How Pink LaBlonde Built a Global Hair Empire From Scratch — Social Media, Branding & Salon Growth

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Art of the Brand Episode: How Pink LaBlonde Built a Global Hair Empire From Scratch — Social Media, Branding & Salon Growth
Release Date: June 12, 2025
Hosts: Camille Moore and Phillip Millar

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Introduction

In this insightful episode of The Art of the Brand, hosts Camille Moore and Phillip Millar delve deep into the journey of Marielle, the visionary behind Pink LaBlonde—a global hair empire renowned for its innovative branding and strategic salon growth. Through an engaging conversation, Marielle shares her experiences, challenges, and the strategic decisions that propelled Pink LaBlonde to international acclaim.

Balancing Time and Money in Marketing

Marielle and Bianca discuss the classic dilemma faced by many entrepreneurs: choosing between time and money when it comes to marketing.

Marielle [00:34]: "Often I'm like, you either have time or you have money."

They emphasize the importance of prioritizing resources effectively, especially in the early stages of brand development where budgets are tight.

Social Media Strategies for Branding

A significant portion of the conversation centers around leveraging social media to build and sustain a brand. Marielle highlights the evolution of her personal and business brand on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

Marielle [13:53]: "Knowing that first. And you would be surprised how many stylists don't know what they're doing."

Bianca [22:33]: "But also using it as a way... to perpetuate yourself as a thought leader."

Key takeaways include the necessity of consistent posting, authentic content creation, and understanding the unique dynamics of each social platform to maximize reach and engagement.

Education and Masterclasses

Marielle emphasizes the role of education in her business model. Pink LaBlonde offers masterclasses both privately within salons and publicly by renting spaces for broader audiences.

Marielle [01:59]: "It's mainly that, honestly, it's more worth it... I like big classes."

These educational initiatives not only generate additional revenue streams but also establish Pink LaBlonde as an authority in the hair industry.

Product Launches and Brand Expansion

The discussion shifts to the challenges and strategies involved in launching new products. Marielle candidly shares her experiences with product development and the intricacies of entering a saturated market.

Marielle [31:22]: "So this is really exciting. We're also like a lot of my focus out of like education is on our E-commerce right now."

She underscores the importance of quality over quantity and the need for substantial investment to compete with established brands.

Personal vs. Business Branding

Marielle and Bianca explore the delicate balance between personal and business branding. They discuss the potential pitfalls of conflating the two and the importance of maintaining authenticity.

Bianca [22:33]: "But also using it as a way... to perpetuate yourself as a thought leader."

Marielle [29:22]: "Yes. And when it's important and it's so different."

The conversation highlights the necessity of a clear delineation between personal identity and business objectives to foster a cohesive brand image.

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and Building Confidence

A poignant part of the episode addresses the challenges of imposter syndrome in entrepreneurship. Marielle shares a story about a hairstylist from Australia who overcame her fears of social media through her masterclasses.

Marielle [25:13]: "It's about finding a way that you can sustain your platform and be like, true to who you are."

This segment serves as an encouraging reminder that confidence and authenticity are key to successful branding and personal growth.

Client Experience and Service Specialization

Marielle discusses the importance of specialized services in creating a unique client experience. By focusing on what they excel at, Pink LaBlonde ensures high-quality service delivery.

Marielle [65:00]: "So if you're someone that really pushes the boundaries, you're never gonna be into the conflict. You're never gonna master."

This strategy not only enhances client satisfaction but also reinforces the brand's reputation for excellence.

Conclusion and Future Plans

As the episode wraps up, Marielle shares exciting upcoming initiatives for Pink LaBlonde, including new product launches and the celebration of their fourth anniversary.

Marielle [31:22]: "So this is really exciting. We're also like a lot of my focus out of like education is on our E-commerce right now."

She expresses optimism about the future, emphasizing continued growth and the expansion of their global footprint.

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Notable Quotes

• Marielle [00:34]: "Often I'm like, you either have time or you have money."
• Bianca [22:33]: "But also using it as a way... to perpetuate yourself as a thought leader."
• Marielle [31:22]: "So this is really exciting. We're also like a lot of my focus out of like education is on our E-commerce right now."
• Marielle [65:00]: "So if you're someone that really pushes the boundaries, you're never gonna be into the conflict. You're never gonna master."

Key Insights

1. Resource Management: Effective allocation of time and money is crucial, especially for startups with limited budgets.
2. Authentic Branding: Maintaining authenticity on social media fosters trust and engagement with the audience.
3. Educational Leadership: Offering masterclasses and educational content positions Pink LaBlonde as an industry authority.
4. Product Development Challenges: Entering saturated markets requires significant investment and a focus on quality.
5. Personal vs. Business Branding: Clear separation between personal identity and business branding enhances brand cohesion.
6. Confidence Building: Overcoming imposter syndrome is essential for authentic self-presentation and brand success.
7. Specialization: Focusing on specialized services can differentiate a brand in a competitive market.
8. Future Growth: Continued expansion through product launches and global outreach remains a priority.

Conclusions

Marielle's journey with Pink LaBlonde illustrates the profound impact of strategic branding, authentic social media engagement, and educational leadership in building a successful global enterprise. By balancing resource allocation, maintaining authenticity, and continuously innovating, Pink LaBlonde stands as a testament to the art of effective branding and business strategy in the modern marketplace.

Transcript

[Marielle]

But you're exactly where you should be. Exactly. And.

[Bianca]

But you're traveling all over.

[Marielle]

I don't want to sell my. Myself to the. Myself to the devil, you know? Like, for me, it's like, I want to be, like, true to myself. Yeah, exactly. Like, I think. Yeah, you said. It's like I am where I need.

[Bianca]

To be, but I want you. I want to market, and I want you to market. I want you to do one of those things where, like, I don't have to be involved. You do everything. But we have no money and. But, like, no, it's. It.

[Marielle]

It's not like that, darling.

[Bianca]

Often I'm like, you either have time or you have money.

[Marielle]

Yeah, yeah, that's it.

[Bianca]

Like, you have time or you. Or you have both, but you need, like, a lot of money.

[Marielle]

People like me, like, if you're blonde, like, I mean, your hair is not clean. It's not clean. There's chemicals. It needs chemicals.

[Bianca]

It's actually a very good alternative.

[Marielle]

You know what I mean?

[Bianca]

Like. Like, why are you trying to be clean with processed hair?

[Marielle]

Exactly. Dude.

[Bianca]

I can't believe I haven't thought about this to date. Wow. What a brand. What a brand, what a brand. What a mighty good brand. Say it again now. What a brand, what a brand, what a brand, what a mighty. So you're doing a lot of master classes, dude.

[Marielle]

Sorry?

[Bianca]

You're doing a lot of master classes?

[Marielle]

Yeah. It's gonna be a big year.

[Bianca]

Why did you decide to go in that direction?

[Marielle]

I feel just because the demand was there. And it's something like, I thought like a few years ago, like three to five years ago, I was like, oh, this is it. This is my momentum. And now I just, like, I'm realizing that it's not my momentum at all. Like, I think, like, I'm just, like, this small in such a big world. So it's just the beginning. And the demand is there. So I'm just, like, living it, I guess.

[Bianca]

And what are you. So what are you doing? So, like, salon will pay for you to come and teach their salon your technique.

[Marielle]

So there's two different kind of masterclass. It's either private in the salon, or it's. Let's say, I have a lot of the men in a specific region or country. I just rent a space and offer a master class that, like, everybody can get up.

[Bianca]

It's cool. So you're charging per se for tickets.

[Marielle]

Cool. Yeah. And it's mainly that, honestly, it's more worth it. Like, when I started my education journey I was doing a lot of, like, insulin class, but it's a lot of work for, like, a small amount of money. And so now I'm concentrating for my energy. I like big classes. Cool.

[Bianca]

How was doing it in Paris? I feel like that's literally a dream.

[Marielle]

Yeah, it's so fun. It's. I've been there a few weeks ago, but it wasn't for a master class. It was to shoot a campaign with l' Oreal. But I'm teaching in Paris in two, three weeks, I think in May. So I'm very excited.

[Bianca]

Are you self conscious about the difference in the language? Like the slight difference between Quebecois?

[Marielle]

I feel like, honestly, I'm so happy that it's in French, like, because I'm going to be able to speak French. And I was like, I was a bit curious about the difference in the language. So when I was there a few weeks ago, I was surprised. Their accent is not that intense and they couldn't understand me, like, super, super well.

[Bianca]

So it's the accent, it's not the word change.

[Marielle]

There's a lot of word change, but they're used to, like, tourists and like. So I feel like depending where you are in France, like if you're in the suburbs, maybe there's more like difference in this language. But in this city, they could understand, like, pretty much everything. And I feel like it's just a matter of like taking maybe a more like international accent or dating.

[Bianca]

That's very cool. Where would be your ultimate place to teach during?

[Marielle]

I think Copenhagen would be a 3. I've never been there. It's like a place where I could see myself potentially.

[Bianca]

Like, even your style, fashion.

[Marielle]

The girls are like, so cool. The fashion is really like, like forward there. So, yeah, I feel like Copenhagen. Yeah, but that would be different.

[Bianca]

The only problem is that there is. It has a demand for blonde in Japan.

[Marielle]

Exactly. Where there is actually there's a lot of, like Japanese girl that like, are blonde, but it's more like. It's not like. It's not like our blonde. It's not like the Scandinavian look. It seems like fully bleached blonde. So it's. Yeah, there's less demand for sure.

[Bianca]

But my.

[Marielle]

I feel like the same demographic.

[Bianca]

My radar is always, if someone can do blonde well in an Asian and it looks natural, they are really good.

[Marielle]

At what they do. Exactly.

[Bianca]

Literally, if you can make an Asian look natural blonde.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

That is the bar of excellence.

[Marielle]

No, for sure, for sure.

[Bianca]

Japan, you would freak out, though. Oh, my gosh.

[Marielle]

Japan is like since you've been there, I'm like, I just want to go.

[Bianca]

Japan is. Is.

[Marielle]

To me, it looks incredible.

[Bianca]

It's like humanity at its finest.

[Marielle]

Wow. No, it looks incredible. They're so advanced. It's like. And the food looks amazing.

[Bianca]

Oh, my gosh.

[Marielle]

Everything.

[Bianca]

They don't do anything.

[Marielle]

Yeah, that's it. They're very perfectionist.

[Bianca]

Perfectionist culture. Wow.

[Marielle]

I love that.

[Bianca]

That's actually, you know what's really interesting, that's why In World War II, the Germans and the Japanese really got along, is they both have a. Have a very similar approach to execution. That's why I think with German engineering, like, they're very similar cultures.

[Marielle]

I didn't know that the German was. Were like perfectionists and like.

[Bianca]

Yeah. Germans are kind of considered like what you could say about Japanese of the West.

[Marielle]

Oh, yeah.

[Bianca]

And I actually asked a friend of mine who's a very well known German composer or Austrian composer that speaks German. And I had said, I'm like, I feel like there's similarities between cultures. Is that kind of a ridiculous thing to say? He goes, no, that's actually why they got along so well as war allies is culturally. They were very similar.

[Marielle]

Good.

[Bianca]

Yeah. Fun fact.

[Marielle]

I wouldn't sing that. That's cool.

[Bianca]

You know, another fun fact is, you know, Gani the.

[Marielle]

Yes.

[Bianca]

That was actually funded by the Denmark government to become like a top brand so that they could make Copenhagen Fashion Week a thing. No way. Yeah. Because Copenhagen. Yes.

[Marielle]

From Copenhagen. Yes.

[Bianca]

They wanted to push because Copenhagen's Fashion Week is the newest of all the fashion weeks and they wanted to actually.

[Marielle]

Create like, it's still super small, but, yeah. Bigger.

[Bianca]

And they wanted to have a standout brand.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

So the Copenhagen government invested so heavily into Johnny. That's why, like, it blew. Blew up a few years ago and like, everybody was wearing it.

[Marielle]

Yes. And it's still like, like luxe brand that is affordable. So that's probably cool.

[Bianca]

Yeah.

[Marielle]

And I feel like they're very different, but the quality is really, really good.

[Bianca]

To me though, the logo, though, looks cheap. I feel like it looks like a cheaper version of Acme.

[Marielle]

Yeah. Maybe it's. It's very. It's teen.

[Bianca]

Very teenager.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

But for how much clout. But I thought, what an interesting push as a government.

[Marielle]

Yeah, that's cool.

[Bianca]

To. For the Fashion Week. Yeah.

[Marielle]

Does the Canadian government want to please invest in my salon?

[Bianca]

Hair week.

[Marielle]

Hair Week. Who knows?

[Bianca]

Yeah, I know. I thought that was really interesting.

[Marielle]

Yeah, that's very cool.

[Bianca]

So what else is going on?

[Marielle]

Oh, gosh. A lot is going on, girl. Too much is going on now. But honestly, I feel like I'm at, like, in French, we say la croise de chamay, which means, like, at the road cross.

[Bianca]

Yeah. A bunch of things happening. Yeah. So at this moment where a bunch of things can really take off.

[Marielle]

Exactly. And you need, like, to decide, like, which path to take. So this is where I'm at at the moment. Like, where the salon is doing, like, super great. The team is great, but I want to do more. So there's a lot of, like, exciting opportunities that are coming my way. So which one to take is the. Is the question. So right now I'm working a lot of, like, different business plan, like, analyzing what route would be the best for me. Like, the education part is just, like, something I do on this side by passion because I love to teach so much, and I think it's, like, a great opportunity for me.

[Bianca]

It's also a great conduit, though, for all the effort you put in. One for socials, but also to sell products.

[Marielle]

Yeah, for sure. And it's like. Yeah, it's a good way also to get known, like, more globally.

[Bianca]

That's the hardest thing as a stylist. Right? Is, like, how to get out of being behind the chair.

[Marielle]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I feel like for a stylist, that's definitely the challenge, and I love that I can create. Also functioning for my design stuff, like, at the academy and eventually, like, online and in education and.

[Bianca]

Yeah. Well, education is so important because I find especially. Especially with stylists, like, hair trends change so quickly, and it's so hard to be on top. Like, social media allows stylists in any part of the world, in any corner, to, like, be up to date with trends.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

It's crazy in an instant.

[Marielle]

It is crazy. There's no reason in 2025 to not be. It's a case like, any, like, business, any area.

[Bianca]

Well, especially with how easy social media allows you to be informed. Like, and there's also. It's. I think it's also fascinating, too, for stylists, because there's no cap to how much education can be out there.

[Marielle]

Yeah. Oh, no. You could learn something new every day. You just need to be passionate.

[Bianca]

But also using it as a way. Like, I even think of investing in education as a way to perpetuate yourself as a thought leader. Right. Like, people don't think about, like, if you're investing $200 in a course, repurposing that course into content that you can put on your Socials to show that you're a thought leader.

[Marielle]

Yeah, 100%. Yeah. It's like every time sometimes my staff are like, I don't know what to post as content. I'm like, they won't mind. God, I asked. Like, the ideas are like infinite, endless. But like, it's. I feel like people have a hard time with the execution.

[Bianca]

Yeah.

[Marielle]

That, that's like. And I feel like a lot of, like, marketer love to give like a bunch of ideas and that's good. But I feel like there should be maybe more tips on execution more than ideas. I don't know if you.

[Bianca]

Ideas are everywhere. Execution is everything.

[Marielle]

Yeah, exactly.

[Bianca]

Well, that's actually what I struggle with the. Is that I find, like, business owners, they're looking for, like, me to be a genie in the bottle. Like, I can just make their socials incredible. And I'm like, no, you, you have to develop the muscles to execute. Because if you're not focusing on showing up and creating a piece of content every day or even going. The thing too is like, adults don't want to struggle. They don't want to, like, look dumb in the beginning. Right. So, like, they just want somebody else to do everything. But by like not learning how to do it, you can never, never become.

[Marielle]

Good at doing it. Yeah.

[Bianca]

And that's where it becomes. It's so crippling too, as a business owner because, like, there's never a shortage of like, things to do, but it's also such an excuse because it holds your business back.

[Marielle]

Yeah. What do you think about that? Like, do you think the founder should always be the person, like, behind the social media or at least the strategy?

[Bianca]

Totally. I think you have to be involved.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

You have to be involved. Like, because ultimately I'm never going to care more about your business than you are.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

If you're not constantly focused on being involved. Marketing is the most important aspect of your business. Because, like, without. Because even if it's word of mouth, Right. Like, even if you're like, your social still work for word of mouth marketing, people go, especially in here. Like, yeah, if I recommend someone to go to your salon, it doesn't matter how cool I say you are, the first thing they're going to do is go to your socials.

[Marielle]

Yeah. They're going to verify it.

[Bianca]

Yeah. So you have to be involved.

[Marielle]

Yeah. No. 100%. I feel like nowadays, like, if you're not on social media, you almost look like a scam.

[Bianca]

You look fake, right? Yeah.

[Marielle]

Isn't it weird when you come On a. You go on a profile and there's like, five posts, you're like, no, I think this isn't real.

[Bianca]

What I think, what's even worse is that I feel like there's true. True. But I find, like, a lot of business owners, because they're so focused on doing the work and not showcasing their work, they don't look as good as they are, and they don't realize how much business they're losing. Because if you haven't posted on your socials in, like, four weeks or the last post was like, someone's like, blue hair job that you posted, like, I'm not learning. Like, I'm not feeling like, okay, you look like the best person for me because you showed some, like, random crazy color. You did.

[Marielle]

Yeah, no, for sure. Like, you're gonna trust the people that's in your face, basically. Like, the person that could be the best in the world, if they're not, like, out there, you're never gonna know about them.

[Bianca]

Well, especially here. Like, who's gonna go get their hair done with someone who, like, they're not showcasing how great their work is? Like, it's pretty risky to just, like, yeah, go in blind. There's more people that aren't gonna go in blind than people who are gonna go in blind.

[Marielle]

Yeah. And I feel like it's such, like, just a disservice to yourself with. To be on social. Like, sometimes when I teach, I hear a lot like, oh, I don't need to be on social media because my books are, like, full. But I'm like, okay, are you happy with all of your clients? Are you happy with what you charge? And the answer is often no. So I'm like, there's a reason to be on social media. Like, it's offering demand at the end of the day. And the more you're in demand, the more you can charge, the more you can, like, take your customer. I guess, also. So it's like, there's no good reasons to be on social media.

[Bianca]

Well, it's also not going anywhere too. Yeah, I think that's the other issue too, is that, like, even if you're good right now, I don't know if we can say the same in two years from now. But, like, this stuff takes time. Like, you didn't get to where you are by just focusing on this a year ago.

[Marielle]

Oh, no, it's been 13 years, my dear.

[Bianca]

How often do you talk about your story? Because you started by posting on socials, right? You worked for somebody else.

[Marielle]

Yeah, I started like, literally 13 years ago. And it was like, the beginning of social media, the beginning of Instagram, where we used to, to use, like, the collage and the, like, ugly filters. And I started just to post. I was posting a lot of, like, myself, my Abby. I was skateboarding at the time. You're so. And yeah, I was just doing it for my friends and people that was following me. And I guess, like, back then, there was no, like, imposter syndrome. I don't know if you remember, but, like, 10 years ago, like, there was no, like, influencer. And, like, you know, people wouldn't really care about that. And I was posting, like, all of the hair I was doing, even though it wasn't in what it is today. And yeah, this is how I make myself, like, super dope, super in demand. This is how my education journey also started. So I'm really grateful for social media.

[Bianca]

And you also started, too, at a time where, like, Pink Leblon was your handle.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

Like, before it became your salon.

[Marielle]

Yeah. It wasn't supposed to be Estelle's name. It was just, like my personal name on Instassin's Forever. And once I became, like, a bit more known in the industry, like, clients started, like, they were calling me Pink Lab One. They were calling at the salon I was working, oh, can I book Pink Lab One? They thought it was my name, so it just sticks. And when I opened the salon, I was like, I think, like, it wouldn't be, like, fair to all the work I put in it to just, like, call it another name. It was already a brand itself, so I just added the club at end. The end. Just to make it more like, like, involve everyone in the name. Yeah.

[Bianca]

And how do you feel about it now that, like, Pink Leblonde is you and the salon?

[Marielle]

I think, like, I'm good with it. Like, I, I, I, I like it. Like, it became like a brand. So it's not like I don't associate, like, Pink Lab necessarily with me, but more the brand. Like, at the end of the day, I'm Marielle. I'm like, the person. Pink 11 is really the brand. And this is a question we're, we're on right now. And I want your opinion on this, but because the brand is growing, we are thinking if we should use Pink Leblon as our main entity. So we would scrap the Pink Leblon Club. It would become Pink Lablon, and I would be another Randall, which I'm very afraid of.

[Bianca]

Crazy.

[Marielle]

It's so. But you're growing Like, I think that's the best, like, because our website is pinklabon.com and it's. It's like under our umbrella, there's like the club, which is the salon. There's also our line of products. There's also the education. So there's like a few umbrella under Pink Double Group. So I feel like our. Our endo on Instagram shouldn't be. Takes up on sluggish. We think have long and like have all of these umbrella underneath a bit like Aritzia. Like Aritzia. They have tna, they have Superpuff, they have their other umbrella, but they're still Aritzia.

[Bianca]

Yes.

[Marielle]

You know what I mean? Well, so that's a big question.

[Bianca]

It's tough because I think with where the education is going and I assume products in different forms that all of the products should be under, like, they should be like pink LeBlanc. But then the studio, like, I feel like the studio being the pink LeBlanc. Yeah. It is complicated.

[Marielle]

Because it's complicated. I feel like the studio should still be the Pink Label Club. I don't want to have a platform just for the studio.

[Bianca]

I agree.

[Marielle]

I would love like Aritzia to have one platform and everything.

[Bianca]

Well, because anything you're selling, whether it's a physical good or whether it's a course, like that is a pink LeBron. Like, it's a purchase. It's a. It's a widget. Like it's a thing. Right. But it's still pink LeBlanc.

[Marielle]

Exactly. Or maybe like, there would be a platform for more like the Academy, like the pro stuff. Like, let's say things that own pro and it's like, oh, for style.

[Bianca]

That makes perfect sense.

[Marielle]

And Pink Club Blonde is like everything for the consumer. So service products and like, everything you could like, imagine.

[Bianca]

Well, Pink Lebanon Academy makes sense because that message is different.

[Marielle]

So like, and it's not the same. Same consumer.

[Bianca]

It's not the same consumer. So Pink LeBlanc Academy would be more like educational, focused content.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

Pink LeBlanc Club, though. I just think that's like, it's a recipe for like iconic social moments. Like, your cups should say like pink LeBlanc Club on it.

[Marielle]

Like, you should almost like a. Like a. An underbrand. Like, and you know what I mean?

[Bianca]

But it shouldn't have its own socials.

[Marielle]

Okay. Do you think it should have.

[Bianca]

No, I shouldn't. I don't think so.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

But I think that pink LeBlanc Club, you can do more with it to make it. I think that Pink LeBlanc Club has the potential to become, or rather, it probably already is, like, an international destination. You know, like that big salon in LA. Like, 9912. Yeah, 901. Like, I think Pink LeBlanc has those legs, especially if you invest more in, like, your experience is fantastic, but more of those, like, tokenized experiences. Like, if there's stickers at the front to put on your laptop, if there's, like, even, like a. Like a. Like an iconic place to take a photo, you know, like, that's the stuff where you can more tokenize the experience. But I agree. I think it should be one socials. But the problem is that there I am.

[Marielle]

But what would be my.

[Bianca]

Like, I'm like, Queen Pink or something.

[Marielle]

Or I'm like, maybe like, Bison Club 1. Or, like. Yeah, I don't know, like. Or she's Pink laglan.

[Bianca]

She's. Yeah, yeah, something like that, boss. Yeah.

[Marielle]

But it breaks my heart. It's like, it's a big piece of me.

[Bianca]

No, but it's you. And that's what's so funny, is that we have a shared friend that I'm seeing after this, and I was like, yeah, look, I'm gonna be at Pink LeBlanc if you want to stop by. Like, I don't know if you know. And I didn't know that she knew you. And she's like, oh, yeah, I know Pink. Like, tell her I say hi. And. But it's funny that you're colloquially known as Pink.

[Marielle]

Yeah, yeah, that's it. Like, nobody knows my name.

[Bianca]

People call you Pinky.

[Marielle]

Exactly.

[Bianca]

But it's. It shows you how much socials have evolved and why they create as a collaborator function, though. Hey. Because it became so difficult for people that have been on it since, like, OG Instagram, where their business has become their handle, and how difficult it is to separate it. Because a lot of these people that. What most people miss is that these, like, big names on the Internet, they're big because, like, they've just been doing it for a decade.

[Marielle]

Exactly.

[Bianca]

And that's like, when I was on the Skinny Confidential, Lauren was like, I've started blogging. Yeah. She's like, I started blogging 15 years ago.

[Marielle]

That's it.

[Bianca]

So she's. She's like. She's done a lot of things. Not taking that away from her, but it's like, time and market.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

Do you know what I mean?

[Marielle]

Like, yeah.

[Bianca]

When you started Instagramming and blogging 15 years ago, you just. It's compounded.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

And, like, so it's a, it's a problem. So for people starting today, it's why you should like have your personal brand strategy and your business strategy. Because it's not going anywhere.

[Marielle]

Yes. And when it's important and it's so different. Like as the strategy. Yeah. Like business or personal is so different. And I feel like it opens. You agree on that. But I feel like personal brand shouldn't be that complicated. Like.

[Bianca]

No, if anything your personal brand. Actually I, I think where people though get, they get tripped up is they don't. It's like hard to like when you're doing this for your business. How much of yourself do you give away? And I even kind of feel it that way too. Cuz I'm like there, I'm just constantly showing up. Like I'm every single day we're posting all the times a day. It's like I also do want a part of me like for myself because like I don't know a lot of the people. I don't know the people that follow me like but I'm helping them in their business. So it's kind of like how much of my real life do I share too? And I think like there isn't one way to do your first celebrity. It just needs to feel authentic.

[Marielle]

That's it. I think you found a good way though to like sometimes I'm jealous about the way you did because it's solely. It's about you, but it's not too much about you. Like I feel like you can keep like keep a lot of your personal life like aside and it's really focused on your emotion, which I do that.

[Bianca]

But to me I feel like that's important. I've got nothing to hide. I just feel like I need to like. I feel like if you give everything away and every. You're living your life on the Internet, that's been kind of like. I think a lot of like mental illness starts to seep in. Like I've got a really healthy relationship with somechules because. Yeah, because I'm not looking for value. Yeah. Like I, I check out on the.

[Marielle]

Weekends, you know, like exactly.

[Bianca]

I.

[Marielle]

And you don't consume it like. And you don't compare. I feel like you don't have any. Like, I wouldn't say you have like a lot of comparison. Like.

[Bianca]

No, I don't.

[Marielle]

I don't either. So that's good because you start comparing yourself.

[Bianca]

Right. And like comparison is a thief of happiness.

[Marielle]

Oh yes. It's crazy.

[Bianca]

It's. But like. And Especially for women with socials, it's like you need to have a personal brand. But maybe to you, like, what's authentic, especially to like your customers, is like talking about being a working mom. You know, maybe it is talking about balance. Maybe it is showcasing that. Like what, Like, I follow some stylists that really talk about how working has been a great conduit to dealing with like postpartum depression. And like, I find like when I see that, I'm like, all for it because it feels authentic. But like, that also doesn't have to be your story if it doesn't feel authentic.

[Marielle]

Yeah, exactly.

[Bianca]

That artist.

[Marielle]

No, for sure. We need to find like, yeah, the way that is that it's authentic to you.

[Bianca]

I guess what has been. What have you found? Have been kind of the most like meaningful questions that you have got about your brand and with socials, like from.

[Marielle]

Stylists, I guess it wasn't a question, but I guess one, like, big moment that I asked, it was a girl in Australia, she's a hairstylist and she's been doing that for political years. And she had like that like, kind of bad relationship with social media because a lot of marketer, like a stylist marketer, they're saying, like talking a lot about like virology and how you need to do that, like, dang along. Yeah, exactly. Make sure you do the trend post like two times a day, blah, blah, blah. So I feel like a lot of hair stylists especially, like, are like closing their themselves off on social media because they're like, okay, I know I couldn't. I could not do anything.

[Bianca]

That's not me. Yeah.

[Marielle]

And so that girl was like, oh, my God. Like she, she felt so good after my class because I do a segment on social and my way of teaching social media. It's not like it's exactly like you said, it's find a way that it's authentic to you and that you can sustain it. It's not like, about being crazy for a month on social media and posting every day. It's about, like finding a way that you can sustain your platform and be like, true to who you. You are. And she wrote me like this big message where she was like, oh, my God, I feel it. It's been a long time. I haven't feel like excited to do social media again. So I was like, yeah, I feel like you need to, like, need to love it. You need to be obsessed with it. Otherwise it's too hard. Like, you know what I mean?

[Bianca]

Well, that's I think that's what a lot of people miss is that especially in services like hair and beauty, there's a lot of like, copying. Like, it's a lot of like, copying and pasting because you just look at your competitors and you assume they're successful and then you just try to kind of like, do what they're doing and it's not sustainable and it doesn't work because it's not your brand.

[Marielle]

Exactly.

[Bianca]

So figuring out your brand is the way to.

[Marielle]

Exactly. And be sustainable. Finding also your why, like, if you don't know why you're posting on Instagram or TikTok, you're never gonna like it. Like, it. It won't make sense for you. So I feel like just like knowing like, what's. What's my goal? Like, is it to attract more clients? Is it to attract like a different clientele? Is it to. To sell product? Like, your strategy is not going to be the same.

[Bianca]

Totally.

[Marielle]

So I feel like. Yeah. Knowing that first. And you would be surprised how many stylists don't know what they're doing. Yeah. And so that's like the starting point, I guess.

[Bianca]

Well, I think that you're also a great example because you're. The way that you approach socials is one. It's very engaging, but it's also. It's overwhelming in that it's very. In the best way. Like, it's so aesthetic. Like, it's so it's like visually inspiring. But that's authentic to. When you come into this space, when you see the people that work here, when you like. And versus Morgan.

[Marielle]

Right.

[Bianca]

Which is like, thick. Where hers is more like, it's relatable. It's kind of like. And both of you are very successful.

[Marielle]

Yeah. In a different way.

[Bianca]

In a different way. And both are very authentic to who you are. But like, if you're not someone that's constantly, like, even your approach to fashion is different. Like how you dress, how you act. Like, I feel like you're constantly looking for inspo. Like, you don't look at people on socials for how to dress. You're looking more to, like, editorial split. And so it works for you because that's how you, like, sort your life.

[Marielle]

Yeah. And sometimes it's art. Honestly, I feel like being in that, like, being my way, like doing. I love, like, things that are aesthetic. I'm very like, perfectionist. But sometimes I feel like it's. My growth isn't as, like, fast. Fast as it could be if I would do, like, more like, relatable things.

[Bianca]

And like, growth hacking.

[Marielle]

Exactly. But I feel like. But you're exactly what you should be. Exactly. And.

[Bianca]

But you're traveling all over.

[Marielle]

I don't want to sell my. Myself to the. Myself to the devil, you know, like, for me, it's like I want to be, like, true to myself. Yeah, exactly. Like, I think. Yeah, you said it's like I am where I need to be, but sometimes, like, looking at everybody, it can be, like, so, like, overwhelming. Yeah, overwhelming.

[Bianca]

But it's like, it's so interesting. We don't talk enough about, like, the quality of followers, and I think that that's really interesting because I have a lot of. I've made a lot of friends in, like, in this industry, and a lot of them actually have a lot more followers. But it's interesting, like, the opportunities I get versus the opportunities they get are very different, but they align with what I want out of life. So I can have less followers, but I can have better followers for what I want. Not better followers, but for what I want.

[Marielle]

Right.

[Bianca]

For you, for me. And I think that's a big thing. If you're someone that's busy and you've been running a salon for a long time or a clinic for a long time and you're feeling good, maybe just investing in your personal brand, your socials are for the opportunities to come. Maybe you want a book deal. Maybe that'd be your dream. Maybe it's to do international masterclasses. You don't need a million followers to get those things. You just need the right followers.

[Marielle]

Exactly. I feel like we fall a bit in the trap of wanting to be a little bit like her and a little bit like him and you know what I mean, being a bit like everyone, which is like, at the end of the day, like, would you even be happy to add, like, this person's career? Maybe not.

[Bianca]

Or do you even know what they're doing?

[Marielle]

Yeah, yeah, exactly.

[Bianca]

If you're just chasing followers, like, I think it's more about, like, posting and creating a strategy based on intentionality. Like, what is it that you want to get?

[Marielle]

Exactly.

[Bianca]

Because even to. Interesting to what you said, I actually was listening to a piece of content by Natalie Ellis and she was like, actually said that something quite cool. She was saying, like, if you look at the 10 people that you're most inspired by, like, let's see the 10 people you like the most online, you actually should look to see, like, what 10 of their posts perform the best as of the, like. But when I'm saying intentionality, like if you, if you are someone that is really inspired by what you're doing, like you would love to be doing these international master classes. You would love to be like on stage with l' Oreal. It's relevant to analyze what pieces of content perform the best but then adapt it to your brand. But I'm just kind of saying like what we're saying in a different way and that you can be inspired by but it's intentionality of what you want to get.

[Marielle]

Yeah, exactly. I get it. To look at the right content that will get you where you want to go.

[Bianca]

You want to go.

[Marielle]

Yeah, I agree.

[Bianca]

So what's coming down the pipe for you? Like what are some big things that people can look forward to or you're the most excited about? Highlight of the year. What's the highlight of the year?

[Marielle]

Oh, I got so many. Honestly education is taking like a lot of my time so I feel like I don't have the time to market like a lot of exciting things. But we're working on our third paint add on product which will see the light I guess mid summer, something like that. I don't want to see what it is but it's going to be a game changing tool in your life.

[Bianca]

Cool.

[Marielle]

So this is really exciting. We're also like a lot of my focus out of like education is on our E commerce right now. We're also introducing lots of different hair care and beauty brands on our website.

[Bianca]

Cool.

[Marielle]

So that's really exciting and I'm so sad that I don't have like all of the time to like play with marketing. But it's coming. I'm gonna have more time this summer to progress what I really love.

[Bianca]

How are you doing that? Like are you taking less appointments?

[Marielle]

So I'm never taking. I only work the amateur one day a week. So that's. Yeah.

[Bianca]

So you've got four days a week.

[Marielle]

To work on other stuff. So right now like it's education center. So in the beginning of the year like fed to June it's like a lot of education. Usually during summer I don't take too many like project and this summer I really want to concentrate to work on the brand. It's going to be your fourth anniversary really soon.

[Bianca]

Four years.

[Marielle]

Yeah, four years. It's going to be. Yeah. I was, we were talking about my lease before. In a year it's going to be five years. So now it's their fourth anniversary. So I want to do a really cool event for the upcoming products that is coming and also there's a. For that anniversary.

[Bianca]

So.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

This is a big deal.

[Marielle]

Yes. Yeah, it's fun. Sometimes I feel like it's been like 100 years that we're open and sometimes it feels like one year. It's weird.

[Bianca]

Sometimes it's like 20 minutes. Sometimes it's like a lifetime. Yeah.

[Marielle]

Yeah. Really weird and vast can be for you and curse curious.

[Bianca]

It's interesting because I, I like more of being able to help more people. Like there's obviously a limit to how much time you can sell. And it's, it's interesting because I'm less motivated by anybody too.

[Marielle]

One on one, I guess. Oh yeah.

[Bianca]

I'm less motivated by like selling my time. You know what I mean? Like, I want more like I want to create larger impact. So get it.

[Marielle]

Oh, I get it.

[Bianca]

I'd like to start selling more products. I learned a lot with launching the course.

[Marielle]

Yeah. How is it going? It's going good. I can't wait to take the course. I learned a lot.

[Bianca]

I'll send you the. I'll send you the course. I learned a lot. I learned a lot. You know, like it's, it's interesting how difficult it is to sell when really selling is like counterintuitive to who you are as a person.

[Marielle]

Yep.

[Bianca]

But the problem is like the algorithm, like people really don't see, see unless like they're, they're, they're like really your loyalists. Like a lot of people are kind of like they're living their life, you know, they're half listening. So it's. You really have to be this like massive broadcast channel which is like complicated fundamentally to who I am as a person because I don't like to be like, bye, bye, bye.

[Marielle]

Yes, I know it's so hard on.

[Bianca]

Even developing a funnel like the amount of work that goes into. So it's really in and of itself a full time job.

[Marielle]

Yeah, I'm happy to hear you say that because that's true. That's your first time like really like selling.

[Bianca]

Selling something.

[Marielle]

Because usually it's more like pencil things.

[Bianca]

Yeah.

[Marielle]

People comes to you.

[Bianca]

I've been running a service based business. Yeah, exactly seven years. Right. To sell a product is.

[Marielle]

It's completely different and it's really challenging.

[Bianca]

It's really humbling.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

Because I don't especially that you see.

[Marielle]

Sell a service that is basically yourself, like your knowledge. This is like, this is tricky because you don't want to say like buy this. I'm so good.

[Bianca]

Like this is, it's so counter. It's also what I do is for my job, because, like, my job is to help people that are good at what they do, that are bad at marketing themselves. And it's so funny being in that seat of, like, it's hard to sell yourself.

[Marielle]

Yeah, it's really hard.

[Bianca]

But it's also such an important stepping stone because it's so interesting when you're at a point where you've connected with so many people that you want to help, because I can't help 160,000 people. I wish that there was more dialogue on the Internet to, like, of people talking about learning from their failures is the wrong word, because I don't think it's a failure, but I just feel like there's so much promotion on, like, how much money people made and how, like, well, they did. Opposed to, like. These are, like, the hard lessons I learned that I would love to share as an entrepreneur to, like, to go through.

[Marielle]

Oh, my God. Yes. It's not easy.

[Bianca]

It's not easy.

[Marielle]

Yeah, it's not. You're right, though. There's not a lot of people that talk about, like, how difficult it is and the challenge, and we mostly hear, like, the good things. Oh, my gosh.

[Bianca]

It was so easy. I went to the. Grew from zero to a million in 30 days. I'm like, exactly.

[Marielle]

And you're like, no, he didn't. No, exactly.

[Bianca]

I made a million dollars on this in three months, and this is all I did.

[Marielle]

I'm like, no, you didn't. Like, sometimes, like, for me, like, right now, I'm, like, very into like, listening so many podcasts, like, founder stories and stuff.

[Bianca]

Like, in my, like, founder era.

[Marielle]

Yeah, founder era. Because I don't want to say I don't get it, but sometimes I don't get it. I'm like.

[Bianca]

Or can you move faster? You know, like, because you're, like, in the weeds.

[Marielle]

I want to know everything. Like, I'm. I'm like, okay, I get it. Like, let's take road by example. I get it. It's Ellie Bieber. She can hire the best of the best to work in marketing, product development, whatever. But, like, a girl like Lauren. I think it's Ireland. Yeah.

[Bianca]

I'm so glad you said that.

[Marielle]

I want to know everything. Like, she. She started that with her fun, right? With, like, no money. Something like that.

[Bianca]

Summer Fridays.

[Marielle]

Yeah. On the Blur line, you know? Sorry, I'm talking about the girl Nyx. Exactly. Not next. Let's talk about the summer Friday. I'm curious, but, well, okay, so do.

[Bianca]

You mean Taylor Frankel.

[Marielle]

Yeah, exactly.

[Bianca]

Yes.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

So her mom created cover effects. They sold cover effects. So her mother made a makeup brand and they were self funded, so it wasn't a. They're doing a lot of great things. But there's a story there that's. Her mom had like 30 years of learning and experience how to build it, had the connection and it was sold at shoppers. So nude sticks is what the brand.

[Marielle]

Okay, cool.

[Bianca]

So that's a relevant point. The next relevant point. Summer Fridays. Lauren Gore's Lauren Ireland. Her dad is a very successful venture capitalist and they got a lot of funding for. Venture capitalist. Yes. You know what?

[Marielle]

I was obsessed. I'm like a big fan of Col G. You know Cole Gaia.

[Bianca]

Yes. Whose dad owned Bratz and. Owned.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

Yeah.

[Marielle]

I was so in shock. And when I heard their story, I was like, I don't like the Brat movies.

[Bianca]

Yes.

[Marielle]

Like it's. But like, but this is what I.

[Bianca]

Talk about because I'm like, we take, we take an idea and we're like, I want to be this. Or I can do, for example. The reason I have both of those examples ready is that I met with this, this female team that want to build this like makeup brand and they're like, you know, we want to launch the product. Launching with one product in a makeup category is very difficult because it's.

[Marielle]

Think about like how many competitive we.

[Bianca]

Can of that and like how many creams are you buying? You buy one. If you're, if you're lucky to get someone to buy your cream, they're going to buy that cream, what, twice a year. So the. To get enough customers.

[Marielle]

So you need like three products.

[Bianca]

Typically you need to have at least three. Because I've worked with enough beauty brands where like they launch a second product and they're like struggling because inventory is very expensive.

[Marielle]

For CPG brands, it's usually like 10,000.

[Bianca]

It's what kills the MOQs. So whenever you sell all your inventory, you're always cash poor because you have to put such a big investment up front to buy inventory. And it's like, it's a vicious cycle.

[Marielle]

Yeah. That's why profitable in the first years and people think they're gonna add like a $2,000 salary, but it's, it's not like that. Like, especially with products and not fast.

[Bianca]

So that's why it's relevant. When they gave me the example of like, oh, we want to be like Summer Fridays with the jet lag mask, like, they, they started with a marketing budget of minimum $10 million. And I'm like the average person doesn't have access to that level of capital.

[Marielle]

But what do you think about it? Because I don't want to say it's easy to find money, but it's easy to find money. So let's say we have that perspective.

[Bianca]

Okay.

[Marielle]

Do you think like it's not everybody that can assume to have like such like a fast growing business you need to be like really solid and stuff. But do you think it's a good idea to like invest that much money in a startup or you think it's better to start like very small and to grow?

[Bianca]

The details are relevant to who you are, what you've done, the category you're getting into, what is your goals. Like beauty is very difficult, especially if you don't have like a built in audience. Because nobody needs anything in beauty. It's like their wants.

[Marielle]

No. And like every celebrity has a business now, so you everything good. Like JLo and Ailey Bieber.

[Bianca]

What's complicated too is in products and in services, but products more so you're dealing with impression count. So we call it like the rule of seven. Like think about how many times you've need to see the brand cult Gaia. You might not even own anything from the brand, but you respect the brand because you've seen it hundred times.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

So there's, you have to invest in eyeballs without roi, which is very expensive. And then in addition to that you're trying to like break out in a saturated market. So it's, it depends what you're getting into. Like most people it makes sense once you build the audience, which is very hard to do, it's not simple to sell a product. But so like for example for you, like you don't need $10 million to sell products because you have a one, a built in loyal audience and two, like you're traveling into rooms all over the world so it's easy for you to have things to sell.

[Marielle]

So just feel like if you want to put yourself on a very like, like luxurious position, you need the money, you need the infrastructure. Like my station wouldn't be the same if this along with him look.

[Bianca]

No, no, no.

[Marielle]

You know, that is like where I feel like it's so hard to compete with like very luxurious brand when you start. If you don't money that's like no.

[Bianca]

No, it's if you're premium or luxury that's often a huge issue is that people come to me and they're like, okay, so I have no money.

[Marielle]

And.

[Bianca]

But I want you. And I want you to market. I want you to do one of those things where, like, I don't have to be involved. You do everything. But we have no money and. But like, no, it's.

[Marielle]

It. It's not like that, darling.

[Bianca]

Often I'm like, you either have time or you have money.

[Marielle]

Yeah. Yeah, that's it.

[Bianca]

Like, you have time or even. Or you both. But you need like a lot of money. Even like for. For me even growing my own business. I didn't have any funding. I didn't have anyone to. So it's. It's very difficult for salaries for. And I don't even have to have like a huge brick and mortar like this. Right. And then it's so difficult for you.

[Marielle]

But for usa, for you, I guess it's like, like you. The first time you traveled to Japan, you. Yeah. You assumed it and you were. It's a lot of like, fake it till you make it totally making these opportunities for yourself. So it's a lot of investment also. Like, but it's worth it.

[Bianca]

It's so worth it. But also people too don't talk enough about like, imposter syndrome is a real thing. And you have to fake. You have to show people that you have the confidence to do so. Something in order for them to take it seriously. Like, if you're not. If you don't believe it yourself, I'm sure you can still.

[Marielle]

Yeah, no, that's it. You need to be your biggest enemy.

[Bianca]

You have to believe it. You have to believe it to get somebody else to believe it. If you don't think that you're the best, why would somebody else think that you're the best?

[Marielle]

I agree on that so much. Yeah.

[Bianca]

No, it's a. Also too, though. I think that to analyze the way that I approach though, like Korea and Japan is also. If I want to be seen as the best, I have to be doing things that are different and like, it. It's very. It's a. It's visually disrupting to see someone in like weird places that you don't see talking. Like, you need to be interesting. Like, you have to break through the noise. Like, everybody is creating content.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

Like, there's so much content. And if you're just coming on and being like, this is the difference between Botox and fillers. This is how you do a blonde root. Like, that's not disruptive. It's not different.

[Marielle]

And it's crazy out there how like everybody is trying to be like. Like everybody else. That's like that makes me sick my stomach.

[Bianca]

Well especially and I find in a lot of like female based industries because we're visually we're more natural, visual and like aesthetic.

[Marielle]

The problem is like a lot of.

[Bianca]

The grids in like medical spas and hair salons, they're like copy paste. Like they look the exact same as like you could change the handle and you wouldn't notice the difference. And the people that stand out, like yourself have very much their own like aesthetic and brand. Like someone couldn't. If someone swapped your handle, I'd be like, that's pink LeBlanc feet.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

Versus a lot of people's feeds you. You can't say the same for like it's the same photos effectively. So how do you. What do you think of my shampoo choice? Is it okay?

[Marielle]

So it's, it's good. Honestly, like in your routine. What you should know is that shampoo is the place where you can save your blood in a sense that it's important to have a good shampoo. Spirology is sulfate and silicone free. Sorry. So that's really, really good. Is it the shampoo that's gonna change your hair game? No. But where you really want to invest it's in your serum and in your mask. So pretty much like your skin. So think as your hair like your skin. Like it's good to have like a good cleanser but you want to invest more in your serum and your mask. So same thing with hair. So for you, because you want to grow your hair, you want to make it like super healthy, I would recommend swapping your conditioner for a mask. So to always do a mask instead of a conditioner.

[Bianca]

But K18 you're not supposed to do again a MA store conditioner.

[Marielle]

So King it's a bit tricky. When they started it was like it said they say it's a leave in and this is your last step. You wait four minutes and then you can apply other products. But because there's no cosmetic effect to your hair, your hair might not be like as hydrated self manageable as if you use something more hydrating after. And after four minutes like the treatment is done. So what I suggest is you go in the shower, you shampoo your hair twice with your purology, you towel dry your hair, you apply your K18, you wait four minutes, shave your legs, do what you have to do and after you put on a mask for two to five minutes, two to 10 if you can on top of this and.

[Bianca]

Then the rinse, wait the white K18 with the paint kind of rinse out.

[Marielle]

No, you don't have to rinse it out. But if you do a mask on top of it, you're gonna need to rinse your mask.

[Bianca]

Oh we rinse mask.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

Okay. Got it after the K18.

[Marielle]

So you're not doing it before top of the K18. So you don't rinse your K18. You put it wait for four minutes still in the shower, apply your mask, wait for how many time you have and then you rinse your mask. Cool.

[Bianca]

Okay.

[Marielle]

So that's really good. That would really do a difference because there's no cosmetic. No like hydrating effect in your casein and when you're blonde and your hair is like your hair is not like fully straight, you have a bit of a. That means that your cuticle. Cuticle. Cuticle is open a little. And so you need hydration to try to close it and to hydrate My.

[Bianca]

Hair used to dry actually really quite pretty. And it doesn't anymore.

[Marielle]

Yeah. Sometimes it's because it brings. Yeah. The color because your hair is over processed. That's why like a natural hair will never like to the same thing and as like have the same like.

[Bianca]

That's right. I feel like in Korea they need to like they need to like pick it up. Cuz I feel like they could a Korean brand could arrive with like make it happen like salmon sperm, hair injections, you know like I'm here for it.

[Marielle]

Do you know Shuimura? Yeah, it's Japanese. So this is so good. This is like my favorite brand for.

[Bianca]

I used to love. But you know what though? They've kind of tapered off on the marketing cuz they were having such a minute like in the 2010s marketing is very bad. But like they really like because like I remember even when Shoemera was sold at Sephora like how big of a deal that was.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

But anyways yeah love their products.

[Marielle]

Yes, it's very good. Like and I always say that like with a client I'm like don't go see their Instagram. They're not like very big on social media.

[Bianca]

They've got great products.

[Marielle]

Yeah, the products are amazing. So I would suggest for you either the ultimate Reset, which is the repair one, the dark green or the Saloon which is a mix of hydration and recair. So that could be a great.

[Bianca]

Which one's better for me I would.

[Marielle]

Go with this subnu. Because you have nothing hydrating like your hydration mask, your hydrate shampoo.

[Bianca]

Sorry.

[Marielle]

Is not like Hydrating. Hydrating enough.

[Bianca]

So I also though use after the K18, I'll do the pure ology. Like the 21s. Right. And I also bought which I actually like the crown affair leave in conditioner.

[Marielle]

Yeah. What do you think about. I don't have there.

[Bianca]

I actually, you know, I was really impressed with how they came out with like the timer and like the box of like the brush and stuff. I never bought any of their things. I think though mostly because to me that would be like an in person experience. And they I never saw. I never went to like a store that had it on display. But I like their brand. Like, I love the name. I like their brand. I found I used that leave in conditioner somewhere and I quite liked. Because they're clean, right?

[Marielle]

Are they clean?

[Bianca]

Yeah, but I like it. I just. I don't know. I don't know. What? I don't know. Like, I don't know if you think it's a good product.

[Marielle]

Like I've never tried it. Obsessed with the brand, the branding itself. I have a hard time with like, newest brand and clean product. It's a personal thing. It's just because like for me, like if you're blonde, like, I mean, your hair is not clean. It's not clean. There's chemicals. It needs chemicals.

[Bianca]

It's actually a very good alternative.

[Marielle]

You know what I mean?

[Bianca]

Like, like, why are you trying to be clean with processed hair?

[Marielle]

Exactly.

[Bianca]

Dude. I can't believe I haven't thought about this today. Wow.

[Marielle]

Yeah. So. And a lot of people, like, we see it on their clients. Like a lot of clients.

[Bianca]

Stupid. Dude. I haven't thought about it like that.

[Marielle]

Yeah, like, you're doing pretty much the worst thing you can do. Your hair, you're like.

[Bianca]

And then you're like, here, I'm gonna put plant on it.

[Marielle]

Exactly. And you're thinking it's really healing your hair, but it's beauty.

[Bianca]

You know why I go to bed at night with no problems about my hair is because. So my, my really good friend is like, she's in deep, man. Like, she's at the point where like, I even feel like she doesn't have plastic light switches in her home. I'm being funny, but like, not really, you know, like, she's extreme. We get along fantastically. She just. We cannot believe that like we found each other because not that I'm super processed, but like I'm enough for her to be friends with, you know, Like, I don't like Dunkin Donuts and stuff, but point is she was like, yeah, like, a lot of people that are like, pretty committed to the clean movement, like, not at her level of extreme, but, like, will get their nails done and we'll do their hair. Like, it's just about being intentional with like, what you're choosing. And it's like, she's like, you, like, it's. It's not the end of the world for you to do your hair. She's like, if you're using better, like skincare products, you're eating better. You're being.

[Marielle]

We're all doing like, your part. Do your part, basically.

[Bianca]

Yeah. She's like, I don't expect you to like. She's like, I don't expect you to like, not take care of yourself. She's like, that's an unrealistic standard, which I thought was actually a kind of a school way of thinking about, like, making decisions that matter to you. And like, ultimately, if it, you know, about the end of my life having processed hair took two years off it, you know, I think the trade is worth it.

[Marielle]

Yeah. I don't think I'm worried. I don't think it's also self care. Like, I mean, it's not just the hair. It's the time you stand on the chair and like treating yourself.

[Bianca]

I'm living my life, you know, with really good mental health.

[Marielle]

Yeah. Good, fabulous hair. I have something against the people do that has like a very ice speech about being like this and that and thinking environment, but having their hair done and like having like a data first.

[Bianca]

And their nails done.

[Marielle]

This is.

[Bianca]

And Botox.

[Marielle]

This is something I don't.

[Bianca]

And fake boobs.

[Marielle]

Yeah, exactly.

[Bianca]

Okay, so what about what serum should I use?

[Marielle]

Yeah. So serious. So your 21 is also a really good product. So I love urology, but don't expect it's gonna transform your hair. Yay. It's good products.

[Bianca]

So I'm doing a good first step. But if I want hair like Bianca, what serum would I buy?

[Marielle]

So for you, the first step would be to use the Stagon Pegatis from Terasta. So you've been using that line you said before, the dark green line, which is the repair.

[Bianca]

I have the one that has the.

[Marielle]

Two pumps on each side, like best.

[Bianca]

That's the best one. Oh, I got two bottles of that. So I'm not buying that today.

[Marielle]

Sorry. You go, girl. But this is like something, like, it's not something I do. Would love to. I would like you to do like, like, don't finish your bottle and go buy another One like it's like cuz.

[Bianca]

It'S high protein, right?

[Marielle]

Protein. So it's something you, you do your bottle when your hair gets better, like you stop it. You use something maybe more hydrating after. So this is really, really good.

[Bianca]

But should I do it like only once a week opposed to like twice a week?

[Marielle]

Once a week. That's like magical. Magical. Like that's something that saved so much of my clients hair. So this would be a good treatment. And if you want to step up your game when you're done with your 21, you could buy the L's sublimarques from Terraces. It's in the nutritive line, the orange one, the one that is hydrating and nourishing. This is a detangling spray. So a bit like the 21, but it's plant based and hydrating. It's game changer. So it's a bit more powerful and it's also like there's a heat protection in it. It's amazing.

[Bianca]

What hair brand do you think is the biggest fake news?

[Marielle]

Fake news?

[Bianca]

Yeah, like it's just a bust.

[Marielle]

I think Auribe.

[Bianca]

No, that's a. Yeah, I do. Even is not that great.

[Marielle]

I think it's like obsessed with the aesthetic. Love the bottle. The smell.

[Bianca]

It's a smell too.

[Marielle]

The smell is nice. At some point I wanted to have the brand here because a lot of our consumers are asking for the products and I've tried everything on myself. So am I the best judge because I don't have like everyone's type of hair, but I wasn't obsessed at all. On me. Yes. And I've heard a lot of comments from clients that I've tried it. Like the same comments basically. Never. We like the smell, the aesthetic of it, but not.

[Bianca]

Yeah, it's fake news. I feel like them going into berries kind of shows that they're more like high end for the masses than like technically talented I guess, if that makes sense.

[Marielle]

But I think they're always gonna add the eye because they do such a great job on their marketing. And these are branding and everything.

[Bianca]

Even their name. Right? Like their name. Ora Bang.

[Marielle]

Yeah, it's nice.

[Bianca]

What do you think is the best dry shampoo?

[Marielle]

I think it's K ting, to be honest.

[Bianca]

Really?

[Marielle]

And I hate to say that I love K18 because I'm not a fan of their. The aesthetic of it, it really bothers me. It's the worst.

[Bianca]

It really bothers me.

[Marielle]

You launch something in 220 like one like you should have something that is aesthetic to me.

[Bianca]

It's like childish looking. It's like drunk elephant kids, like, especially.

[Marielle]

Mixed with like drugstore products.

[Bianca]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Isn't the story though that like it was the partner of Olaplex and then they're like, they made the molecule better.

[Marielle]

Yeah. And it's crazy. Like the, the war in like the war between k twinl skin and politics.

[Bianca]

Is like tongue of the war.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

That's so kind of controversial.

[Marielle]

Drop it down. I don't know if you saw like all of the lawsuits that all that flexer in I have.

[Bianca]

But isn't that also because like the Olaplex bun is like not the instructions and like girls were just like always had protein in their hair because like.

[Marielle]

But there's no protein in Olex. That's like fake. Fake news.

[Bianca]

Oh, interesting. Yeah, you tell me like, because I.

[Marielle]

Have seen it a long time. Yes. Like, well, everybody says different things like that. And honestly I see it's a war between both products. But it's not like I don't think Keithing is against Olaplex really. I just think like people are like, oh, something new that is like apparently better and they start like trashing the other product. I don't think Olaplex deserve like so much like bad like reps.

[Bianca]

I love their brand.

[Marielle]

Yeah. And I think like Olaplex did a better job at like.

[Bianca]

Well, because L' Oreal bought Olaplex for like $2 billion is being crazy because it wasn't originally. It wasn't originally a l' Oreal product.

[Marielle]

I didn't know that it was l' Oreal.

[Bianca]

Well, I mean, you're with l' Oreal, so I feel like you would know.

[Marielle]

No, I don't think.

[Bianca]

No, you're right, it's not. But I thought that they had purchased. No, no, no.

[Marielle]

Yes, yes. They add their plex though.

[Bianca]

No. UK High Court judge ruled that l' Oreal UK and its parent company infringed an Olapax patent. So I guess. And what's the story? L' Oreal Wonder Water.

[Marielle]

Like l' Oreal got a lot soup from Olaflex because they copied them. Yeah. Miracle Water.

[Bianca]

Okay, you're right.

[Marielle]

You' something like that. And once l' Oreal has something like good luck.

[Bianca]

I find the l' Oreal brand confusing how it's like both high end and drugstore.

[Marielle]

Yeah. Then actually I asked one of them was one of the big manager at the group. I asked them. I was like, I need to know what's the difference? Like why I'm buying like l' Oreal Paris at the drugstore and I'm buying like Kerastas. And you work with the same chemist, like, what's the, what's the difference? What's the deal? And she told me it's basically the ingredient. So let's say they're going to source like better ingredients for the high end products and they're always going to wait, let's say, for they can. They could come up, let's see, with a very high end product and in the drugstore one, they're going to wait five years before taking that ingredient in the product. So that's first thing. And they're also going to put less of the active ingredient in the drugstore product. So in your cheap product you're going to add like lots of sulfate, lots of silicone, lots of things.

[Bianca]

Fillers.

[Marielle]

Yeah, fillers, exactly.

[Bianca]

But I just found it confusing that they would like to me as a consumer, when I see like a high end salon, say like they're a l' Oreal salon. To me it doesn't ring as like that's high end.

[Marielle]

Yeah, well, I guess what you mean, it's, it's hard because like l' Oreal is like a heritage brand. Like, it's. So they're the best, like color wise, it's the best of the best of the best.

[Bianca]

Because they say like in l' Oreal color science. Right. Like they do something with the science and color.

[Marielle]

It's one of the first brands that develops color. Like the pioneers, they're the best, but they're also anti wear. So it's hard to position yourself as like the best this brand. Like, I guess like there's no like luxurious color in my opinion, like as like a professional hairstylist colorist, you want to work with what's best. Like chemically, like there's like, let's say balmy. They came up with like a hair product.

[Bianca]

I know, but it's not good. Really.

[Marielle]

It's not. Because you're a brand.

[Bianca]

But they're this. The hair perfume was. Yeah, yum.

[Marielle]

Yes. And there's like. But smell the aftermath color. But like why would I trust luxury.

[Bianca]

Brand to be in color?

[Marielle]

And L' Oreal is there. It's been more than 120 years. Like, you know what I mean?

[Bianca]

No, it doesn't make sense.

[Marielle]

Yeah. So for me, I think like color is something different.

[Bianca]

I wonder why they got into hair. Like why they decided that that made sense. I guess.

[Marielle]

Yeah. And there's no. Like you said, like when you think about l' Oreal, you don't think about something a lot. So I guess there's a gap to feel where your client would be like, oh, yeah. Well maintained here. But it's. Yeah. So this is Chanel shampoo Musso.

[Bianca]

That's what I got by today. Yeah.

[Marielle]

This is the very best leave in. When you're done with your 21, you can use the from. This is your repair. So this is empty split ends. Amazing. Cool. And this if you want to push your routine. And the Sikh annuit. So this is an overnight serum. That's magical.

[Bianca]

I have this one.

[Marielle]

It's amazing. Yeah, I love the color of it.

[Bianca]

Okay, so K18 you think is.

[Marielle]

I love K18, but I wish I didn't like this product because it's terrible looking.

[Bianca]

But you said the dry shampoo is really good.

[Marielle]

So good.

[Bianca]

I haven't heard anybody say that.

[Marielle]

It's new. So it's still like. I feel like people are still trying. It's also very different from what's in the market. It's the. It's like it's infused with little beads. So when you push it, it's spray. So your hair are going to get kind of wet. Ish. And the little beads are going to absorb all of the excess of sebum and it creates like a crazy volume and there's like you can feel it a bit on your hair but not like a dry product that like leaves white residues. Cool. It's really, really good. So what were you doing in the Ottawa.

[Bianca]

We just opened a really big gym in Ottawa and I was like, well, no, like the agency was hired like to do the stuff for it. So I was like, yeah. So I was like, okay, this worked perfectly because I could come see you.

[Marielle]

So you did what they're the content or it's more like meetings. Oh.

[Bianca]

I mean tomorrow I get to just go and enjoy my life. Like we're gonna do a workout. We're gonna get like some smoothies. I just haven't seen it in person because I haven't.

[Marielle]

I haven't gonna understand more directly.

[Bianca]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like just to go. Because we're opening up another one in Yorkville based on the. They're one of. It's actually a funny story. They were one of our. The first like big brands that I ever worked with. They hired me like years back and we were their agency of record, which was a really big deal. And I opened their Liberty Village location and with their Winnipeg location I went up against the biggest agencies in the country, and they picked. They picked their hindsights.

[Marielle]

Wow.

[Bianca]

But I just. I really, like. No one gave more heart than we did, but we did. Like, we made so many mistakes of the scale, like, for how much budget they had. Anyways, fast forward years later, I had stayed friends with who became later, like, the owner. But, like, not friends, like, friendly. You know what I mean? Like, connection on socials and stuff.

[Marielle]

Yes.

[Bianca]

And she came back and she's like, you know, we've worked with a lot of agencies since the only perfect people that we had a positive experience with was you guys. And she's like, I'm not even interviewing anybody else. You're made to open this Yorkville club.

[Marielle]

That's amazing.

[Bianca]

And she's like, I just. I want to support you. I've loved the content. So it's a really cool full circle.

[Marielle]

Because it's nothing about being perfect. Sometimes it's about caring.

[Bianca]

It's about caring, and it's also about being humble. Like, they hire you for your expertise, but then they often just, like, are hiring you for you to do the work. Like, they're telling you what they want. And it goes against my philosophy of, like, you're hiring me, you're paying me a lot of money. Like, you need to know that this is a bad idea. Like, this is the wrong direction visually. This is the wrong message. And I never gave up telling them what I thought, that they were doing something wrong. And that's what they valued in the end because they ended up actually making. They made mistakes on how they rolled in the market.

[Marielle]

Yeah. And if you hire someone to have, like, a down experience.

[Bianca]

Yeah. So do you. Do you do makeup for regular guys?

[Marielle]

She offers a service for guests that want it, wants it. It's very popular from Thursdays to Saturday. And otherwise she does, like, more like styling. But yeah, we do wake up. We do offer this service.

[Bianca]

So she does, like, blowouts and stuff.

[Marielle]

Yeah, blowouts. And she's learning how to cut right now.

[Bianca]

Oh, cool. I find it interesting how you, like, how high end salons approach doing hair. Like, almost like sushi chefs, you know, like, you do. You do the rice for a long.

[Marielle]

Time, you have a specialty.

[Bianca]

Yeah. And then you learn how to do.

[Marielle]

Why do you, like.

[Bianca]

Why is there such a divergence from, like, regular salons that do all the things versus, like, the more high end salons?

[Marielle]

That's a good question. Honestly, I think it's. In my opinion, it's always better to know everything when you start but there's like, a few years ago, there wasn't a lot of interest for hair school. Like, hair school. There's a few school that wasn't even starting their court because there wasn't enough people. So I feel like there was a big change there where young stylists want to do only what they like to do. So this is when opportunities came that people wanted to go either color or cutting and specialize in this. And of course, in a small salon, when you're building your clientele, you need to do everything, otherwise you're not going to be booked. But once you start working in a big salon with less of the men, you can begin to do all the things.

[Bianca]

Yeah, but doesn't it get a bit boring, like, only, like, just cutting every day?

[Marielle]

I guess, like, cutting itself or coloring is an art. So I guess no, it depends. Like, that there's like. I love to see there's different level, different levels of air status. There's the people that do what they do, but don't really push the boundaries. So for sure, for them, it was super fun to always do the same thing. But I feel like if you're someone that really pushes the boundaries, you're never gonna be into the conflict. You're never gonna master. Like, so if you can cut or color, like, all day, every day, that's a good way to become a really, really good at it.

[Bianca]

Yeah.

[Marielle]

No, I don't think it's boring. You need to do spatula for sure.

[Bianca]

Do you do you only coloring now?

[Marielle]

My only color? Yeah. I've been doing everything for, like, maybe six years. And after, like, when my book was, like, really in the Men, at some point that it was booked like, a year in advance, I decided to go only the words color. Yeah.

[Bianca]

Cool. Next question for you.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

I find you don't really chase, like, the awards. Why have you made that, like, marketing decision to not do a lot of, like, I feel like a lot of the top sponsors are always doing those, like, balayage. You know what I mean? Like, I don't know what they're called, but does that make sense?

[Marielle]

I'm. I guess it's not something that I value. I'm gonna be honest. I'm nominated. It's been three years that I nominated, like, Colorist of the Year, and I don't even do the. Because when you're nominated, you need to present, like, a portfolio and show us that the event. The event. And I just don't take part in it. Like, it's not something that I Value? Yeah, it's to be judged by a few bunch of all of their stylists that's gonna tell me. I don't know. I'm sorry, I don't wanna.

[Bianca]

Sorry. Why do you like shriveling up? Yeah, I feel like that's such a French approach. Like I don't give a fuck about like about the opinion of sheep.

[Marielle]

Yeah, yeah.

[Bianca]

I am the best. I don't need the award.

[Marielle]

I don't need the awards basically. And it's. It's for sure, it's. It's fun and stuff. But I think like. Yeah. Lack of style and lack of. I don't care.

[Bianca]

Yeah, that's a great answer. Do you think that those are like. Do you think it's a good marketing tool for.

[Marielle]

I think it can be great if your clients value that. I think for me like just by being an educator, it sticks by itself. But I think like for someone that don't want to do education or don't have like those opportunity, it can be a great way to market yourself. But I think it's kind of fading a little.

[Bianca]

Like the, the novelty of it.

[Marielle]

Yeah. The competitions and stuff in the hair industry, it's still there. It's always going to be there because it's like it. But I feel like it's a different field. Like my. Where I consider myself like in the hair industry is more like client experience, like client brand. Yeah, it's different. Yeah.

[Bianca]

Yeah, I agree.

[Marielle]

No, I'm not. I don't consider myself as an artist. I don't know if it makes sense.

[Bianca]

You don't consider yourself an artist. Interesting.

[Marielle]

Yeah, no, I even.

[Bianca]

You consider yourself more like a. Like a fashion brand. Like a. Yeah.

[Marielle]

Like at the end of the day I do more business than I do hair. So I don't consider myself as an artist. Like I guess I am in the same certain way. Like I love to create.

[Bianca]

But why does that make you uncomfortable to say?

[Marielle]

Because it's. I feel like it's hard for me to position myself. It's the hardest question for me when someone asks me what do you do? Cuz it's like I wear so many hats.

[Bianca]

Like you're not a hair stylist. Yeah.

[Marielle]

I don't know what I am facing.

[Bianca]

But I think though. Though it's interesting that you feel like that's a struggle because to me I feel like the ultimate dream in hair is like to have a name that allows you to sell products. You know what I mean? Like to be a Marc Anthony, to be a. Like like, that is. That is the. Like, the pinnacle of styling. And it's interesting at your age that you're like, it's less about styling, it's more about a brand.

[Marielle]

Yeah, I guess. Yeah. Hair will always be like, my.

[Bianca]

A fallback. Yeah.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

There. It's You. It's your starting point.

[Marielle]

Yeah. It's my form of art, I guess. Yes. But it's.

[Bianca]

You're a business owner. I'm glad that you, like, said that out loud, because it's interesting to watch you struggle. Say that.

[Marielle]

Yeah, it's. But, like, what's your opinion? What I. I should say, like, if you talk about me to someone with a. What are you gonna say? I'm curious.

[Bianca]

I wouldn't say that. You're a stylist.

[Marielle]

Right.

[Bianca]

It's weird. I wouldn't say that.

[Marielle]

I would say that, like, today I'm doing your hair. So, like, it's weird because you want to say, she's my stylist, but, like, no, you're not.

[Bianca]

But I actually feel like the only reason why this happened is because I feel like we're more aligned on a business and branding front. This is just the conduit to which we can connect.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

It's finally. We've tried to do this three times, and we can't get like. But no, I. I think that. I think that you are. To say that you're the next Marc Anthony is limiting because I think, like, the Marc Anthony or like, whatever name, you know, you. You insert, they existed during a different time. Like, there was that kind of that period of, like, the commoditization of services versus you're really kind of like, for lack of a better term, like an Alex Cooper. A pair or like an Alex. You know what I mean?

[Marielle]

I love that.

[Bianca]

Because you're using socials to build a tribe that wants to buy your product versus, like, a lot of those names that became big was because of, like, they were a stylist in New York and they person, you know, I mean, like, they weren't the best.

[Marielle]

Yeah. Or opening, like, multiple salons. So you become like.

[Bianca]

Like a furio. You know, like, hair, I feel like, is really the one that, like, what became big was more the figment of time than, like, the caliber of the talent. And also proximity. Right. Like, everyone wanted to be, like, the New York stylist, the LA stylist, and then they commoditize that versus being, like, truly the best stylist.

[Marielle]

Yeah. And ul with you.

[Bianca]

Friend yourself.

[Marielle]

If someone asks you what you do for a L Would you say you're a market?

[Bianca]

No. I hate the word marketing. Yeah, I hate the word marketing because it lacks. It lacks it. It really actually removes how cerebral, intelligent and complicated branding is. Like marketing is very much like advertising. It's the bottom of the rung. Like marketing should be measured by sales. Branding is measured kind of like in a lifetime. Like what is.

[Marielle]

So you're brand new specialist.

[Bianca]

Yeah, but I want to, I think I want to be. My ultimate goal would be more of like this intersection of like philosophy of brand, you know, like I want a more defined. What's like complicated than just like cuz branding is complicated.

[Marielle]

Like how can we. You're missing like psychology and clients.

[Bianca]

Yes. Like why, why do you feel like there's value in buying books that have the word Prada and Chanel? It, it's not, it's like what does that represent? Like why is that cool to be on a shelf.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

You know, I agree.

[Marielle]

It's crazy.

[Bianca]

What are your thoughts on. Do you think the main platform should still be Instagram for Silas?

[Marielle]

I think the best way to grow is on Tik Tok, but I think people are still going to go validate.

[Bianca]

You or like, do you still feel like the best place to grow is on Tik Tok? My TikTok's been struggle, blessing.

[Marielle]

Oh yeah. I feel like it's up and downs but I feel like the village aspect of it is like still there. Still there.

[Bianca]

I struggle with this answer because I feel like TikTok has changed my life but like my business isn't a local brick and mortar and like I feel like it's a complicated answer because a lot of business owners, if I'm asking for them to do something outside of their schedule, especially if you're stylist, you're like truly behind the chair for like eight to ten hours a day. It's like if you're only gonna focus on one, where do you focus? And I agree, like TikTok, you can grow so much faster.

[Marielle]

But, but I don't think TikTok should be the only platform.

[Bianca]

What have you found from TikTok? Like what is. What has come in for you from TikTok?

[Marielle]

Honestly? Nothing. I'm gonna be real honest. I think that for me inside is my main platform. I put way more energy on Instagram and it's like way more like authentic for me because I like, like, but I feel like, I feel like TikTok is a good place to try things, look to discover what, what works for you and like your DNA and stuff.

[Bianca]

True.

[Marielle]

And honestly, I'm gonna be honest. I used to a Tik Tok and now I enjoy it like the most.

[Bianca]

A lot of people like the most. You don't know people on it, so you're not being like.

[Marielle]

You're not seeing the.

[Bianca]

You don't like, you know what I mean?

[Marielle]

Like, there's a lot of people you.

[Bianca]

Follow, but you don't care about what they're doing.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

Versus on Tik Tok it's like more what you actually like.

[Marielle]

Like, so you feel like right now you're fixed as are performing a bit less.

[Bianca]

No, not. I feel like it is a blow. It is a blow. Like content that used to do like 30 or 45,000.

[Marielle]

It.

[Bianca]

I'm like lucky if it does seven or eight.

[Marielle]

And why do you think it's softening? Do you think it's because it's even more saturated right now? Like, what do you think?

[Bianca]

I think it's because when they re brought it back, like when after the US Band bytedance took out, what made the algorithm proprietary? Like, because basically, like the US is basically like allowing it to continue. Because it was like something like $8 billion were created through small businesses in the US which at a rate, it's like amazing for like small business. So like they're really pushing to keep it. But ByteDance doesn't want to sell the like, scariness to the algorithms. It has the best algorithm. So it's like the algorithm like resorted.

[Marielle]

So now it's not that good.

[Bianca]

It's not as good, which sucks because.

[Marielle]

Like, then I see the difference. Like, I learned I've never really done like a viral because what I feel like now it's very. It's like consistent views, but it's not like huge.

[Bianca]

Yeah. But I find like, if there is a better quality of you, like I get disproportionately higher saves, which is like a good metric because it shows you like the people that it's serving it to are really interested in what they're seeing. But even like growth, like, we're still posting at least once a day, if not more than once a day, and we're not growing at the same numbers that we used to be growing. So the, the, the push factor has changed.

[Marielle]

Yeah. I feel like the best place to be on TikTok was like in the.

[Bianca]

Early stage event when I push everything. Yeah, yeah, agreed. What were the first two products that.

[Marielle]

You launched under Eye patches and Acon. I'm going to show you. I'm going to give Them to you, actually. You're going to love them.

[Bianca]

What is the a. What did you say the second thing was?

[Marielle]

And hair combs. Oh, hair comb cone. Yeah, I'm.

[Bianca]

What did you learn from those launches?

[Marielle]

I pretty much, like, did nothing to launch them. Like, it's something you need to plan. Like, seriously, you're in athletes. It's serious. Like, you said, so much work. Oh, my God, it's so much work. Like, you said, like, having a funnel, like freelance strategies. Like, yeah, I have done nothing of that. It was like, we did it. Like, the only thing we did was a photo shoot in a hotel room with my cell phone. I was like, we're gonna solve that in, like, one day. It didn't happen. Still on the shelf. Yeah. So no, it's like you said, like, the rule of seven and, like, it's like you need to, like, brainwash people with the products. It's almost like face everything, literally.

[Bianca]

You need to, like. It's so tough when you, like, like, aren't an annoying person.

[Marielle]

Yeah, like, exactly. Like, for me, I'm like, okay, first below we have the under eye patch. But no, it's not like marketing.

[Bianca]

It's like, I didn't know you had under eye patches. I saw the photos, like, on the top over there. I'm like, those are so cool. But you know what you should do, though? Like, you should factor in one pair into the price point of pair and make them wear them while they're getting their hair done. I feel that would be so nice so that they take like a selfie with it and then you could just sell a box of them at the front. Because if people try that, like, what's. What's the.

[Marielle]

We. We thought about that, like, because NKA is doing makeup, so we were like, oh, we could include them in. Like, let's say I pass up the makeup, but they're $50. It's really like, it's a reusable eye patches. It's not something you trim the garbage.

[Bianca]

It's a reusable, reusable.

[Marielle]

You need to put your eye cream underneath. It's very, like, it's. It's very like, high end.

[Bianca]

Like, you did it right.

[Marielle]

You didn't, like, do it cheap.

[Bianca]

Okay. That's what it's important.

[Marielle]

So also, like, you cannot wear makeup underneath. So often our clients come. They. So it's not like we thought about, like, all.

[Bianca]

But are you selling it at the front Desert?

[Marielle]

Yeah, and we sell a lot, but we have lots of. Of such. So it's like it's like.

[Bianca]

Well the other thing that's really problematic like when you make like a really well made like good quality product like the ice roller, she's like how many do you buy? You know like you only really buy one. So they're just like a reusable fat like that.

[Marielle]

It's 30 sizes. So you like if someone like does a date but you need like something you can could buy every month. But we say it's good for 30 times. But honestly I've tried them in the last like 60 times every wore and I feel like it under eye patches really like it's, it's almost more a self care act than like a beauty product because yes, it works but it's like it's a, it's one step that it's not everybody that is wedding today like to go higher, you know what I mean? Like it's a, it's a luxury.

[Bianca]

Why did you decide to launch that product?

[Marielle]

Well one of my clients have a skincare company. It's like she developed all of her products in Canada and she had a pair of under eye patch which I love. I was obsessed with. I was like these things, you know when it's thick and it's not falling and it's just like perfect. And it started with having the idea of doing a gift with purchase. And I was like, do you think it could be a possibility that we collaborate on the product and we do want that. It's like a Fintano version. And she was like oh my God, yes, let's do something. And we started with that idea and it became like oh, but we should make it in a mirror pocket. And it just like escalated from that and we did it like better and better and better. So it became a product we, we now sell. So I was lucky. Like the product development was pretty easy because we started from the first product and she helped with like everything basically. So it's in collaboration with her and it's Milana. She's confusing it.

[Bianca]

What's the line called?

[Marielle]

It's Milana. So it's Y, L, A, N A. Yeah.

[Bianca]

Check it out.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

What about all of those like red light like characters combs? Like do, do you recommend those?

[Marielle]

Like red light therapy is the future. It's the best. And we're selling. What's the name of the brands are? Solaris.

[Bianca]

Yeah.

[Marielle]

Lab New York. They do like everything like red light therapies and for all muse we have like brushes, we have like skin care face device. It's amazing.

[Bianca]

Amazing.

[Marielle]

It's amazing. Like for air growth, for sales, innovation. Like, it's amazing.

[Bianca]

You think the Solaris is the best one?

[Marielle]

I think there's plenty of good one. Honestly, it's. It's not like it depends on the lead and stuff that you add. There's like they're pretty much all doing the same thing, to be honest.

[Bianca]

But like it really helps with hair growth.

[Marielle]

Oh, it really helps with air. But you need to be consistent. It's like everything. Yeah, it's like a lot of like if you, if you use like a lead brush on your scalp like once a month, you're not gonna see results. But if you use it every night, you're gonna see massive result. We have a device that is a scalp massager with the red light therapy. So it's like the red light and the massage like really boosts your hair growth. It's a amazing.

[Bianca]

Do you do the ice bath every. The dunk every morning?

[Marielle]

No, just that every time like I get either my makeup done or I knew I'm going to shoot myself a lot. My face is really sappy in the morning. Whenever I care, I do Cor. Just the best.

[Bianca]

I. I don't. I wish how I missed this. Like, I didn't even see that crazy viral video of that water.

[Marielle]

What was that?

[Bianca]

Waterfall. The. That's with a big black eye. And he like does this face and like all these men started doing these lemon ice water.

[Marielle]

It's so funny. All of those videos. They're like a day in my life. And they all start with the water. Yeah.

[Bianca]

Like what. Why are you lemon in the bowl? You're not drinking it?

[Marielle]

No. And they're taking like water from like a bottle.

[Bianca]

Yeah.

[Marielle]

So funny.

[Bianca]

It's so funny.

[Marielle]

I think they're like basically laughing at us.

[Bianca]

No, no. It's like become a real thing. Like men are doing this in the. Dude, it's not a joke.

[Marielle]

But I think it's a joke.

[Bianca]

No, no, the women you're seeing are.

[Marielle]

Making fun of the men that are dating your face. But. But the ones with like juice and stuff in it. It's a joke, right?

[Bianca]

The juice?

[Marielle]

Yeah, yeah.

[Bianca]

No, like basically it became this like male trend to like do the ice in the morning. Cuz this like Big Jack guy started doing it. Now these men were taking this seriously. This was a no joke situation. So was it weird for you when you started to become kind of like an influencer in my. Because like it's like your name, but it's also your like business page. Remember we talked about when you had like started getting collab requests, how do you approach that?

[Marielle]

It's weird. I don't see myself as an influencer, but I love, I see more myself as a content creator than an influencer, I would say. I love to create content and I love to, to do that for brands that like inspire me. So I think that's really cool. That's a good like sighting. But I, I would never be that full size, that's for sure.

[Bianca]

It's exhausting, right?

[Marielle]

It's exhausting. But it's.

[Bianca]

But how do you approach it? Like how. Because it's like it's both your brand but it's also your like business. Right? Like how, how does your brain approach it? How do you decide what to do? How do you decide what not to to do?

[Marielle]

I feel like I just like accept collabs from brands that I already use. So it's. And there's two different like things. There's brand approaching us to work with pick up club and there's brand approaching to work with me. And so you usually friends collab like Brazil that I'm doing for myself is more like fashion, beauty or hair. So that like really makes sense. And I see myself more as a lifestyle beauty content creator. So everything that makes sense. Even fashion too.

[Bianca]

I like looking at your fashion content.

[Marielle]

I guess even fashion, I, I love fashion for sure.

[Bianca]

What is the structure for your week on the other days? Like what, what does your days look like?

[Marielle]

So Monday it's always either I give a class or I work on my education or it's a content day. So between these three. Yeah, the fest is on days. It's new that I work one day. I used to do two days. So it's, it's been like one month. So the Tuesdays it's more like admin development and like a lot of catching up. Wednesdays it's my client day, so I only focus on that. And Thursday, Fridays it's mainly like marketing and development. And Saturday morning I always work, but it's more on development. More like the things that are not like things that move the needle but slowly.

[Bianca]

But what are. So when you're like when you're mapping out your week, how are you planning what you're doing this week on Thursday.

[Marielle]

Friday, honestly, I go with the floor depending on what we, what needs to be done. I'm still doing like a 10 person's job. So it always depends. And we're still really reactive in the business unfortunately. I wish we, we would be more prepared that we're not that. And I always like have like last minute soundtracks, last minute like things. So it's always like intense.

[Bianca]

Always feel like you're behind.

[Marielle]

Yeah. But it's something I, I would love to change eventually but I feel like whenever you're in your growing phase, it's never going to be prepared in advance so much. I'm very creative in a sense that like whenever I have an idea, something pops my mind like at night or whatever, I want to make it happen. So it always bust my schedule because I'm like I need to do that. So yeah, my schedule moves and change a lot even though I'm prepared.

[Bianca]

It's interesting because even on like last Friday I had to do some, I had to do some catch up stuff because I was going to be away for two weeks. So like last week was kind of like back to like before I created such a structured schedule and I just went into a weekend feeling like so unproductive, like I didn't get anything done. And it's because my first meeting turned out to 10. I had an in person lunch.

[Marielle]

Like it really, it's very time consuming for not moving.

[Bianca]

Really? Yes. And it gives me like honestly major like almost hate myself because I'm like I wasn't as productive today. I don't know what I got done. Even though I was busy the whole day. Like exactly.

[Marielle]

Like I feel like I always busy but it's not necessarily productive.

[Bianca]

Yes.

[Marielle]

Like for an hour and 30 minutes. That put us down for 15 minutes. Yeah. Well, thank you.

[Bianca]

Me too. I hate that.

[Marielle]

And what do you think? Like we're someone that really want to push. Like someone that's willing to do the work, that have the resources, the time. What do you think? Because we hear so much like it's quality over quantity and so many other people say no, we just need to be out there. Like what do you think?

[Bianca]

Well, the reality is that you have to be posting. You have to be posting a lot in order to get better. So it's not the like. So there's like two pieces to it. On one hand you have to break through the algorithm. So it's, it's difficult because if you're only posting twice per week, a lot of your followers. Yeah. There's only two chances for people to see you. So on one hand in order to like break through the algorithm, you have to like get the post quite a bit because the reality is like the majority of your audience is not seeing your post.

[Marielle]

Yeah, it's crazy.

[Bianca]

It's crazy. Like I'LL even notice that.

[Marielle]

Repeat that louder. They're not seeing you, your post guys.

[Bianca]

They'Re not seeing it. Like I even find like when I do things that are more like swipe throughs, like more like I'm showing up as like Camille Moore on my page. Not like giving you like businesses like, you know what I mean, like small business, like social media advice. It's like the real friends from high school that like it like from university, people that actually know me, they don't like the other content because the algorithm knows that like that's not relevant to them.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

So that and then. But the other piece to this is you can't get better at content if you're only doing one post per week. But that's a fine place to start to like start your journey. But like when you watch people that are like so good at content, like even when I consume your content, I'm like, this is so overwhelming. But like you've been doing it for a long time.

[Marielle]

Oh yes.

[Bianca]

So you can't like you have to get to those 10,000 hours. So it's like if you've got time, you need to like be practicing because you need to learn like what are your people? Like, what do they not like, what are people responding to? Especially like, you know, like last week, the Barbie trend.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

So like we posted it. I saw it the day before, I learned it that night and I posted, posted it like first thing in the morning. By the time it had hit the, at that end of day, ChatGPT had shut it down. And by the next day no one was getting reach with it because like the algorithm had been saturated with that content. But like, because I put mine out not first but like among the first that were doing it, mine got like 10,000 views. So it broke through the algorithm. But you have to like, that's why think in terms of like breaking the news. But you can't develop that muscle unless you are not you. You're not in the game. So it's like a tough answer because it's like I've actually recently developed this concept. I want to see what you think. There's actually like two approaches to social. There's the like I know that my business, if I don't get on socials is not going to survive. So you almost need more of like an ambient approach, like showing the before and after transformation. Like some behind the scenes. Like that's more like because you're, you need social, the secondary website and that's like it's not you're not going to become a thought leader. You're not going to become one of the most well known people in the industry. But like, but you're showing up.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

Then there's like the other box where it's like you're using socials to become a thought leader. You're using socials to like get these, like, connecting with people all over the world. You're getting whatever your like thought leadership boxes and that's where it's more demanding because there's a very small percentage of people that are actually posting like every day. So to get into that, if you just post once per day or twice per day for six months, you're in a different category that's much smaller for thought leadership. That's a different approach to social. So if you want to be like a pink LeBlanc, you can't post like once per week and like hope for stage opportunities.

[Marielle]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You need to be out there. No, I agree with you. Like, it depends on you're showing up for showing up or they're showing up for like major results.

[Bianca]

Yes, yes. They're, they're, they're two different things. It's not socials with the same strategy or outcome.

[Marielle]

Yeah.

[Bianca]

Like let's say, let's use pink Lawn, for example, as a club. Bianca might talk fast on the page, but you're more like, you're more artistic. Like I don't really want to follow you per se. Like you're. I like learning from your education, but I like more that you're very like, you're visually stimulating. Like to me, I think it's like.

[Marielle]

You don't want to hear me.

[Bianca]

It's not authentic to you, but it's just, it's not you. You know what I mean? Like the way that you approach socials does well because I'd rather learn from you. Like, I like seeing how you pull together visuals, like how you do things. Like you to me are more like classic Instagram, like more like that old school Tumblr. Whereas like, you're not like, here's how to grow to like 0 to 100,000 followers as like a hairstyle. Like that's not your brand. But I do think that you could have more of a Gen Z approach at the Pink LeBlanc Club because there needs to be a separation from your brand. And like I think that this place, it's already super well done and cool but like this almost can become like, like an, like an la, like stylist location where like you should have like almost like pink LeBlanc car mats. Like you should have like the cups should say like pink LeBlanc. And I do think there should be more of like a Gen Z vibe.

[Marielle]

Doing like a UGC and program right now where we got like a. A few girls to represent the brand to change our Instagram. Not just like aesthetic picture, but also like consumer. Consumer. That's use our products and stuff.

[Bianca]

Yeah.

[Marielle]

And.

[Bianca]

But even like outfits at Pinkle Blonde Club. Yeah, we're gonna do Pinkle Blonde. What's in your bag?

[Marielle]

Exciting. Where do I sum. This is a real mess. This is Acne TV studio most practical bag ever with Jennings Watkins. So I can use everything.

[Bianca]

It's so cheap. Is it new or the vintage and.

[Marielle]

No, it's new. First thing. Prayers. My computer, your MacBook all the time. My baby, my best friend. You don't need a friend when you have student stuff. But this is my tech pouch.

[Bianca]

Okay.

[Marielle]

Whatever you need. So you need a light. You need your adapter. Honestly, that's what you know, like you.

[Bianca]

Can like lead home without the adapter. I mean, I'm really dark place about it.

[Marielle]

Yeah, no, it's everything I need.

[Bianca]

Always with wait. I want to say, is that the Alex Erle?

[Marielle]

It is. Everybody says it's overrated, but I cannot wait. What else?

[Bianca]

When do you say?

[Marielle]

Pretty much every time. I create content, especially out of this alone. Because the light here is so good. But like alone or in the car, in the street. Cool. Yeah. So this is it. I'm a pouch girl.

[Bianca]

My purses follow the other purses.

[Marielle]

Yeah, that's it.

[Bianca]

I was a child.

[Marielle]

It's fun to like. It's so big that I need so big. I feel like I found a fresh one.

[Bianca]

Okay, what's in the pouch?

[Marielle]

Toothbrush. You never know. I grew witness only. So I keep my toothbrush all day, every day. First wallet. This is the one for money and this is the one for cards and receipt.

[Bianca]

As we know, you're in a tip business when you buy your cash wallet.

[Marielle]

Cash wallet. My boyfriend bought me this and I was like, but where do I put my splash? So I had to buy this cool.

[Bianca]

Business owner with The Steve strawboard earpods AirPods.

[Marielle]

Like Pink Lagoon under eye patches. Cool. Because this morning I was wearing some underneath my eyes and also ear over my crease. This. My road mics.

[Bianca]

That should show them the road mics. Now which ones are there?

[Marielle]

It's the wireless microphone charge. Like not this. Really not the case. Sorry guys. I don't know what this is, but I bought them on Amazon and I love them. My brush. This is the one I use at the moment. It's Lab. Yeah. A French brand. It's. It's very good. Not obsessed, but yeah, I love it. I love the paddle. My invisalignite that I should be wearing right now. My little hand sanitizer from aso.

[Bianca]

People love the Aesop hand. Santa's hair.

[Marielle]

Smell it so big. Oh, yeah. At the wedding.

[Bianca]

I really like me. I don't think we got anything too serious. But like, you, you just like. You keep your October in your purse like that.

[Marielle]

I have like the weddings everywhere. And it's like I put two back to back so I can see. Just put it on everything.

[Bianca]

Oh, hey, wait.

[Marielle]

That's a smart girl. Yeah.

[Bianca]

Okay, wait. So you have just an octobody October buddied like you October the October buddy. And then you just put it on.

[Marielle]

Anything everywhere so you can like. I don't like to add it like on my cell phones. I like to take selfies. Hello. And it's I help myself look good, so instead I can take it out. Wow.

[Bianca]

It like works the same.

[Marielle]

Oh, it works the same.

[Bianca]

No, I think. Okay. So that if you've gone this far, you just made. You just made this time you invested, weren't it, you know?

[Marielle]

Okay, then I have like a ton of glass, but these ones are magical. In Tower 28. This is more like hydrating. And this is more for plunk. Be careful, it hurts. If you put that in the wig, you can try it. It both. It's very good.

[Bianca]

Roll down the batch of our.

[Marielle]

And my favorite lip liner at the moment, the Ilia color banquet. Love that it's like the same color of my lips and I love that it's big. So it creates like a more like blurred vibe. It's. Yeah. And my perfume, La Catnifouche. The best of the best. La creme de la femme. If you want to smell the vine shades. Oh, yeah.

[Bianca]

Very, very, you know, vintage.

[Marielle]

So I love that. I have also a mini perfume because you never know. Dior. Ms. Dior. When I want to be more serious. This is like the more business women are sh. And to finish, my lemon is silk from. From next. Put it here and we do a little. Oh yeah, like, great. Like. And now you need like. Oh, thanks.

[Bianca]

And I love. My finger was cold too, so I feel like it's really deep huffing. It's like a cheer one like in the great love.

[Marielle]

Does it look great? Me mini touch up session.

[Bianca]

Beautiful.

[Marielle]

And this is amazing. Cool and ready. A lot of the.

[Bianca]

True God.

[Marielle]

Yeah. This is it. All right.

[Bianca]

Very exciting bag.

[Marielle]

We're gonna go over and see the other side. Yeah.

[Bianca]

That looks fantastic.

[Marielle]

Thank you for trusting me, darling.

[Bianca]

Well, thanks for hooking me in.