Podcast Summary: Style-ish – "From alt-right trolling to $6m success: tbh Skincare"

Release Date: October 29, 2024

Introduction

In this compelling episode of Style-ish, hosted by Shameless Media, the trio—Madison Sullivan Thorpe, Joanna Fleming, and Kate Emmerburg—delve into the remarkable journey of Australian beauty brand TBH Skincare. From navigating the challenges of alt-right trolling to achieving a staggering $6 million in sales, this episode offers an in-depth exploration of brand resilience, innovative marketing strategies, and the power of authentic employee-generated content.

Listener Letter: Navigating Personal Financial Choices

The episode kicks off with Madison addressing a thoughtful letter from a listener named Mia, who grapples with balancing her passion for high-end designer purchases against her friend's critical viewpoints.

Mia writes:

"I feel like she's judging because I'm not saving for the same things she would... I hate feeling like I have to hide my purchases from her so I don't get berated. Any advice would be so appreciated."
[02:13]

Host Responses:

Joanna emphasizes the importance of silent judgment, advising Mia to keep her financial choices private to maintain her peace:

"I think you can judge silently, but not outwardly... Everyone's priorities are gonna be different."
[03:01]

Kate concurs, highlighting the differing life stages that influence spending habits:

"She's a new mom, she's got other priorities... We're just at different stages."
[03:20]

Madison adds a practical perspective, suggesting that luxury items like handbags can also serve as wise investments:

"There is a lot of research out there that marks a lot of luxury handbags to be a great investment... But I do think there is also an argument there."
[05:14]

Trace Segment: The Rise of TBH Skincare

The core of the episode centers on tracing the meteoric rise of TBH Skincare, a brand founded in 2019 by Rachel Wild and her mother, Bridget Mitchell. Initially starting as a direct-to-consumer (D2C) enterprise, TBH Skincare has adeptly leveraged employee-generated content to build a loyal customer base and achieve significant financial milestones.

Founding and Early Challenges

Rachel Wild, inspired by her personal struggles with acne, discovered a groundbreaking technology capable of breaking through biofilm on the skin surface—a key factor in treating bacterial infections. Leveraging her corporate experience in the medical devices industry, Rachel, alongside Bridget, secured licensing rights to this patented technology.

"We went in with nothing to lose. The worst that they could say was no, but they said yes."
[15:03]

Product Development and Market Entry

Launching in March 2020, TBH Skincare introduced three initial products: an acne treatment cream, a cleanser, and a facial cleansing brush. Over time, the product line expanded to include pimple patches, moisturizers, tinted lip balm, and the highly acclaimed Rebound Serum, developed in collaboration with influencer and skin scientist Hannah English.

Joanna highlights the brand's effectiveness:

"I've seen really good results on acne clients... My favorite product is the Rebound Serum."
[17:06]

Strategic Marketing and Employee-Generated Content

A pivotal moment in TBH Skincare’s growth was their strategic use of employee-generated content. Joanna shares her experience from her previous role, underscoring the value of authentic, relatable content in fostering community and brand affinity.

"If they can identify themselves in someone in the content... they've got this affinity with the brand."
[09:15]

Rachel echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of showcasing the brand's personality and building genuine connections with customers:

"People love to see the brand's personality who is behind the screen... It makes it easy to create the content."
[21:00]

Viral Success and Challenges

The brand's trajectory took a dramatic turn when an employee-generated TikTok video inadvertently attracted attention from Andrew Tate, leading to unexpected alt-right trolling. Despite the negative backlash, TBH Skincare capitalized on the increased visibility, resulting in a significant surge in sales and brand recognition.

Rachel reflects on the incident:

"If we're pissing off Andrew Tate, we are probably doing something right."
[34:58]

Joanna discusses the broader implications of such viral moments:

"There is an intersection where people believe that being intelligent and having fun are mutually exclusive."
[32:12]

Financial Milestones and Expansion

By early 2021, TBH Skincare had achieved $1 million in sales. Their partnership with Priceline in 2023 expanded their presence to 400 stores nationwide, and subsequently, Kohl’s added them to 857 stores, propelling annual turnover to $6 million. Additionally, a merger with Boost Lab to form York Street Brands provided the necessary resources for further expansion and innovation.

Rachel discusses the merger's impact:

"Through the merger, we finally had access to ample budgets for marketing, hiring... it gave me a lot of clear headspace to creatively."
[28:59]

Future Endeavors

Looking ahead, TBH Skincare plans to expand their Rebound range with new products, including a hydrating milk toner, a soothing overnight gel mask, and a nightly lip treatment. Rachel assures continued growth and innovation, maintaining the brand’s commitment to accessibility and customer satisfaction.

"We are about to release three additional products to the Rebound range... keep your eyes glued to the TBH Skincare social media channels for new products."
[35:32]

Conclusion

This episode of Style-ish masterfully intertwines the narrative of TBH Skincare’s entrepreneurial spirit with broader discussions on modern marketing tactics and societal challenges. Through authentic storytelling and insightful analysis, the hosts shed light on how resilience and innovative strategies can transform a fledgling brand into a multimillion-dollar success story, even in the face of unforeseen adversity.

Notable Quotes:

• Joanna Fleming on silent judgment:

  "I think you can judge silently, but not outwardly... Everyone's priorities are gonna be different."
  [03:01]

• Rachel Wild on taking risks:

  "I was very lucky that a family member of mine had previously worked with the CEO... We went in with nothing to lose."
  [15:03]

• Rachel Wild on brand personality:

  "People love to see the brand's personality who is behind the screen... It makes it easy to create the content."
  [21:00]

• Rachel Wild on backlash handling:

  "If we're pissing off Andrew Tate, we are probably doing something right."
  [34:58]

• Rachel Wild on future products:

  "We are about to release three additional products to the Rebound range... keep your eyes glued to the TBH Skincare social media channels for new products."
  [35:32]

This detailed summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and conclusions from the Style-ish episode, providing listeners with comprehensive knowledge of TBH Skincare’s journey and the intricate dynamics of modern brand management.