Overcoming Crippling Imposter Syndrome to Bootstrap the Next Big Beauty Brand: Glosshood's Sienna Brown

0:00Hey, business besties. Welcome back to the Female Founder World Podcast. It's Jasmine. I'm the host of the show. And today I'm chatting with Sienna Brown, the founder of Glosswood. Let's get into the show. You are now entering Female Founder World with your host, Jasmine Grinsworthy. Sienna, welcome to Female Founder World. Thank you. Thank you for having me. I have wanted to do this. I wish I could say like my whole life, but I'm so serious. Ever since you started it, I've wanted to be on this podcast. So this is actually a dream come true for me. Oh, that's so cool to hear. For people that don't know what you're building at Glosshood, how do you explain what it is that you guys are creating over there?

0:39Yeah, at Glosshood, we are really about play, right? Glosshood is where beauty is play. And so we're into igniting your inner child through niche beauty products, right? And the first one that I ever was allowed to try was a lip gloss. So I started there. And you know, in the future will expand and we'll play. But right now we're, we're stuck on glosses. We're stuck on lips and we're obsessed. It's so much fun. And you're doing it so well. I love the branding. People need to go to your website. Is it glosshood.com? What's the website for people to go and check it out? Because that branding is impeccable.

1:17Thank you. Glosshood.com. Thank you so much. That means a lot to hear you say that because just like when I was first starting, I had no money to kind of have someone else do like my brand deck and my messaging and all of these things. So I had my friends who worked it at different brands and all types of stuff, just send me over their stuff. And they're like, Hey, like, you can look and if you can pull anything from there, it's like, Okay, cool. I taught myself Photoshop, I taught myself Illustrator woke up every single day. Wow. You know, that's how I got the logo. That's how I got the colors.

1:50That's how I got the website. Like I was just doing it running and gunning by myself. That's incredible. This is like world-class branding. I can't believe that's self-taught. Thank you. Wow. That makes it even more impressive. Thank you. That is not just like the, the, um, the like entrepreneurial story though. It's kind of like, Hey, I didn't have any money to figure it out. And so I just figured it out, you know, like I couldn't pay someone else to do it. So you just, this is a skill that I just had to learn. And now you're, you know what, if the business doesn't work out, you can always be a graphic designer.

2:20That is incredible. Thank you so much. Yeah. Okay. So let's talk through, let's talk through the launch. You launched with the lip gloss. I think it was one skew originally. And I don't know, I feel like you, you launched, it was like late 2020 and then you're kind of everywhere. And I want to understand what that launch process looked like as a bootstrap business and how you got that traction because whatever you're doing has worked. Thank you. You know, when I was first launching, It was really a point to launch. I didn't think about it, right? I was like, oh, I'll launch October 29th, 2020, because it was a year from the date that I quit my job, right?

3:03The last actual job job that I had. And so it was kind of like my internal FU to just like that past life. And so it was my driving force. I'm a Leo, so I need things to fire me up. And every single day I'd be so tired, but I'd be working towards October 29th. People would be like, oh, let's push it. Let's do like November. I'm like, no, you're not getting it. Like October 29th, 2020, we're launching. And so with that being said, I made that my goal and I just went after it. So what I first did was actually realizing that it was going to be bigger than just Atlanta. So I'm based in Atlanta. and I had gotten on a call with some consultants and they were like, hey, we think you should test the market.

3:51You're just not, we're not sure how it's going to sell. Right. And I was like, okay, cool. They're like, yeah, like I wouldn't try to sell outside of Atlanta right now. I would just keep it very local. And in my brain, I was like, what? Like keep it very local. Like that's never really been me, right? Because I live here, but I've also lived in other states, right? I lived in New York for some time. I lived in LA. I lived in South Florida. And so I have friends all over the US, but then all over the world as well. And so I wanted my friends to at least get the gloss. And I was like, you know what, I'm just going to open it up to everyone.

4:29And so I did. And one thing that I prided myself on was creating like a little influencer list, right? And it was so silly. I still have it and I still use it from time to time, but it was an influencer list of just people that I wanted to have the gloss, whether that was, you know, models that I knew, models that I didn't know, people who were starting out on TikTok, all of these things, I wanted them to have the gloss and I wanted them to have it before launch. So I sent that out about two weeks beforehand. And I said, Hey, can you post before this date? Right. And a lot of my friends there, there in the entertainment industry, they're like, yeah, absolutely.

5:10We got you. And I was like, okay, cool. So that worked out very, very well for me. And definitely aided in what we were able to do within the first five days. I put up 500 units for sale. And within I think it was four days, actually, we sold 500 units right out the gate to within within 10 days, we sold out of nearly 2500 units. and that blew my mind because it was the power of social media. It was the power of mobilizing your network, right? Your friends, your family, but also people that you just wanted to be in connection with, right? So I was getting shameless. I have, I tell people all the time, I have no shame when it comes to my business because I'll do anything for it because I've given all of myself to it.

6:01I think when people see that you're that serious about your own stuff, they have no choice but to respect it and to look and say like, let me pay attention to what you're doing. A hundred percent. I think there's also something to be said for like, if you believe in what you've created and you're truly like, I can stand behind this. I'm proud of it. Why wouldn't you? Why wouldn't you tap every resource, every connection, every avenue? Because that's what it takes. And once you get to that point of like, I've done my best in creating this thing. Now let's tell everyone about it. You have to be shameless.

6:35Yeah. Yeah. I definitely agree. And I, you know, there's this interview that Tyler, the creator, he, he actually does. And he's like, yeah, I post my stuff every day. Like I have been posting my album that I came out with a year and a half ago, every single day, because he worked so hard on that album. So it would be such a disservice to create this thing, to want to bring this thing to life and expand it, but not be really showing up for it in the way that, you know, you expect for other people to show up for you. I love that. Okay. So you, you have this amazing sellout launch, which, you know, a lot of people dream about you made it happen, which is incredible.

7:15What happens next? Cause you presumably don't have any product and you're seeing some traction. What's the next step? So next, so I was using these tubes that I had gotten. This is one of my first glosses. This is Holy Gloss Bomb Hybrid. I was using these tubes and I had tubes, but I had no like actual, you know, product inside to put inside. And so at the time I was hand pumping it. I was making this myself. I was literally in there like, okay, now I have to make more. I need to make a thousand more. And it takes a lot of time, right? In addition to doing all the branding stuff, in addition to responding to emails and doing all of these things.

7:57Plus, it's my first time owning a business. I don't actually know what the hell I'm doing, right? Yeah. So I'm figuring out all of the things surrounding business, but then I'm also in the process of hurrying to get this new product filled. And so that became a thing. And I'm so grateful because I have such incredible friends who know how serious I am about what it is that I wanted to accomplish and what I'm what I'm doing now. And they were all such a huge help. So we built like a huge, what is it called like a factory line almost. And so that was like my weekends, that would become my weekends, they would get off work, and they'd come over for the day.

8:37And, you know, we'd have sleepovers and all these things. And they'd help me pack orders and get them out. Amazing. Okay, so what happened? I want to understand how you've kind of scaled up on the production side. Let's keep talking about that for a second, because I think a lot of people, it's actually a great idea, I think, to start a business where it's something that you can like make yourself, whether that's a service-based thing where you can provide the service and you know how to do it, or you can teach yourself how to like physically create the product in the beginning. But there comes this inflection point when you start getting into retail, which you guys have and you need more support and more systems around that how did you kind of grow more of a system and a and a process around your production because again it's something that I don't know people just do it but like how do you do it it's not easy and there's no like guidebook to it there is no guidebook but there is there is something else that is better than a guidebook and it is the power of learning and being like obsessed with gaining knowledge.

9:39And so something that I have always made clear to people that I go into any type of business or partnership with, is that I do not know what I'm doing. And I'm coming to you. And I'm hoping that you are willing to show me the ropes, because if you show me at once, I can do it forever. And that was kind of the conversation that I had with Nikaio and Patrick Herning when I was first joining 13 Loon, which happened very, very fast. So we were one of the first few brands over on 13 Loon. And, you know, they launched in, I think, October or November of 2020 as well. And we started conversations probably in around November.

10:19And so I was like, retail, like, I'd never thought about other e-commerce. I was like, I don't know where to start, right? And so I told her, I said, hey, you know, if you're willing to show me the ropes, I'm willing to learn, right? When I would make little mistakes. I'd be like, wait, can you explain this to me? And that's one thing about me, I'm not scared to ask questions. I think it kind of worked out very, very well, because we started so small, right? 13 Loon started very small with just a few brands. And then, you know, there was conversation of going into JCPenney. And when those conversations started, that's when I was like, I think I need help.

10:56I cannot hand pump these like this is insane. um there's 600 stores right yeah there's 600 stores now well there have always been but we started with 10 so they started with a pilot of 10 stores and that I could pump through that was fine uh but then they were like oh we're gonna go into 300 I was like oh so it's getting very serious and I need a lot more support um and that's when you know I had a mentor well I still have her she's sat me down and they told me they were like, Santa, you need a manufacturer immediately. Like if you're going to keep going and you want to, you know, get into retailers and do all of these things, you need a manufacturer.

11:38There's no way that you can support what a retailer expects from you. And that's when I started to look into contract manufacturers. And that was a process. That was a process because so many times manufacturers are like, oh, it's 20 ,000 MOQ, right? Like that's your minimum order. And I'm like, well, I don't actually have the money or the use for 20 ,000 units, right? Like what's going to happen to those units? And so I put together an Excel sheet and I wrote down a bunch of indie friendly contract manufacturers. And I finally settled on one. And when I met them, they're a family run business in New Jersey.

12:24And I am just I'm so grateful for for the way that they run their business because it's so centered around love. There's like no there's no pushiness. pushiness. There's no like, oh, we can't do that. There's no, there's all like, hey, we want to help you achieve your dreams and your goals. And that's what I love the most. So I say one thing that I would tell every single person is like, be very mindful about who you go into business with. Be very mindful of the people that you're connecting with and, and, you know, make sure that they share the same values as you. However kooky as it might, however kooky as those values might be, like there are people out there who share the same values as you and you just have to find them.

13:15How did you find that, like put that list together? Also, you're going to get people hitting you up in your DMs for that list. You just wait, it's just going to happen. Were you just Googling like indie friendly, beauty contract manufacturers? Yeah, that's what I did. I like everything starts with Google for me. That's my best friend. And I just started typing in like low MOQ contract manufacturers. And even then some of them would be like, Oh, 5 ,000 is the lowest we can go. And I'm like, babe, I only need 500 or I only need a thousand or 2000. And so it became a thing of, of really creating a relationship.

13:52I think the most powerful thing that you can create in this business or any business are relationships because people actually want to help you. Like, I know it seems so weird with the way that the world is, but there are people who are actually wanting to do good and want to help you, but you have to share your story. You have to share your goals and your dreams and your aspirations. And sometimes that could be really scary, right? But I guess there's a moment of shamelessness and bravery that is necessary. A lot of the people that I chat with kind of build this e-commerce business or this idea, you know, they start their company with the idea that they're going to be selling direct to consumer and then they go into retail and they realize, okay, my pricing is off.

14:40Like I'm not going to be able to make a profit or my packaging doesn't work on shelf. Did you have everything kind of like geared up and planned knowing that it was going to go into retail or were there any kind of surprises as you were going that you had to make changes? There were definitely some surprises and I can definitely speak on that because when I first started, I didn't think that we were going to go into retail and I didn't think we were going to go into retail so fast. I just thought it would be a direct consumer thing. So I was like, okay, I'll have time to work out the kinks. And I really didn't have that much time.

15:11So what I did, What I will say is, you know, I am a type of person, I've noticed this just about myself in life. I don't like to do things like I don't like to dial anything in. I like to do things like right from the start. And so what I spent a lot of time doing at the very beginning was buying so many lip glosses, I probably have over 200 lip glosses, like, no BS. It's the actual funniest thing. So I collected a lot of boxes and a lot of packaging so that I could understand what retailers might be looking for. And so I was in a way doing my own market research, right? That way I could gain a better understanding.

15:58And from that is how I actually was like, okay, this is what's necessary on a box. This is what needs to be there. These are the logos that have to be on a box. and I decided, I was like, you know what? One day there's gonna be some kind of barcode. I don't know when, but someday there will be a barcode. Let me leave a little space on our first box. I think there's just something in you that once you set out to create a business or do something, there is nothing in the globe that will stop you. There is nothing that can stop you. Totally, I agree. I sometimes say like, I think there's this misconception entrepreneurship is this thing that you're like born knowing how to do and I and I say often like it's not a it's not a gene it's a job yeah but it's something where it's like there is a certain kind of person I think who once they commit to this dream and this idea that then there's no turning back and I think that's the piece where it's like that's the that's the inbuilt yeah that's the gene or that's the that's the thing that's like core to you it's not the skills on how to do it necessarily.

17:05That's all learned. Yeah, absolutely. It's like, honestly, when I look at it and you know, I won't lie. I I'm scared every day. I don't know what the hell I'm doing every day. But the thing that I am doing is I am trying, right? And if you do a little bit, the little bit each day makes up the big picture. And when you look at it and you're like, damn, I want to quit or like, I can't do this today. I don't have the energy. You look back and you're like, wow, I am way closer to where I'm going than where I started from. And that in itself makes you get up and do everything that you can to like get it to the next day.

17:42Right? Something that I think you've done really well and that I've been watching over the last couple of years as you've been building is press. You've been featured in, I don't know, everywhere. Who Up Where, The Cut, Glamour, PopSugar, Birdie, Beauty Independent. How has all of this press come about? As a bootstrap brand, do you have a publicist? Are you doing this yourself? Are they finding you organically? Tell me the story. So it's a mixture of things. When we first started in 2020, because a lot of the press that I got, a lot of first time press was just me by myself. And that was me being cold and reaching out to writers and editors in DMs, in emails, like a desperate little girl that I was.

18:29And I had no shame. And I was like, yeah, I'm going to do this. This is my brand. This is what I have to offer. I still pitch editors on DMs. I do it all the time. And I'm like, hey, I'd love to send you some product. If you're willing to accept it, just let me know the best place to send it. I think that's the greatest thing that anyone can do because most times writers and editors are looking for things to including wishlist, they're looking for really cool brands, the next big thing, like things like that, you know, and they want to be on the forefront of it, right? Because that would be really, really terrible if, you know, you just said, Hey, I'm not going to look at this thing.

19:06And then it became this massive brand. And you were like, wow, they were trying to DM me about it to two years ago. So I definitely think building relationships with writers and editors is something that I've done a great job at. But then also I had help in 2022. I hired for a few months, I was able to afford, and this was such a splurge for me, I was able to afford the services of Danika Daily PR. and what an incredible, incredible person. Like her team is so amazing and they were so thorough. And, you know, she really helped me to get the product into the hands of so many influencers and editors.

19:54It was during such a busy season too, where it was like, it was almost like a trifecta, right? It was the stuff that we already had going. It was her reaching out, but then it was also holiday season. And so a lot of the press came around that time as well. Right now I have no publicist, but I will say that being a part of the Sephora Accelerate program was definitely something that helped me as well. How did that opportunity come about? That obviously just, I think, really was quite a launch pad. Talk me through what the application process was like and what some of those key learnings are that you take out of that program for those of us who will never get the opportunity to do that one.

20:35You know, it is such a, it was such a whirlwind when everything was happening. So the process is, it's pretty long. And it's really, really cool, though, I will say, it's really about being yourself, honestly, like people are like, well, what were you saying? Like, so many people have asked me, like, well, what'd you say to this question? Or like, how do you answer? And I'm like, it's when I tell you, it's pouring yourself into your application and being your full self, right? Like guests, Sephora loves products. You know what they love too? Founders. Like they love people who are truly themselves and we see it, right?

21:14And I think when you're able to have both the product, the branding, or all of the above, when you're able to have the product, the branding, the founder, and those three things are working together, then it's just like, yeah, it's a no brainer to have you be a part of this program. And so, you know, once we actually were like selected, it was so nerve wracking for me. Like I was such a nervous wreck because I was like, think I was like looking at the other brands who are involved. I'm looking at like Brown Girl Jane, like I've purchased Brown Girl, Girl Jane's fragrances before. I've literally, you know, was such a huge fan.

21:53I still am of, of we the people, right? Karen Young. And like, I was spiraling. I was like, how am I worthy of being beside these people. And, you know, there's such a thing that I have, I've written down recently, because I've just, you know, I think I've talked to you about this, actually. Yeah, and it was a little bit about imposter syndrome, right? And it's this idea that, you know, you feel like you're not good enough, or you're not worthy enough. And in so many moments, when I've been building this business, I've had that I've suffered from it. And you know, it's, it's really been an obstacle sometimes and gotten me just so in my head.

22:38And I've really now recently gotten to a place where I'm like, I am so tired of blocking my own blessings or not, you know, wanting these things to happen for me because I don't feel like I'm worthy when the truth is, is like, clearly I am because it's been put like this opportunity has been given to me right and it has been presented to me and and they want me to be a part of this so there's something there um and so for people who are suffering with imposter syndrome I say honest to god like it's hard but like you have to fight through it you have to let that go even you know and I'll share this really quickly because this is really funny it was the fact that um you guys had reached out to me in 2020 uh I think last year 2023 the beginning of 2023 and i when i get tell you i got the email and i literally i closed my computer i said oh my god there is just there is no way that they could want me to be a part of this podcast like they have had everybody on here there is no way that she could want me to be on this podcast and i was so beside myself right and we had some communication and And then after that, I ghosted.

23:54And it was so just like I was beside myself. Like, why did I do that, right? And I really was battling this feeling of not being worthy and feeling like I was, you know, as good as the other guests that you've had on the show, right? And it was this whole thing in my mind. And so when we finally reconnected for Female Founder World, right, I was like, oh, she's having this thing. I kind of want to go. And then we, we DM'd, I was like, I have to tell her about this when I, when I finally meet her. And when you reached back out and you were like, Hey, it's me again. I laughed so hard because I was like, this is the funniest story.

24:37Like, and I think it just goes to show what is for you is for you. Right. I don't know personally what you believe in, but like, I believe in God and the universe and the way that God works is really like when something is for you, there is nothing in the world that can stop it. There is nothing in the world that can stop this opportunity that is in front of you. And so that's kind of the way that I started to look at the Sephora program as well, right? and it's just been something that has really built me up as a founder. It was so fast-paced. It was so much learning. I think people think that when you get into these accelerator programs, they're like, oh, it's just for show and they just show you some slides and stuff.

25:29No, we had homework. It was like we were in college. That is so amazing. That is so amazing. It was really amazing. Yeah, it was so cool. And so that was really exciting. And honest to God, I wish there was a way for them to accept everyone so everyone can gain these teachings. But I think the people and the brands that they do select, there are so many takeaways that we kind of adapt to, right? and you know we're all such really we're all I can speak for my cohort when I say like we're all such girls girls like we're all the types of women who really want to see each other win but also see everyone in the industry win anytime founders want to talk I'm like yeah let's talk like where are you with your business what's going on what do you see for yourself your dms are about to blow up your messaging.

26:28I, you know, I'm more than willing to help. I love to understand like pain points. I love to share what it is that I do know, because I know that this stuff is, yeah, it's easy to gatekeep. I think it's easy to gatekeep, but guess what? I think it's so tacky. I think it's tacky and it's tasteless. And it says like, you don't think that other people are deserving of these things. Like, and, and the truth is there's enough for everyone. So please reach out. Please understand that I do run a whole business and, you know, I'm, I'm trying my best, but I will get back to you. I do respond to everyone.

27:09Um, and I love to talk to people. So that is very down to talk. I have a couple of follow-up questions. First of all, about any, like specifically for you and for Glosshood, like a specific learning that you got out of the Sephora Accelerate program that you're like, yeah, that was really important. I needed to learn that. Oh, let's see. There were so many things. I think, I think one of my favorite, one of my favorite learnings was probably just the idea of like branding. Like, like you said, I'm very interested in that world and in that space. And so I wanted to know everything about how, you know, brands made it in not just Sephora, but in the world.

27:51Right. And so that was kind of exciting to gain an understanding of like the root of a brand. Right. How people, you know, you see like the McDonald's M and then you start to think to yourself like, wow, I see this all the time. And you start, you know, relating Ronald McDonald to that M. You start relating red and yellow to that M. You know, all of these little things and it's all coded. And so those are the things that you start to think about and they kind of force me to think about that within my own brand. So something else I want to ask you about, you only, you launched with one product and then you added a couple more, but not for a while.

28:35And so I'm interested in like why practically, why that was the right move for the brand? Like people who are out there kind of figuring out how they add new products into their line or when it was the time to do that. What learnings do you have? I will tell you, I am such an instinct girl. And I don't let anyone push me to places faster than I need to be in them. Because one thing that I made a promise to myself is like, nobody else is going to make me broke. Like, you're not going to ruin me. If anyone's going to ruin me, it's going to be me. and so I really made a decision that I was just like you know what this is what I can afford at the time and it's to do this one skew and it's to get this money from from uh our partnerships and put it right back into the product and like make more money and do do that right for as long as I can and then look at creating new skews right which I had been working on these two most recent glosses, main squeeze from the main squeeze collection.