Purple Lab: The Reality of an Indie Brand
March 12, 10
I’m having a bad day. There. I said it.
You know I eat, sleep, and breathe Purple Lab and words cannot accurately express the passion I have for it. But it’s not always a fun glamorous party. If I’m to be honest, which is what this blog is about – a true look at everything that makes a brand – than I will tell you this… Just because you’re on HSN doesn’t mean you’re rolling in it, especially when you’re building a brand and investing in product development.
Starting a business – and it’s still in its infancy - is hard. I have many days where I look back on how far we’ve come and cannot believe what we’ve done. It was a year ago that Todd and I were in a panic over broken components, wondering if Huge Lips Skinny Hips would ever touch the lips of people other than our family and friends, let alone be in a store. HSN was just a dream at that point. Now, it’s a reality.
This is just not one of those days. Instead, it’s a time of unexpected invoices, taxes, and the raw reality that there are no real funds to market the brand and new products the way I’d love to.
We do a lot of email marketing, though I’m careful to not spam. We only like to send meaningful emails and I think we do. The more you send, the larger your database, the more you are charged. Out of nowhere, I was hit with an $800 bill for what used to be $200 (per month, not per email).
$800 isn’t a bloody fortune, but it’s piled on top of so much more. I can’t even!
That $800 is to send emails. There are other fees for designing them, something I didn’t even consider before I saw a larg number on a piece of paper I just received in the mail. If I ignore it, will it go away?
A fashion PR friend asked me if I’d put our products in a gift bag for an event she is doing – it would get our beauty products in the hands of trend setting influncers. I’d love to. Just can’t afford the samples.
Forget mega celebrity gifting programs and an event with the media (not talking about a glittery party, but a small gathering show the spirit of the products and the science behind it would be nice and probably cost about 5k to do it “on-a-budget-but-right.”).
Today is a day of looking at hundreds of receipts and talking to an accountant (least favorite convo) and it’s a day of editing. First cut: additions I’d like to add on the site to make it more dynamic (just can’t fund it at the moment) and the new product shots so that the images are better as a few were originally taken before we had finished products so it’s a cut/paste/photoshop job.
Needless to say, I’m looking forward to a brighter tomorrow! I’ll get through it with Todd and Sharon. I believe it will all work out for the best. I’m sure I’ll look back on this and laugh the way I now giggle over those broken components.
Until then…
Mwah!
Karen
Purple Lab Creatrix
Tags: Beauty, Karen Robinovitz, Purple Lab
March 12th, 2010 at 2:23 am
With success comes pain and sacrifice – something you are well aware of I’m sure. Do what must be done to roll with the punches and don’t look back or have regrets. Sell, auction – - do what you must! When you’re a multimillionaire – you’ll look back and giggle …..
March 12th, 2010 at 6:36 pm
Karen you worked sooooo hard everything happens for a reason and Rome wasnt built in a day!! Just stay positive and focused and you be fine…xo
March 15th, 2010 at 5:32 pm
Thank you – every day is a process and yet an opportunity and I’m thankful for your support on the crazy beauty journey! xxx
March 15th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
Jen, you are a doll. Thank you! I needed that! Mwah!
March 25th, 2010 at 4:24 am
Hang in there. You are doing great and as my Jewish mother says, “if it weren’t for the bad days you wouldn’t be able to appreciate the good days”
p.s. I love reading your blog. It is entertaining, educational and inspirational.