When it comes to building a successful business, we all know that profit is the bottom line – or is it? In the effort to drive sales, many entrepreneurs often overlook the importance of building a solid foundation. CEO and Founder of Glam Seamless, Alexandra Cristin, knows better than most that real profit is impossible without purpose, planning, and presentation. I sat down with Cristin and learned how she built her hair extensions business by focusing on absolutely everything – except sales.
In 2012, Cristin was a 22-year-old millennial who spent her time watching makeup and hair tutorials on YouTube. When she discovered the magic of tape-in extensions, she found not only that they came at a ridiculous price point, but that they were much less readily available online than traditional clip-ins and wefts. Inspired by a YouTuber who sold hair clip-ins online, Cristin decided that she could do the same with her own spin. “I saw an opportunity and ran with it, despite my lack of experience and lack of funds – I started it anyway” said Cristin.
So how was she able to achieve the millennial dream of turning a few hundred bucks and a passion into a multimillion-dollar business? The answer is straightforward: focus on the fundamentals first, and the sales will come. Here are Cristin’s underlying principles for sustainable success.
Start With What You Know And Then Expand
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Building a viable business is possible as long as you have a real interest and passion in whatever you are selling. In Cristin’s case, there were other girls already selling clip-ins online, but it was her unique passion that made a huge difference. “I didn’t copy the YouTuber who was selling hair extensions that inspired me – I decided to sell a completely different type of [hair] extension, one that wasn’t being sold. If I would have copied her, I wouldn’t have been as successful because she already had a lot of market share.” Cristin realized that there was a hole in the market. Not only were there everyday women like her seeking quality hair online, but there were also hairstylists and salon professionals who needed to buy hair for their clients at an affordable price point. Armed with this knowledge, Cristin started Glam Seamless with the goal of selling affordable, high-quality extensions online that would serve not only women like herself, but salons across the world. It’s all about starting with your interests, studying your market, identifying a need, and standing out from the crowd. Recommended For You
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Dominate Social Media Through Value
“I did not have any money to run advertising [within] the first two years as I started the company with only $1,500,” said Cristin. “I had to use free tools and resources to build brand awareness. To do that, I used a free and powerful tool – social media.” Every budding business should be maximizing their marketing through social media. Not only is it free, it’s one of the best ways to offer value to prospective customers. What does it mean to offer value? Think about what questions you are answering and what problems you are solving for your customer outside of merely pitching your product. Instead of leading with “buy this,” lead with engagement every time.
Cristin reveals that YouTube and Instagram were two of the biggest platforms contributing to her success with a focus on video content. “We increased Glam Seamless sales through product knowledge and education producing useful content for our blogs, videos [and] social media channels. This made our customers see we were adding value first by answering their questions or giving advice on the product, not just pushing product to sell,” shared Cristin. If someone was looking to learn anything from how to pick the right hair extension to how to put it on, Glam Seamless was there to provide the answer in branded, easy-to-follow videos, repurposed across social media platforms. Explain ways your product can be used or worn, show how it works for you and for others, offer video demos, tutorials and testimonials, and always answer every question you receive. When you push value through education and community, your product will sell itself.
Stick To Proven Strategies
While the bells and whistles are alluring, never underestimate the power of the basics when it comes to marketing. While influencer marketing can be impactful, it is not the bread and butter for Glam Seamless. In fact, influencer partnerships account for only 5% of the brand’s sales. Instead, Cristin credits her massive success to some pretty old school principles: “Consistent improvement of SEO, content, and a beautiful website experience took Glam Seamless from a seven-figure to an eight-figure brand within two years,” revealed Cristin. “We see paid ads by social influencers all the time. I think the consumer is smarter than that. Social media influencers only add value when they truly believe in and use the product they are promoting – and make good content around that product. If they are doing it for the money, it’s obvious, and the brand wastes their dollars.”
Search engine optimization, on the other hand, is tried and true. If you have a great SEO game, your website, blogs, and content will rank highly on search engine results, and you will get tons of free traffic from users who are specifically looking for the product or solution you are offering. In order to use SEO effectively, make sure you have a website that is optimized for SEO and killer both in aesthetic and functionality.
Develop Grit
Your greatest free resource as an entrepreneur is yourself and the amount of sweat equity you are willing to put in. Simply put, you have to be willing to work hard. “I worked seven days a week, and I didn’t even track hours. I did whatever it took,” remembered Cristin. “Seven years later, I did reach a point of burnout, but luckily the universe always knows what you need, and at the time near burnout, I was approached by a larger company that wanted to acquire Glam Seamless.” Truth be told, it doesn’t get easier, you just get better. “I love hair extensions and I wanted to build something that didn’t exist. I didn’t care how long it took. And even with a larger team, you still put in so much work. You don’t stop, the goals and dreams get bigger, and as a founder you have to lead your now large team to success,” shared Cristin. Being an entrepreneur means living outside of your comfort zone and learning to thrive in the realm of uncertainty. “When you are in an inventory-based business, there is a risk of losing it all every day. That’s the thing they don’t tell you – growth eats up your cash, especially in product-based businesses. I would think, ‘what if I lose this all? What if the 100k in hair I just bought comes in late, delaying sales?’” remembered Cristin.
Ultimately, these kinds of risks come with the territory, and no one knows better than Cristin how much that kind of grit and determination can pay off. “That is the life of an entrepreneur: big risks, big rewards. As an entrepreneur, every day is a risk, and if you aren’t willing to take them, someone else will, and they will see success that you didn’t by not risking it.”
Cristin’s advice to every entrepreneur: “Master the brand and product first. The sales will come if you do what you need to do. Build a strong brand and the best product.”Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website.
Written by Pauleanna Reid orginially published on Forbes.com
I am the founder of New Girl on the Block, a mentorship platform for millennial women who are dealing with major life and career transitions. I use creative education to turn distant dreams into noteworthy achievements. Additionally, my passions include advocacy for youth and mental health in which I contribute my free time spreading awareness, providing expertise on media platforms and delivering keynote talks in schools nationwide. When I’m not reporting or working with young adults, I am ghostwriting projects for celebrities, athletes, politicians and high-performing executives. I own an agency which helps the leaders and doers who are shaping the future turn their personal stories into brand assets.
![From Music to Perfume: How did your background as a music teacher influence your transition into perfumery, and how do you incorporate your musical sensibilities into creating fragrances? I’ve always thought in terms of metaphors, and music has many that can be related to perfumery! Beyond just thinking in terms of top, middle and base notes [soprano/alto/tenor in choir], I approach each fragrant idea as a composition. When documenting my ideas, song structures often come to mind. As the scent brief is visited, I meditate on what the fragrance should convey - do I want to create an accord or a “chord” of fragrance note combinations? Do I want an a capella soloist (a particular ingredient to stand out more than others?) Many of my thoughts regarding song composition transfers to my scent formulation process, with me treating each note as an intentional soliloquy at some point.
Brand Origin: What inspired you to start Pink MahogHany in 2005, and how has your vision for the brand evolved since its inception?
An avid lover of all things pleasantly scented (with slight modesty), looking back in retrospect, it’s no huge surprise that I’ve created an indie perfume house with just an idea to provide unique options for those who may be sensitive to unnecessary pungency. Initially, I just wanted to evaluate various blends to note their aroma profiles when “played” together…it wasn’t until I had friends and family asking if I knew of brands that catered to those who may be on the more olfactory sensitive side, that I really began to take my research more seriously. In the almost 20 years that Pink MahogHany has been in existence, our micro visions for the brand have evolved to larger territory. Where Pink MahogHany used to only be a personal brand, we are now also a bespoke formulation service provider to other indie brands seeking unique fragrance offerings for their products. These products range from (but are not limited to) perfumes, candles, body butters and lip balms. Ingredient Transparency: You emphasize transparency and the use of desirable ingredients in your products. How do you select your ingredients, and what challenges have you faced in maintaining this standard?
Being an indie brand often comes with a set of assumptions and misconceptions - one of them being more negative than positive as it relates to ingredients used. There is a lot of “fluff” in the industry with labeling falsification. Because fragrance formulas are a trade secret, not every molecular breakdown of a material has to be noted on the ingredient label (it would be incredibly long), but we at Pink MahogHany™️ adhere strongly to the IFRA [International Fragrance Regulatory Association] regulations that state for common and potential allergens to be listed on our ingredient label. We’ve taken this a step further to also include these ingredients listed on our website to promote further transparency, all while protecting our intellectual property. Unfortunately, we’ve had companies to unethically sell lesser expensive “dupes” of our artisan perfumes, so as a way to create a better authenticity stamp, we make it our duty to be honest about our claims. If our perfume says “Rose Bulgaria”, it is in fact just that and not a component of rose being passed off as the source material. Collaborations and Custom Scents: Can you share more about your work with private label clients? What excites you most about creating custom scent solutions for other indie brands? I could easily sum this up in one word and say “Funding.” True, there is money out there, but I’m always thinking outside the box. Having a program that has an “Each One Fund One” mentality doesn’t exist (that I’ve been made aware of). Bootstrapping can be quite the challenge, even when you’ve reached the 6-figure mark annually. Competition to be seen and set apart is extremely high, so having quality packaging and branding is a must. There are lots of factors to consider, though when desiring to make upgrades. If there were a unique, tier-geared funding operation available, it would help perfume brands offset packaging and bulk material costs in the beginning stages.
Industry Challenges: What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced as an independent fragrance house, and how have you overcome them to grow your brand? As the brand continues on the path of organic growth, I would like to expand our reach into schools, offering perfumery as an arts elective for middle and high school. I’d love to partner with botanists, farmers and horticulturists directly to grow and source raw materials for the students to work with in the creation of tinctures. My passion is getting back to nature as best as possible, as nature was my first “scent experience” as a child. We would also love to witness our fragrance creations being used to scent model homes, our focus diffuser blends being used in automobile dealerships as well as partner with Air Bnb and boutique hotels that specialize in highlighting minority, indie brands. Personal Journey: How has your personal experience, particularly as a divorced mother and someone who has experienced the loss of a child, shaped your approach to life and your work in perfumery?
Because I homeschool my twin sons, we are together a lot more than most, so one thing we all do is have moments of sharing where a neutral “floor” is laid to converse about anything. Though they are quite communicative by nature, I realize that sometimes I can be in work mode so much that it spills over into what should be our quality time. My sons see the authentic me and learn how to communicate through seeing authenticity. I’ve learned not to feel as if I have to be the epitome of perfection but allow them to see my imperfections vulnerably but with discernment. Having had two traumatic experiences pretty close together has taught me how to truly slow down and enjoy the simplicities of life - igniting a spiritual aspect that I’ve always carried but never fully explored…until Kenji’s sudden passing (2018.) Grief has a way of catapulting us into a quest for more meaningfulness in both life and business. After Kenji’s passing and my processing through the initial stages of grief, I was able to incorporate our spiritual bond into Pink MahogHany by way of essential oil diffuser blends for both focus and sleep and most recently aromatic perfume elixirs. It’s been quite the process channeling the void of his physical presence, but I also have peace knowing he can be honored in a great way through scent. I noticed once I began to be more open and receptive to spiritual signs, synchs and “winks”, more ideas began to flow. It’s been this way since his transition. Emotional Expression: Fragrance is often tied to memories and emotions. How does your personal life influence the fragrances you create, and do you have a particular scent that holds special meaning to you? My creative process is much more alchemic now, and I include Kenji by talking out loud to him, believe it or not. I’m a firm believer that when our loved ones transition from the physical plane, they are still present - just in another form. I choose to keep his memory alive by not pretending he never existed (even if for a brief period of time). I am working (slowly) on a book and accompanying fragrance, but I know it will require me to revisit some memories I’m not quite ready for, so until then, his big brothers will launch their debut fragrance, The Peaceful Tiger (they chose the name.) I’ve learned that even in what we consider “small things”, our transitioned loved ones want to be recognized and acknowledged. When the twins and I designed their fragrance label (with a designer out of the country that didn’t know anything about me personally), we had issues with the graphic - so much so that the designer asked if they could rework the design. When they sent the proof for approval, the Tiger was not only younger but sleeping, with an uncanny, angelic resemblance to baby Kenji! Becoming more aware and being more sensitive to my intention for launching a fragrance has definitely made room for more divine situations like these to occur. Healing Through Scent: In what ways has creating fragrances been a form of healing or expression for you, especially after the loss of your son, Kenji Mwamba? I know my sons may not necessarily want to be perfumers, but they definitely have an entrepreneurial heart. My desire is that whatever they decide to pursue (acting, script-writing, music or architecture), they know that anything is possible with the right amount of determination, grit, belief and immersion. One reason I chose to homeschool is so they could enjoy learning without restraint and have ample time to devote to their own separate passions and it still be fun. They know Pink MahogHany is theirs if they want it (many, many years from now - lol), and we are already discussing business structures for whatever they choose their role to be once I retire. Work-Life Balance: How do you find balance between your professional responsibilities and personal well-being, and what self-care practices do you prioritize? I’m not just a perfumer; I’m also a consumer, and self-care is huge for me. I often take salt baths to reset my energy and clear my mind after being around large groups of people or free a long day. I’m a habitual perfume sampler, and I have so many to choose from to wear as my “nightcap.” Even if just for 10-15 minutes, I cherish each moment I’m able to have some “me-time.” When time and co-parenting schedules permit, I’m definitely on a flight somewhere to indulge in some delicious food and mouth-watering mocktails!](https://www.womenontopp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/IMG_3812-1200x720.jpeg)
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