#55: Launching Your Own Cosmetics with Rachel Blistein from Original Moxie

Bootstrapping your own line of organic cosmetics is no easy feat when you need to do everything from product creation, packaging, labeling, design, marketing, and much more. Tune in to hear how Rachel Blistein built Original Moxie from scratch and the lessons she’s learned along the way.

Topics Discussed:

  • 03:30 – Main product lines of Original Moxie
  • 04:00 – What moisturizer does for the hair
  • 06:00 – Niching down to hair moisturizers
  • 08:30 – Creating the first batch of products
  • 10:00 – Figuring out the branding and logo
  • 12:00 – Why initial sales is more important than your logo
  • 16:00 – Integrating customer feedback and improving the product
  • 18:30 – New product creation process, functionality vs fragrance
  • 22:30 – Launching the business with too many products
  • 25:00 – Scaling up the team as the business grows
  • 27:00 – Designing product copy and regulatory guidelines on bottles
  • 29:00 – Importance of grabbing attention in the cosmetics industry
  • 33:00 – Marketing mix of retail, wholesale, and creating a sales kit
  • 36:30 – Getting the first few orders via wholesale
  • 42:00 – Product markup, margins, and making sure the numbers work out
  • 45:00 – Choosing BigCommerce as the platform for the store
  • 50:00 – Pricing strategies, raw material costs, and striking the balance

 

Mentions in the Episode:

Episode Length:  54:35

 

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Comments

  1. Between minutes 47-48 in this podcast, Rachel mentions a tool which she is experimenting with that allows her to target based on customers purchasing pattern. I can’t pick up clearly from the podcast what it is…I hear her say “mindful” or “mindfal”, but a google search yields no result so I must be way off with what I am hearing. Can someone please help?

    1. I am sorry, it was just past 48 minute mark.

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