- 6 weeks ago
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00So next up, we have Ari Turner and her business Look Good, Live Well. Ari?
00:11Problematic, troubled, stubborn. If someone used those words to describe you and your skin,
00:17tell me how you would feel. Well, personally, I felt defeated and frustrated. Once I got over
00:23those initial emotions, however, I was able to use those negative words to fuel me to develop
00:28a product line that I was seeking when I was suffering from acne. My name is Ari, CEO and
00:34founder of Look Good, Live Well, a clinical-grade, high-performing skincare line formulated specifically
00:40for melanin-rich women who are done dealing with dark spots. Powered by plants and backed by science,
00:46all products work to increase hydration, decrease hyperpigmentation, and affirm the power, beauty,
00:52and resilience of Black skin. In the height of my career as a makeup artist for film and television,
00:58I began to suffer from a severe case of anxiety. That triggered some other health issues that
01:05manifested as acne. I was desperate for a solution, and so I was reaching for anything on the market
01:10that promised me clear skin. At the height of my desperation, you guys, I was using about 15 products
01:16per night. What was interesting to me was that the language that was being used by these companies
01:21was also reflective of the ingredients that they were using. They were toxic. They were unnecessary.
01:27They were harsh, and they didn't give me the results that I wanted, so I decided to scale back
01:33considerably and dig into education to figure out what was at the root of my acne and also what
01:39exactly was inside of these products that I was using. What I discovered was alarming. I realized that
01:45majority of the ingredients and the products that I was using were directly linked to cancer,
01:51to autoimmune deficiencies, and a ton of other adverse health effects. As someone who has cancer
01:57in their lineage, that struck out to me a ton. Cancer, specifically in Black women, affects us
02:03at a much younger rate than it does white women. Also, when we are affected with cancer, it's usually
02:10the triple negative subtype, which is a form that is very, very, very aggressive. In addition to that,
02:17the disparities of mortality rate were shocking to me as well. Black women have a 42% mortality rate
02:24in comparison to any other ethnic group or any other group, period. So those statistics were staggering,
02:30and I made a decision to focus on clean ingredients, and not only that, to create what I could not find
02:37in the market myself. Look Good Live Well was created to support the market in two very distinct ways.
02:43One, we offer formulations that are free from unnecessary toxins like fragrance,
02:49SLS, formaldehyde, and mineral oil, just to name a few. And two, we support our customer holistically.
02:55We believe that we should celebrate the skin in every single stage of its journey. When you know better,
03:01you do better. So one large arm of our platform is education. We want customers to know what is
03:10triggering their acne, how they can manage it internally, and why our products are best for
03:15them. We also use marketing that celebrates who they are and what their skin is doing. It's
03:20important to know for us that perfect skin has pores, it has textures, and yes, it even has the
03:26occasional breakout. In order to simplify and streamline the user experience, we currently have
03:31a total of eight products on the market. We've got a five-step evening regimen, a treatment mask,
03:37and two skincare tools. One of the fastest growing segments in the skin health industry is acne
03:42treatment. And while our competitors are promoting high concentrations of acids and aggressive exfoliants,
03:49we're intentionally scaling back and promoting powerful plant-based formulations that strengthen
03:54and support the skin's moisture barrier, giving the skin the opportunity to heal naturally.
03:59Our website averages about 20,000 visits per month, and our average sale is $125. This high incidence
04:06of multiple SKUs is important to us because it tells us that our customers understand the importance
04:12of layering products and the benefits of using a system. In less than seven months on market,
04:18we were able to generate over $80,000 in sales. Our two-year projection reflect a continued upward
04:24trajectory of growth, and the word is spreading much faster than we can produce. Even Beyonce recognized
04:32look good, live well as a premier leader in not just beauty, but also the wellness industry,
04:37which speaks to us specifically because we believe that skincare is a form of self-care.
04:42Currently, I'm a one-woman show, and I'm handling all aspects of business on my own, including
04:47financing. It's a labor of love, but I am ready for some relief. So winning this grand prize would
04:55directly give me access to help close my supply and demand gap by helping me purchase more inventory,
05:02keep items in stock. I also plan to have a very strong focus on marketing efforts because, again, like I said,
05:09I think that having strong visuals to pair with the products is extremely important for our brand in particular.
05:15Facebook ads, Google ads, a website refresh, a complete overhaul is what I will benefit from winning the grand prize.
05:22Aside from the monetary, you know, the obvious, I find huge value in community and connection,
05:28and so I'm excited to connect with you all as advisors so that I can lay the foundation of my brand
05:34and make sure that look good, live well is synonymous with longevity, clean formulations, health,
05:40and community, just like many of the brands today are represented. So I look forward to connecting
05:45with you all further and answering any questions that you all may have about look good, live well.
05:48Thank you. Thank you so much, Ari. Wonderful to hear about this business you've referred to as a labor
05:56of love. I'm going to give my fellow judges an opportunity to ask you a few questions and start
06:01with James. Good morning, Ari. Thanks for your time. Hey, James. How are you? I'm great. I'm great.
06:07Thank you. Hey, thanks for your commitment to the community and skin of color and trying to improve
06:12the appearance and occurrence of hyperpigmentation. How do you go about that? As you talk about
06:19delivering natural products and removing the more toxic elements, what are the foundational aspects
06:25of your product that deliver the reason to believe? Healing. So moisture is the key. We have one product,
06:31the treatment product that I mentioned. It's actually our bestseller, and it's a really gentle,
06:35mild exfoliant, a chemical exfoliant, no less. So no harsh scrubs or microbeads to tear at the skin.
06:42But while it's doing a really great job of gently exfoliating, it's also infusing, hydrating,
06:48and nourishing ingredients. Majority of the other products in the line are focused on, just like I
06:53said, increasing the moisture barrier or reinforcing the moisture barrier. This is necessary so that the
06:58skin has an opportunity to heal itself. What I learned about hyperpigmentation is that it's not a
07:03bad thing at all. Not like, you know, the markets will make it seen. We don't need to banish breakouts or
07:08banish dark spots. Hyperpigmentation is the body's natural defense mechanism to try to cover up
07:13and protect areas of inflammation. So what I've discovered personally and through my scientific
07:18research is that when you support what the body is doing naturally, you see better results.
07:22So instead of going to war with our skin with high aggressive acids, we're using nurturing products
07:28to help reinforce that moisture barrier so that it's at its greatest health so that it can recover and
07:34heal quicker. And what are the ingredients that the consumer recognizes? Absolutely. We use a high
07:41grade of amino acids, antioxidants, some of other ones that we use. Glycerin, hyaluronic acid is one
07:51that is super important. Copper peptides are other ingredients. And then we've got our shea butter,
07:57our avocado oil, tea tree oil, lavender. So some things that are really, you know, really soothing
08:04that I think that the customer would be familiar with. But what I'm excited about also is the science
08:09behind it as well. So I'm excited about educating on what antioxidants do and why amino acids are so
08:16very important. And then also adaptogens. That's something I'm really passionate about. So we've got
08:20gluticola and some other things, some reishi mushroom that also works to amplify their regimen.
08:26All right, thank you. You're welcome. Thanks so much for that. Arian, do you have a question?
08:34Yes, I do. Congratulations on all your success and all your rapid growth in a very short time span.
08:42I, one thing I want to compliment you on is just your simplicity. I'm very clear about what you're doing,
08:49what you're getting done, and your knowledge behind it. I think it was excellent. You mentioned
08:56something that I find very key in the space of being an investor. It's one thing to allocate
09:00capital. It's another thing to gain the resource of mentorship and partnership. I wanted you to
09:06elaborate on what the strategic partnership actually would do for your business. That's the first part of
09:12the question. And second part, are there other strategic partners that you see yourself having that
09:17will be basically influential in the growth of your business?
09:20That's a great question. And I have to thank you for recognizing the simplicity. When I think of
09:26simplicity, I think of also sustainability and just things being streamlined. And that's very
09:30important to me individually, you know, personally, but as a brand overall. So thank you for that.
09:36When I think about connection and relationship, I mean, the growth has been expansive and the core of
09:41my brand is community. I launched this brand literally off of Instagram, connecting with people,
09:48weekly, going live and educating them through a series of IG lives that I call it Ask Airy,
09:54where I would answer any skincare questions that they had. And it was excellent market research
09:59because I was able to figure out exactly what customers wanted, needed, and where those education
10:04gaps were. So connecting with my customer directly is very, very important to me. I think the landscape
10:11of retail is changing significantly. I think that it was prior to COVID. So while I do have aspirations
10:17to have products on the shelves of Sephora, I really think that I would benefit from a situation where
10:23I could glean from advisors like those on the call today to really figure out if that's the smartest
10:28and most strategic route. I don't necessarily know that it is. Again, before COVID, we saw mass
10:34retailers closing down. And a large part and core of my line, like I said, is education. And I'm afraid
10:40that that's something that could potentially be lost by just having products sitting on a shelf. So
10:44those areas where I'm a little bit gray, I'm not afraid to say what I don't know. I certainly do
10:49not have the answers, but I'm excited to learn and I'm passionate and I'm open. And although this is
10:54my baby, my connection is with my customer. So I'm willing to do whatever it takes to help make sure
11:00that they have the right product and the right solution in their home. I'm excited about connecting
11:05with you all and learning ways to grow and expand my business so that it reaches more individuals.
11:11And when I say growth, I don't mean necessarily a larger line of products. Again, I think
11:15sustainability for me personally is key. So I want to keep things small and niche in the theme of
11:21reduce, reuse, recycle, let's reduce consumption. But I would love to learn from you all and figure
11:27out, you know, as you pace and as you have navigated the industry, what is the most impactful
11:33way for me to reach more customers as a business owner?
11:37Excellent. Thank you.
11:40Great. Sabrina, did you have a question?
11:43Yes, I did. But first, Ari, thank you so much for a wonderful pitch about your brand and what you
11:50built. Just had two questions, actually. One, the first one, why don't you, if you could expand to us
11:55about, you mentioned your products being clinically, I guess, clinically based, clinically based
12:01products. Can you expand a little bit more of what you mean by that?
12:04Absolutely. Absolutely. So when I worked, I had an idea of some ingredients that I wanted to use in
12:10all of my products. And so when I sought out a manufacturer in a laboratory to formulate, I wanted
12:15to make sure that they were able to incorporate them, that they were able to also push the boundaries
12:22of what a natural or clean skincare line is. I think that the market has an idea and a notion that
12:28every product that's marketed is natural or clean is something that's being whipped in the kitchen.
12:32And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. But I wanted, although, you know, it's free of
12:38very specific ingredients, I wanted to make sure that it was shelf stable, that we weren't going to have
12:43a crazy overgrowth of bacteria, that it was something safe for my customers to use. So partnering with
12:49a laboratory and having that testing done was really important and pivotal to me. And it was absolutely
12:54worth the investment so that I could confidently say that I know that this will help reduce
12:58hyperpigmentation. I know that, you know, we have statistics that show that it increases hydration
13:03and all of the things that I say is important for me to have valid data that backs it up. So
13:08partnering with a manufacturer that has that laboratory access gave me that comfort and peace
13:13of mind. Great. Thank you. And last question is, you have an array of portfolio products and as well
13:19as devices that you offer your consumers. And given that, I think that you have a mix of skin types
13:23that you're trying to address and give different benefits to, how would you say your selection
13:30of natural ingredients differs from competitors in the same skin health space?
13:35So what I think that we're seeing right now is that it's a very interesting thing because
13:40part of it, I think, is COVID. And then part of it is just the way things have naturally evolved. But
13:45customers are having access to some really potent and aggressive ingredients. High percentages
13:52of actives are on the market for very, very, very cheap prices. So you can buy a 30%
13:58exfoliant, a glycolic acid, or, you know, a high dosage of retinol over the counter. And you don't
14:05have that, that education, that expertise. And so what's happening is people are burning their skin.
14:10I know, because I was one of those people that completely compromised their moisture barrier and
14:15overindulge. So I see that trending with a lot of the lines that are on the market, just
14:20overindulging their customers, making everything, even skincare tools that I believe should be left
14:25in the hands of a professional are now being marketed for at-home use. So we are dialing it
14:30back considerably. And our focus is on hyperpigmentation specifically because of the
14:35narrative that surrounded it, that it's been, that it's bad, that it's stubborn, and that you have to
14:40have clear, bright skin to look beautiful. And that's not the case at all. So that's one key focus
14:45in a market that we're definitely clear, clearly moving towards, but also in terms of hydration,
14:51every single person can and will benefit from a healthy moisture barrier. So anyone sensitive,
14:58acne prone, eczema prone, dry combination, whatever your skin type is, we work to balance and deeply
15:05hydrate the skin so that the skin functions in its highest capability.
15:09Great. Thank you. You're welcome.
15:14Ari, I have a question for you. And I think you opened up your, you opened up your pitch with some
15:19poignant words, right? Intended to articulate the way in which women may have heard their skill talk
15:26to their skin talked about, correct? So if, if what you have as a mission and a purpose with your brand
15:32comes to life, what will replace those words? What are the words you want that consumer base to use
15:39to describe their skin that is the opposite of stubborn, problematic, and some of the other
15:45words that you use? Absolutely. Resilient, strong, self-sufficient. I think that's probably the most
15:52impactful one. I think that a lot of times we have been taught that we have to reach outside of
15:57ourselves to, um, to heal in various areas of life, but also with our skin. And so what this line
16:04represents is giving the body, feeding it, nourishing ingredients, feeding the skin, what it needs so
16:10that it can do what it was intended to do, what it has the knowledge to do on its own. So instead of
16:15looking outside of yourself for a solution, it is gently nourishing and working. It's more of a
16:20collaborative effort. I will say working intrinsically with the body to help it reach its optimum health.
16:26Great. I have one more question and it's related to your own personal story about a stressful time
16:34in your life that created, right? A different skin health for you, which implies, right? But it's
16:40beyond product, it's lifestyle, right? It's how are you living that plays a role in how your skin feels.
16:46And so how does your brand address that part of the story, knowing how much it was important for you
16:51to recognize that this kind of different skin health that came into your life had correlations
16:56beyond the products? How are you making sure that your customers engage with that?
17:01I love that you asked that. I mean, right out the gate, the name, look good, live well, looking good.
17:05Um, there's a little connection and look good is above live well, but there's a little icon that
17:14connects the two. That was intentional because just as you said, the two go hands in hands. You can't
17:20look good without living well, without having some form of a balanced wellness, you know,
17:26regimen in your life. And so, like I mentioned earlier, what you eat, what I found personally,
17:31when I was suffering from, um, from acne is that I've had to scale back. I had to look at what I was
17:37eating, what I was doing, how often I was moving my body, all of those things. And so those are things
17:42that I communicate with my customers as well. So right out the gate from the line of the company, um,
17:47the name of the company, I communicate with them that looking good and living well are together.
17:52There's no commas periods or anything in between. They flow together because that's the only way
17:58that you'll have optimum health, um, or that you will look good by living well. So that's something
18:02that I am extremely passionate about communicating and educating my customers about.
18:08Okay. Well, thank you so much, Ari, for your time today. And we look forward to what look good,
18:16live well, we'll continue to do.
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