Beauty and the Brand

In this episode of Beauty and the Brand, host Aggie Burnett sits down with Dominique Gagnon—brand builder and award-winning innovator and growth strategist, Dominique helped found category-creating health & wellness brands like DEINDE, Caldera + Lab, and isbel&co. Dominique shares her insider perspective on what it takes to secure funding in today’s beauty and wellness landscape. From understanding the critical role of Sephora contracts and retail distribution in valuations to demystifying metrics like CAC to LTV, Dominique reveals how founders can prepare for Series A and beyond. She also dives into the “dating game” of venture capital, highlighting why investor relationships must start before you need cash. For entrepreneurs weighing bootstrapping vs. VC funding, this conversation unpacks the trade-offs, common mistakes, and alternative financing paths. Whether you’re building a lifestyle business or chasing a high-stakes exit, Dominique offers practical, results-driven advice to help founders refine their growth strategy and position their brand for long-term successChapters:00:00:00 - Welcome to Beauty and the Brand Podcast00:01:06 - Meet Dominique00:02:14 - Bootstrapping vs. Venture Capital00:03:10 - How Retail Presence Impacts Funding and Acquisition00:04:09 - Why Investors Prioritize Retail: The Pathway to Exit00:07:52 - Identifying the Main Players in Beauty Investment00:09:30 - The Difference Between Family Funds and Traditional VCs00:11:03 - Key Advice: Why Finding Investors is Like Dating00:13:53 - Explaining "Lead Round" vs. "Follow Round" Investors00:15:00 - The Average Timeframe for Closing a Funding Round00:15:59 - The Best and Worst Times of Year to Fundraise00:17:00 - Key Metrics Investors Look for in a Bootstrapped Brand00:20:15 - How the Founder's Story and Commitment Influence Investment00:22:16 - The Biggest Pitching Mistake: Brand Story vs. Business Metrics00:23:30 - How to Determine How Much Capital to Raise00:26:32 - The Minimum Sales Needed to Attract Venture Capital00:26:58 - What Happens if a Retail Deal Falls Through Post-Investment00:28:32 - Investor Expectations: The 18-Month Runway00:30:16 - Common Strategies of Successfully Exited Brands (Medik8, Rhode, Aesop)00:34:10 - Case Study: Tatcha's Path to Success and the QVC Strategy00:35:39 - Alternative Financing Options Beyond Traditional VC00:37:43 - Start Networking with Investors from Day One00:38:10 - Where to Find and Work with Dominique OnlineLinks and Resources:👉Take our 5 Days to Growing Your Iconic Beauty Brand Challenge for only $17! -https://abcreativenyc.com/signup👉 Scale from 0 to 7 figures without spinning your wheels with the Beauty Brand Roadmap: https://abcreativenyc.com/the-beauty-brand-roadmapAggie on LinkedInAB Creative Aggie on InstagramDominique Gagnon CEW ProfileDEINDE: https://www.deinde.com/Caldera + Lab: https://calderalab.com/Dominique’s Consultancy: https://artofcreation.coDominique on LinkedInThanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Beauty and the Brand? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

In this episode of Beauty and the Brand, host Aggie Burnett sits down with Olivia Sanchez, founder of Sudz Cauldron, to unpack how a self-funded Latina entrepreneur transformed her haircare business by leaning into her “why,” optimizing SEO, and choosing the right marketing channel. Olivia reveals how she stopped mirroring other brands, built retail partnerships, and found that email marketing—not Instagram likes—was her real conversion driver. From navigating Squarespace to Shopify, setting up UTM links, and balancing blog content with social media, Olivia shares the raw challenges and big wins behind growing a cult-status brand that celebrates curls, sustainability, and authenticity.Chapters:00:00:00: Welcome to the Beauty and the Brand podcast.00:01:24: Meet Olivia.00:02:56: Early struggles: mirroring other brands and lacking a clear foundation.00:05:55: Choosing a marketing focus: SEO vs. Instagram.00:07:29: Explanation of the marketing funnel for new brands.00:09:33: SEO framed as a "set it and move on" strategy.00:11:37: A strategy for turning blog posts into social content.00:12:40: The market shift from volume content to quality and trust.00:16:17: Using UTM links to track the source of every sale.00:19:25: Different content preferences for email vs. Instagram audiences.00:22:00: Course outcome: a defined customer, brand 'why,' and revamped website.00:25:22: Linking a strong brand 'why' to SEO authority (E-A-T).00:26:50: Business results: more retail partners and better email conversions.00:29:34: Details of best-selling shampoo and conditioner bars.00:31:45: Product sustainability: one bar equals three liquid bottles.00:32:59: How to Connect with OliviaLinks and Resources:👉Take our 5 Days to Growing Your Iconic Beauty Brand Challenge for only $17! -https://abcreativenyc.com/signup👉 Scale from 0 to 7 figures without spinning your wheels with the Beauty Brand Roadmap: https://abcreativenyc.com/the-beauty-brand-roadmapAggie on LinkedInAB Creative Aggie on InstagramSuds Cauldron’s WebsiteSudz Cauldron on InstagramOlivia on LinkedInThanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Beauty and the Brand? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

When Becky Williams first launched her skincare brand, mil USOS, she marketed broadly to “active people.” The result? Silence. Everything changed after joining C2C. By focusing entirely on her own community—jiu-jitsu athletes with sensitive skin—Becky found the clarity she needed. Each time she narrowed her focus, her conversions doubled, and then doubled again. Within just 60 days of committing to this new positioning, mil USOS reached a six-figure annual run rate.In this episode of Beauty and the Brand, host Aggie Burnett and Becky unpack the lessons behind this transformation: how niching down can turn insecurity into strength, why polarizing opinions help build movements, and what it takes to pivot from “crickets at launch” to a brand that truly resonates. If you’re a beauty founder debating whether to go broader or narrower with your positioning, this conversation reveals why specificity is the ultimate growth strategy.Chapters:00:00:00 - Welcome to the Beauty and the Brand podcast.00:01:08 - Meet Becky Williams, founder of mil USOS.00:01:25 - Becky's Background: The story of a Jujitsu Purple Belt creating skincare for athletes.00:02:29 - Origin Story: How a traumatic domestic violence experience led Becky to Jujitsu.00:04:45 - The Power of Jujitsu: How the martial art builds confidence and eliminates panic.00:06:01 - A Proud Moment: Becky's return to training after a two-year hiatus and rediscovering her skill.00:07:33 - The Problem: Common skin issues for Jujitsu athletes, including infections like staph and ringworm.00:09:54 - The "Aha!" Moment: Combining a desire for economic independence with a passion for skincare ingredients.00:11:25 - Identifying a Market Gap: Calling out the low-quality "Jujitsu bro" soaps dominating the space.00:13:54 - Crafting the Formula: Becky explains her choice of high-end, sustainable, and effective ingredients.00:16:55 - The Science of the Balm: Detailing the powerful antimicrobial extracts used in the products.00:18:50 - The Initial Launch: Launching to "crickets" and the stress of not seeing results.00:20:36 - Seeking Help: How a lack of sales led Becky to join the C2C coaching program.00:21:58 - The First Pivot: Realizing the "skincare for active people" brand identity was too broad.00:24:31 - The Turning Point: Overcoming fear and imposter syndrome to niche down exclusively to Jujitsu.00:26:50 - The Impact of Niching: Achieving six-figure annual numbers within 60 days of committing to the Jujitsu community.00:27:51 - Hyper-Niching for Success: Targeting Jujitsu athletes with sensitive skin, which doubled conversion rates.00:32:36 - Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: Discussing the feeling of not being a black belt in the sport.00:34:35 - Turning a Weakness into a Strength: Using her "perpetual purple belt" status to be more relatable.00:40:41 - Who is C2C For?: Advice for founders who are teachable and willing to work on foundational brand strategy.00:44:14 - Dream Sponsorship: Why she wants to sponsor a high-end male athlete.00:45:32 - What's Next for Mil Usos: Announcing new products, including belt-rank-themed lip balms.00:46:55 - Future Brand Plans: Expanding into haircare and hosting branded Jujitsu seminars.00:48:06 - Where to Find Becky OnlineLinks and Resources:👉Take our 5 Days to Growing Your Iconic Beauty Brand Challenge for only $17! -https://abcreativenyc.com/signup👉 Scale from 0 to 7 figures without spinning your wheels with the Beauty Brand Roadmap: https://abcreativenyc.com/the-beauty-brand-roadmapAggie on LinkedInAB Creative Aggie on Instagrammil USOS Skincare Websitemil USOS Skincare InstagramBecky’s Personal InstagramThanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Beauty and the Brand? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

In this episode of The Beauty and the Brand Podcast, licensed aesthetician and founder Leah Hacker shares how she built Hayven by Leah, a clean beauty brand designed for sensitive skin and busy women. Working just 10 hours a week while raising two young children, Leah has grown her business with a conversion rate of 1.95%, an average order value between $64–$70, and an email list with over 50% open rates. Together with Aggie, she unpacks how survey insights revealed that word-of-mouth referrals and Facebook traffic drive her brand’s growth, and they brainstorm practical strategies like referral campaigns, quarterly promotions, and creative activation events to scale Hayven further. Listeners will walk away inspired by Leah’s scrappy, authentic approach to building a beauty brand from the ground up — proving that even with limited time, founders can create meaningful traction by focusing on the right marketing levers.Chapters:00:00:00 - Kicking Off: Meet Leah and Her Brand Journey00:01:45 - From Confused Messaging to a Crystal-Clear Website00:02:30 - Juggling Mom Life and Building a Brand00:03:27 - What a 1.95% Conversion Rate Really Means00:04:25 - Turning Email Into a Revenue Machine00:05:34 - The Referral Program Hiding in Plain Sight00:09:11 - Stop Random Sales: Plan These Instead00:16:49 - The Power of Word-of-Mouth—Done Right00:21:01 - The Real Cost Behind Gifting Campaigns00:21:27 - Why Warm Leads > Cold Traffic (Always)00:22:47 - The Lead Gen Strategy You Can Start Tomorrow00:23:01 - Easy Ways to Promote Campaigns with Email + Social00:24:01 - This Teacher Appreciation Idea Is Pure Gold00:26:27 - Instagram or Facebook? The Answer May Surprise You00:31:23 - Quarterly Activations: Map Your Momentum00:33:46 - Free Consults + Freebies That Actually Convert00:37:19 - Final Action Plan for Busy FoundersLinks and Resources:👉Take our 5 Days to Growing Your Iconic Beauty Brand Challenge for only $17! -https://abcreativenyc.com/signup👉 Scale from 0 to 7 figures without spinning your wheels with the Beauty Brand Roadmap: https://abcreativenyc.com/the-beauty-brand-roadmapAggie on LinkedInAB Creative Aggie on InstagramHayven by Leah – Clean Beauty for Sensitive SkinHayven by Leah on Instagram: @hayvenbyleahThanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Beauty and the Brand? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

In this episode of Beauty and the Brand, award-winning product developer and founder of The Ingredientist, Holly Moore, shares what she would create if handed $5 million to launch her dream beauty brand. Known for her “ingredient nerd” roots and a career shaping some of the industry’s most innovative launches, Holly reveals how she’d blend science-backed claims, category-defining textures, and sustainable actives into a future-proof product pipeline. She explains why founder-led vision is essential, how to avoid fear-based marketing, and why hormones are “the language the skin speaks” when developing formulas. Whether you’re a beauty founder building your first hero product or refining a multi-year pipeline, Holly’s candid, values-driven approach will inspire you to think beyond trends and set the standard in beauty innovation.Chapters:00:00:00 - Kicking Off: The Realities of Product Development00:01:29 - Meet Holly Moore: Beauty’s Award-Winning Formulation Powerhouse00:02:24 - From Childhood Curiosity to Full-On Ingredient Nerd00:03:53 - Blending Science, Ethics, and Skin Health00:06:43 - Clean vs. Synthetic: The Truth in the Gray00:11:26 - Crafting a Product Pipeline That Wins00:21:03 - Why Your Product Brief Can Make or Break You00:27:37 - Private Label or Custom Formulation? The Smart Choice00:38:58 - Green Chemistry and What’s Next for Beauty00:40:55 - My $5 Million Dream Beauty Brand00:43:47 - Where to Connect and Collaborate with Me00:44:27 - Wrapping Up: Final Founder InsightsLinks and Resources:👉Take our 5 Days to Growing Your Iconic Beauty Brand Challenge for only $17! -https://abcreativenyc.com/signup👉 Scale from 0 to 7 figures without spinning your wheels with the Beauty Brand Roadmap: https://abcreativenyc.com/the-beauty-brand-roadmapAggie on LinkedInAB Creative Aggie on InstagramThe Ingredientist – Official WebsiteInstagram – @the_ingredientistLinkedIn – Holly Moore, M.P.H.Email – [email protected] so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Beauty and the Brand? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!Mentioned in this episode:5 Days to Growing Your Iconic Beauty Brand Challenge