut oil (Black girl hair staple) included” coming soon...but not soon enough!

3. Timing is everything

The MTV Awards had 6.5 million viewers who were laser-focused on the who’s who in the entertainment industry. (According to the the NY Times) there were 45.8 million Facebook streams and 62.8 million viewer streams last Sunday. Teyana boasting 3.3 million Instagram followers and 1.1 million Twitter followers of her own had access to oh just about 59 million extra viewers Sunday night and Monday morning. Have we not learned anything from Beyoncé? She performed at Super Bowl 50 and immediately following opened Formation World Tour ticket sales: Marketing gold! Teyana since you’ve missed your window, might I suggest you drop the workout DVD 4th quarter as everyone is preparing to make New Year’s resolutions? Even with this frame of thinking, there is no guarantee that she will have access to 62.8 million potential buyers. Timing is everything. Timing. Is. Everything.

4. No matter what your profession is, you sell whatever it is you do

Teyana’s last album VII was released November 4, 2014. It’s been two years; meanwhile Planet Fitness Membership Sales went up 80% after the video debut with no endorsement deal. She is a signed artist on Def Jam and the Twitter streets are saying the label is holding up releasing her next project...but they did increase her budget, thus she is back in the studio recording. It doesn’t matter when she has nothing to sell right now! Teyana can sell ab workout DVDs, butt work out DVDs, post-baby body work out DVDs, and dance workout DVDs without her music because those four benchmarks are various factors of who she is. The record label may be holding her music, but her branding team is holding her up!

5. Teamwork makes the dream work

With the right team in place here are four streams of revenue/products Teyana could have released twice this year with the perfect timing:

• New music (Hey Def Jam, y’all are playing with your money)
  • EP (Digital Release)
  • LP (Digital Release)
  • Single (Digital Release)
• 2017 Calendar Pre-orders (Serving all types of slayage we witnessed in the Fade video)
• Workout DVD (she says it’s coming soon, but soon is not now and she could have used the workout cover to start pre-orders)
• Athletic wear

Let’s not forget how she bodied her VH1 performance honoring Hip Hop rapper and icon Lil Kim during the Hip Hop Honors. These same principles would have applied for that opportunity as well. Def Jam KNEW Kanye recorded her in his music video; they should have had something brewing. Even if she couldn’t drop an album, she could have dropped a single at 12 am the night after the awards show aired! There should be a team to assist with marketing, branding, promotions, operations, and execution. Lil Kim gave Teyana an amazing opportunity and she did well. Kanye set her up nicely and millions of people are talking. The common denominator: she did not capitalize on the hype from either event. Who is this team? They’ve got to go!

The ‘Famous’ Effect

In Kanye’s infamous words, he “made her famous,” because after two days of the video premiere, Teyana did land two TV gigs in the Viacom family on VH1. Because my snoop detective skills are superb, I’ve noticed Teyana posted a picture on Instagram where her entire body is painted in all gold using the hashtag #Champions. If you know anything about music, it is Kanye West’s first single off his forthcoming LP Cruel Winter. Take these lessons and apply it for that launch Teyana. This advice is free, next time I’ll be invoicing you!

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 The CEO and published author, Ask TPJ, is a millennial M.B.A. graduate in love with helping others fulfill purpose by working in the areas of writing, personal development, business leadership, and project management. Tricia J. specializes in non-profit organizations, project management, business administration, organizational strategy, and small business start-ups. She’s also a mom to a starting lineup of 5 little A’s. Check out her business blog: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to: for the latest merger of pop culture and business tips.

Test Kitchen Theory: How You Can Learn From Kylie Jenner's Qualitative Research Experience

 You have to be living under a rock if you have not heard of Kylie Jenner. Being related to the Kardashian clan will light a fire inside of any entrepreneurial spirit. It’s an intelligent move for anyone participating in the reality TV phenomenon to use the platform to launch a product or service. Anyone that does not capitalize on this market is purely foolish. Kylie is no longer just a TV personality. She is an entrepreneur as well.

Lo and behold the topic of conversation: Kylie’s lips have turned into a lucrative cash cow. The cosmetics industry generates more than $62.46 billion dollars (Source: Statista.com) considering the US is the largest market of consumers. Kylie made a smart business decision using this industry with the platform she has. She took an insecurity of hers and turned it into a stream of income. Well-played Kylie. Well played. 

Here’s where it gets interesting. Most people covet the celebrities of social media. These Internet celebrities sell anything from t-shirts with their favorite slogan; detox tea, protein, teeth whiteners, and even books. Then there are the elite that venture over into retail and cosmetics. Gucci Mane’s girlfriend, Keyshia Kai’or; Love & Hip Hop Atlanta’s Rasheeda Frost; and now Keeping Up With the Kardashian’s Kylie Jenner’s lip kits. She’s joined many seeking to expand her brand. She secured a manufacturer, created a buzz, and began distribution of her lip kits to customers who preordered. Go Kylie! Selling out in 15 minutes is very admirable!

Customers were quick to rebut, “No, Kylie!” There were plenty of hiccups from shipping issues, empty boxes arriving to angry customers, used wands in secure packages, and a faulty wand to each customer. Sounds like a disaster right? Angry customers complained and completely dissed Kylie’s lip kit on all social medias platforms. Kylie ever so graciously addressed the matter and informed her fans and customers the wand would be new and improved...in the next batch! And this is where we discuss the test kitchen theory. Kylie tweeted 

If you’ve ever purchased a brand new iPhone, the latest version of Turbo Tax, or Kylie Jenner’s Lip Kit, you indeed paid to be a “lab rat” for the company. I’ll let you in on a little secret: everyone’s doing it! Small batches allow room for improvement without breaking the bank of the entrepreneur. Even though Kylie is a mega celebrity, she’s following the protocol of the greats: sticking to the budget. Small batches allow quick feedback; helps improve the product/service, and helps to avoid blowing the budget. Kylie was able to fix the wand issue by making it shorter and modified the formula for her lippies: next batch improved. 

Quality control is the process you’ve just experienced. If you’ve purchased Kylie’s lip kit, a new computer, or just about any product for that matter. The processes have been reconfigured, (hopefully the shipping issues are resolved); she’s gained knowledge for the next batch of lip kits. (No more long wands, eh Kylie?) Product inspection will occur with each lip gloss, matt3e lipstick and whatever new product her customer gives feedback on. All feedback is helpful whether positive or negative to the business. This negative feedback is actually more helpful than you think.

I understand that as a guinea pig, in many areas, it is not always a pleasant experience. Many customers including myself, spend their hard earned money on a product they expect to be perfect from the beginning. And in this phase of entrepreneurship everyone's doing qualitative research on the consumer directly. There's no way to get around it! Think of it as a test kitchen: You get to see what works and what doesn't. Sometimes the food is great. Sometimes the recipe needs tweaking. During this research and development process new products and services are developed. 

How can you apply this to your business?

1. Think like Kylie

 Think like Kylie: small batches are just right for an entrepreneur: especially when you are a bootstrapping business. It’s better to have a budget for three batches than to use all of your funding for one large and unsuccessful batch.

2. Make Mistakes

You will make mistakes: when it happens (and it will) apologize graciously and offer a new lip wand as the solution. You want to take care of your customer so they come back.

3. Listen to Your Customers

Listen to your customers: Buying power is a hell of an influencer. It doesn’t matter how fast you sell out if they never purchase your product again. And on the flip side of that coin: you can have a great product that your customers do not want. Moral of the story: open up your listening ear by analyzing your customer feedback. In fact, encourage it! 

4. Excellence Isn’t Always Expensive

Excellence doesn’t have to be expensive! I tell my kids all the time: “A half done job is a twice done job!” If you don’t get it right on the first try (you won’t,) be prepared to do it another time, better than the time before. You will go through this process over and over and over again with each product rollout. Master your process now.

5. All Change Isn’t Bad

Don’t be afraid to charge what you’re worth. Even though we pay to give feedback from our experience with the latest version of QuickBooks, or any technology, they never offer a discount. So why should you offer discounts when others are doing the same thing and following a different protocol. Kylie charged her customers $29.00 USD, plus shipping, handling, and tax for a faulty lip kit. Her prices are comparative to her competitors: MAC and other luxury cosmetic brands. Take notes fellow entrepreneurs! How will you implement the test kitchen theory in your business? 

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 The CEO and published author, Ask TPJ, is a millennial M.B.A. graduate in love with helping others fulfill purpose by working in the areas of personal development, business leadership, and project management. Tricia J. specializes in non-profit organizations, project management, business administration, organizational strategy, and small business start-ups. She’s also a mom to a starting lineup of 5 little A’s.