725 Vincent Branchesi: Co-Founder of Grimoire

0:00Kara Goldin:I am unwilling to give up, but I will start over from scratch as many times as it takes to get where I want to be. You just want to make sure you will get knocked down, but just make sure you don't get knocked out. So your only choice should be, go focus on what you can control. Hi everyone and welcome to the Kara Goldin Show. Join me each week for inspiring conversations with some of the world's greatest leaders. We'll talk with founders, entrepreneurs, CEOs, and really some of the most interesting people of our time. Can't wait to get started. Let's go. Hey, everyone. Welcome back to the Kara Golden Show.

0:45Kara Goldin:Today's conversation is all about building a brand that doesn't follow the rules. I love it, but sets a whole new standard instead. So I'm joined by Vincent Brancasi, who is the co-founder of Grimoire, a modern skincare company blending high-performance science with bold, meaningful storytelling. And Vincent's background in brand and strategy and experience design helped lay the foundation for what Grimoire is today. He did not come from the beauty industry and unapologetically, real community first approach to skincare is really what you will see. And I can't wait to get into what it takes in Vincent's opinion to build a brand that lasts in a very noisy, very crowded category.

1:39Kara Goldin:What after fun skincare really means and why Grimoire is pushing the boundaries of what the beauty industry can and should be. And so if you're curious, you must, must, must listen to this interview. Vincent, welcome to the show. Thank you, Kara. It's great to be here. Very, very excited. So you are a brand new company. We typically will talk to companies that have maybe more years under their belt with the brand. But I was very intrigued and love your brand positioning, but also the actual product. So let's start at the beginning. What is Grimoire, the brand, the company, and how is it different from everything else in the personal care space?

2:34Yeah, you know, Grimoire is, as you mentioned in your opening comments, an unapologetically advanced skincare. We really embrace this level of authenticity and allow people to live their lives the way they want to and know that Grimoire will be here to help them get prepared for their next moment. And I think that's what really sets ourselves apart from other skincare brands is that we are not a dermatologically focused brand. We are a brand that meets you at the moment that you may need us, right? Our tagline is after fun skincare, and that can mean really anything to anyone, but it's whether you're coming in from a great day at the beach or on the ski slopes or just with your family, you know, it's showing up there and meeting you at that moment that you just need to either look or feel better about yourself.

3:31Kara Goldin:Yeah, definitely. So you launched Grimoire in June of this year. And what inspired you to start Grimoire? And I should say like the timing of it. What kind of said, okay, fine, we're ready. Let's get going. Sure, you know, it was, Grimoire has been two years in the making, right? So skincare is a journey. And we decided to launch in June for celebration of Pride Month. We are a queer owned brand and we are for our community as our number one customer. And it was important that we came out during this time to embrace our community and our connection with our community. Grimoire really started because of my past life or past work constantly and continually being in front of people, talking, speaking, and traveling.

4:34And so I was always having to, I guess you could say, play catch up with how I felt or how I felt I looked based on the hours spent on the road or prepping for my next meeting. So that's really, in a nutshell, how Grimoire came to be. And then the amount of hours and work that we put in to develop the brand and to develop the formulas was really pre-launched.

4:58Kara Goldin:So that took you about two years before you actually launched. And I think for anybody who hasn't launched a brand in any category, they think that that seems like a very long time. Yet, I think many founders would say or co-founders would say that, you know, it's pretty normal. What would you say to that? Yeah, you know, when you start this journey, you really don't know when your launch day is going to be because there are so many moving pieces that are all happening at one time, especially in a industry that has some oversight to it. Right. In the sense of our products need to be registered.

5:42They are formulas need to go through clinical trials. We need to make sure that they're safe and then they're effective on the skin. And that's really an important element in this journey, our packaging and our design and all of those pieces. They're happening at different moments. And, you know, when you're thinking about creating a product, it's the raw materials and how those are coming into the picture and how you're sourcing those materials. So to put a specific day on launch is quite hard to forecast. Um, so once we had all of those pieces in place, that's when we really decided that it was time to bring this to the market.

6:23Kara Goldin:So how many SKUs did you launch with and how did you make that decision about how many you would launch with? Sure. You know, it was four SKUs that we launched with that are still our four SKUs today. Uh, it came down to, uh, the moments in life that matter, right? And each of our different products or different SKUs has somewhat of a different persona. And that really drove what our product portfolio would look like. So our Vanity Monday, which is our everyday face serum, that really allows you to show up for that Monday morning. And that Monday morning could be whatever that start of the week is for you.

7:05It doesn't necessarily need to be Monday, but that's your everyday serum. So Beach Guys was really focused around, you know, after having fun, right, after skin irritation, how can we help ease the effects of the skin there? Then we had our eye roll, which helps mitigate the effects of, you know, fine lines and wrinkles. This was really a Botox alternative product. And you can see the way that the naming comes through in each of the products. It's cheeky. It's fun. It's playful. It's not necessarily scientific or clinical in that sense, though each of our products does come with clinical studies.

7:44And then lastly, it was our Nightmare Away. And this was really born out of this idea of when we go to bed at night, what keeps us up at night? Maybe the effects of how we look, right? So Nightmare Away was born out of helping fight away those nightmares that come with skin stress.

8:04Kara Goldin:I love it. So how are you getting the word out? I mean, you launched it in June, connected it with Gay Pride events, I would imagine. But how else are you really getting the word out about the product? It is the early days, but how do you do that? So, you know, Grimoire is rooted in community and connection. And, you know, we look to partner with like-minded establishments in the queer community that bring together people in real time. So partnering with the Gifford House here in Provincetown, which is an iconic hub of queer art and culture. We have been involved with our monthly activations and Central Park's Sheep's Meadow, where our community gathers on the second Sunday of every month to connect with each other.

8:59We have partnered with hotels across the globe, specifically the Rohari Hotel in Mykonos, which is, again, a strong meeting point for people in our community. So we are built around community and connection. And that's really the basis of the brand.

9:18Kara Goldin:I love it. So you, as we mentioned, did not work in the personal care industry before, but you were a consumer. Your packaging is terrific. Your messaging is terrific. How did you come up with the packaging and the messaging? I mean, after all, aren't you supposed to have all kinds of experience in order to not only launch brands, but also products, but launch a company? The packaging is the most important element, the second to the most important element of a beauty brand, right? That's what consumers first see and how they relate to your product. And it really allows you to create that connection with that consumer.

10:04It was really important for us when we set out on this journey to create a product that stood out from the path, right? And so there are so many skincare brands out there that use simple or plain color palettes. And that wasn't the aesthetic that we were going for. And that's where color comes in. And I think it's really important because it's a way for us to showcase or to describe maybe how one may be feeling. So red, a bold color, orange, a bold color, our blues and our grays, right? Really playing into the color palette.

10:45Kara Goldin:I love it. Do you have one skew that is kind of a runway bestseller so far? You know, our eye roll is a fan favorite. it. We tell people to put it in the fridge and it allows the solution to feel a little cool upon application and people really love it. Yeah. It's really, really terrific. So, uh, and it's, it's, um, it's thicker too. So it's, uh, it's really nice because a lot of eye creams are, um, they're not really doing, I think what they're supposed to be doing. So it's, it's really terrific. So when you think about your journey, you have a co-founder. People are always trying to make that decision.

11:26Kara Goldin:Should I launch a business with someone else? Do I launch it with somebody that I know? How do I divide up the responsibilities? All those things. How did you decide you wanted to do this with your co-founder? So Kareem is my life partner and my business partner, and he brings a tremendous amount of knowledge and expertise to our business. But we are with each other day in and day out, and it's really great to begin to tackle challenges, not just as a personal relationship, but also as a business relationship. And each one of us brings different strengths to grimoire. And I think that's really important as you set out for a business partner on your journey.

12:19Kara Goldin:And how do you divide? How do the two of you divide up the responsibilities? Yeah. So I take more of the creative lead and creative role. I'm focused on our business to business relationships and ensuring that the customer journey is well thought out. Kareem is more focused on, I'd say, back of house responsibilities, the technology for our website, and managing our agency partners. Awesome. So when you think about maybe common misconceptions about this, especially in beauty and personal care, but clean and sustainable, I'm sure you've gotten many questions about that. How do you help shift that narrative in the industry?

13:14Kara Goldin:I mean, I'm sure people are talking to you about that. Obviously, you're very focused on the messaging around having fun and great products. But also, there are things that are associated, I guess, with an industry, a beauty industry in particular, that you can't get around. I mean, people are going to ask, what is in the products? And how do you think about that? Yes. So we are vegan certified and there is a level of transparency that comes with being vegan certified versus vegan friendly. Right. So we've had a third party look at our entire end to end manufacturing process, as well as requirements from our raw material suppliers to prove that we are truly vegan and not just what we say is vegan.

14:07Right. So I think that's a big misconception that consumers miss is when brands go out and say we're vegan friendly. That doesn't necessarily mean that they've been certified by a third party. That is just the brand telling you that we are vegan. And I think it's important these days with the lack of transparency that we see in some brands that have that certification.

14:31Kara Goldin:Yeah, definitely. Definitely. So when you first launched the company, I guess not too long ago, but you're getting the message out there. You're sampling. Now it's about getting that second purchase and that third purchase. How do you do that? How do you get this consumer to keep coming back and trying new things? And I guess also, when is it time to launch some other products too? You know, it comes down to one word, Kara, and that's trust. We have to have trust with our consumer. If we don't have it, then they'll never come back. And if we break that trust, they'll never come back. And so we are rooted in our values around trust and transparency and authenticity.

15:25We say what we say we're going to do and we show up when we say we're going to show up. And I think that part of the customer journey is so important. And as a new brand, it's really make or break for us. If we can't create that trust, that bond with the customer, then we'll never win them back.

15:43Kara Goldin:Yeah, absolutely. It's so, so true. What has been the most surprising aspect of launching your own brand that, you know, I'm sure there was plenty of surprises, but was there something that you thought was going to be a lot easier? You know, maybe it wasn't as hard, whatever it is. You know, a skincare brand is, um, it's really comes down to marketing, right? You know, I've spent, I've been in the end, I've been in, uh, as a working adult since, you know, I, since I was 18, I've worked in nine different for nine different companies over, um, over this time, all in marketing functions. I jokingly say Grimoire is a marketing agency that specializes in men's skincare and we have one customer.

16:41When I look back at kind of like, wow, didn't realize that was so important. It kind of comes down to name, right? And grimoire, that name was a trademarkable name and going through the trademark process is time consuming and capital intensive. And that was a moment that I wish I had a little bit more information about before I went down that journey, I've had to enter into coexist agreements with some pretty large recognizable names because they were coming after us for our tagline, United by Vanity.

17:21Kara Goldin:Oh, wow. That's so interesting. So what did you do when that happened? Well, we had to, of course, engage our legal team. What was really interesting with this tagline united by vanity uh you can only imagine the end end word there the last word there the publication coming after us um but it was in the uk uh and they had a lingerie line that they were looking to uh protect specifically for women so we had to go into a coexist agreement where we would agree not to market a women's lingerie under the united by vanity slogan oh that's so interesting Yeah. So yeah, really, really interesting. And I've heard this over and over again, too.

18:10Kara Goldin:It's especially when it's a company that is outside of the US and you know, you're just trying to make sure your brand is registered and protected. But I think it's, it's always a little challenging outside of the US. it is um however uh most organizations really only do care about the u.s so if you can uh if you can get your brand trademarked in the u.s that's a huge accolade for for yourself and for your brand definitely so beyond the packaging and and obviously the the great messaging and the great products. There are other aspects of the business that you have to make sure that you're not dropping the ball on, right?

18:58Kara Goldin:The consumer experience, the website, even the box that it's delivered in, right? And making sure that it sort of matches kind of the messaging that you want the consumer to associate with the brand. So can you talk about that? What aspect of that was kind of challenging, I guess? And I just had an interview earlier where this brand was talking about the box and how he never thought it would be so difficult to actually create the right kind of box. It's not like you can just call and order a box. You want a box that really fits your product and what you're doing. And it's just, it's crazy. You know, the packaging is, I think I mentioned this before, probably one of the biggest elements, the packaging and design that you have to initially create that connection with the consumer.

20:02And so it needs to be perfect. when we think about our packaging, we really wanted to be as sustainable as we could in our packaging. So, you know, reducing, you know, shipping, what we call in the industry, shipping air, right? So making sure that our packaging was snug tight around what's called the primary packaging, which is your inner part, your plastic tube. and ensure that we weren't using too many pieces, right? Because skincare and then beauty, we waste product or we waste materials a lot. And it was really important to us that we had a minimal footprint as possible here. So working with our contract manufacturers and our suppliers to identify those vendors that could meet us where we wanted to be and also at the price level that we wanted to meet, to make our products affordable.

21:02Kara Goldin:So how have you funded the company? You know, it does cost money to actually create products and even if they're initial test products. So how have you thought, how have you handled fundraising and really scaling in order to create the company that you have? Sure. So we are 100 % self-funded. Kareem and I are using our own money to fund this venture. We've had opportunities to look at other investors, but then we're answering to those funds. And it was really important for us to stay true to our brand ethos and our creative direction and see how that, you know, trended and market before we began to take money and direction from other entities.

22:00Kara Goldin:So when you think about the challenges ahead, there will be challenges and not just launching, but now you need to scale it. What do you think is kind of the biggest unknown for you that you know you're going to have to tackle, but it's a little bit scary? When I think about scaling, I think about it in two parts. There is wholesale scaling and then scaling D2C on the global level. Uh, we are now entering or, or, or are about to announce a global partnership with a global logistics company that will allow us to ship to 60 countries and be at your doorstep within three to five business days. Uh, that will be a huge milestone for us.

22:49Um, and an area that, you know, I have, um, I'm unsure of what could be a challenge or, um, that we'll have to experience. And then secondly, it's wholesale, right? And every retailer, every major retailer has their own set of requirements that we have to meet in order for them to carry our product. And it can be daunting and overwhelming to begin to sift through all of those requirements. So again, it's the fear of the unknown there, but you have to go into these situations with being very agile and ready to tackle it and be able to make decisions on the fly.

23:29Kara Goldin:So you're a D2C company to start. Amazon has also played a part in you building, launching and building the business. What do you think most, or not most, but maybe many new founders get wrong about building through direct-to-consumer? the service model that comes with direct to consumer uh you know these customers are coming to your brand and they're expecting the same exact experience that they would have if they were at going to a big box retailer or a a retailer online that has you know uh you know more skews and more and more presence right and so they're wanting that same level of service and that's important that you deliver on that.

24:20And that goes back to the customer experience and customer journey and creating that trust with the customer.

24:26Kara Goldin:Yeah, definitely. So last question, what's next for Grimoire and what are you most excited about as you continue to scale your wonderful brand? Yeah. So Grimoire, we are a trademark that not only is skincare, but apparel. We're looking to collab with queer designers for the spring-summer collection. We have two new products, skincare products coming out in Q1 of next year and continuing to grow globally. Like I mentioned, we have our partnerships with our internationally recognized hotel. We have a distribution center that will be set up to allow us to access those customers in the EU and Australia, and really just continuing to be a creative force in our community that connects everyone through this idea of longevity and skincare.

25:27Kara Goldin:I love it. Well, Vincent, thank you so much for joining us today and sharing all that you have about building the brand, launching your company, all that you've learned, right, in launching a physical goods product, but also launching one around a community that you saw not being focused on, right? That you could speak to. I love it. Love it. Love it. So your approach to combining incredible products and great design and great messaging is really wonderful and core. So for everyone listening, go check out Grimoire at grimoirenyc.com and be sure to follow Vincent and all that they're doing at Grimoire on Instagram.

26:20Kara Goldin:And are you on other channels as well? We'll have all of that in the show notes. Thank you. Yes, we are Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. Awesome. Very, very, very great. Well, thank you again. And thank you everyone for listening. Please share this episode. And thank you so much again, Vincent. Appreciate it. Thanks, Kara. Thanks again for listening to The Kara Golden Show. If you would, please give us a review and feel free to share this podcast with others who would benefit. And of course, feel free to subscribe so you don't miss a single episode of our podcast. Just a reminder that I can be found on all platforms at Kara Golden.

27:05Kara Goldin:I would love to hear from you too. So feel free to DM me. And if you want to hear more about my journey, I hope you will have a listen or pick up a copy of my Wall Street Journal bestselling book, Undaunted, where I share more about my journey, including founding and building. Hint. We are here every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Thanks for listening and goodbye for now.