00:00So let's talk about the consumer and what it's a hair care, it's a 10 hair care is sort of bringing here because some have characterized it as a more selective consumer, others have characterized it as a consumer that just doesn't want to pay up in the same way that they have been for the past several years. So talk to us about how you're navigating some of those different cross currents.
00:21I think there's a lot of different ways that we're navigating it. We're connecting with them in different ways, but we're also really speaking to the consumer in a way that's very direct through that navigation, through social media, through hands on activation, pop ups, things like that.
00:40And what we're really, our message is, is that we understand what you're going through. We understand that expensive hair care isn't for anyone anymore. And so we, for instance, we made an announcement that due to tariffs, we're not raising our prices.
00:56So we are a very nimble, you know, self owned, indie owned brand that really kind of goes where they don't go. We connect in really different ways with the consumer. We're about to turn 20 years old. So we're also connecting with our college store with a younger consumer.
01:14Yeah, we're also speaking to the pains of our society. We understand at the same time, they're also demanding more high, better quality ingredients and different types of products. So it's really about being able to move, pivot and be nimble as an indie owned company.
01:32Well, let's talk a little bit more about the college tour, the, you know, push here to get your product in the hands of younger consumers, because I always am curious, you know, when you see these sort of sample giveaways, those types of campaigns, what does the ROI on that look like if folks actually have a chance to try out your products without committing to buying?
01:52Can I tell you, it's incredibly high. This company was built on our miracle leave in product. We now have 11 different variants of that product with collections built around each one. We sell 11 million bottles of that product just in the United States. We're now in over 130 countries worldwide. I started this company with $80,000. We didn't have big marketing budgets, and we built it by giving out free samples of our miracle leave in product.
02:18So it's really, to me, it's the entryway. And it's interesting. I was just at the University of Miami this weekend. My daughter goes there. I was at the pop-up handing out product, and I can't believe how many young people came up and like, oh, my God, I know this product. Give me one. Give me one.
02:35So although we're 20 years old, we might have been their mother's hair care, we are still loved and embraced by the younger generation.
02:42You know, I'm fascinated, Carolyn, by the idea that you haven't taken on major outside investors. You basically stayed indie, as you say here. But as you continue to grow and get bigger, do you see maybe the need at some point to bring in outside investors?
02:55I don't, thank God. And I'm kind of old school when it comes to all of that. I know there's a lot of brands that bring in venture or maybe sell a portion of it.
03:04We actually have created It's a 10 Enterprises, which now has five other additional brands underneath it.
03:11Be a 10 Makeup, Rewind It, 10 Men's Beard and Hair Color. We created Cloud, a retail brand.
03:17So we're actually expanding. More beauty needs are being met by our brands. And so we're actually building more.
03:25Do you find that that's necessary, particularly in the consumer product space, to maybe do that?
03:29I mean, I know there's been a lot of talk about how even a lot of CPG products can't even really attract venture capital the way, say, I don't know, an AI or something that's hot in the zeitgeist.
03:38Is that so for, you know, the next sort of entrepreneur out there who's watching this, is he or she, is that kind of the path forward for a CPG brand?
03:45I think so. You know, if you can't, listen, I'm a strong believer in starting small, especially when you have social media like TikTok.
03:54I've seen some brands blow up overnight and really funding yourself, starting off with that hot one product like I did, that Miracle Leave-In product, and letting it kind of build and grow on itself.
04:05There's nothing wrong with that. Everything doesn't have to be instant and having, you know, the big investors coming in, spending the big bucks.
04:12There's a lot of ways to success in today's society. So, you know, I believe in doing it that way as well.
04:19All right. So what's next?
04:21What's next? 2026, as I mentioned, we're 20 years old. My book is coming out and we're expanding.
04:27We continue to expand as far as additional brands, but we have a lot to celebrate next year and we are going to be rebranding as well.
04:34So we have a lot of really excited things to announce through 2026.
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