Isn’t it strange how the moments we’ve been working toward can feel somewhat bittersweet when they actually happen?
This week, we finally placed a purchase order for the large-scale production of Light Beams (yay)! A year of tears, lessons, triumphs and hard work has culminated in the reality that a new beauty brand is born. But what’s almost as hard as raising funds is now losing control over the next leg of the process as the manufacturer takes it from here.
Production timelines for beauty products are exceedingly long right now. The reverberations of COVID and economic pressures have slowed material availability while brands attempting to get ahead of the problem are increasing demand. Although we’ve taken the first necessary baby step toward the official launch, the sour part of this sweet, sweet news is we’re all going to have to wait a little bit.
I’ll be honest and say that patience is not one of my virtues. Blame it on the current era of two-day shipping breeding an I-Want-It-Now consumer expectation or blame it on me being an air sign. Regardless, waiting is hard. I’m anxious to make Light Beams widely available and be able to brand-build the way I do every night in my head. I’m also acutely aware of how fleeting momentum and excitement can be making the pressure to keep moving feel crushing.
When the manufacturer shared that we would have to push our launch date into early 2023, I was afraid. Afraid that our community members would forget about us in the din of holiday cheer and the allure of other shiny objects. Afraid that longer wait times could cost us this dream. Better beauty experiences is part of our brand DNA, but how can I create those experiences while sitting on my hands?
During a recent entrepreneur panel, an industry expert asked attendees, “Do you really have to launch your product right now?” She was referring to the anxiety that all of the founders and founder-hopefuls in the audience felt to produce quickly and get out of the door before it was too late. She acknowledged and empathized with us, but warned that sloppy work done quickly is never a substitute for greatness.
Our timelines have been extended because when faced with the need to choose new suppliers or ingredients, we refused to accept substitutions that didn’t reflect our formulation philosophy. We fought to maintain the parameters that preserved the foundation of the product without tipping it out of price range for our audience.
So when faced with similar timeline issues for our cosmetic bags, I’ve decided to make some level of peace with the threat of time. I’d rather the final product be something that makes an impact rather than leaves much to be desired.
So, let’s bundle up and get cozy while we wait for new light to come in early 2023. It’ll be worth the wait! In the meantime, we’ll post more must-read skincare content on PLANET SKIN and may even create a Tik Tok account. Cosmetic bags are expected for November to hold us over :)
And of course a little something extra for the Inner Sphere: