
#828: Join us as we sit down with Samantha Brett – Founder of Naked Sundays. As a former national TV news reporter & anchor, Samantha spent years chasing breaking news outdoors in the blazing sun with a full face of makeup – only to find that...
Loading summary
Michael Bostic
The following podcast is a Dear Media Production. She's a lifestyle blogger extraordinaire.
Sam Brett
Fantastic.
Michael Bostic
And he's a serial entrepreneur, a very smart cookie. And now Lauren Everts and Michael Bostic are bringing you along for the ride.
Lauren Everts
Get ready for some major realness.
Michael Bostic
Welcome to the Skinny Confidential. Him and her.
Lauren Everts
One of my favorite things to do with this show is to interview founders. I think it's so fascinating how someone can take. Take something that's nothing and make it something. And that is exactly what we're doing today. We are interviewing Sam Brett. She is the founder of the very well known brand that is featured everywhere. It's on Instagram, social media, even Ulta called Naked Sundays. In this episode we're going to talk about the truth about sunscreen, skin cancer, building a viral brand. And we're going to explore her journey from a journalist, a top journalist, to a beauty CEO. This episode is just a really fun conversation with Sam and I think you guys are gonna really enjoy it. With that, let's welcome the founder of Naked Sundays, Sam Brett, to the him and her show.
Michael Bostic
This is the Skinny Confidential, him and her.
Lauren Everts
Sam, let's get the lay of the land with you. How did you decide to create this brand, Naked Sundays?
Sam Brett
So I was a TV news reporter and I was out on the road in the blazing sun doing the leading news stories for our number one network. So like your Today show, it's called Sunrise, and I started to notice this really weird thing in my office. People would come back after being away for a couple of weeks and they would have these huge cuts across their faces. One girl had staples across the top of her head. One person had a gash in her nose. And I started to think, what is all of this? And it turned out that it was skin cancers being cut out. And so I started thinking to myself, am I wearing sunscreen while I'm outside doing my news reporting all day? I would get up at 3 o'clock in the morning, full face of makeup. I'd go out to whatever the lead story was of the morning. They would call you at three and say, right, there's been a murder or whatever it is, a bushfire or a flood or a happy story. And I would go out and I'd be out live on TV, full face of makeup till 5, 6 o'clock at night. Wow.
Michael Bostic
Wait, so they call you at 3am?
Sam Brett
Yes.
Lauren Everts
What if someone calls you at 3am they're like, there's been a murder. I would be like, oh my God. Cortisol overload.
Sam Brett
And we can't laugh because this was the daily. That was my daily life. And you go to the scene and it's heartbreaking, and you get there and you're at someone's worst day of their life or the best day of their life. That's your job as a breaking leading lead news reporter. So I'm on the lead story every morning for seven years, by the way. Yes. So I get to a point where I'm starting to see the skin cancer, and I'm thinking, am I wearing sunscreen under my makeup at 3am probably not. You might be Lauren, but me, I like that. It wouldn't have even crossed my mind. And then I thought to myself, okay, well, what happens if I could top up or put sunscreen over my makeup? Because you don't want to redo your makeup. You're on tv. I would be talking about a live news story, and they would say, hang on, there's something else. There's a car crash. And you'd have to quickly drive, get up, and do the next story. There's no time for sunscreen, redoing your makeup. So I started looking and seeing maybe I could find, like, a spray or something to, like, spray over my makeup. Now, in Australia, sunscreen laws are very different to the US we had none of your brands. We still have none of your brands. And all that I could find was sticky and white sunscreen. And so I thought to myself, okay, what if I could create something that would be like a rose water spray that you could spray of your makeup and it would set your makeup and you'd still look good on camera with bright lights, by the way, there's like three lights in front of me all day, so I couldn't have any white cast, no grease. And so I went to manufacturers and they told me, what are you talking about? This could never be done. The samples were all white and sticky. And I kept going. Something inside of me was just, you know, keep going. And then it was the 2019, 2020 bushfires in. In. In Australia. I don't know if you guys saw it similar to what happened in la, and it was New Year's Day. I report every. Every New Year's. It's my favorite time. I talk about the Sydney harbor and the party, and there's a million people on the foreshore, and I'm always in a nice dress. And I get the call in my ear going, two firefighters have died. North. North of New South Wales, where I live. Go. And you get in your car. You don't You, I've got my red fire suit. You put it on and you drive. We drove through bushfire and was fire on each side of the car. And I'm driving and everyone's driving the other way and like you're, I'm. We're driving through fire. I'll never forget like thinking I don't know if we're going to make it. I get to this place called Lake Conjola. I'll never forget it. So I need to tell you guys this story because it was just such a start of naked Sundays. But I get there and people have lost everything. This entire town is decimated. There's nothing, there are no houses. People are crying on the side of the street. They're asking us have you got water? Have you got petrol? And we gave them, we did. And I said to myself we're just gonna sleep on the side of the road. I have to be up at 3 again to do the live news reporting by 5 all day I'm the only reporter there cause it was really hard to get in. So I'm the only one there reporting on this. And this family said to me, hey, do you want to come sleep in our kids bunk bed? They'll sleep with us. And, and I said no, no, I'm good. And they said but we have a bathroom. And I was like okay, I'm there, like I'll go to the bathroom. And I remember being this kids, this five year old kid's bunk bed. And I said to myself, okay, if I'm going to do this sunscreen thing, it's going to have to be the funnest, coolest, sexiest, most interesting brand. I want lilac, I want rainbows. Like I just want this to be fun. And I thought to myself, this world that I'm in, I was so passionate. I still am. I was going to die on the newsroom floor one day. But I thought if I'm going to concentrate on this, it's got to be the most funnest thing that I can think of. And that's how I started.
Lauren Everts
So what was the first product that you launched with?
Sam Brett
So the first product was the SPF 50 + hydrating glow mist. It was the mist wear over makeup while I was reporting and we launched it and I didn't tell anyone it was me, the news reporter, because I wasn't allowed to. I would have been fired. So I said to a publicist, here's a brand, here's a product, I need you to launch this. And she said I can't do it without a founder. And I said just try. And so she sent it to two micro influences. They both posted about it. People started DMing I set up this random Instagram page. I had three followers and people found it. They started dming going not I need this. Not I want this. Sorry, I. I need this. Where is it been my whole life? I work outdoors too. And we ended up, my husband and I put money from our mortgage, we put all our savings into it. He said we'll either lose, we'll either we put all our money from our savings. And my husband said to me, we'll either sell out or we won't sell anything and either way we're fucked because we have no more money. And we ended up selling out in three weeks and, and we had no more money and no more product. But you know, we made it work.
Michael Bostic
Earlier that we you that Australia does not carry any US sunscreen products. Why is that primarily?
Sam Brett
Yeah, well, that's a great question. It's because Australia has the strictest sunscreen laws in the world. Stricter than the US Stricter than the EU the strictest. They have the tga, not the fda. So that's our Therapeutic Goods Administration of Australia. And to get a sunscreen passed there, the testing, the rigorous testing and the ingredients and everything has to be made in a TGA approved lab and nothing gets through. So we have no US Sunscreens.
Lauren Everts
That's really interesting that you say that because we had Jessica from JS Health on the podcast. She's Australian and she was telling us they're the same way with supplements. They're really strict.
Sam Brett
Is that the same tga? It's the same thing.
Lauren Everts
So they just don't let things go through that would be okay in the U.S. yes.
Michael Bostic
So is this, I guess, like, you know, I, I go back and forth this. I think regulation in some areas is obviously needed and a good thing and then I think in other areas it could be a hindrance. And I wonder, I'm wondering, based on experiences like, do you think that the standards they imply are good? Do you think sometimes they get in the way? Do you think sometimes they're too much? Do you think they're too little? Like, because like the, we have the FDA over here and I think in some things they are effective and other things they're useless.
Lauren Everts
The FDA literally lets anything in.
Michael Bostic
But what I'm saying is I heard.
Sam Brett
Your podcast the other day about this topic.
Michael Bostic
Like, yes, it's a heated topic here.
Lauren Everts
Where the FDA is like heroin, give.
Michael Bostic
It to everyone, if you heard that podcast we did the other day, like, the FDA here will allow medical devices for surgery go through a 510k process, which is not a good process. But in other situations, like with our food, they allow all sorts of chemicals that should not be in our food. So it's like when I say it's good and bad, some people are going to be up in arms about that as it relates to the fda. But what we're discovering over here as a country is they've allowed a lot of harmful things into some situations and then not been strict enough in other things.
Lauren Everts
They let the same scalpel that was cutting open up a tiger with hair go into the operating room. We heard that story.
Michael Bostic
But I guess what I'm saying is, like, in that. But in the instances I'm highlighting, we would actually like more regulation when it comes to some of those things and less regulation in other things. Does that make sense?
Sam Brett
Yeah, totally. And it's a great question. And I will tell you, it's a headache. It's an absolute headache for everything to have to pass all these rigorous tests. However, what I love is that you know that if you buy Australian sunscreen, it is going to work. It's going to be effective. It's going to be the best you can ever get on the planet because of these rules. So I like that people say to me, I'm going to buy your sunscreen, but how do I know if it's got UVA, UVB, SPF 50, whatever it is? And I say because it's been. It's listed on the tga, and people trust that. And so I love that. And then you also know that if you go into the sun, as long as you listen to what it says, and the TJ is very strict, you have to reapply your sunscreen every two hours. The FDA says 80 minutes, so I say 60 minutes just to be safe. But you, if you listen to the TGA and you wear an Australian sunscreen, you know you will be protected properly. And you have to have UVA and UVB in every single Australian sunscreen.
Lauren Everts
What would shock the audience that you've learned since launching this about skin cancer?
Sam Brett
Oh, I cringe at the way I was in my teens and I would sit out in the sun thinking that tanning is cool and looks good. I took my entire staff to get their skin checked because Australia has the harshest sun in the world. Two out of three Australians get skin cancer. And there was 10 girls sitting in my office, and I said, Guys, hang on a second. When was the last time any of us got checked? And they all said, we can't remember and you have to get checked in Australia every, every year. And we all went. And I started getting flashbacks of the times that I would sit in the sun and tan my back because I didn't want to get my face tanned because I didn't want to get wrinkles or whatever it was. But so I would tan my back and I went in and the other girls are younger than me, my staff, and they were all fine, and I had to get a huge chunk cut out of my back. And let me tell everyone that is listening, there is nothing cool and safe about tanning. It can be a tiny freckle that can suddenly explode. So I had a tiny freckle on my back and within about six months it became a little bit bigger. I didn't even see it. How can I see it? It's under my bra strap, but it's where you tan.
Michael Bostic
I knew a guy that got checked all the time and he had a spot behind his ear that he couldn't see and that they missed and he ended up dying from it. That's a scary story. But the point is there's these spots on our body that you just don't notice and you don't see. And if you don't have somebody checking you regularly, it could be a real issue.
Lauren Everts
And isn't it true, I don't know so much about it, but isn't it true that if you do get skin or sun. Sun cancer, that you. It can go to other areas very quickly?
Sam Brett
Very quickly? Yes. It can get into your lymph nodes. It can spread very, very quickly. And my dad just had to get a skin cancer out of his foot. He couldn't walk for a few months. He has to get his lymph nodes checked every few months now. And they don't know if it's going to spread or not. Still, even though a huge chunk of his foot is out, it is so scary. I know how passionate you are, Lauren. Like just about staying. I mean, you've written a whole book about. About it, staying the fuck out of the sun. But for some reason, the message isn't getting through.
Lauren Everts
This is what people are like, oh, Lauren, you hate the sun. I don't hate the sun. I love the sun. The sun, I love it. I'm just strategic about when I go in the sun. So what I do with my kids and myself is I have the UV. If you're on YouTube, you guys can see it's right on my phone. So I can tap the phone and I can see what the UV is automatically. And I tend to go out in the sun when it's 1 to 2 or 0. And so that means I'm in the sun first thing when I wake up. I love light in my eyes. It's usually at 0 or 1. And then we take a walk as a family later at night. But I still wear a hat and I still love my driving gloves all day long. And if I get a manicure, I just got one today, I'm wearing my driving gloves. I'm, I'm just thoughtful about it. So it's not that I hate the sun. I just try to be like, have a plan around it. I would never go lay out in the sun when the UV is 9. I just wouldn't.
Sam Brett
And what annoyed me when I was doing my research was the amount of, what's the word? Reverse the reversible kind of the trend that you're trying to reverse the damage from the sun. So everyone's getting lasers and Botox to cure their wrinkles and you know, we're all trying to get rid of the pigmentation from the sun. And so this is my age. And so what I did was, I did a poll of younger gen. They were millennials when I started, but you know, now we have Gen Z, obviously. And I did a poll of about, I think it was maybe 18 to 24 year olds. And I said, how many of you wear sunscreen every day? And 80% of them don't. And then I just thought to myself, you get to my age, I don't want to put you, you in my age bracket, but you get to my age and you're, you're looking at your skin and you're looking at the sun damage and you have to get late. You have to spend thousands upon thousands of dollars for laser and Botox and everything to get rid of all the sun damage and the wrinkles and everything you've caused to your skin, if only when you were 18. It's so simple. As Lauren just said, you know, you need to stay out of the sun between it's 10 and 2 in Australia that they say wear your hat, wear your sunscreen and then you don't need Botox ever.
Lauren Everts
I also like go far where I. All my bathing suits are long sleeves. I have rash guards, all my kids have rash guards. My husband wears a rash guard. Like, I think, by the way, rash guards need better pr. They are so cool. I think that rash guards are like the next thing you should do a Naked Sundays rash guard. Lilac.
Sam Brett
Yeah, yeah.
Lauren Everts
You gotta do one. Rash guards are amazing. I was wearing them this whole vacation that I went on. And here's my thing. I see so many women taking such good care of their skin. But then you look at the chest and the arms and the hands and it doesn't match up. And so what I would consider everyone who's listening is like, think about. My facialist says, Lauren, it's your forehead to your toes. She's. And she's serious. When I see her and she's walking her dog. She is head to toe covered. She's. She wears, she wears Mary's tack and feed horse trainer guards. Like what she like attack and feed.
Michael Bostic
Is a local reference, Lauren, to the place we grew up that nobody's gonna know about unless they grow up.
Lauren Everts
Okay. They're like horse trainer, long sleeves. It's like a rash guard but for people who are equestrian.
Michael Bostic
Yeah, just a rash guard.
Lauren Everts
She's serious about it and she's taught me all about it. And I think you're so right. But I think about it as a whole.
Michael Bostic
Going back to what? It's one thing if you're laying and baking and trying to tan. And I agree with you, like there are people way overdo it. But it's another thing that people. Many just don't think about. People that have to work in the sun. Consist.
Sam Brett
Yes.
Michael Bostic
And I think that is the most dangerous because it's. It is constant and consistent every single day. And that amount of time, time of time, time, time, every single day, that's what's going to hurt you.
Lauren Everts
But don't you think too. It's also just getting out of your car and walking into the market like.
Sam Brett
It'S incident getting a coffee in the morning. Yes.
Lauren Everts
If I want to open I. We have a convertible. If I want to open that convertible, it's in the. I'm not going to open it at 1:00.
Michael Bostic
Can I tell you something that maybe you think I'm crazy, but I'm wondering if you've ever come across it in your research.
Lauren Everts
Oh, here he goes. Get ready. Settle in, settle in.
Michael Bostic
Carson. Let me educate.
Sam Brett
I love this.
Lauren Everts
Let me educate you, Carson. Meditate with your eyes.
Michael Bostic
Two years ago, my eyes were not working as well as they should have. So I contacted my friend and I was like, what do you. Knows a lot about eyes. I'm like, what should I do? And one of the things that he told me to do was to stop wearing sunglasses. Because the sunglasses, it's teaching. You're putting a dark lens over your eyes, and so it's harder to see in the light. And you know, like when you go outside in the sun and you're trying to read a book and you open it, like blinds you. Okay, well, that shouldn't happen to you because that's your eyes becoming way too sensitized to light. Right. Like, you should be able to open a white cover and be able to see in the sun. If you can't do that, it means your eyes are adjusted too much to the dark. But anyways, during this exploration of not wearing sunglasses, I did start to fix my eyes from an assortment roots. But I noticed that I was, I was not burning as much anymore. And so I was like, that's weird. I used to always burn and I would get these. I would go outside and I would get burned real quick stuff to put all this, all this stuff on, which you should still do, by the way, still wear sunscreen. But what I realized is, like, your eyes are actually part of your brain. And your eyes signal to your brain whether you need sun protection or not. And so if you're putting sunglasses over your eyes all the time, it's signaling to your brain that you're in a safe place and you're not in the sun. And so your body stops producing the. What it needs to produce in order to guard against the sun. And I don't know if you've ever, during your studies, have developed.
Sam Brett
I've heard this. Yeah, I've definitely had this. I think, look, in Australia, we don't have that luxury. All sun is bad. Unfortunately. We are very close to the equator. We don't have an ozone layer. It is dangerous. You cannot be anywhere near the sun. So we don't have that luxury. But I have heard of this. I'm saying, but yes, I have heard of it.
Michael Bostic
If you compound it with also then sunglasses.
Sam Brett
Yes.
Michael Bostic
In the most dangerous area when it comes to sun. I guess what I'm saying is sunglasses, in my opinion. And I think we'll start to see more about this. And I bet if somebody pulls the data and starts to correlate the time sunglasses start to be used in skin cancer, you'll probably. I would bet you're seeing, you'll see a correlation because it's telling your body that you're in a dark cave and that your skin, your body does not need to guard you against the sun. And if you're in Australia, which is one of the most Dangerous places. I imagine that compounding effects even worse for you guys.
Sam Brett
Look, we are governed by the tga. We cannot say anything that. That. That is anything remotely like your body can help you against the sun. Like sunscreen helps you staying out of the sun wearing a hat. I've heard this. So we'll park it and I would love to explore it. But I just wonder with like your.
Michael Bostic
With your research if you saw any.
Sam Brett
Of that because the TGA is so strict, like you say anything to the tga, like, anything about like any of its chemicals that it's been approved not being good for you or anything like that, they will come after you.
Lauren Everts
Wow.
Sam Brett
Yeah, it's really. They are. They are probably the best in the world at what they do and are so strict and they have their rules and that's it.
Lauren Everts
We're all about skincare, self care and mindset shifts. But what about our libido? Yep, we're going there. Because here's the deal. Millions of women struggle with low sex drive. And if you've been struggling to get in the mood, you are not alone. But guess what, ladies? There's an option for you. It's a little pink pill called Addi. The first and only FDA approved pill to treat frustrating low libido in certain pre menopausal women. ADDI is clinically proven to increase sexual desire, decrease stress from low libido, and help you actually enjoy sex more often. So if you're ready to prioritize this part of your health this year and reconnect with your desire, talk to your doctor or head to addy.com that's a D-Y I.com because you deserv to take back your sex drive.
Carson
Addi or Flanserin is for premenopausal women with acquired generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder. HSDD who have not had problems with low sexual desire in the past, who have had low sexual desire. No matter the type of sexual activity, the situation, or the sexual partner, this low sexual desire is troubling to them and is not due to a medical or mental health problem, problems in the relationship, or medicine, or other drug use. ADDI is not for use in children, men, or to enhance sexual performance. Your risk of severe low blood pressure and fainting is increased if you drink one to two standard alcoholic drinks close in time to your adidose. Wait at least two hours after drinking before taking ADDI at bedtime. This risk increases if you take certain prescriptions, OTC or herbal medications, or have liver problems and can happen when you take Addi without alcohol or other medicines, do not take if you are allergic to any of Addi's ingredients. Allergic reaction may include hives, itching or trouble breathing. Sometimes serious sleepiness can occur. Common side effects include dizziness, nausea, tiredness, difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, and dry mouth. See full PI and medication guide including boxed warning@addie.com PI addy that's a D-Y.
Lauren Everts
I.com this for me is so easy to talk about because I use the RealReal all the time and how I use it is I actually have a lot of my wardrobe on the RealReal so I will take pieces that are gently worn or I will sell pieces that maybe we used in a shoot and it's literally a dream. But I also shop on the RealReal. I have found so many good brands on the RealReal I can't even tell you. I found this little Seline wallet. I found a Prada leather clutch. I have even found this Hermes vest that I was looking for. Everywhere they're all about attainable luxury that upgrades your personal style. And also it's great cuz they do 90% off retail so you can finally have pieces that you've been dreaming of from all the amazing brands. I love going on there and finding something vintage that's a steal and then to also be able to sell my own clothes on there has been amazing. I've had such a great experience with them and I've been working with them I want to say for like the past three years. The RealReal is the go to place for your next special piece. If you're looking for a dress for a fancy wedding or you need something for vacation, this is the place to look. The RealReal is the world's largest and most trusted resource for authenticated luxury resale. With thousands of new arrivals daily, no one does resell like the RealReal and now you get $25 off your first purchase when you go to therealreal.com skinny. That's therealreal.com skinny to get 25 off. Start shopping now at therealreal.com skinny simply. You have seen simply everywhere. I am a big fan and they have launched a new prebiotic soda Simply Pop. It's like a juicy soda. There's five flavors. They have pineapple, mango, lime, strawberry, citrus punch and fruit punch. Personally I am a big fan of the lime. That's my favorite. I'm a real citrus girl and what I like about this is it's made with real fruit juice. Simply Pop supports gut with 6 grams of prebiotic fiber. There's also no added sugar. It's sweetened with monk fruit extract and it even has zinc and vitamin C in it. They really thought of everything. I'm really into the 6 grams of prebiotic fiber. This is known to support gut health and the added vitamin C and zinc for me is amazing because it supports your immune function. But mostly what I like about this is I like sparkling everything. And this specifically has no added sugar. You have to try the lime, but don't sleep on the pineapple, mango. Those two flavors, you cannot go wrong. Go to cokeurl.com simply pop to find where you can try Simply Pop. Find Simply Pop in any of its five juicy flavors by visiting them online at cokeurl.com Simply Pop that's cokeurl.com Simply Pop. To be able to have such a strong brand so popular where you're selling out. You mentioned off air. People are standing in line to see you. It shows that you have a really strong brand and that they believe in it.
Sam Brett
So much so that the TGA have even banned in Australia influencers from saying things about sunscreens that may not be on the pack.
Lauren Everts
I would be in trouble every day with that. TGA is a tga.
Sam Brett
You would.
Lauren Everts
I'll be in trouble every day. Thank God this is an American show.
Michael Bostic
Carson.
Sam Brett
I would to. The TGA would be like, get this sunglasses. It's literally on the back of every Australian sunscreen.
Lauren Everts
What, what I think is so, so great about you is that you saw white space.
Sam Brett
Yeah.
Lauren Everts
You threw something at the wall. You put it out there. It did well and you iterated on it. You launched more product, you, you got momentum. What advice would you have for someone who's listening that has this great idea and doesn't know where to start?
Sam Brett
Everyone told me it couldn't be done right. They were saying, this is the stupidest idea. We hate sunscreen. Sunscreen's white. You're never going to do it. Like, it's just never going to happen. It's never going to be invisible. No one's going to want to wear it. And the name is stupid. Whatever. Like, people just kept, you know, kept on going. But I just. If you have an idea, and I say this now to people who are aspiring to have a brand, if you have an idea and you really believe in it, then you need to do everything in your power to make it work. But it has to be, as you mentioned, white space. It has to be something different, innovative, interesting. You have to really believe that you are solving a problem that is not out there yet.
Lauren Everts
What mistakes are you seeing with founders launching brands or people that have had brands for a while?
Sam Brett
As you know, it is. So every day is difficult. Yeah, every day basically is a battle. We've grown really quickly in a very short space of time. We've exploded. And I've been able to have, thank goodness, people on my team who, my husband, for instance, who does the financial modeling and the P and L and the balance sheet and make sure they don't go broke. Like, it's such a simple thing. But I think a lot of people don't think about that. And a lot of people do go broke and their businesses go bust or they're not innovative enough and they're not constantly launching new products. We launched our mistake. 10 people launched a miss. You know how it is, right? And. And we just have to keep going. And don't look left or right. Just stay in your lane, concentrate on what you're doing, and have belief that this is. This is what people need. And people say, oh, you know, whatever, like beauty. You're not saving lives. But there's a part of me that somehow thinks that with what we're doing and so much education around getting testing, we had a whole day. Check your spots. And we have. I think today we're launching Top Up Day, which just is a reminder for everyone to top up their sunscreen every two hours. We are helping people at least think about trying to help not themselves, not get skin cancer.
Lauren Everts
I think you're so right about that, because when you put something out there, people are going to copy you. You, you have to just know that you have so many different ideas and so many fresh perspectives up and coming that you can't even pay attention. I mean, some. Some people that have ripped off my mouth tape, I'm like, you literally have copied the color, the. Every single little speck of this mouth tape. It looked like, it looks like.
Sam Brett
How do you deal with that?
Lauren Everts
I don't give it energy. I don't entertain it. You. You can't. You just have to keep the. You have to keep the tumbleweed rolling. And I know that I have 6 million other ideas. And while they're busy copying and, like, trying to stay afloat, copying, I'm onto the next. I'm on to the next. I think you have to be like that as a founder, because if you put something out there, you are going to get copied. So if you're sitting there like, I don't want to share this idea with Anyone? It's kind of coming from a scarcity mindset.
Sam Brett
Yes.
Lauren Everts
Be really abundant with it. But you do have to know you are going to get ripped off. It's part of the game. It's part like if you want to be a player, it's, it's going to happen.
Michael Bostic
We sue their ass.
Sam Brett
No, exactly. But be quick. You know, I, I say to my team, if you're not rushing, you're lazy.
Lauren Everts
Yeah, let's go.
Sam Brett
They hate it when I say that, Michael. But you know, just let's, let's go, let's go. And it doesn't have to be perfect. You just have to launch and you just have to get it out there. And 100% do not worry about other people stealing your idea. If you don't launch it, there is no idea. You have nothing.
Michael Bostic
You should, well, there's two things like you should not worry about people stealing your idea because if it's a good idea, people are going to steal it and that's a good thing to validate what you're doing. Right. And you're just going to again, on to the next. And at the same time you can't worry about people being naysayers or criticizing you because 100% whenever you do anything that is different, you're going to get credit, you're going to get critics no matter what. Like there is nobody that I know that's ever taken a foot forward and tried to do build a brand or launch a business or anything innovative that has not gotten shit or criticism. It's just like it just comes with it. So you just got to be prepared.
Sam Brett
The difference with this industry and I, we're in Mecca in Australia. That's our biggest retailer. And I will go there and I will see some of the biggest brands in the U.S. their, their, their managers in Mecca outside the front of Naked Sundays. And then six months later or so there'd be a sunscreen that would pop up in your guys Sephora. Similar. And but the good thing about this for me is that the more people that start to know about sunscreens and the more sunscreens that are not white, not sticky and work well with makeup, the better because the whole category now, and you would love this too because all the work that you've been doing to tell people to wear sunscreen, everyone's now wanting to wear it. So I see it as a positive in that the more this industry grows and the more knowledge you have about sun care and skin cancer, the better it is for everyone.
Lauren Everts
I just think the way to think about sunscreen if you're overwhelmed by it is it really is like a habit. Stack. If you want to put it on before you put on makeup, great. Or if you want now a spray option to spray after makeup. If you have it, stack it with your skincare or your makeup. It's less overwhelming. I think instead of thinking about it, oh, oh, like I forgot to put on sunscreen. Just add it to whatever you're already doing. Even if you're just like you're brushing your teeth, put it on after you're done brushing your teeth and make your brain sort of be tricked into it.
Sam Brett
And the most important thing to do with that is for the kids. Yeah, teach them early. Yeah, teach them.
Lauren Everts
You know, we've got the stick for my kids.
Sam Brett
Or they're clear. I know. And it's that age where you can just say to them before you go out the house. And my daughter uses our stick and she just, you don't have to rub it in. There's no white. It's clear. And she just did it. And she's out the house. And then I'm like, wait. And I just quickly spray her legs without her even noticing. She's like, that smells nice. And runs out the house to play with her friends. And oh, I just. And now her friends think sunscreen's cool. They all think it's lilac and they all want to bring it to school with. And they all ask me for some. But that is my biggest joy. That 8 year old kids, or how your kids 2 and 4, they still 2 and 4.
Lauren Everts
2 and 5.
Michael Bostic
2 and 5. Almost 3 and 5.
Lauren Everts
They think that long sleeve bathing suits are normal. My son has never ever gone out in swim trunks. He's probably like, he's probably gonna go to the party at like 8 with the hot dogs and the hamburgers and like everyone's gonna be like, with their, like their muscles out and he's gonna have a rash garden.
Michael Bostic
Well, here's the thing, listen. Cause there's, there's sun. The sun worshipers, like, we know sun is healthy. It is good to have certain amount of sun. But when you're a kid and you're out there for three or like we just went to, we were just on a vacation with our kids, took them to the beach. They were playing in the outside for like four or five hours at a time. So you can't just leave a kid for six, five, six days in the sun that long, all day long. It's not good for them or you.
Sam Brett
Have to top up their sunscreen. But it's not. I mean, they love being in the sun.
Lauren Everts
I know they love it.
Sam Brett
It's good that your kids like hats.
Michael Bostic
That's good. I'm saying the sun is good for them. Playing is good for them. Being outdoors is good for them. But just baking all day long without protection is not good for them.
Lauren Everts
I just make it, like, I do, like, little lies sometimes to my kids. I have, like, little stories. I'll be like, I once knew a boy, and he did not wear a hat. And he got so sunburned on his nose that he ended up at the doctors. So I'll tell, like, all these, like, fake fables.
Sam Brett
So I'm. You're reminding me now. I wrote a book a couple of years ago, and it's called the Magic Sunscreen. Okay. And I had my daughter and her friends. It's not like, you know, it's not. It's not for sale. I mean, I'm sure it's buried deep somewhere on the web. But I wrote this book, and I put my daughter and her friends in it, and I just wrote, like, how fun sunscreen is and what happens if you go outside? It's the same thing. I made up the story, and I made her read it every night.
Lauren Everts
You need to bring that back. I printed it.
Sam Brett
I printed a couple of copies.
Lauren Everts
Yeah, you send me one. I want a copy of that. I think that a little lie is totally fine.
Sam Brett
And then making it fun for them as well to, like, wear sunscreen, wear the hat, wear the rashi. The rash.
Lauren Everts
I think of it as branding. I'm like, you know, I'm going to. I'm going to brand the direction we're going in and we're going in that. We're a family that wears hats.
Sam Brett
Love it.
Lauren Everts
I'll be like, lollipop, put on your hat.
Michael Bostic
But it's the same as everything else, like your family that you tell their family that goes to the gym and works out. Like, if you do that, kids like to participate. When you.
Sam Brett
Listen, I bought you guys some Tim Tams. It's an Australian chocolate.
Michael Bostic
Tim Tam.
Sam Brett
Yes. But I wasn't sure if you are the healthy family.
Lauren Everts
No, we are 20, baby. I'll eat a Tim. Tammy.
Michael Bostic
No, no, no. We're not one of those people. It's like, hey, we never. No, no, We. We indulge.
Lauren Everts
But when you walk outside without a hat, my daughter screams, hat. I love that at 5 years old, she knows. She knows we do not mess around. Okay, what is the Biggest challenge when it comes to reapplying sunscreen over a makeup, what's an easy way to do this? So, like, for. Sorry, Michael, for all the girls out there who are wearing the makeup, what's the way to do it? You just spray it on?
Sam Brett
Yes, I've heard you talk about this, and that's what I do now. And it's just a spray. You just spray, spray it on. You're meant to spray it quite thick, but if you're wearing your sunscreen in the morning and then you've got your makeup, then you're using it as a top up. So I literally have written on ours top up so that you know you have to be wearing sunscreen underneath. And then it's just topping up. So you're getting the bits that you've maybe rubbed off or touched your face during the day. A stick as well is really good. So you can put the stick on your hands or even the spray on your hands. But I put the stick on your decolletage, anything that's sticking out. Because, Lauren, you said it before, but it's the incidental sun that gets you. Yeah, it's when you're walking to your car or you're going to get your coffee, or you. You're wearing your hat because you're running outside or you're at someone's house, then.
Lauren Everts
You run into someone and you're like, oh, my God. Sorry, you gotta go. I'm in the sun.
Sam Brett
Yes, but you. You want to talk to them. So you might be standing in the sun for 10 minutes. And so it's just the stick. You know, have one in your car, have a little spray. We've got travel ones, but just have them around that you're always just thinking about it and topping it up.
Lauren Everts
What are other things that you do to protect from the sun besides sunscreen?
Sam Brett
So when I got my pre cancer cut out, the doctor said to me, you are one of those people. You can see my skin. It's. I freckle really, really easily. And these can easily turn into skin cancers. He goes, you are one of those people. Head to toe coverage between 10 and 2. So long sleeves. Yeah.
Lauren Everts
Naked Sunday rash garden.
Sam Brett
Yeah.
Lauren Everts
Naked in 5T and 2T, please. In lilac.
Sam Brett
Yes, in lilac.
Lauren Everts
And get everyone wearing.
Sam Brett
Seriously. Because we Australia, it's a sun culture. It's an outdoors culture. You don't want to be covering up. But I have no choice. I did not ever want to sit in a doctor's office and have him take a knife and Cut a huge chunk out of my back ever again.
Lauren Everts
So what. What happened after you got that cut out?
Sam Brett
Is it just Then they take it away for testing and they see if it spread anywhere. And I did not sleep for a week and a half.
Lauren Everts
And it came back.
Sam Brett
Thank goodness. It was fine.
Lauren Everts
So how often do you have to get tested now?
Sam Brett
Now every six months.
Lauren Everts
For the rest of your life?
Sam Brett
Yes.
Lauren Everts
That is some serious shit. You have to go in and get. What do they do? They cut something every time?
Sam Brett
No, they. So the first time you go, they map your whole body on a video and they film it and they photograph every single spot. And if it's changed slightly, then they look at it closely. And if it's changed a lot, they have to cut it out and take it away for testing. It's that serious?
Lauren Everts
Every six months.
Sam Brett
But everyone in Australia has to get tested every year. Everyone.
Lauren Everts
Wow, that's so. Every adult crazy that. That they do like a full body scan like that?
Sam Brett
Yes.
Lauren Everts
You know what they did to Michael? They stripped him down butt naked, like in jail. And they just looked at him.
Michael Bostic
No, no. They said. They said, do you want to get checked? And I said, no.
Lauren Everts
But they didn't do like a screen situation?
Sam Brett
No, no.
Michael Bostic
They checked your whole body. They looked at everything with the magnifying glass.
Lauren Everts
They picked the ball sack up.
Michael Bostic
Well, I was showing that and then the guy's like, you don't need to do all this.
Lauren Everts
Yeah, he's like bending over.
Sam Brett
Listen.
Michael Bostic
I was like, listen, you're down there, you might as well make sure everything's okay.
Lauren Everts
So was it. Was he like underneath?
Michael Bostic
I mean, I was like, whatever you got to look at, buddy. You got like.
Sam Brett
You should have got me a.
Lauren Everts
She's saying it's like a video scan.
Michael Bostic
My whole thing is like, we're here. Where I'm in this situation. You might as well.
Lauren Everts
Yeah, but you could also be like, so. There's so many things I could say.
Sam Brett
Shane's extremely expensive. Hundreds of thousands of dollars. There's not many of them in Sydney, Australia, where I live. And I took my entire staff to get checked with this special machine.
Lauren Everts
Speaking of your staff, how do you think about running a company? What's your area of expertise? Are you in the office day to day? How do you run your team?
Sam Brett
I would. I would love some sleep. Yeah, you know, it's. It's a lot, but I think, you know, I've explained to you my time as a news reporter. I've. I have endless capacity to work, which is not a good Thing. I'm a mom as well and a wife and. And I think I have some friends left. Hopefully, you know, it's. I'm. I'm. I try be there early. I work late. I work in three different time zones. And my team is fantastic. We have an incredible team. We have men and women, we have young and old and they just. They're just a brilliant team and I'm really lucky to have them. But it wasn't always like that. It was myself and a customer service person for. For quite a while. For almost a year and a half.
Lauren Everts
How did you evolve it? What is it? What does it look like now with you dealing with all these different places?
Sam Brett
You know, it's not that evolved. I was thinking about it today that every single person is a team. I call it the A team. Everyone is incredible. Everyone has a role to play. I am the CEO, but I also do all the meta ads myself. So I buy all the meta ads and so I call myself the junior meta buyer. And that takes up a lot of my time.
Lauren Everts
Yeah, it's a lot of work.
Sam Brett
Yeah. So I taught myself meta ads because we're spending so much time and energy on that platform. I wanted to do it myself. I didn't want an agency.
Lauren Everts
So how do you guys think about your social strategy?
Sam Brett
I think social is such a big part. When we had the hundreds of people lining up outside of Ulta a few days ago, I said to them, how do you even know about Naked Sundays? How did you even know we were going to be here? And they said, you have TikTok to thank. And I think what happened was you think about a social strategy. When you have a brand, you think, okay, I need a strategy. I need someone to make content and post twice a day and whatever it is. And then we started getting these interns coming into our office from the local fashion college. And we had these two girls, and they're incredible. And they both started making TikToks just in the office. They would pick a product, they would use the product, they would do memes, they would do the whole thing. And suddenly their posts started going viral. I let them have it. I said, here's the TikTok. Do whatever you want. And I didn't even look, I didn't monitor it, nothing. And they went viral. And so I hired these two girls and now they're in the office. They are in love with social media. They're obsessed with it. They make this incredible content. They're part of the team. And the best part is, I think they. They know the product and understand the brand, and so I'm not hiring. It's. It's kind of. It's very authentic. It's just them in the office environment using the product. And sometimes we'll see them in the office, like, dancing, quiet, like, you can't hear. They've got their headphones on. They're, like, dancing and doing the trending sounds. And, you know, I stay out of it. You won't see me on the TikTok too much. Yeah, that's our strategy.
Lauren Everts
How do you see the vision for the company going? Is it something that you think you want to sell? Do you want to keep adding product? What's your sort of, like, strategy?
Sam Brett
You know, Lauren, I had this one idea for this one product that would save my skin when I was a news reporter, right? And that was my plan. And this has been a huge shock for me. I did not think I would sell one product. When my husband and I said, you know, we either sell, sell out or we sell nothing. Like, I honestly thought, sorry, babe, it's gonna. It's gonna be the latter. It's gonna be nothing. But, you know, we'll give it a go. I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would be here today, and I. I would love to. Look, my dream is that everyone loves and wants to wear sunscreen, and if I can help with that, great.
Lauren Everts
What is it like with your husband and you having such a big company? How do you balance that? I know that's not easy.
Sam Brett
So the most interesting thing is, I think I heard Bethany say on your podcast that you need to find a man that goes, oh, that's so cute. Oh, shame. Like, oh, that's cute. And then kind of, they're not threatened. They kind of. They look at you and, you know, they think, oh, that's cute. She's giving life a go. Not, they're not threatened. They love what you do. They're supportive, but they've got their own thing going on. And that's. That's my husband.
Michael Bostic
On this show. We talk a lot about supplements, vitamins, minerals, the proper things to take to achieve all of your health results and dreams. But it is harder than ever to figure out who to trust in the supplement space, and that is because so many companies in this space take advantage of consumers. This is why we love and trust Momentum Momentous so much as a brand. Their products are all incredible. We take so many of them. We've even had the founder, Jeff of Momentous on this podcast. And if you don't just want to take it from me, know that every product is NSF certified for sport or informed sport, meaning every batch is third party tested for purity, label accuracy and banned substances. Momentous invests 1.5% of all revenue on post production, testing and certification, ensuring every product is safe for athletes and therefore safe for you. All of these products are also developed alongside leading experts in their field, including Dr. Stacy Sims, Dr. Andy Galpin, who's been on this podcast, Dr. Andrew Huberman has been on the show, and Dr. Kelly Starrett. And again, outside of those incredible experts, Momentous sells to 200 pro sports and collegiate teams and is trusted by all 32 NFL teams. Like I said earlier, there's so many people that take advantage of consumers in the supplement space. With Momentous, you know, you don't have to worry about that. You have products that you can trust. Some of our standout favorites are their creatine. I think they have one of the most effective omegas on the market, so check them out. If you're looking for vitamins and supplements you can trust, Momentous is the place to go. So what are you waiting for? Head to livemomentous.com and use code SKINNY for 35% off your first subscription. That's code SKINNY@livemomentous.com for 35% OFF your first subscription.
Lauren Everts
If you know me, you know I love my bowl of meat. I love a bowl of ancestral blend organs, a little liver, a little heart, a little ground beef. And I always like to make it fun. So what I've been using lately is Taylor Farm's Chopped Salad Kit to take it up a notch. How I use this is two ways. So the first way is I'll do like a Fiesta bowl where I'll put a little chips in there, I'll do some tomatoes, add some guacamole, and then I'll add one of their chopped salad kits like the Avocado Ranch to the meat bowl. And then I also right now, and don't sleep on this one, am doing a like hamburger bowl. It's so so you could add the sweet Kale by Taylor Farms. It's like a chopped salad kit. You just pour it in the bottom of the bowl and then I put my beef on top of it and I'll add cheese, I'll add special sauce. I'll add chopped red onions, I'll add tomato and lettuce and it's like truly a hamburger bowl. It's so, so good. What I like about Taylor Farms Chopped Salad Kit is they Add fresh greens to whatever I'm making and there's no chopping or slicing or leaving half a cabbage in your fridge. It's just read go. It's efficient. It's a timesaver. You can just mix it up and give yourself a round of applause. Especially good on a bowl of meat. Grab a Taylor Farms chop salad kit and get your salad together. I am all about a good training shoe for weightlifting. I'm very into weightlifting. I've been weightlifting my entire pregnancy. I started probably about four years ago and I always was looking for a footwear brand to lift weights. And so I found one. It's called Noble. It's a footwear brand for training and for daily life. So what I like about it is that I can go work out and lift really heavy weights and then I can run and pick my daughter up or I can go grab my son for his kickball class. Like I, I can implement these shoes in my day to day life, but also know I'm lifting with the best shoes. These shoes are built to support you in your pursuit of physical, mental and emotional strength. So the ones that I wear are the Noble all day shoe. I love a white shoe. It's really beautiful. That's important to me too. And you can go from morning workouts to the hustle of daily life. Like I said, Noble is known for their best in class award winning footwear with options across training and lifestyle. Noble has options for everyone. Check them out. Especially if you guys are into strength training or lifting weights and you want to go from the gym to pick your kids up. Exclusively for him and her listeners, Noble is offering 30% off your order. Visit nobleproject.comTSC. you get 30% off your entire order. That's www.n o b u l l p r o j e c t.comTSC for 30% off. There's a lot of men that when there's a woman who's really strong that's doing her own thing, what they do is they diminish the woman and try to make her look stupid in front of people so they feel better about themselves. And this is like a pandemic that's going on. I'm. Or an epidemic. What's it called? One of them.
Sam Brett
You can't use that word anymore.
Lauren Everts
Whatever.
Sam Brett
Yeah. No, a trend. It's a trend.
Lauren Everts
It's like, it's a trend. I see. And like women. Women who are founders.
Michael Bostic
That's cute. You tried to explain, but. No, I'm just kidding.
Sam Brett
No, but he's not saying. My husband's. Not saying it in a condescending way. He said so. He. He. He would say that to me, and he'd be like, it's so cute that, you know, you're trying to be a news reporter. You're on tv. Like, he was never. Like, I want to be on TV. He never. Yeah, but when he does our P. Ls or our. Our financials every month, and he only works. He has his own thing, but he only works a few hours a month, he'll sometimes come into the other room and he'll go, wow, the numbers, they're impressive. Oh, thanks, babe. Okay. You know, I'm watching the housewives. Leave me alone. You do the numbers. But, you know, I think, yes. He's just so supportive, and it's just. It's really been great for us.
Lauren Everts
I think it takes a. It's a quiet confidence. It's. There's nothing worse, though, than. Than a husband. You've seen it on reality shows that has to, like, diminish the wife in public because they're insecure about the woman shining.
Sam Brett
It's awful.
Lauren Everts
It's real. I. I don't. Like. I just. I can't.
Sam Brett
So you're gonna love this. Okay, so in my past life, before I was the news reporter, I wrote a dating column called Sam in the City. It was the first.
Lauren Everts
I thought you were. It was, say, before you were born. And I was like, oh, let's talk about past life.
Sam Brett
It was the first blog in Australia, so it was the very before your time. Okay. Okay. I'm older than you, but it was before your time. And it was on our. You didn't have blogs, so it was on the newspaper website. And hundreds of people would write in men and women, and they would meet each other and they would date. And my most popular column ever was, do men like smart Women? And the answer was, no, they don't. There were thousands of comments. Like, you've got to remember, this was a time before we didn't have Instagram. We had no social media. Like, they went on to the newspaper.
Lauren Everts
Stupid women. What are they.
Sam Brett
Like? They were saying at that time, and this is going back about maybe 15 years.
Lauren Everts
That's okay.
Sam Brett
What they were saying.
Lauren Everts
Let's expose it.
Sam Brett
Is. Yes. They were saying that they don't. That they feel like if a woman knows everything and she. She tries to, like, be the bigger one, then they can't handle it. They don't like it.
Lauren Everts
I think there's a difference between being intelligent and smart and Quiet about how smart you are than being a know it all.
Sam Brett
Correct.
Lauren Everts
And I think that the. Like, if you. I think there's a big difference, and I think that it sounds like they. I'm hoping that they were referring to someone who's a know it all.
Sam Brett
I think so. And someone who's loud about it and just, you know. Yes. Purports to be the smarter one all the time.
Lauren Everts
I like not as smart as I actually like to do the opposite. I like to pretend that I. I don't know what's going on subtly. I like a subtle smart.
Michael Bostic
Yeah, but the jig is up.
Lauren Everts
No, it's not. No, it's not. I use it all the time. It's. It's not up. It's not.
Sam Brett
And why do you do that?
Lauren Everts
I just. I. I like my husband to feel like he's the smart one. I don't mind that.
Sam Brett
I think. And that's. I think.
Lauren Everts
I don't mind.
Sam Brett
That's the point of this column that I wrote.
Lauren Everts
Yeah. I don't mind it. He wants to think he's.
Sam Brett
They don't want to have the know it all going. No, I'm always smarter than you. Like, they want to feel like you want. You want to feel like you're contributing.
Lauren Everts
No, my husband really is smart. But. But, yeah, I like to let you think you're smarter.
Michael Bostic
Listen, for all the women that are new, newly tuning in and discovering us through you, this is gonna rile them up. My favorite thing in the world is when a bunch of women get together and start talking about what men want. It's my favorite thing in the world. All the columnists are women writing about what men want. All the women talking about what men want. They never ask the fucking man.
Lauren Everts
Yeah, I know what men want. Clearly you believe that Men want a really great sandwich. Every man wants a really great sandwich. They want a blowjob. And hopefully the I do. That's not gonna be on the list.
Sam Brett
It's. That's what it feels.
Lauren Everts
Smart.
Michael Bostic
There's no man.
Lauren Everts
Is that not true? Come on, Carson, is that not true? You want to sandwich a blowjob and you want to feel smart? Come on, Carson, is it true?
Sam Brett
I mean, we want more things, too. Like what?
Lauren Everts
Like what?
Sam Brett
Money?
Michael Bostic
I don't really want much more.
Lauren Everts
No.
Carson
What do you mean, Carson?
Lauren Everts
What else? He can't think of anything.
Sam Brett
Listen, I had a career. I did the column for six years about what men want. Yeah.
Michael Bostic
Personally, if you. Personally. For me, I like smart women. Personally.
Sam Brett
Yeah.
Michael Bostic
I like to converse with Them, I like to be friends with them. I like to marry them. I don't like to be with dummies.
Lauren Everts
Yeah, but we just established, like, I've.
Michael Bostic
Been with some dummies in the past. You're a gifted dummies that.
Lauren Everts
You're gifted. We just learned this yesterday. You know, you are, you. You have to be gifted. People have to be stimulated all the time.
Sam Brett
But I think, think. I think what it is, is, I think also it's your confidence. But it, but it's. It's your inner confidence. And you know those men that just have this massive ego, and they always have to be right, and they always have to be smarter. That's obviously not you.
Michael Bostic
Yeah, well, well, here's. I mean, listen. Oh, here's what I say. I grew up.
Lauren Everts
You like to be right.
Michael Bostic
I know. I grew up with a mother who was very strong. Worked my whole life as long as I remember. Still does, you know, was very equal in the relationship with my dad, you know, so. And, you know, grew up around that dynamic. And so I think, like, as I've analyzed it, I got later, like, I model a lot of what I'm looking for in female relationships, not just intimately, but with my friendships too, with, like, strong, powerful women. I mean, like, this is a company I run, right? But I. But I also think that from a confidence perspective, I like to be with confident people, right? And I know personally that I'm not good in a relationship. In the past, when I've been with someone who lets me, like, steamroll them, I will steamroll the hell out of someone. So I need someone that's kind of like, hey, quit the shit. You know what I mean? And so that's what. That's. Because I see sometimes people that aren't so familiar with Lauren and I, and they will comment on our back and forth, and they can't fathom because most relationships, And I'll say this about men, most men that are around strong, successful women get insecure because the gender role flips and they start to be like, wait, why aren't I not in the. Why aren't I not the breadwinner? Why aren't I not the main person? And I think that's, like, it's really more of a male issue than a female issue. Right? Like, and I think, like, sometimes when you see. When I see the comments, I'm like, oh, these are mostly coming from men or women that are stuck in that gender dynamic and are insecure seeing something that is not that.
Sam Brett
I love this dynamic. It's Love it.
Lauren Everts
It's not for everyone.
Sam Brett
It's not. And it's very similar to mine as well. It's very similar.
Lauren Everts
I wouldn't have it any other way. Don't you feel I'm the lead singer. Don't forget it.
Michael Bostic
Don't. Don't you. Don't you feel now with your husband that, like, you have a true partnership? Tr.
Sam Brett
Partnership. And I texted him the other day because he was having a rough time. It's funny. If he has a rough time at work, I'm fine. If I'm rough, he's fine. And we have to. We just have to help each other. And he texted me. He said, thank you so much for. For helping me out with this. And I said to him, babe, we're in this together. Only way I know. It was really sweet. So we are. We're in this together, right? You guys are in this together? Yeah.
Lauren Everts
You don't have to be.
Michael Bostic
It's hard. And now we're going in relationship path. But I think it's hard in a relationship when one person feels like they're dragging the other person up a hill or another person feels like they're holding somebody back. So I think in the dynamic you're talking about, you guys feel like you're pushing the same thing up the same hill together. And then on the downs, you're also going down together. It doesn't feel like you're not mismatched.
Sam Brett
Yeah.
Lauren Everts
Honestly, my advice is don't get married unless they let you shine.
Sam Brett
100.
Lauren Everts
Be single. Get a cat. Get a great. Get one of those cats that's hypoallergenic, easy. Get a hamster.
Sam Brett
And if they're not supportive and they do not let you shine, leave.
Lauren Everts
Yeah, you'll be fine. Being able to shine is very important, man or woman.
Michael Bostic
Shut the hell up and make me a sandwich.
Lauren Everts
You do want a sandwich. Admit I make a good sandwich.
Michael Bostic
You do make a really good.
Lauren Everts
The trick to a sandwich is lightly toasted sourdough. You got to get pepperossinis.
Michael Bostic
You know what? She reserves the sandwich. I get it, like, once every quarter.
Lauren Everts
Can't get.
Michael Bostic
It's like a quart.
Sam Brett
Maybe not. That's a blowjob.
Lauren Everts
I don't reserve the blowjobs. So maybe I should start reserving it.
Michael Bostic
Reserve the blowjobs. But no, every time you get a.
Lauren Everts
Blow job from me, you're like, oh, good. Those are.
Michael Bostic
We're talking about sassy. What's the. What's the pga? The fda. What's the. What's the pga, the tga, they're gonna yell at me, so let's just move on.
Lauren Everts
I want you to have that same reaction to my sandwich and my blow drop before you go. What is in your beauty bag? What is in your makeup bag? What is in your wellness kit? What are the things and tools that you do to make yourself look as gorgeous as you look?
Sam Brett
Look, you're going to love this. When I was a news reporter, I had to get ready. Who wants to get ready at 3 o'clock in the morning? I had to do it.
Lauren Everts
You needed an ice roller?
Sam Brett
Oh, yes. I had to do it in six minutes. So I had a six minute routine. I still do. I have, I wear three makeup products. That's it. Yeah.
Lauren Everts
Well, you got to tell us what they are exactly. You got to go through the whole thing.
Sam Brett
I will. Okay, so I'm the lazy girls guide. Okay. I'm a mom. I woke up at three in the morning. I do not want a long beauty routine. I love the ice roller, but there is no time at 3:00 in the morning for anything. Right. You just have to get up and go. You're going to a bushfire flight. A murder. Like, no, no, I'm not sitting there rolling my skin so. Well, lately at Naked Sundays, we created just a foundation, a moisturizer and peptides all in one. So it's called Beauty Screen. Anyway, so I put that on. However, if I wasn't wearing that, then I wear the Danessa Merrick Yummy Skin Foundation. It's this thick, but it makes your skin look natural as well at the same time. Next, I wear cream blush by Rose Inc. And I dab it on my cheeks and my lips.
Lauren Everts
So that's all done and it looks really pretty.
Sam Brett
That's it. And those are my two things. And then I love a lip liner. And then if I'm fancy and I had to do this on the news, I had to wear eyeshadow. I, I, my lashes and everything are done like weeks in advance. Everything's done. Nails, hair. I do not. My hair is done a week in it. I get my head on once a week. Lashes once a month. Like everything is done.
Lauren Everts
So you're efficient.
Sam Brett
I sleep like this and I sleep with my hands out. I don't touch anything. My lashes and everything are done. And then the morning, it's my three products. It's my foundation and my sunscreen now included. It's my blush. And I have and with on my lips as well. And then I have a stick eyeshadow. By Laura Mercier and Burnish Bronze. And I just put it on and I put it underneath as well. It's my eyeliner. My. My eyeshadow, everything.
Lauren Everts
When you say you three sleep in your eyelashes, you mean like you have fake eyelashes that were put on so you don't have to worry about it?
Sam Brett
Yes.
Lauren Everts
So what you've done is you've created, like, effective ness around your beauty.
Sam Brett
Yes. And. And it's continued on now that I'm a CEO, because I love it now. Now it still takes me six minutes to get ready.
Lauren Everts
I could do a lot in six minutes too. I can't do my makeup. I can't do my makeup.
Sam Brett
TV Live. And you have to, like, get up and be on, like, so quickly. You'd learn. I mean, you just learn.
Lauren Everts
That's. It's a lot of work for me.
Michael Bostic
3Am One side question. How long did you stay as a reporter while you started this and when did you stop?
Sam Brett
This was one of the hardest things that I ever had to do. I. I was living and breathing as a news reporter. And when you do, that's your entire life. So I started Naked Sundays in January of 2021. And by October, now this is mid Covid. So I'm doing live reporting out on the scene with COVID patients. Like, it was brutal. We had no.
Michael Bostic
It was intense over in Australia. Huh?
Sam Brett
It was so intense. You weren't allowed out of your house. We had to have special permits to get out. I had to stand in lines and interview people in lines getting tested. There were no vaccines at that time, so that wasn't even a thing yet. And I was the lead news reporter. So the lead story of every day for six months of that time was Covid. I. It was probably a good time because it was a good time for me to say, you know, what is this.
Lauren Everts
Really, for me, that's such an energetic sign from the universe to you. It's like low vibration Covid taking you out into your new thing. Whoa.
Sam Brett
And my daughter was allowed to go to school because I was a essential worker because I had to deliver the news. So she and one other kid were at school. That was it. Two kids. And I feared every day having to be out with COVID people. And I had to interview them. We were four. That was the job. And. And I just. I felt so guilty every day. Anyway, Mecca, the number one beauty store in Australia, it's a big, big chain and has all the big brands said that they wanted to launch Naked Sundays. And this was in October of that year and they said they wanted to put me on the website. And I really just thought, you know what? It's time.
Lauren Everts
That's the time.
Sam Brett
And I quit my job and I was on the website and the newspaper, local newspaper wrote about me and that I was quitting to start to start a brand. Everyone thought I was crazy, but I've never looked back. So it was eight more months that I would go to work at three, come home at 2pm, 3am, come home at 2pm, sleep for two hours, pick up my daughter from school from daycare. She was three at the time, come home and then work from 8 till midnight. 8pm till midnight on naked Sundays.
Lauren Everts
There's no excuses. This is.
Sam Brett
There's no excuses.
Lauren Everts
No excuses.
Sam Brett
None.
Lauren Everts
You can't have an excuse. These people are waking up at 3. This is. This is the industry we're in as entrepreneurs. There's no excuses. Any. You can make anything happen. You can make it work. Samantha, where can everyone find you? Pimp the brand out. Do we have a code so you.
Sam Brett
Can use code skinny for 20% off? You can go to nakedsundays.com and we're.
Lauren Everts
Also at Ulta and I think one to look at is that mixture that you were just saying that has all those different things in it, the beauty and then the spray that you can just spray over your makeup.
Michael Bostic
This water is the one I would use. This water gel one. I'm gonna use it.
Lauren Everts
I love what you're doing. I love talking to other founders. I find it so fascinating and interesting and you're a mother and a wife and how you're balancing it all. Where can people say hi to you?
Sam Brett
Amanthabrett B R E T T thank you, Samantha. Thank you, guys.
Lauren Everts
Thank you.
Podcast Summary: The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast featuring Sam Brett
Episode Title: The Reality of Sun Damage, The Truth About Aging, & How Samantha Brett Disrupted The Beauty Industry
Release Date: April 11, 2025
Hosts: Lauryn Bosstick & Michael Bosstick
Guest: Sam Brett, Founder of Naked Sundays
In this compelling episode of The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast, hosts Lauryn and Michael Bosstick engage in an enlightening conversation with Sam Brett, the dynamic founder of Naked Sundays. The discussion delves deep into Sam's transformation from a dedicated TV news reporter to a successful beauty entrepreneur, while addressing crucial topics like sun damage, skin cancer, and brand innovation.
Transitioning Careers
Sam opens up about her intense career as a TV news reporter, highlighting the demanding nature of the job. "I was the only reporter there reporting on this. And this family said to me, hey, do you want to come sleep in our kid's bunk bed?" (00:16) Sam's experiences on the field, especially during emergencies like bushfires, ignited her awareness of the lack of effective sunscreen solutions for professionals constantly exposed to the sun.
Catalyst for Change
A pivotal moment came during the 2019-2020 Australian bushfires. Witnessing the devastating effects firsthand, Sam realized the urgent need for better sun protection. "I had no choice. I did not ever want to sit in a doctor's office and have him take a knife and cut a huge chunk out of my back ever again." (36:15) This realization propelled her to create Naked Sundays, a brand focused on innovative, non-sticky, and makeup-compatible sunscreens.
Understanding the Risk
Sam shares her personal battle with skin cancer, emphasizing the severe consequences of inadequate sun protection. "There is nothing cool and safe about tanning. It can be a tiny freckle that can suddenly explode." (10:40) Her father's recent struggle with skin cancer further underscores the importance of vigilant sun care.
Regulatory Landscape
The conversation highlights Australia's stringent sunscreen regulations, governed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). "Australia has the strictest sunscreen laws in the world... nothing gets through." (07:30) Sam appreciates these regulations, believing they ensure the highest efficacy and safety standards. She contrasts this with the more lenient FDA regulations in the U.S., sparking a broader discussion on the balance between regulation and innovation.
Innovative Solutions
Sam discusses how Naked Sundays addresses common sunscreen issues:
Initial Launch and Growth
Despite skepticism from others, Sam successfully launched Naked Sundays by leveraging social media influencers. "They started going viral. And so I hired these two girls and now they're in the office." (39:10) The brand's rapid success was fueled by authentic, viral content created organically by team members passionate about the product.
Overcoming Obstacles
Sam candidly discusses the financial risks involved: "We put all our savings into it. He said we'll either sell out or we won't sell anything and either way we're fucked because we have no more money." (07:25) However, the brand triumphed by selling out in just three weeks, demonstrating the market's readiness for innovative sun care solutions.
Social Media Strategy
A significant factor in Naked Sundays' success is its robust social media presence, particularly on TikTok. Sam credits her interns for creating viral content that authentically showcases the product in real-life scenarios. "They're part of the team... They're just them in the office environment using the product." (39:43)
Work-Life Balance
Sam shares the immense challenge of balancing her demanding roles as a CEO, mother, and wife. "I would love some sleep. Yeah, you know, it's a lot... I try be there early. I work late." (38:22) Her dedication reflects the relentless drive required to build and sustain a successful brand.
Impact of Personal Experiences
Personal anecdotes, such as her harrowing experience during the bushfires and her battle with skin cancer, provide a heartfelt context to her entrepreneurial journey. These stories not only humanize Sam but also underscore the real-world implications of sun damage and the necessity for effective protection.
Embrace Persistence
Sam emphasizes the importance of believing in one's ideas despite skepticism. "If you have an idea and you really believe in it, then you need to do everything in your power to make it work." (25:26) Her advice encourages entrepreneurs to persevere through doubts and challenges.
Innovate Continuously
She advises founders to constantly innovate and launch new products to stay relevant. "A lot of people do go broke and their businesses go bust or they're not innovative enough and they're not constantly launching new products." (26:29) This mindset is crucial for sustained growth and success.
Don’t Fear Imitation
Acknowledging that successful ideas attract copies, Sam advises quick action: "If you don't launch it, there is no idea. You have nothing." (28:37) This proactive approach helps maintain a competitive edge in the market.
Supportive Partnerships
Sam highlights the significance of having a supportive partner. "The most interesting thing is... it's a quiet confidence. It's... Nothing worse than a husband who've... diminish the wife in public because they're insecure." (47:30) Her relationship with her husband exemplifies mutual support and shared responsibilities, essential for managing a thriving business alongside family life.
Involvement and Collaboration
Their partnership extends into business operations, with her husband handling financial modeling and maintaining the company's financial health. "If you're not rushing, you're lazy." (28:46) This collaborative dynamic ensures that both business and personal lives flourish harmoniously.
Vision for the Future
Sam articulates her aspiration for Naked Sundays: "My dream is that everyone loves and wants to wear sunscreen, and if I can help with that, great." (41:16) She envisions a world where sun protection is an integral and enjoyable part of daily routines, reducing the prevalence of skin cancer.
Final Advice
She reiterates the importance of dedication and belief in one's mission: "If you have an idea, and you really believe in it, then you need to do everything in your power to make it work." (25:26) Her journey serves as an inspiring testament to the power of resilience and innovation in entrepreneurship.
This episode offers a profound insight into the intersection of personal passion, professional dedication, and entrepreneurial spirit. Sam Brett's story is not only inspiring but also serves as a crucial reminder of the importance of sun protection and innovation in the beauty industry. Listeners are left motivated to pursue their own ventures with the same tenacity and commitment to making a meaningful impact.
Connect with Sam Brett:
Special Offer: Use code SKINNY at nakedsundays.com for a 20% discount on your first purchase.