Latest / Imagine If with Doone Roisin | Health, Wealth & Wisdom for Women (formerly Female Startup Club Podcast) / Best of ‘22 - 6 Questions with Aisha Fatima Dozie, Founder of Bossy Cosmetics (Part 2)
Transcript
- 0:00Hi, it's just me popping in with a quick message to wish you and your loved ones a beautiful break this festive season. I hope you're able to take some time for yourself to recharge and reset and come back full of energy in 2023.
- 0:15Over the next few weeks, our team will all be taking a much-needed break, and you'll be hearing the best episodes from 2022. When I look back over this year, there were just so many amazing episodes. It was near impossible to choose just one handful, but we did, and they're amazing, and I'm sure you're going to love them.
- 0:34For now, I'm off to spend some quality time with my mom and my family in Queensland after three whole years of not seeing her. Can you believe it? Three years. Oh my gosh. I'm going to be doing all the little things that are good for my soul over this period and dreaming up my goals for 2023, which you're going to hear about when I come back in January. I'm so looking forward to reconnecting with you in the new year and bringing you more of the good stuff with Female Startup Club.
- 1:04Welcome back. Here are the six quick questions. So question number one is what's your why? Why are you doing what you're doing? I just love...
- 1:25seeing successful women. I love seeing self-actualized women. I love seeing wealthy women. I love seeing happy women. I love seeing fulfilled women. You know, I want that for me. I want that for you. I want that for everyone.
- 1:44And that's my why. It's just like, I just want us all to be amazing, to get what we want, to do what we want, to do good, to have rights, you know, to raise amazing children. If you don't want to raise children, that's fine. Like to do what sets your soul alight. That's what I want to see women doing. That is so cool. I'm just so inspired by you. I can't tell you enough.
- 2:12I can't tell you enough times, but oh my gosh. Question number two, what has been your favorite marketing moment so far or like the number one marketing moment so far?
- 2:22Oh, gosh. Like Oprah's favorite things. Are you kidding me? I mean. I mean. You can't top that. I mean. That's the ultimate. That's the ultimate. How did that happen, by the way? It's one of those things where like you cry. I mean, another thing is like you cry. I've never cried this much in three years. Like you cry because you're miserable. You cry because you're happy. You cry because you're confused. Like that was a serious weeping moment, right? How did it happen?
- 2:50So I think someone from her team heard about us through one of the small indie retailers that we work with. And I guess she like looked up the site, loved the products, kind of loved the stuff and reached out. And I thought it was like.
- 3:07some person asking for free product, you know, so whatever. And that, I mean, it just, you know, and at first I was like, first of all, I didn't believe it. And then eventually after talking to her saying she's interested in learning more, she works with Oprah daily. Eventually I realized she was telling the truth and then you're like, Oh, wait a second.
- 3:28I know. So at first I was like, she sends me an email. Do you have time to talk? I was like, no, I don't have time. Maybe in three months we can speak. Cause I thought it was like, I thought it was somebody looking for free product. Did you say maybe in three months we can speak? Yeah. I said, we can either speak today or in three months. Cause my summer is going to be really busy. And she's like, okay, let's speak today. And she calls and we started speaking. And I'm like, whoa.
- 3:50this is like the real deal. And so I send her a bunch of products and the address she gives me is Hearst Magazine's offices. And so then I'm like, this is possible, this is possible. So anyway, we go through this whole process of like, I did a whole deck, which I don't think Oprah saw the deck. I sent it, I was like, what?
- 4:07You don't understand. I love Oprah. Like she is my mentor and she doesn't even know me. She's the queen. She's the queen. I mean, we don't even talk about that. I don't know how long it took because apparently like she has people on her team like suggest, but she makes the final choices. And so that she was like, listen, we'll let you know what Lady O says. She calls her Lady O. Oh my God. I was. Some days I call her Lady O. Some days I call her Auntie O. Like Oprah's a member of my family in my head.
- 4:38And I just, it was. I mean, I cannot even imagine. That's crazy. And then you've got to keep it confidential for a long period of time. And so you're almost like nervous, like, are they going to change their mind? Are they going to change their mind? Is this really true? Is this going to happen? And then the day it happens. Oh. That is crazy.
- 5:04What is the impact of being one of Oprah's favorite things? Are you able to share, like, what happens after something like that? Yeah. I mean, without, I mean, we sold out of...
- 5:19Everything. And then tried to restock and we sold out of that. And then we were able to restock some things. Some things are still sold out because of supply chain issues. So from a sales standpoint, unbelievable. And not just the thing that's Oprah's favorite things, but then what that does is it opens you up to millions of new customers who...
- 5:40learn about your products and, you know, decide to buy something else or try something else. And people give gifts. And of course it's around the holiday shopping period. So, you know, I was seeing people buy 10 boxes and, you know, so they're obviously giving boxes to friends and it's just, so that's 10 new customers you get at once. Right. And then of course the press coverage you're in, like we had our, a solo piece in InStyle magazine. What?
- 6:05just like Stylecaster what? Glamour Magazine what? I mean what? It was just insane. It got to the point where
- 6:18my PR team would be like, oh, please to tell you that you were featured in this. And it got to the point where I was like, I'm too busy packing orders. I don't have time to be. I mean, these are the things that you live for. But now I'm like, OK, we got to not fail. Like and I mean, so I spent the two months because I was so nervous about getting it wrong. Every single box was.
- 6:41I packed myself, I hired a young lady. We ordered the boxes very quickly, paid extra to get them rushed, had a bunch of boxes. My house was a disaster, okay? And this lady and I, we would put on our masks and gloves and we would watch Squid Game or Netflix all day. And we were downstairs just folding boxes, taking lipsticks, placing four in a piece, closing it, putting it in a bag, loop. Like this was an assembly line.
- 7:10I think it took us all day, every day for about three weeks. My fingers. I don't know how they're not like this. It was. Yeah.
- 7:22I love how you've gone through some real, I mean, I don't love this for you, but I love you've gone through this journey. That's like some super low lows, but those lows have gotten you to here where you've then had these crazy highs and you're like, oh, I went all through all of that, but I, I kept with it. And now this is the good bit. Like I'm here. That is so cool. My God.
- 7:46I digress. Question number three, what's your go-to business resource when it comes to podcast, newsletter, or book?
- 7:57So definitely podcasts. I read a lot of newsletters as well, but God, I haven't read a full business book in I don't know how long. I just don't have the attention span or capacity any longer, sadly. Podcasts. I love business wars. I also really love how I built this. And it's crazy that I was on how I built this. There was, can you imagine? That was another like, what?
- 8:21I can't believe I haven't already brought this up. You've chatted to Guy Raz. He's like everyone's hero. I know. He is Uncle Guy to my kids. Like my kids, when we're going on like we're driving long trips, we listen to how I built this. They know him. And so my kids cannot believe their mother even spoke. I can't believe that I made it through a conversation with Guy Raz. It's crazy. I can't believe I'm talking to someone that spoke to Guy Raz. Like what the heck? It doesn't work that way.
- 8:50So, so yeah, I really, I really do like, I like how I built this and a business wars. Those are two that I listened to a lot. I haven't listened to business wars in ages. That's a good one. I'm going to check that out again. Oh, it's a really good one. Yeah. Question number four is how do you win the day? What's your AM or PM rituals and habits that keep you feeling happy and successful and motivated? Yeah.
- 9:11Okay, well, coffee, first of all. Like, if I don't start my day with coffee, in fact... It's not started. It doesn't start. So first thing, I wake up, I say good morning to my boys, I kind of bumble down the stairs, and then I have coffee, and then I'm like, okay, how's everybody to sleep, right? I wake up, get my kids off to school, and then I just...
- 9:32You know, I put a tweet out a couple of months ago or so where I said, this year I'm all about build and ship, ship and build. I just, I put my head down and I work, I work, I work. Like if you see my desk, it's filled with papers and makeup and eyeshadows and stuff. Like I'm just do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do. And then I will go pick up my kids from school and hang out with them for a little bit. And then I come back and do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do. Yeah.
- 10:00I just, I get it done. I'm really, you know, I'm getting it done. I just, that's my thing is I know what I, you know, I've got my little notepad that tells me what's outstanding. I have Post-its all over my office. You know, I have a whole bunch of here, you know, one of them says, don't quit before the miracle happens.
- 10:20Another one says you are the trophy. And then the other ones just say, don't forget to do this. Make sure you contact this. Do this. Do this. This one says QVC, JC Penney, Bossy Chat. So I have reminders. And I just, as I execute, I throw the post-it in the trash as I execute. And then I've got...
- 10:36a whole bunch of spreadsheets, right? Because this is a business. So I'm tracking, okay, why have we made this payment? Where is this boat that's supposed to be bringing this product in? And, you know, there's a lot of logistics involved. So I'm, you know, not all of, I very rarely look like this, let's say.
- 10:53Only because I knew this was going to be video do I look like this. Otherwise, my hair is not combed. There is no makeup on my face. I am wearing my bathrobe with big fluffy socks and I'm just do do do do do do do. I'm working.
- 11:08I'm so honored. Thank you so much for putting on the makeup and the headphones, which ruined your look and your beautiful headband. Yes. I actually don't think they ruined the look. I think you rock it. No, they did. I'm all about it. No, listen, this is the plan. So when we finish the actual substantive part of this discussion, I'm going to take this off and put on my thing and then smile for a couple seconds and maybe do like a screw up.
- 11:32And do like a screenshot. We are not doing a screenshot with this. Anyway, that's the main part of me. Let's do that. I mean, I appreciate it. Don't worry. Question number five is what's the worst money mistake you've ever made in the business and how much did it cost?
- 11:49A lot of money mistakes I've made. I think the worst, though, was actually in the beginning. I think I mentioned that I was super insecure about marketing. And I still am, but much less so. But I had no idea because I was not from the beauty industry. I was not from the D to C industry. I was not from the B to C industry. I felt so insecure that I really felt I needed to hire a chief marketing officer to...
- 12:14do the things. And so before, I think we hadn't even launched yet. I hired someone to work, to understand, basically she was going to be my CMO and she had worked at L'Oreal for many years and it was just the biggest waste of money.
- 12:33Biggest, biggest, biggest regret of mine. I mean, we move on from it. She's a phenomenal, amazing, brilliant, talented woman. Why I say it was the biggest waste of money and the biggest mistake is that, first of all, I never should have been insecure. I felt like, you know, there's so many nuggets that you need to know as a legacy beauty person to bring to this brand. But that was the wrong way of thinking. Why?
- 13:00what I needed to do was to stick into my why, is to understand my customer and connect those two. It has nothing to do with a legacy brand. And feeling like you need to lean on legacy is the actual problem. And so it's not about her, but it was about my insecurity and my putting money behind my insecurity and someone who doesn't think the way I think and doesn't
- 13:24see the problem in the way I see it and doesn't see the solution in the way I see it. So I want to be clear that it had, she's an amazing woman, but, but the whole ethos behind bringing her on board and what I hoped for her to achieve didn't work out because it was, it was not the way you run your company. Gosh, tough one. Tough lesson to learn. Another tough lesson to learn.
- 13:47Last question, question number six, and you've shared so many of these already, but what is just a crazy story that you can share good, bad, or ugly from the business?
- 13:57Many, which I think I've shared. You've shared so many. I'll share another one, which I didn't share, which led to lots of tears. So we are on QVC. This is like live shopping, right? Live shopping. Yeah. So they have their own TV stations, internet, and they sell everything literally under the sun. I think they sell 364 days a year live. Yeah.
- 14:18And we were part of this competition called the Big Find. We were selected and we had this opportunity to customize a collection for QVC and go live on air. I was so scared, but I just needed to get it done. And so just designing the new collection, getting the supply chain ready was the most stressful thing that I've done from a production standpoint since running this company.
- 14:43And we were down to the wire and we had just hired a new logistics company to help us sort through everything. Once the goods all come from Italy, package them up the way QVC wants them and then send them to QVC because QVC has a very, very strict process. So I asked the owner of the logistics company, have you worked at QVC before? He says, yes. I'm like, great, because I don't know anything about this. So I send them the QVC book.
- 15:08Unfortunately, they did not staff the person who has worked with QVC before on my account. So literally, the blind is leading the blind. I think they know what they're doing. They think I know what I'm doing. So I fulfill my obligations, get my products to them, you know, tell them how to pack, tell them what to put together. They send everything to QVC. I have posted on Instagram and our website, told the investors, told everybody we are going on QVC on Tuesday.
- 15:34Friday afternoon, I get an email. Now, by the way, this is again another time where I have put every penny of the business into this thing. So we are riding on this. I get an email on Friday saying from QVC, your goods have failed inspection. You will not go on air on Tuesday. And there's a whole list of things that we did wrong. Like what?
- 15:57Everything. Basically, the MasterCard didn't have the right barcode, that this wasn't that. I mean, it's all stuff that would be of no interest to either you or I, but a logistics company should know what they're doing. So all of the requirements that QVC had so that when something goes into their distribution center, they can track it properly. These guys just, I don't know what they did, but they didn't do it right. Right.
- 16:22So that was the biggest disaster because I then I had just emailed the investors that morning saying, hey, guys, super excited. Put all the money in the company in this thing. Fingers crossed. I'm going to do the best I can. We're going to sell out on Tuesday, blah, blah, blah, like this and this and this. And then I cried all day Friday and Saturday morning. I then sent them an email saying I have to own this L as the CEO.
- 16:48We blew it. We're not going to go on Tuesday. I don't know when or if we will go. We are now long, I don't know, 40,000 more lipsticks than we need. And I don't know what we're going to do with them. It was not funny then, but I can laugh now. But wait, what happens? Oh, my God. Tell us the ending. I know. In the end, luckily.
- 17:12QVC was really good. I got a really nice gentleman in QVC. He was like, oh, I will introduce you to somebody who can come in and repack. I mean, you have to pay for it, but they'll come in, repack everything. So I ended up not going on air for another month, but we ended up doing it. So it all worked out. But at that moment, when I got the failed inspection, I thought, come get your shit. You failed. And I literally was wailing the whole weekend. Oh, my God. I mean, I can imagine.
- 17:40God, my emotions have been so frayed by this business. And it's only been three years. You're nervous. It's still like, I am frazzled, but I love it. I know, basically. I'm frazzled, but I'll still wear lipstick. Yeah. I'll still show up looking cute. Exactly. Weather beaten and worn and all.
- 17:59Oh my God, Aisha, I have loved, loved talking to you. You are just such a ray of sunshine and I can just so see everything that you're building. I can feel it in the way that you talk about your brand and what you're doing and your spirit is just like none other.
- 18:15My goodness. Thank you so much. Thank you so much for having me. I've really enjoyed this conversation, Dune. Thank you so much. And I wish your audience, I hope they really enjoy this. I hope they're inspired and I hope they go on to be billionaire women themselves.
- 18:30Yes, we need the billionaire energy. I'm all about it. That's it. We need it. The Big B energy. We're going to be watching you. We're going to be learning from you. Yeah, that's fine. That's fine. Oh, my gosh. Okay. Oh, wait, wait. We can't go. We can't go. Oh, wait. Okay. Put the headband on. So we're going to. I won't be able to hear you. I can't hear you.
- 18:54It looks amazing. I can't hear you. The sound has disconnected because we've changed the microphone. I don't know if you can hear me. You look amazing. Oh, my gosh. I love it.
- 19:12Hey, it's June here. Thanks for listening to this amazing episode of the Female Startup Club podcast. If you're a fan of the show and want even more of the good stuff, I'd recommend checking out femalestartupclub.com where you can subscribe to our free newsletter. We send it out weekly covering female founder business news, insights and learnings in D2C, and interesting business resources.
- 19:37And if you're a founder building an e-commerce brand, you can join our private network of entrepreneurs called Hype Club at femalestartupclub.com forward slash Hype Club. We have guests from the show joining us for intimate Ask Me Anythings, expert workshops, and a group of totally amazing, like-minded women building the future of D2C brands.
- 19:59As always, please do subscribe, rate and review the show and post your favorite episodes to Instagram stories. I am beyond grateful when you do that.
- 20:15Hey, it's June here. Thanks for listening to this amazing episode of the Female Startup Club podcast. If you're a fan of the show and want even more of the good stuff, I'd recommend checking out femalestartupclub.com where you can subscribe to our free newsletter. We send it out weekly covering female founder business news, insights and learnings in D2C, and interesting business resources.
- 20:40And if you're a founder building an e-commerce brand, you can join our private network of entrepreneurs called Hype Club at femalestartupclub.com forward slash Hype Club. We have guests from the show joining us for intimate Ask Me Anythings, expert workshops, and a group of totally amazing, like-minded women building the future of D2C brands.
- 21:02As always, please do subscribe, rate and review the show and post your favorite episodes to Instagram stories. I am beyond grateful when you do that.