DTC Podcast Episode 525: Three Ships’ System for Trust‑Driven Beauty Growth

Release Date: July 14, 2025

Hosts: DTC Newsletter and Podcast
Guests: Laura Atomson and Connie Lo, Co-Founders of Three Ships Beauty

1. Introduction

In Episode 525 of the DTC Podcast, host Eric Dick welcomes Laura Atomson and Connie Lo, the dynamic co-founders of Three Ships Beauty, to discuss their journey in building a trust-driven beauty brand. The conversation delves into their experiences with transparency, storytelling, marketing strategies, retail integration, and fundraising lessons.

2. Founders’ Journey and Brand Genesis

[02:22] Laura Atomson:
“We were fresh out of our undergrad degrees… frustrated with the state of the natural beauty industry.”

Laura and Connie founded Three Ships in 2017, initially operating under a different brand name. Their mission was to create natural skincare products that were high-performance, effective, and reasonably priced, countering the prevalent issues of greenwashing and subpar product efficacy in the market.

[03:46] Connie Lo:
“We started by hand-making products in my condo kitchen with just $4,000… It was a real hustle grind.”

Their early days involved selling products at craft markets while juggling regular jobs. After a year and a half, they went full-time and rebranded to Three Ships in July 2020, a pivotal moment that marked significant growth through enhanced transparency and outsourced manufacturing.

3. Navigating the Green Beauty Landscape

[05:03] Eric Dick:
“What’s the state of actual green beauty versus mass-produced beauty products?”

[05:26] Laura Atomson:
“The state is very confusing… There’s no legal definition for terms like natural, clean, or green, leading to consumer mistrust.”

Three Ships aims to define and set standards within the natural beauty industry, differentiating between clean beauty (which combines synthetic and natural ingredients without a standardized exclusions list) and natural beauty (fully plant or mineral-derived with minimal processing). They emphasize sustainability as a separate pillar under green beauty.

[08:25] Connie Lo:
“We partnered with certifications like EWG Verified and B Corp to establish trust and set our standards.”

Despite challenges in finding like-minded brands to collaborate with, Three Ships leverages trusted certifications and partnerships with reputable retailers like Whole Foods, Credo Beauty, and Detox Market to uphold their commitment to transparency and quality.

4. Branding, Transparency, and Core Pillars

[10:22] Eric Dick:
“Where did the name Three Ships come from?”

[10:25] Connie Lo:
“Three Ships stands for our three pillars: Uncensorship, Leadership, and Partnership.”

1. Uncensorship: Complete transparency about products, ingredients, and the company’s journey, including a searchable ingredient glossary.
2. Leadership: Setting industry standards and leading the conversation on natural beauty definitions.
3. Partnership: Collaborating with consumers and retailers to develop products that meet their needs and standards.

[11:59] Laura Atomson:
"Our first product was coconut oil-based makeup remover wipes, hand-crafted with limited resources."

Their initial product line was extensive but unsustainable. Transitioning to outsourced manufacturing enabled them to produce science-backed, clinically tested, and water-based formulas, including their bestselling Dewdrops Mushroom Hyaluronic Acid Serum.

5. Growth Through Retail Integration

[17:06] Connie Lo:
“Landing retailers was a learning curve… The hard part is not getting on the shelf, but getting off the shelf.”

Eric Dick inquires about their impressive retail integration. Connie shares insights into their proactive efforts, including attending trade shows funded by a $10,000 pitch competition win, which facilitated connections with key buyers at Whole Foods and other major retailers.

[20:56] Eric Dick:
“What approach would you recommend for founders looking to get into retail?”

[19:36] Connie Lo:
“Research your industry, attend the right trade shows, and understand your distribution strategy. For us, positioning as an accessible brand within prestige retail was key.”

Their strategy emphasizes targeted outreach, understanding brand positioning, and leveraging early retail partnerships to build credibility and drive further growth.

6. Effective Paid Marketing Strategies

[21:14] Laura Atomson:
“What really works for us today is storytelling… forming an emotional connection with the consumer.”

Key Strategies:

• Storytelling: Emphasizing brand narratives and personal stories to build emotional connections.
• Personal Handles Advertising: Running ads from personal Instagram accounts to enhance credibility and authenticity.
• Driving Trial: Focusing on getting products into consumers’ hands to leverage high repeat purchase rates (over 40%, compared to the industry average of 20-22%).

[25:11] Eric Dick:
“Are you mirroring your storytelling content on your website or landing pages?”

[23:57] Laura Atomson:
“We incorporate repurposed clips and live show content on our website, but prioritize reviews and clear, concise product information for conversions.”

Their website strategy combines engaging video content with strong reviews to facilitate trust and drive sales, while keeping storytelling at the forefront of their marketing efforts.

7. Lessons Learned in Marketing and Influencer Engagement

[27:16] Laura Atomson:
“Our most painful lesson was spending $750,000 on macro influencers and only making $30,000 in sales.”

Key Takeaways:

• Avoid Overreliance on Macro Influencers: Focus on micro-influencers and authentic product seeding to build genuine community engagement.
• Creative Ownership: Maintain founder involvement in creative processes to ensure authenticity and effectiveness.
• Cautious Agency Collaboration: Partner with smaller agencies or consultants who understand the brand, as large agencies may not align with brand values or objectives.

[30:14] Connie Lo:
“Building and maintaining relationships with editors and leveraging affiliate PR has been more effective than traditional influencer marketing.”

Their shift from expensive macro influencers to strategic affiliate partnerships and organic PR efforts has yielded more sustainable and impactful results.

8. Fundraising Insights and Best Practices

[40:59] Eric Dick:
“Discuss your fundraising journey and the biggest lessons learned.”

Connie Lo:
“Our first round was a $135,000 friends and family round, which taught us the importance of having a hard close date and dedicating full-time focus to fundraising.”

Laura Atomson:
“Timing is everything. Align fundraising rounds with major business milestones or events to create FOMO and momentum.”

Key Lessons:

• Professional Fundraising Materials: Hiring a skilled deck designer can significantly improve fundraising outcomes, as seen when an $800 investment generated $1.4 million.
• Organized Outreach: Maintaining an organized dashboard for investor interactions and leveraging legal professionals to handle documentation ensures professionalism and efficiency.
• Persistent Networking: Asking for introductions even after rejections can expand the investor network.

[48:10] Connie Lo:
“Utilize preview videos in fundraising pitches and track investor engagement through email interactions to identify warm leads.”

[49:50] Laura Atomson:
“Maintain a quarterly newsletter to keep potential investors engaged and informed about company progress.”

Their strategic approach to fundraising emphasizes organization, timing, creative presentations, and consistent communication to build and maintain investor relationships.

9. Leveraging PR and Affiliate Marketing

[36:33] Eric Dick:
“Explain your approach to affiliate marketing and its role in your strategy.”

[36:57] Connie Lo:
“We collaborate with reputable publications like Well and Good, who feature our products with affiliate links offering a commission per sale. This approach aligns with trustworthy third-party endorsements.”

Their affiliate marketing strategy complements their PR efforts by providing credibility and increasing sales through trusted media channels.

[38:07] Laura Atomson:
“PR integrates into our paid marketing by using press headlines in ads and showcasing publication logos to build trust.”

By repurposing PR content for paid ads and embedding trust signals on their website, Three Ships effectively bridges their PR and marketing efforts to enhance brand credibility and drive conversions.

10. Conclusion and Future Directions

As the conversation wraps up, Laura and Connie share their excitement about future partnerships and continuous growth. They encourage listeners to follow their journey on Instagram and remain engaged through ongoing storytelling and authentic brand interactions.

[50:23] Connie Lo:
“Our personal Instagrams are where we post the most. Look for Three Ships Beauty, Laura Atomson, and Connie Lo.”

Through unwavering commitment to transparency, storytelling, and strategic growth, Three Ships Beauty exemplifies a trust-driven approach in the competitive natural beauty industry.

Notable Quotes:

• Connie Lo [00:00]: “The brand took off because we honed in on this element of transparency that our consumer was really looking for.”
• Laura Atomson [00:06]: “You really do have to tell a story, form an emotional connection with the consumer.”
• Connie Lo [03:46]: “It was such a journey… I landed face first on the ground… okay, on to tomorrow.”
• Laura Atomson [05:26]: “There’s no actual legal definition for natural… leading to a lot of consumer mistrust, confusion.”
• Connie Lo [10:25]: “Three Ships stands for our three pillars: Uncensorship, Leadership, and Partnership.”
• Laura Atomson [21:14]: “Storytelling… form an emotional connection with the viewer and the consumer.”
• Connie Lo [27:16]: “We spent $750,000 on influencers that year, maybe made 30 grand in sales.”
• Connie Lo [36:57]: “Affiliate PR … she was like, you need to talk about affiliate.”
• Laura Atomson [40:59]: “Ask for intros every time that you get a no.”

Follow Three Ships Beauty:

• Instagram: @teacherlo and @lauraatomson
• Website: three-ships.com

For more insights and tactical strategies on scaling DTC brands, subscribe to the DTC Newsletter at directtoconsumer.co.