← Duologue with Leslie Heaney
Duologue with Leslie Heaney
Transforming Home Care with Preston Lane - feat. Preston Konrad and Lisa Manice
00:57:12
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- [00:05]
A
Hello, everyone. This is Leslie, and you're listening to the interview with Leslie Heaney. It's the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. Mine involved lots of family time and too much wine and too much food, which, thank goodness, I still held onto my maternity genes. I am so excited about today's episode. I taped this a couple of months ago with Lisa Manus and Preston Conrad about their incredible line of home care products that they just launched called Preston Lane. Preston and Lisa saw a gap in the marketplace. They wanted to create home care goods that had beautiful, wonderful fragrance, all natural ingredients so that the products are good for you and your family, and also beautiful packaging so that they look beautiful in your home. And best of all, they wanted to make these products affordable. So these two, Lisa and Preston, are really kind of a juggernaut duo in the marketing space. They have worked for decades combined, launching dozens of incredibly successful brands on behalf of other companies, everybody from Ralph Lauren to Estee Lauder. Yet this time, they decided to join forces to start a company of their own. I'm always curious about what inspires people to go out and start their own businesses and what those first steps in growing pains look like. So in this conversation, we talk about everything from their inspirations. We get expert advice from them on do's and don'ts for starting and marketing a products company. So this is really an episode for all of you budding entrepreneurs out there who've ever fantasized about starting your own business since I last spoke with them. Preston Lane has opened at Nordstrom's, launched a pop up in Hudson Yards, started a partnership with Centric Brands. They're really on their way to becoming kind of every American household's answer to elevated home care. They also happen to be both geniuses and hilarious. So I'm so delighted to be bringing this conversation to you all. I enjoyed every minute and learned so much, and I know that you will, too. Preston, Lisa, I'm so thrilled and happy to see both of you and to have you here today. This is so exciting.
- [02:29]
B
Thank you for having us.
- [02:30]
A
I've got to get used to this going back and forth, being here, the monkey in the middle over here that I am. I couldn't imagine being in a better spot than in between the two of you on a Tuesday morning. So excited to be talking to you both about Preston Lane. You have developed this incredible line of home fragrances. Well, creams, soaps, candles.
- [02:55]
B
It's a whole new category of home care is what we call it home care with a side of powerful home fragrance. Oh, my gosh.
- [03:02]
A
I love that. I actually love that concept of home care. Is that a new.
- [03:05]
B
You know, Lisa and I were talking about this for actually last couple weeks. Like, you know, if you think about it, the last few years have really been about personal care and beauty and hair care. And coming out of the pandemic, we really believe that home care is the new self care. How we take care of our homes, what we put in our homes, not just on our body and our faces, but we thought this category was ripe for disruption. So home care is what we like to call a category.
- [03:35]
A
Oh, my gosh. I love that. And I think that that makes such great sense and really kind of captures. Captures your whole line of products, because it's not. It is such an elevated.
- [03:47]
B
Yeah.
- [03:47]
A
Experience. Right?
- [03:49]
B
It is. I mean. Well, I'm sure we'll get into how Lisa and I met and how we put our brains together.
- [03:53]
A
Yeah, I want to. I want to kick it off with that, actually, because I love kind of exploring how businesses got started and how people kind of take the leap from concept to company. And so I'd love for you both to kind of tell us that background story about how you two came together and your. And your thinking behind starting this. But then. But also sort of a little bit about your backgrounds, like, you know, what is the. Behind the music on Lisa Manus and on Preston Conrad. So, Lisa, do you want. Do you want to take. Do you want to start there?
- [04:25]
B
Just.
- [04:26]
C
Sure.
- [04:27]
A
Yeah.
- [04:27]
C
I mean, Preston and I joined forces when actually before I had Beatrice. So, I mean, this is 13 years ago, and Preston and I met through a mutual friend and just loved the combination of fashion, and we loved interiors, and we loved just working with really kind people that are really great at what they do. And so Preston and I were part of a small but mighty team that resurrected Belstaff. And we were given, you know, a very short timeline to do it, and we were doing it between New York and Milan and London, and we lived on airplanes, and it was just crazy, but so much fun. And we really got to know one another really, really well there and developed just a great admiration for one another's strengths. And then as time went on, Preston and I both started our own respective consulting firms. And his magical superpower and his teams is just brilliant at bringing creative visions to life. And mine is growing businesses and helping entrepreneurs and helping brands really come to fruition and realize their growth. And the two of us sort of looked at each other, and we were in the middle of the pandemic. And we said, we're giving all of our magic away to all these other great people and some of them would go on and become very successful and do great things for the world and others less so. And so Preston and I said, okay, well, how can we combine what we both love and really build a foundation for a brand that can last hopefully a lifetime, that we can really put our skill sets in. But then also we collect great people around both of us, and so we've brought them on this journey. So this is about three to four years old, even though we're 100 days out in the market.
- [06:14]
A
So when you were saying some have gone on to great successes than others less so, were you two sort of thinking like, we want to learn from the experiences of those you've worked with about how you could kind of together not make those mistakes or do it in a different way?
- [06:29]
B
I think, I think Lisa and I have honored to work with like the biggest, best brands in the world, right? Whether that's building them or consulting for them or being a full time employee of them and running certain divisions. And I think in the last couple years we've seen entrepreneurs take their successes and do great things for the world and others, you know, do great things for themselves. And when we were thinking, when we were thinking of launching a brand together, we were like, a, how can we change American house? A, how can we change American households and have a big impact with a product line? So that, that's number one. B, how can we build a company that is about positivity and doing the right thing and lifting people up and bringing along people for the ride who've been with us for such a long time. So we're not only trying to shake up the category that we're in, but we're trying to shake up the way of how some of these startups operate? And it's been really great. I mean, to Lisa's point, we were just, I mean, by the time this air is probably 120 days old, so. But we have, I like to get them right out of the game, right.
- [07:41]
A
Out of the gate.
- [07:41]
B
So we've been working, you know, behind the scenes on this for years. Whether it's different manufacturing partners, traveling the world to find the right, the right partner branding, packaging, identities. I mean, it's less than a handful of us working on this project.
- [07:57]
A
I like the small, mighty teen that Lisa referenced totally.
- [08:00]
B
I mean, with her respective firm and my respective firm, you know, we've each had prior to starting this brand. We each have such a small little team with us and they're the ones that believe in Lisa and I the most. And we were like, you guys are coming along for the ride whether you like it or not. But we have such talented teams with us that they've been instrumental in bringing Preston Lane to life, which has been awesome.
- [08:21]
A
So you, you two have been a consultant, background in marketing?
- [08:25]
B
Yeah. Tell me of fashion. I was with.
- [08:30]
A
When did you escape?
- [08:33]
B
My escape date was probably 2016 after, you know, I, Lisa had brought me out of a long career at Ralph Lauren that I loved every minute of. I started that in my 20s and I was hungry for more and was a bit not bored, but I could do it in my sleep, whether it's styling a campaign or styling a store. And the challenge that Lisa brought to me with bellstaff was really exciting. I left Lisa at Belt staff. We all went to do our own thing probably around 2013 maybe or something route there. But I went to be the fashion director of American Eagle Outfitters for a couple years, which was awesome. Back to the big brand mentality of things. Kind of gave me the keys creatively, which was awesome. And then I kind of hit my corporate wall in 2016ish. I'm like, I'm tired of working for the man when I can be the man, you know, I mean, I've worked with every agency under the sun, all of which were talented. And I thought there was an opportunity for me to start my own small consulting agency for creatives. And that's what I did until we started Preston Lane.
- [09:38]
A
And you also, you're kind of bringing your talents to television too.
- [09:43]
B
Totally. There's too many pots in the stove, Leslie.
- [09:45]
C
I know.
- [09:46]
B
So separate from my consulting firm and Preston Lane, I have a really nice little piece of pie in media, whether that's on TikTok and on Instagram of sharing everything I've learned in my career with people across the world or on tv. I do a lot with the Today show and Access Hollywood. It's been awesome. So it's really nice to have this kind of built in community of both, you know, streaming daytime television and on social media going into launching the brand. We have a great community together in person of people in New York who know us, support us and love us. But it's nice to have this built in audience around the world. People that stop me on the street and they're like, oh my God, you're the TikTok guy. I guess too old for it, but I am.
- [10:32]
A
You really need to help me? I'll help you as a side side hustle of get get know telling you what I should be doing. Yeah, I know nothing about TikTok or social media, but. So tell me. So both. So it's during the pandemic.
- [10:43]
C
Yes.
- [10:44]
A
You're in your pajamas. You two were talking on the phone. And what was that first conversation around? I mean, it's. I'm describing this. I'm assuming that's what it looked.
- [10:52]
B
It's kind of what it was. I don't think we were in our PJs, unfortunately, but we were the only crazy people that weren't, because we would get dressed every day and sit on Zoom together. But I did to give a little bit of back story. I had started during COVID my own kind of like, hobby scented candle brand called Preston Conrad Home. And it was just kind of like I worked with an amazing perfumer and, you know, with this audience that I talked about, I'd always wanted to launch a brand everyone in my community could buy. No sizing, no shape, no gender. And my passion and main focus is home. And I'm like, home fragrance is the ultimate way to make over a space. No couch required, no demo of a wall required. So I started this brand, and Lisa called me. You were in London, right, Lisa. Lisa called me. She's like, I have an idea what we're going to do with your amazing fragrances. And she had just left a meeting with a really big firm, kind of explaining what they were looking at in the market for whether it's acquisitions or to put support behind. And it was really something in this home care space. And we say, you'll tell the story better than me.
- [11:58]
C
No, I mean. I mean, part of my job is fairy godmother slash Olivia Pope for private equity firms. And so I come out also my Olivia Pope, too. I don't know what I am, but I just want the great people to win. So I was sitting with the head of acquisitions, and he said, lisa, I need you to go find me a brand that fits in a kitchen or a bathroom that isn't color cosmetics and isn't skincare, and go find one that's not owned by a really big company. So I said, oh, this is great. Okay, I got this. And so I come back home, and I'm going through our kitchen and I'm going through my bathrooms, and I found one. And it happened to be a brand that we happened to start a couple years. I mean, play an instrumental role a long time ago. And they had A smaller private equity firm. And I called the owners. I said, by any chance, do you want to go up a stage in the video game? And they said, no, thank you. We're very happy. So I called Preston. I said, okay, Preston, I've gone through my entire kitchen. I've gone through my pantries. I've gone through everything. There is not a brand that lives in between in this world of that's not owned by a P and G or Unilever. And so I really think there's something here. And then separately for another private equity firm, we were looking at Aesop, and it was heating up, and it was becoming this hot Target, and they were shipping water around the world, scented water. But I said to Preston, I said, there's something here. These fine fragrances and everyday household items. There's a real void in the market between what you find in a luxury department store that's fine fragrance, and what you find at a grocery store or Target or a mass retailer. And what can we do? And so Preston and I put our thinking caps on, and we started to go. Anything we wanted to do, we would go. We mood board, and then we'd find partners. Because one of the things you had to do is you'd mood board.
- [13:46]
B
We kind of. We. When Lisa presented this to me, and I was kind of reshaping my ethos as a media personality, and it's just kind of like a home decor expert of really. I grew up on a farm with nothing. Just normal American, Pennsylvania farm. And if I bought my mom something nice at J. Crew or Ralph Lauren, she'd be like, oh, my God. And so my mission has always been to bring great style to many, many people at a really great price and kind of democratize a stylish life, right? You don't need to. You can wear. Buy a vintage designer belt and wear it with great Gap jeans, right? Like that same approach to fashion. This high, low living. How do we bring it into home? And I was trying to refine that narrative in my own brain at the same time that Lisa called me, and we were like, that's.
- [14:38]
A
So you already had this. You had some thoughts about this. You saw.
- [14:42]
B
I was like, how do we reach more people? You know, these candles are great, but I sell them in my Little store on 49th, some on my Instagram. How do we crack this open in a big way, Right? Like, how do we make this a brand that everybody knows at the exact same time that Lisa called me? And it was kind of like, let's pivot. Let's take some of the building blocks you've. You've built by developing these fragrances. Maybe they're not just in candles anymore. Maybe anymore. Maybe we reach more people, more ways by expanding the product offering and retelling the story, which is where we came up. We kind of took a step back and we realized, okay, wait a minute. There's these Mrs. Meyers and methods, these seventh generations, these brands we love, that we respect, that are like the better version of care when they came out in 2001. Then fast forward to now. Everybody's obsessed with fine fragrance. Aesop, Byredo, Le Labo, Diptyque. And we're like, that happened quick. What happened in the middle? How come we can't have this beautiful aesthetic, this beautiful fragrance, a responsible way of doing it in the products we use every day that aren't hot pink and bright yellow and that blend in seamlessly with my home decor, which is kind of where we found the white space in home care, was taking the product we use every day with the aesthetic that people crave every day and bringing them together.
- [16:04]
A
So you two, you both have this kind of aha moment. You get together on it, and then what is your next step? Because you and I've talked about this a bit offline, but, you know, people have ideas and they kind of, you know, you'll go to lunch and you'll like, that's a great idea. We need, Like, I just the other day, I was talking. Oh. On the podcast that I was doing with Alexis Traina about portals, all the school portals. I'm like, we need to create a company that just holds all the portals.
- [16:31]
B
It's really hard, actually. I mean, just to give you context, my first, when I started my own little hobby candle brand. Like, I'm like, how do I find someone to make these candles? I'm no chemist. I can't mount my. I mean, I Google. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, there's also, like. It's funny, I remember looking up this website called Import Yeti, which essentially is like a log of everything that's imported into this country. So I would look up, like, other candle brands and see, like, I mean, I was. I was down and dirty, right? But the magic of pairing up with Lisa. When we launched, Preston Lane was. Who's in your Rolodex? Who's in my Rolodex? After years of living in the city and meeting everybody, how do we call around and say, hey, do you happen to make xyz? Hey, do you? We already have the fragrances. Do you happen to make packaging? Do you make dish soap? Do you make.
- [17:22]
A
But did you know in your mind that you wanted your home care line to. Did you start with candles or were you thinking, we want candles, we want dish soap?
- [17:29]
B
We wanted to talk train products that we felt were ripe for disruption while telling one story. So the product you use every single day leases on our, like, 9 millionth bottle of our all purpose cleaner. Right. So what goes with that? A dish soap. What sits next to that? A hand soap. Right. And right now, currently, most people are cherry picking it. They buy something from Method, they buy a nice soap from Aesop that's way too expensive. They buy something from dawn, and then they have to hide it all when their girlfriends come over because it just looks like a big old mess on the side of your sink. So we put our brains together and came up with our skew list first. Right, Lisa, what skus we wanted.
- [18:06]
C
And then we went to go see all the people that I'd worked with in beauty manufacturing. And they could do parts of the puzzle. They could do the packaging, or they could find us a foaming facial cleanser that maybe could clean dishes. And then our real second aha moment was we met our current manufacturing partner. We knew that if we found who we were looking for, we needed to be able to scale. So we knew that if we found the skus and we really focused in on the products that we wanted, that we wanted to be standing on the shoulders of giants, that if we found a product market fit, that we could scale quickly. And that was from years of watching other businesses and watching them because it's as easy to build and operate a less than $10 million brand as a $100 million brand. It sounds ridiculous, but that is one of the lessons that Preston and I have learned in 20 plus years in this industry that you need about the same number of people. And so how can we really find people that could support us in growth beyond what we could see? And so we went and dated a couple different really successful and big manufacturing companies that do are behind all the top.
- [19:28]
B
And we, we have. We did.
- [19:29]
C
It was dating.
- [19:30]
B
Our dating. Our. Our dating requisite list was long, right? Because we're like, we're going to go into this category that's kids, dads, moms, grandmas, aunts. Everyone touches all day long.
- [19:40]
C
Yeah.
- [19:40]
B
These better be the safest possible, the cleanest possible, the most efficacious. They better do their damn job y and they better look beautiful and smell beautiful. So our laundry list for our respective Dates was long, right. We're like and we want it all tied up in a bow. Do you happen to do all these things? And you know we got really close in America. Excuse me. And we'll get into where we currently make it in Europe. But I think one thing that for anyone listening that is launching a brand is your list of non negotiables. Yes. Has to be bible for you, right? Like if you know that you're starting sneaker company X and it's all about these laces and recycled, blah blah blah.
- [20:23]
A
Yeah.
- [20:23]
B
Do not budge because you had the idea for a reason. You knew what your niche in the market was going to be. It's a very individual selling point of view on product. So you know, as we dated people we're like oh, maybe we could for we got 9%. Maybe we could forego be plant based on this product. Maybe we could because they have it all almost right. And it's. It would be here quickly. Or maybe we could forego this bottle. And I'm glad we stuck to our guns because we eventually met the right person to date and to get engaged with and eventually marry which didn't happen to be in America.
- [20:58]
A
I mean you both have such extensive marketing backgrounds. You were able to kind of see that gap in the marketplace. People who are thinking about, have the idea and want it like I guess a big part of the preparation before they even jump in is to kind of get an understanding of the market.
- [21:18]
B
Yeah, get an understanding. I think where the most successful new brands come from is out of a need based, not just getting free consulting in these B.C. you know, west coast room saying what hasn't been disrupted yet. What could we do? Right? Like my friend Charlotte started this skincare brand called Dew D I E U X. And you know they're winning best of beauty. They're now at Sephora and they're a really cool Gen Z driven business. And she was missing this kind of like cerave cetaphil, straightforward efficacious skincare brand of the next generation that wasn't $300 but scented and this and a gimmick and whatever. And she was craving that and we were craving these items in our home. Lisa is the most beautiful house and office if you have ever seen it. It's gorgeous. And you know we're like. And I take pride in what I have in my house too. And we were like, wow, these products are not as great for us as they should be. They don't look as beautiful as they should be. They are either Too expensive or too unhealthy. And we felt the need for these.
- [22:27]
A
Products, the part about them being kind of unhealthy. So you knew from the get go that you wanted something that was. You mentioned plant based. You wanted to know what was actually in it, Right. What chemicals were in the products?
- [22:43]
B
I mean, look, there's still chemicals in everything, and everything is toxic. And it's. You know, water can be harmful if you drink to it. Right. Everything can be somewhat harmful. But Lisa spent so much time in Europe, probably with us. We spent so much time together. And what we eat and drink and use, we always felt better. We feel better. And so Europe was never on our radar. I mean, we were troops up and down fifth Avenue, going to every lab in New Jersey, every manufacturer in the city. And this unlock that I'll let Lisa discuss of this partner who we had known kind of on the peripheral in beauty as like a key player in beauty in skincare that Lisa and I both use. Actually, we happened to have this. You know, we're like, do you happen to make these items, by the way?
- [23:28]
A
We should talk what it is, because I hope the cameras are picking up how great both of your skin is.
- [23:34]
B
I mean, but let Lisa tell that side of the story. But it was kind of this like, holy smokes. I just got off the phone with so and so. He makes these things and he makes them in Italy.
- [23:44]
A
That's amazing. So, yeah. So you weren't even calling that person to ask about it for your plan if you were talking about something else?
- [23:50]
C
We just thought like, well, they're doing this in skincare and household. Right. It's also our ages. Right. We're mid-40s. We try to live our best life. Preston and I work out, we eat well. And still, like every couple months, I'm getting mammograms and preventative this and preventative that. And it's like, there's just something funny in our food, in our environment, in the US and then you go over to Europe and you're thinking, well, all these things are banned. And so we had known a lot from color cosmetics that there were 1500 banned, 1,400 banned ingredients. And what's fascinating is you could buy brands and you could buy. We've done a lot of work at the big companies, Estee Lauder and Coty and even some big global brands. If you bought them in Europe, they just were just cleaner than they were in the United States. And just for the sheer fact that the United States just doesn't have the Same regulations on their consumer advocacy. And so I think my younger daughter has eczema. And I used to remember buying her sunscreen pre pandemic in France when we were there, you know, in Duty Free. And didn't matter if it was drugstore, didn't matter if it was department store. It just always. She never got eczema from the sunscreen. And it was kind of the aha moment. And so Preston and I met this amazing man. He had this. He owns a factory, but it's right outside Venice, closer, you know, two hours from Milan. And he said, well, actually, we're doing this and we're doing this, and this is the standard in Europe. And so Preston and I said, well.
- [25:21]
B
Can we find it?
- [25:22]
C
We didn't believe it.
- [25:23]
B
You meet our list of dating requirements. You're in Italy with the fine fragrance. So, like, the fine fragrances I had developed could work with their teams.
- [25:32]
C
Yes.
- [25:32]
B
The formulas were better. They do the packaging as well in house. Like, the formulas were plant based. They were recycled bottles. I mean, the list, the checklist, we went down it and we were like, this is too good to be standard.
- [25:47]
A
It's actually standard practice then.
- [25:49]
B
I mean, the bottles we chose, right? Like, you know, we.
- [25:52]
A
That's just how factory in Italy is, or maybe throughout Europe, but back in.
- [25:56]
B
America, I mean, look at what's happening with Kellogg's cereal right now. You know, even whenever I was in London, we pretty much lived there. And I would compare, like Heinz ketchup in the UK to Heinz in America. Right? Like, they're same company, drastically different ingredients in the two. So we basically, once we had identified that this, this manufacturer could do these things, we're like, okay, let's see how good the product is. Yeah. So you go through a round of sampling just like you would with any product. If you're making a necklace or a mug line or whatever, show us the goods. And we came to.
- [26:32]
C
No, they first came.
- [26:34]
B
They were here for other businesses.
- [26:35]
C
They came to the Palace Hotel.
- [26:36]
B
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [26:37]
C
And they gave Preston and I all these little bottles of all these things where they'd actually reverse engineered some of his iconic fragrances which his consumers and customers had known and loved. And they started adding them proactively into surface cleaners and dish soaps and hand soaps.
- [26:57]
B
And a lot of their job is to show us more that they can make them what we would want. Right? So maybe show us in a. In a different item, like in a. I don't know what it was at the time. Maybe a room sprays or a face cream or whatever to show their, their line of goods. And then we really narrowed down which products we liked. And then you go through the process of refining the sample. So the magic of Italy is everything we've just talked about. Yeah. The downside of Italy is that it's a world away.
- [27:27]
A
I was gonna say it's kind of a great excuse.
- [27:29]
B
It's a great excuse to get on a plane. But waiting for samples, Right. Obviously has its challenges. So, you know, we went through, you know, I, I was, you know, for example, our hand cream, I was like, it's a beautiful hand cream. It doesn't leave your hands greasy. It's just the right amount of fragrance. What else can we add to it? So working with their chemist, like, you know, we ended up adding hyaluronic acid, which is great for anti aging properties or stabilized vitamin C, C and E, which nourish the hands and work on fine lines and wrinkles. Right. So, like, those kind of things take a lot of time or even the fragrance load. You know, I don't want someone to get a headache from using our hand cream, but I want them to know that they're getting the value they paid for and that they smell it after using it. So, like, finding fine tuning things like that round after round of samples is something that every entrepreneur should be prepared to do. I think anyone that would accept the first round of prototypes from any manufacturer in any product category would probably not be the right move.
- [28:24]
A
So when he comes over, she comes over, the company comes over with all the samples. You're at the Palace Hotel. Did you get room service and try to wash one of the dishes and then.
- [28:34]
B
Oh, yeah, oh, yeah. I brought the dish soap in the bathroom, I remember, and I was like rinsing down the, like the tray that the soaps were in there. I mean, but what really you need to do in a category like this, especially, let's say it's beauty or hair care, is live with the product for weeks. Use every little tiny bottle. Lisa took half, I took half. We call each other every single night, and we're like, can you get over that? Dish soap is amazing. We're like, what if we added. What if we made it a little thicker? What if we, you know, like just going back and back and forth at the same time. I want to be realistic about this. We're getting initial costings of what this will cost us.
- [29:10]
C
Correct.
- [29:11]
B
Because you have to understand these places have minimums. These manufacturers say you need to buy this many thousand of that across this many fragrances to meet our minimum. It's like, I want to be realistic about that. So it wasn't just all play because we're like, oh, man, this. This formula is maybe a little too expensive. How do we maintain the efficacy and the cleanliness of it, but reduce X, Y, or Z to make it fit into what we think is the right cost per unit?
- [29:36]
A
Right. So you going into it, you knew kind of what gap you were filling, right. In the market. And part of that was. Was the affordability piece of it. Right?
- [29:44]
B
Yeah.
- [29:45]
A
You had in your mind, we don't want to go above this or below this.
- [29:48]
B
And we kept. We had this number pinging around our brains of $20 and below in home care. The great news is you can always lower your price. It's really hard to go back to your customers and say, bad news. This is now more expensive. So looking at what other people in this category are starting to do, whether it's something innovative at $7 or something that we're seeing like a diptyque launching a countercleaner for $50, we're like, wow, this category is moving. What's the sweet spot? Right. Like, knowing that we'll eventually do refills and we'll eventually have subscription, and we'll eventually get the plane built, but knowing. Working yourself backwards.
- [30:29]
A
Flying, guys, but continue. Sorry, Flying now.
- [30:31]
B
But we're still kind of tacking things onto the wings. But I think you have to know what retail price you want to hit. If you're going to wholesale, how much you're going to sell it to a wholesaler for, and then work your way. You want good product margins, and it's a math game. That's where Lisa's expertise comes in. I know what I want everything to look like and what I want everything to feel and smell like. And Lisa is a genius when it comes to brand, product and growth and scale.
- [31:01]
A
You two have the perfect combination. But I want to get back to something that you said, Preston, which is so.
- [31:07]
B
Right.
- [31:07]
A
And, Lisa, you alluded to this, too. Just that I think people are. And I think it is things like that petition to Kellogg about ingredients that Americans are starting to think more deeply about what they're putting in their bodies and what they're putting on their bodies.
- [31:23]
C
And it's being led by private citizens. I mean, Jessica and Jason Karp are really taking the lead on that. Kellogg's and I mean, it's gained so much momentum. Assad Today, it's at 400,000, and they're on their way There. And it needed to come from. It's sad that it's come from private. And I talk about this, but private individuals. Right. None of us are going down to D.C. to go change this country. So it's gotta be done through the private sector. And to do that, you have to build, well, use our talents to build really successful businesses that then can buy you a voice, and that can change.
- [31:57]
B
I mean, beauty's gotten there.
- [31:59]
A
Markets speak.
- [32:00]
B
Beauty is doing it. Like they're leading. They really have been since, I don't know, the last past ten years of leading. The charge of what we put on our skin could be and should be better for you. There's still a lot of greenwashing going around with regards to claims, but, you know, it leads you to believe, obviously, like a lotion, a CBD cream, will be absorbed into your skin. Right. So that means a lot of things are absorbed into your skin, including the products you touch 10 times a day, wiping the counter for your kids, or the dish soap that you use four times a day, down to the hand cream, to the candle that you burn in your house. So we. We fine tuned our mission of doing the best we can and bringing the best of European standards in these products while really leaning into the fragrance offering.
- [32:43]
A
Yeah, I think it's. It's so exciting, and I am a proud customer. Not only am I due for a.
- [32:49]
B
Refill, we have to send you new goodies.
- [32:51]
A
My heart started racing when you mentioned the big refill. I can already see it in my pantry, and I've been giving it as gifts to people, so Hostess gifts. And everybody loves it. And I just think the idea that it's beautiful, as you said, like, you know, before it was dawn and I was hiding it totally. I mean, but now everything is out, and it smells great and it works and it's beautiful. And to know that it's also something that's not toxic. Yeah.
- [33:21]
B
Making a better choice across the board. I mean, look, coming out of COVID I think all of us realized. I talked about this on a Today show, on segments all the time. We're coming out of this phase where people are like, wait a minute, maybe I'm not all about a white, gray farmhouse. I don't even live on a farm. I like maroon, and they're painting their walls colors. People are just kind of reclaiming their homes in a way that we've never seen before. Like pre Covid with Fast fashion and Zara and Shein, and it was all about clothes and consumption and clothes and beauty and Beauty. And we're in this really fun time where people are taking back their spaces a little bit. They're sharing it on TikTok. They're sharing their Walmart dupes of lamps. Like, people are really excited about home. So I want people to be excited about this category too, because it's one of the pieces that is most used in your home are the products that we sell. We wanted them to be beautiful, to your point.
- [34:12]
A
Well, it's also. It's one of those. You mentioned it earlier, like, you can just light the candle and it changes. You know, you're not spending the money on the sofa. You don't have to go to the find the painter and have the pain in the neck process of painting the room. Having the candle burning just changes the entire look and feel of a space. Right?
- [34:31]
B
Totally.
- [34:31]
A
It sort of changed. But I think, you know, Covid, because.
- [34:35]
B
People, of course, spend so much time.
- [34:37]
A
In their homes, they looked around and were like, oh, my gosh, I have to fix that. Or, what am I? This smells terrible. You know, whatever's happening in your house, you kind of wanted to fix it.
- [34:48]
B
Totally.
- [34:48]
A
The fact that you've given us a.
- [34:51]
B
Very easy way, it's not going away. This home push, which we're excited about. So.
- [34:56]
C
And Preston really did a great job at one of the other things he's really brilliant at and has done it for his clients and has done it for this brand, is the storytelling aspect. Right. And putting. So each one of our fragrances comes from an authentic moment in our lives.
- [35:11]
B
Yeah.
- [35:11]
A
So tell us about Preston. Like the Preston Lane and the. And each of the products has a name and how that all came to be.
- [35:19]
B
Obviously, my first name is Preston. Our initials are P and L, but Preston Lane is really a. Lisa and I were, like, we really both believed in this authentic storytelling point of view. Like, whether it's down to shooting the content we shot in Venice at our factory or telling the story of these fragrances. So in naming the brand, we really wanted it to be about this beautiful place that everyone lives on. Life is beautiful on Preston Lane. So it's really, you know, that could be a farmhouse in Missouri. It could be a penthouse in New York City. It could be a bungalow in California. And it's really about a community of people that care about better choices, better fragrance, and better, more stylish living. But for the fragrances, you know, High Rise, for example, is like one of our best sellers. It's indulgent, it's rich, it's deep, it's kind of juicy, but it's like a love letter to New York about living in a beautiful building with a skyline view. Or that kind of first time you and your girlfriends came to New York and checked into that gorgeous hotel lobby and you remember the feeling of it. And we produce a lot of content that's all about those moments. Right. We're not just saying, you know, I think gone are the days of, like, juniper and something or, you know, lemon and rosemary. Yeah. And we're giving the customer an invitation to come behind our curtain a little bit and come into our world and transform their home with that candle. Or what's cool about, like, the All Purpose Cleaner, for example? I've never been this excited about cleaning as I am the last couple of years. But, like, I was like, the way.
- [36:57]
A
I hit the island, the kitchen island.
- [36:59]
B
Totally. It's exciting. But, like, the way you would choose your perfume based on the date you're going on or the girlfriend you're seeing or the mood you're in was something that was really limited to personal care. And now by us launching with four fragrances, we have something for every mood that is akin to that feeling. Right. So it's bright and sunny days, and Doheny Drive is the scent, or you're having a date night at home with your husband, and High Rise is the scent that you clean the counter with or you light the candle with. There's. There's really a storytelling angle behind everything. Yeah.
- [37:31]
A
I think I have a lot of dohany. You know, scent is so powerful for human beings. You know, that whatever. I mean, scientist. I'm not. I just Play 1 on TV. But there's some part of the brain, Right. That that memories are evoked from certain smells and scents.
- [37:45]
B
Scent memory is a real thing.
- [37:46]
A
Yes. Having you sort of tell the stories behind it and give so much thought to each of those scents.
- [37:53]
B
We still have work to do, I'll be honest. I mean, the biggest piece of feedback we get from people is whether that's on DM or on email, is like, I wish I could wish this Instagram was scratch and sniff. Like, how do I smell it? Right. Which is, you know, selling fragrance on the Internet is a challenge. I mean, we're very excited that we are soon to be, if not by the time this has aired, IRL at a very large retailer. So people can experience us in person. But I think that's something that whatever, whoever is launching a brand, if the customer can't see it, smell it, touch it, taste it.
- [38:28]
C
Yes.
- [38:29]
B
You have to do your Best job to tell that story on every channel you have.
- [38:33]
A
That's really interesting because when I was going to order my first set, I was sending it to someone as a. As a hostess gift. And I emailed Lisa. And you were able to describe to me, based on what you're talking about.
- [38:47]
B
How many of those emails did you get?
- [38:48]
C
Which one should I buy?
- [38:50]
B
Everyone is writing you, right?
- [38:51]
C
Yes.
- [38:51]
B
Yeah. They A, trust you, but B, it shows that there's always work to be done to get your customer to the point where they feel comfortable and ready and that it's going to be the right choice for them.
- [39:04]
A
Okay, so you mentioned that Preston Lane is. Will soon be available through a retailer. Tell us about that. And then I want to hear from both of you kind of what's next on Preston Lane?
- [39:17]
B
I love it. You see on Preston Lane, Leslie, I mean, the great news is Lisa and I, Lisa could sing this till the end of days. We're such champions of retail. Like, we grew up in brick and mortar. We love it, we believe in it. So we built this brand with shelf appeal and retail in mind. I don't think just being a DTC brand is the way to be. I think you want to be where the people are. And we're really excited to be launching nationwide with Nordstrom in their top 20 doors very soon. You know, beginning of November, we should be launched and ready, and it's going to be an exciting holidays. With Nordstrom.
- [39:53]
A
I was going to say this is perfect, the holiday season. So tell us about that. So that you always knew that retail was going to be a part of this.
- [40:02]
C
We always do. And, I mean, Preston and I, we said earlier, but we collect great people. And as we were building the plane, thinking of the plane, thinking of where this could go, we brought people that we love into the kitchen with us early on and said, and said, what do you think of this? And is there a void of this? And do you think of this? And so really early. I mean, if you've never met the Nordstrom family, they are just lovely and kind human beings. And that's the other ethos of this brand. We really just want to support the great people. And so we reached out to Pete Nordstrom and he, very early was like, you've got to meet this amazing team. And Debbie and Rachel and Megan embraced us. They've run beauty and they've run luxury accessories, and they really felt that what we've all talked about, people are spending a lot of time at home, and then people are more grateful for their friends. Or their colleagues or their family. And when you want to go give somebody a great gift, what do you get? If you don't want to bring wine or flowers and that, that's kind of where Preston and I, in addition to these items, whenever you see us on Zoom, they're in our beautiful homes or in our offices and they're kind of decorative objects amongst other decorative objects. And so one of the things that you know as you're taking off the plane and you're envisioning where this, where this brand can go. Preston and I both had a front row seat to Ralph Lauren and sort of his analogy of starting with ties and then creating the world of we always think this is. These first five products are our ties. And so our next. And we really cooked this up with Nordstrom's. But where is the void in gifting and accessories? And you're going to a party and you don't want to bring these first five products, what else would you give to that person? And so that's the next chapter for us. And we really believe in everyone's gotta win. Right. You have to have a place to sell it, a visionary brand and a great partner to make it. And it takes, I mean, Nordstrom's been.
- [42:03]
B
Such a visionary too. And looking at what's happening in department stores, I mean, the way that Nordstrom a has weathered this storm but come out incredible. I mean, what they've done on 57th street alone is like so remarkable. Right. That whole corner, whether it's their digital propositions or what they do with online returns in store, I mean, they've just been like at the forefront of innovation. And I think what's great is that they. We first flew to them before we were live.
- [42:28]
C
Yes.
- [42:28]
B
I mean, we didn't have product for sale when we met them. And I think they are such forward thinkers that they're able to see where categories are going.
- [42:37]
A
Right.
- [42:37]
B
What brands are doing. And so we're really excited. I mean, you wait till you see our gift sets. You're going to freak out. They're so pretty.
- [42:43]
A
Actually. They're just stood up in my arm. Lisa just said starting the, the ties because you know, where there's so many things that can happen on.
- [42:51]
B
We're really excited. We're having a little party with Nordstrom in the middle of November, a little launch party here in New York. And we think there are many other homes for Preston Lane. But like this was, this was the first retailer that we wrote down on a piece of paper looking at where Hooley would call.
- [43:10]
A
Yeah, that's so great.
- [43:11]
B
And now that means you guys can come and smell it in person because a lot of people and test it. I mean they can try the products and see what, you know, see what the packaging looks like in real life. And that's what I think is, you know, really important for entrepreneurs to think about is how people can experience your brand. Whether that's a pop up or kiosk or a, or an event at a local restaurant or whatever it is. I think, you know, you want to have product in hands of people and.
- [43:38]
C
We shared it early on and they all went home and they, they played with it in their respective homes and had similar analogy and similar experience that Preston and I had. Preston's lovely husband Matt and my lovely husband Christopher and my teenage daughters, we got them all in on cleaning and they were like, this is a miracle product. Like everyone's cleaning. My husband's cleaning.
- [43:58]
B
Husbands of the world are great.
- [44:00]
C
It was a great party trick.
- [44:02]
B
Husband's club now cleaning enthusiasts.
- [44:06]
C
Yes.
- [44:06]
A
You guys are making marriages better.
- [44:10]
C
Dorm rooms are getting cleaner. It's perfect. It's really exciting. Tricked them up.
- [44:16]
A
All of the things you're doing to contribute to society. That is a real, that is really excellent. That is great. I love though that it's so smart to bring in, bring in the people that you think in the future you might be partnering with, right? Like going to Nordstrom and saying like, what do you think of the product? Because they're going to be there on the front lines moving your product, right.
- [44:37]
B
And all the retailers know, they know more than ever whether it's Nordstrom or someone else. They know their customer like, like no one else. So I think there's really like a tremendous value in, you know, instead of thinking these meetings as like a pitch meeting, like it's the 90s, right? Thinking of it as a collaborative meeting. What do you need? What voids need to be filled in your store, you know, your customer. Do we fit into that space? If you needed, what else from our line would you want?
- [45:05]
A
Right?
- [45:06]
B
What else?
- [45:06]
A
What else should be on Preston Lane beyond, you know, on the ties and we're getting behind that.
- [45:10]
B
Take great value in that. You know, I think a lot of people easily get, can get overwhelmed with feeling of rejection or they didn't like this skew or they said they wanted XYZ instead. I think there's amazing value in these legacy brands, whether it's a Nordstrom or a re specialty store giving you their feedback and you take the feedback and you Process it. And they're leading you to water. Right.
- [45:35]
C
They're extraordinary merchants and they know and they have this vantage point of seeing the best brands around the world. And so if you can look at that as just a knowledge base and then remember, product to. From concept to floor is a year. So really taking in their feedback early on and then putting that into our own respective supply chain and starting to develop it and tinker with it and really perfect it. It takes a village. And you want complementary strengths.
- [46:09]
A
What was there. Was there any particular advice or feedback that you got that changed your development of the line in any way, dramatically or.
- [46:18]
B
No, we were, I don't want to say lucky because I was so proud of us for, you know, their team, for example, and a lot of the other retailers we're meeting really love the brand from, you know, the packaging to the scent as is.
- [46:32]
A
Right.
- [46:32]
B
When I first had my little hobby brand and I had put it at Bloomingdale's for a quick minute.
- [46:37]
C
Yeah.
- [46:38]
B
They all the boxes were white of Preston Conrad Home, this old brand. They had asked me to change all the packaging to one for each scent to be a different colored box. And I was like, am I going to change all my look and feel for a retailer? I ended up doing it. So it's a great example of really taking this step back and thinking, what do you want in the future? Which ultimately led us to where we are today with Crested Lane.
- [47:00]
C
Yeah.
- [47:01]
B
But, you know, they.
- [47:02]
A
That's interesting.
- [47:03]
C
The candle boxes stand on their own and tell the story. Like, each one has their own image of like. So if you don't know that Doheny Drive is la, you sort of. You can see it on the box and.
- [47:13]
B
And go into your stores. Like, if you're launching a brand, whether it's a peanut butter company or a home care brand.
- [47:18]
C
We walked.
- [47:19]
B
We walked into every store of every brand of every retailer with bottles of dish soap and put it on the shelves and we're like, does this fit here? Does it look like something else that is really.
- [47:29]
A
Does it look like you put your bottle in?
- [47:31]
C
We walked. Empty bottles full, empty bottles. People thought we were crazy.
- [47:36]
B
No one will stop you. No one will stop you. No. But it's like, take pictures of it. See how it looks. Does the light in this store, if this is your dream retailer, does it complement your packaging? Does it look like it's unique? Does it stand out from the matrix of thousands of other nut butters or whatever you're launching in this store? So there's great value in that. But to get back to, you've taken.
- [47:55]
C
It to restaurants, you've taken it to hotels, we've left bottles of, if you're not shopping, where are you? So. So we want this to fit in to other places in your life.
- [48:05]
A
Yeah.
- [48:06]
B
They had feedback about new categories in the same world. And it asked us, you know, saying, based on data, we're doing great in X. Any plans for that? And of course, we, after that meeting were like, we should probably. And we had been thinking about it, but seeing some real data to support it, we like fast tracked that product, for example.
- [48:26]
C
And then it's about listening to the right people because we've also gone to see other retailers and they're great. And each meeting we've been to has given us different lily pads of where we should go. But another big, big retailer over the summer said, you guys, your real sweet spot should be $15, right? It should not $19, it should be 15. And, and Preston and I, I mean, we probably pondered that for a month trying to figure out, okay, well, what do we do and how would we get there and how many units would we have to sell in order to reverse engineer and actually make money at that, at that price point? And, and then trying to figure out, like, when and where. And so that price point is the.
- [49:10]
B
Sweet spot for that retailer. Right, Right. So you know your brand, you hold the keys to your brand. No one else does.
- [49:16]
C
Yes.
- [49:17]
B
So those are. It's important to take all this feedback, put it in a bowl of spaghetti.
- [49:22]
C
Yes.
- [49:22]
B
And see. And see how it cooks. Right. Like, you have to not stray from your vision. You know, like, people have asked us from day one, why aren't you on Amazon? Of course we're gonna wanna be on Amazon. We're just not. It's not time right now. Right. Like, you have to know exactly how you wanna map it out. And we know that irl figuring out.
- [49:43]
A
Who your customer is. Is that the big piece?
- [49:45]
B
Yeah. We're still learning. Right. We're still seeing. I love seeing the data of Lisa and I sit shopify and we're like, oh my God, look where this customer base is. There's a lot in Texas or, you know, great in Nashville, like, understanding who these women and men are and how we could serve them better.
- [49:59]
C
And we've had interior designers who've been given it as gifts, you know, and I think that's, that's also really interesting is thinking about who are kind of the taste makers or the influencers of that niche community that really then can help you spread the word, right? Because it really is about. There's no chance Preston and I can touch everyone.
- [50:20]
B
So I try on my little phone. I try. I'm on Instagram all day long.
- [50:24]
A
Preston told me he's, like, responding back to people.
- [50:28]
C
I mean, just to chat. He was answering. I mean, tell Leslie about the women. The women that were emailing you on hello at Preston Lane, and you started answering questions.
- [50:38]
A
They're probably asking you things like, they.
- [50:39]
C
Almost fell out, a lot of that.
- [50:42]
B
But I think it's mostly home related, right? Oh, I want to buy these drapes. Which ones do you like better? Which I love, because it all. It means that they're seeing me for what I'm. The passion of what I'm putting out into the universe, right? Not just on the Today show talking about drapes, but that this woman. There's value in us having this dialogue together. And are people taking pictures of the.
- [51:02]
A
Drapes and sending them to.
- [51:03]
B
Oh, yeah, I get videos.
- [51:04]
A
I didn't know you were available.
- [51:06]
B
Not really. I mean, I try to respond, but a lot of people are, you know, like, just general, like, support. I mean, look, the Internet's a wild west. I mean, it's the best and the worst, but my community is awesome.
- [51:18]
C
Preston District did his story last week, and it looks unbelievable. It's a perfect pink color, the perfect accessories. And this woman wrote an article about how. Which is true, Preston did use IKEA shelves, but then he dolled them up with beautiful moldings. And a woman, just out of the blue wrote a whole article about how to use I can't shelves.
- [51:39]
B
It.
- [51:40]
C
It was awesome for retail, by the way.
- [51:42]
A
I love that high low, though.
- [51:43]
B
I mean, the same approach I take to my clothes, to Preston Lane, to my house. So I love that.
- [51:50]
A
And I love what you were saying earlier about, you know, you wanting to find that space or that perfect gift where this product line is accessible to everyone. Your mom, you know, you've had that experience with your mom, loving to get those different presents and just having it be something that, you know, a luxury that everyone can have in their home.
- [52:09]
B
What's great about Lisa and I is that we're such big thinkers, right? But we have a lot of smart people around us, too, whether it's our partner or potential investor who are like, because Lisa and I could dream up complimentary products till the cows come home. We should launch a. This. We should launch of that. Right? But being smart about the cadence of what is next, right? I think in this current climate, it's really tempting for A company to think that there's gotta be something new every five seconds to draw buzz and attention of their brand. And we have a lot of new stuff coming up or smart additions coming up. But it's really about nurturing the community you have selling a dream on the product you currently have.
- [52:46]
A
Right.
- [52:47]
B
And being tactical about your growth.
- [52:50]
A
Right.
- [52:50]
B
So more retail, few more products. Maybe a new fragrance or two coming out, but. And maybe another trip back to Van.
- [52:57]
A
Really great. Really? For four years? Totally.
- [53:02]
C
Yeah. And making sure that people want it. And you know, Preston the other day, I guess two days ago, calls me up and says, lisa, now these are all going into Nordstrom. Now we need to get the people into Nordstrom to learn about it. Right. So we're going to have to hit the road and go to the respective cities. And thankfully, Preston and I have a lot of friends in a lot of different communities and really just build, you know, we need our local ambassadors.
- [53:30]
B
I mean, a brand is not. People believe in people, not in problem products.
- [53:34]
C
Yes.
- [53:35]
B
And as much as someone could love your dish soap, they probably like the community, the idea, the founder. There's something behind it.
- [53:42]
A
Yeah.
- [53:43]
B
More so it's really about fostering that and being authentic. So probably get sick of me on Instagram soon because the content's coming and coming and coming, but possible now that.
- [53:52]
A
I know that I can DM you and I can ask you which shoes I should wear. It's, you know, it's opened up a whole, you know, a whole new form of communication for me. But yeah, no, I think that that's right. I think it is about. And I think your story is so compelling. Right. Having. Having this that is beautiful and is safe and is, you know, made with just great ingredients and is just built by wonderful people and it's all feel good all the time. It's just all great stuff.
- [54:20]
C
We really work with nice people. I mean, everyone around us is really extraordinary what they do professionally and has their own secret superpower that Preston and I wouldn't be here if they didn't contribute. Like, Kevin's so beautiful. I mean, he's got extraordinary eye and he's an art director that works in creative and he can. He captures the video and he captures photographs. But then he also, they told us, the factory told us that our dish soap was human grade and you could shower in it. And sure enough, Kevin tried it and was like, it's actually great.
- [54:52]
B
And I love this. Wish you be a body wash. Mia.
- [54:55]
C
You know, she's a mom of two and she's just a marketing genius and has been behind really big brands and. And is so passionate. And the other day was writing, responding to a retailer that's coming up next and had very complex questions and Mia got right into the details. Cause Preston and I were tap dancing somewhere else. And it just takes a village around us. And I think our families have been, obviously they've been here since we've been cooking up every idea we've come up with. And it takes. You want everyone to come along with you and just be supportive and happy and. And then we want to support other people along this as well.
- [55:34]
A
Well, I am so thrilled to watch what's happening next on Preston Lane. I think it's just such wonderful things to come. And as a consumer, I'm just so thrilled to have access to your products because it just transformed my whole home jam. I mean, I've been, as I said, I do an extra spray on the island.
- [55:56]
B
Once you have it, you can't go back. I got it.
- [55:57]
C
No, you have a problem.
- [55:58]
B
That's the problem. It's good things, but this is.
- [56:01]
A
But our much more sitter who's worked with, who's been with us for almost 20 years, Delsa. You know, Delta Lisa Delsa's like, we're running out. You need to order more. I'm like, oh, yes. That's why I'm so excited for my.
- [56:13]
B
You know, can't go back the.
- [56:15]
A
For the, you know, when you're going to get the big. The refills. Because it is so terrific. But it's been so terrific having you both here today. I'm so happy to see you both. I am so excited about Preston Lane and I can't wait to see, you know what, what comes next.
- [56:32]
B
Thank you. Refill's coming your way, I promise.
- [56:33]
A
Oh, I can't wait. I can't wait.
- [56:35]
C
And Holiday Candle, which is really amazing.
- [56:38]
A
But thank you both.
- [56:38]
C
Thank you for having me.
- [56:42]
A
That brings us to the end of this episode of the interview. A huge thank you again to Lisa Manus and Preston Conrad for joining and thank you all so much for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. A new episode is released every Wednesday. Until then, this is Leslie and thank you for joining the interview.