#093 - How To Bring Your Innovative Product To Market with Shannon Goldberg

Show Notes

There are opportunities for innovations are all around. Particularly if you’ve been working in a company or industry for a while. Solving inefficiencies through innovative ideas is one way to come up with new productions, processes, or solutions. So how do you take a product from ideation to creation? To find out, co-hosts Nola Boea and Lori Vajda talked to Shannon Goldberg, founder and CEO of Izzy Zero Waste Beauty.

Thanks for Listening!

Ready to start your business or grow your personal brand? Schedule a free 20 min. consultation call now. 

Izzy Zero Waste Beauty: Save 20% with discount code IZZYFF20

If you enjoyed this show, make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you’ll never miss an episode. Want to get to know us more? Find out more about us and our services at Sticky Brand Lab

We love hearing from you! Leave or speak your message here

If you haven’t already, please connect with us on Facebook! 

Would you like to be a featured guest or have your question, comment or review mentioned? Ask Muse!

Business success strategies are in the works. Come have a listen!

In This Episode You’ll Learn 

• Beauty sales jumped 10% in 2021 with independent brands making up 12% of the total sales. Here’s how to be a innovative entrepreneur.
• How this entrepreneur took her desire to be conscientious & socially responsible to launch a new business with unique product offerings. 
• Why innovation is vital to the growth of any business, industry and product line.
• The innovation can go beyond a product offering and include new services for customers.

​
Key points Lori and Nola are sharing in this episode:

(04:24:49) How Madonna’s skin care brand led this beauty executive to create an innovative socially responsible business. 
(06:42.63) To be a zero waste business, you my must be circular. These are the steps necessary for creating a circular business.
(9:29:70) How the IZZY brand goes against the traditional cosmetic innovation to include zero waste, ingredients, automation and product container.
(18:19:94) You can have an amazing idea, but executing on it is a whole other story. Here’s what you need to know to get started.

Resources 

You can subscribe to Lori and Nola's show, (we love you and want to make it easy) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

ConvertKit: Our #1 Favorite Email Marketing Platform   (This is an affiliate link)

Transcript

Nola: 0:00Do you have an idea for a new or innovative product service or invention? You're not alone. From watches to suitcases, from cars to cosmetics, people are coming up with unique ways to solve problems, improve processes, and create totally new products all the time. We're talking to you, meat substitutes. If you've had an innovative idea and have wondered what the journey from ideation to creation looks like. Stay tuned friends, because we are excited to introduce you to an entrepreneur whose product innovation has her making customers and the planet more beautiful.
Shannon: 0:34You're listening to the Sticky Brand Lab podcast, where time strapped professionals like you learn how to create a business you love in as little as three hours a week.
Lori: 0:46The cosmetic industry has consistently had a lot of waste, from its packaging to its ingredients, to its constantly changing trends. And then COVID hit. And the industry as a whole saw sales plunge 30% or more, as customers shifted their purchasing habits. It would seem from all indications that coming up with a new, innovative business in an already saturated marketplace during a time period of declining sales would not be a good idea. But for bold brave and beautifying entrepreneur, the timing couldn't be better. Meet Shannon Goldberg, Chief Zero Waste Officer at Izzy Zero Waste Beauty.
Nola: 1:29With more than 16 years of beauty experience in the areas of marketing, innovation, and product development for big name manufacturers and celebrities. Shannon Goldberg founded Izzy with the goal of creating a zero waste beauty brand that would contribute to a brighter future. What's even more impressive is that as the CEO and brand founder, she set out to innovate in a highly competitive industry without a formal education in sustainability. So how did she do it? What obstacles did she face and challenges did she overcome along the way? And what can we all learn from her determination to make an impact? Let's find out. Welcome, Shannon!
Shannon: 2:08Thank you.
Lori: 2:10We are so excited that you're here. Yep. And talking about this topic, especially because when many people think of an innovative idea, products come to mind like the iPhone or the electric car, or even the self parking parallel app that you can now have in a car. That's often what comes to people's minds, but innovation can be accomplished by anyone with an original and useful idea. And that certainly applies to you. So, before we explore your journey from idea to product and everything in between, can you give us a big picture understanding of your company? What is the Izzy brand?
Shannon: 2:51Izzy is the world's first certified carbon neutral and zero waste beauty brand. Really, until Izzy came onto the market, a lot of beauty companies, either we call it they're either greenwashing or blue washing. They're saying they're sustainable and clean, but it becomes a little bit fuzzy. You have to do a lot of peeling back the layers to really find out if these companies are walking the walk and talking the talk. I'm not someone who does have this big background in sustainability. I'm a beauty industry person. So I know what it takes to bring a product from launch to retail. And I know all of the mistakes that we've been making along the way for years. And I was a huge part of the problem. And I say this a lot. I felt like I was sleepwalking for the last almost two decades. And we do this a lot through life. Sometimes we don't change unless we're forced to change or until our life gets interrupted. And that's exactly what happened for all of us during the pandemic. It gave everyone a moment to pause and really question everything. From their morals to their ethics, to their daily lives, to their family, to their work, to balance. And I was just presented with an opportunity like everyone else to make a change. And just knowing that I'm in a position of power in an industry that I know like the back of my hand, and I just knew there was a big moment where change could really happen.
Lori: 4:10That's amazing. Was there a catalyst that happened during that time specifically that made you make this shift?
Shannon: 4:18There were a couple moments. The one moment was a little bit of foretelling of what was about to happen. So, I was working with Madonna and launched her brand MDNA skin. And she's an amazing storyteller. She knows how to produce anything. And her packaging really spoke for itself. But what was interesting is in this time of influencers, we, you know, we were doing all of our influencer mailings and it was a lot of packaging. And I remember the influencers started to speak up and sort of say like, alright, We are not keeping all of this packaging. It all ends up in the dumps and we get so much stuff sent to us week in and week out. And we're sick of all the garbage. And at that time again, I was still part of the problem. I was the person in charge of these big, amazing mailers. That was like the one thing where it was just like a little whisper. Right. And I knew that the world was headed down a more sustainable path. But then going back to a pandemic, when we were all in quarintine and I remember coming across an article from national geographic and it was all about the beauty industry. And it went on to say, in beauty, we go through over 120 billion units of un-recyclable plastic a year. And I, wow. Yes. Like how did I not know? Like of course we do. Of course. Every little product you have at home Is probably in plastic. And I just remember being shook to my core in that moment. And I started to think about everything that I currently use, but also everything I've grown up using. And what's crazy is when you think back to the very first lip gloss or lip balm that you ever used, it's still sitting somewhere on this planet. And it dawned on me. There's no such thing as away. Your garbage just goes somewhere else. And even though for a lot of us, it's out of sight out of mind, we, you know, you don't see the landfills, you're not next to the water and you're not watching the plastic washout, unless you are, of course. And those statistics were terrifying. And it just made me realize that I had to do something immediately. And there was an opportunity to do something because a true zero waste beauty line did not exist until Izzy came to the market.
Nola: 6:27This is great. You've painted the picture of what motivated you to innovate in sustainability. But there's still an innovation in business model that I'd like to learn more about.
Lori: 6:39Oh, good point.
Shannon: 6:40Well, so here's the big secret. You can't really be zero waste unless you are a circular business. I learned about this theme in business behind zero waste and sustainable brands called circularity. And that's really, when you look at a product, there's another phrase called cradle to cradle. Normally a product is cradle to grave, right? Mm-hmm like you have your phone and then eventually it dies. And then eventually it either gets recycled or goes into the garbage. Mm-hmm But circularity is about bringing the product back to life multiple times. And in beauty, the only way you can really do that is through a refill model. We talk all about the three Rs, but in beauty, we learned that refills, that was the biggest sustainable move that we could do on our end. And then it just sparked so many more decisions on our packaging and how we did things and how we had the chance to pivot at every gateway of the product development process. But refills, on a zero waste level and on a circular level can really only happen in a subscription model. Because essentially what you get in the mail, we give you a prepaid mailer and the product has to keep coming back to us. There's really no room for error. And if we didn't have a refill model or a membership, there's that fear that we would never get the products back in order to be refilled over and over and over again.
Nola: 7:57Mm-hmm And I can imagine as customer on a subscription, the feeling would be a little different. It's not just that I've got it on auto play. So I get it in the mail for my own convenience, that whole act of shipping back. And that's what I understand you're we're doing is shipping back that main container, that is like an act of cooperation as part of this community, that's doing this. Right. And that would in itself raise my loyalty.
Shannon: 8:27So I am one of those people who really leans into automation. You just tend to appreciate those brands who do have a good product that you can trust that you just hit subscribe and it shows up. Yep. When I was sort of just dreaming up what Izzy was, I felt like you had to go out of your way to be more sustainable. That you had to try to recycle and you have to pay more, or you have to shop in different places. And I sort of wanted to debunk all of that. I was sick of that. I wanted to make it feel like you were doing your sustainable good deed of the day without trying at all. So, when you look at our program, it sort of mocks the old Netflix model with the DVDs, right? Like you have your time with the DVDs and then you stick your little label on it. You put your mailbox and the rest is history. That's very much how Izzy feels. It's you have your beauty products for 90 days that we time them so that they run out within 90 days. You're never without product. So new product shows up at your doorstep every 90 days. And at that time that's when you know, okay. Time to put my use containers back in the prepaid mailer. It's already prepaid. Stick it in your mailbox and we're off to the races. Just super easy.
Lori: 9:29Izzy. Well, it started, right, with the idea of the mascara. And it was the innovative tube. So it's not just the ingredients that were innovative. It was also the package. And by package, we don't mean how it comes to you. We mean the tube itself, the container. Can you talk a little bit about that?
Shannon: 9:48Yeah, I would love to. So, we decided to go against what the traditional cosmetic companies. When it comes to sustainable brands, you're either playing with PCR plastic, then there's cardboard and then there's glass. But each sort of has its own issues. And one day my co-founder and I, I really, I have to give the credit to my co-founder. He was at the dentist and he started to sort of scratch his head. Like, how does the medical field and dentist, how did they get away with using the same tools on multiple patients a day, invasively? I mean, they're cutting people up and they're going in their mouth. How do they get away with. It's medical grade stainless steel. If you wash it properly and get rid of the bacteria and the microbial buildup, that level of steel is meant to be washed and reused more than 10,000 times. It's like when you think about your silverware, it's meant to be handed down to generations. It's built to last. So, we just took an idea that was already out there and tried to make cosmetic components out of it. Steel has weight to it, which is awesome, which speaks to the luxury of the line, but really it's because we need those components to last and go through 10,000 washes and round trips. Our components can last for 2,500 years.
Nola: 10:58Wow.
Shannon: 10:59If customers help to respect that circularity process. We also challenge ourselves to be label free. So rather than sticking plastic labels on our components, we engrave every component. And we have little QR codes on the bottom of every component that lead the client back to our website, where they can find our directions and marketing and how to use. Then the typical plastic that you have in your components, which is usually like the wand and the wiper or the brush. We make that out of a plant based resin. And once the items come back to us, we melt it down to its original resin, remold them and make them again. And then the last piece is, the water that we used to put the components through that triple medical wash, we actually purify that water and reuse it again. So it doesn't end up in waterways. And then the last piece, this was huge for me. I never really understood, carbon footprint. So here was my frame of mine before. In my old life, I would normally get my components from Asia. Then sometimes I would make my amazing, beautiful formula in Italy. And then I would have it manufactured somewhere in New Jersey and then it would go to the retailer and then it would end up in your hand. So. When you think about it, that one little product, let's just pretend it's your face wash. It has traveled all the way around the world before it gets to you. So when you think about emissions and the gas and the mileage, it's explosive. And then when you think about every brand having sometimes hundreds of products within that brand, and then the thousands of brands that are out there, you really start to multiply the issue and just sort of scratch your head. Like how can we make this better? So. For Izzy, we were able to identify all of our vendors in the Northeast, between New York, Connecticut, New Jersey. And we manufacture all of our products within a 400 mile radius that you can run our entire supply chain on one tank of gas. And it turns out that people were excited to collaborate on Izzy because it's not about me. We're all part of this change and it feels so good to do positive change.
Lori: 12:55Let me just tell you from my personal experience, I was trying to think, is there a good word that I could use to describe what it feels like to put this mascara on. And over and over again, the only word that came to mind was, luxurious.
Shannon: 13:12I love that. Well, that's what it's supposed to be. Yeah. It's the brushes proprietary to us. Again, going against those myths that sustainable and clean brands don't work, or they don't live up to their expectations. The truth is, with the mascara you can have an amazing formula, but it is all about the brush.
Lori: 13:28The name Izzy, of your company. Is that related in some way to sustainability or was there some other thought process behind the name?
Shannon: 13:37So, selfishly I would've loved to name the brand after one of my kids, but those names are already taken. So anyways, my partner's first born daughter is Izzy. Oh. And she's just a little spitfire. And Izzy, the name Izzy, is gender neutral. Izzy is fun. America also loves four-letter brand names like Uber. And Izzy was meant to signify this new generation. It really is a mindset. It's really about a generation of people who are really embracing what I call Generation Less. Less is more. Slowing down, buying less, buying more luxury, well-made items rather than fast fashion or fast beauty. That's what Izzy is about. That's what Izzy represents.
Lori: 14:20That's great.
Nola: 14:22So we've talked about the innovative process. However, the beauty industry has some of the stiffest competition out there. What gave you the courage and the confidence to go for it, anyway?
Shannon: 14:36I knew that change had to happen. I mean, that's bottom line. And the truth is, if it's not Izzy, I really believe this about any brand, there is no point to launch a brand unless you're doing something differently. It's not about vanity. It's not because you want something. If you're gonna do something, do something that can actually stand out. The industry needs to change. And of course, not everybody's gonna follow the Izzy process because it really is intense. But even if 10% of the brands could sort of look at themselves and just reimagine how they would normally do things to make the world a better place. I mean, by subscribing to Izzy and just our mascara alone, you're not part of the problem that exists right now, which is 5 million plastic mascara's are discarded every year in the US alone. Those little things that you can do that will make a huge difference.
Nola: 15:24So have you found it difficult at all to penetrate that industry? Or have you found that your experience and your familiarity with it has shown you kind of revealed the, the openings to it?
Shannon: 15:36I'm lucky because I know how to launch a brand. And I know the typical avenues to take, to really market a product and bring it to life. The hard thing that I had to learn is that Izzy was so different, and so ahead of its time at launch, and even today, I mean, we've only been around for 13 months, but. The hard part is because we are a membership and because we rely so heavily on getting the products back in order to refurbish them, we can't partner with the traditional retailers that I'm used to working with. So, it was hard when Sephora and Ulta said, no. You know, this, our customer's not there yet. Like that, that's heartbreaking because all you want is to change the world and be in those big name retailers. But we're also on a world where everyone has to catch up. Sometimes being first to market is a challenge because the newcomers will be there, but it takes a minute for other customers who aren't, you know, as excited about innovation and, and change, and aren't ready for the change. But I think it'll get there eventually.
Lori: 16:32That's brave enough to do what you were brave enough to do. Which kind of leads to my next question. While you had an extensive background in the beauty industry and in marketing, you had no formal education in sustainability yet you were willing to go in there and be a lifelong learner in order to launch this new brand. So can you tell us, how did you apply your education, your experience, your expertise in the beauty industry to innovate in a new product, in something that was totally out of your bandwidth and your familiarity?
Shannon: 17:10Well, I will tell you this. I have been blessed with my career. So I've just always been lucky, but I also believe that you manifest wherever you're going to be. And I've always sort of harnessed this strong entrepreneurial spirit. The companies that I stayed at the longest are because I had bosses that gave me the creative freedom and there was no sort of ceiling of like, no you can'ts, but but I think you have to know yourself, know where you're comfortable and you're either wired one way or the other. And you have to know your hidden talents. Like what are your superpowers? And, mine is big picture thinking and high level innovation and marketing. And that's where I shine. And it really is about riding that ride. And you sort of staying committed to what you're good at. So there's no trick or secret. I think like we all are who we are and we all have our different strengths.
Lori: 17:59How did you find the courage to say, I don't know anything about this. All I know is I've got this idea. I have the determination, but now I have to educate myself in an area that I'm totally a fish outta water in.
Shannon: 18:15I love that. I think that's what it's about, is admitting out loud that you don't know everything and you could have the most amazing idea in the world that executing on it is a whole other story. So for me, it was, don't be afraid to say you have no idea what you're talking about. People love the authenticity behind that anyways, but like, lean on people who are smarter, who do know more than you. A few weeks ago, we brought on a celebrity activist and partner, Alicia Reiner. She was on Orange Is, the New Black. She's currently on miss Marvel. We're working on some product launches together. Beyond being an actor, she's so frigging smart in the sustainability world. And she's such a big figure in New York. She's, you know, helping to get New York city behind composting and she's just so immersed in that world of nonprofits and, you know, for the oceans and for the landfills. And she's constantly teaching me every day. And that's what it's about. Like, it's okay as a leader to admit you're not the smartest person in the world. I get with the people who do know what they're talking about, and eventually it will rub off on you.
Nola: 19:15Now, switching gears slightly, you had mentioned earlier how COVID has had such an impact on all of us. How did you manage a transition from full-time employee to full-time entrepreneur?
Shannon: 19:29Being an entrepreneur that has always been deep within my bone. So it was never a scary moment. It just felt so natural. And I'm also someone who has a really hard time being an employee. I, I had moved my family from New York to Tampa, Florida for another job. And I was so excited about it. I just convinced everyone to, you know, take the plunge, make the move. And six months after we moved here, the pandemic happened and I was furloughed from this big role that I just convinced my family to move here for. So new schools, new careers. Get rid of the house. And it was just one of those moments where again, I know during COVID we all sort of looked at our lives and asked ourselves, like, how can it be better? Like, how can I be happy? Where can I find the balance? And for me, it was the first time in my life I got to stay home and raise my children, teach them, cook for them, have dinner, you know, dinners together as a family that was completely foreign for me. So, I became so seduced by the lifestyle that it was, like, no question, like I am for sure gonna be my own boss, work from home and make this company happen.
Lori: 20:34How has you starting this company impacted, your relationship within your own family?
Shannon: 20:41It's been the best. So one of the reasons why we moved from New York to here is we were living in Connecticut, my husband and I both had our careers in New York city. We were commuting four hours a day, had the most amazing nanny, but really paying someone else to raise our children. And we sort of lost that time from when the kids were two all the way until they were eight. And it was horrible. I just, I knew that wasn't what life was supposed to be, and I know how fast it all happens. And COVID was a blessing for me. Again, I left in the dark, I came home in the dark. We didn't have family dinners together. And this was the first time where it's like, I got to know my children and. I don't know, family means something different to me now. Like we're all best friends. Like I know my husband and my children intimately now, and I don't think I knew them before. I think I was a weekend mom, but also trying to get through life. Right. It's like the weekends turn into groceries and cooking and cleaning and that whole spiel, you're just trying to fit it all in while parenting. And now it's like, I really feel like I've been able to slow down and I hope all of us got that during the pandemic. It's like slowing down and realizing what's important.
Lori: 21:48So I'm gonna switch gears now again, because one of the things that I find important is the processes that it takes to launch something new. Again, you are moving down a path with a goal in mind of sustainability, zero waste. You're clear on it, but now you need street cred. Mm-hmm And the only way to do that is to get certified. And you'd already put yourself out there and said, look, we were developing a product. And in a time where I personally didn't know all of the things associated, let alone the, the terminology mm-hmm and then you upped it one more time by saying, I'm gonna go after this certification. What was that process like?
Shannon: 22:33The scariest, most intimate process I've ever gone through. So, silly us. We decided to go with the most rigorous framework out there, the global certification. So, I'm not used to doing this, but we had to let this company called The Natural Capital Partners out of England, sort of see behind the curtain, not only with the brand, but with every single one of our vendors. So it takes vendor cooperation as well because they go back to them and they really make sure that you're being honest and transparent with your transports, with your process, with where you're sourcing We did it with the mascara and it was an expensive and timely process. And we decided to do it with every single product thereafter because our process is our process. It doesn't waiver. It's become a little bit easier to get that certification because it really is what it is. And we're so strict with our supply chain and our vendors. So there is no real change there, but it was hard. And the, the thing was it's everyone is sort of saying that their products are clean. They're vegan, they're gluten friendly. That's just the standard. That's what they should be at this point. And the carbon neutrality is just sort of like that final, big check on the box. It's a very weighty claim to make, but it also opens the door with so many other retailers, if you will. So, Amazon, they started this new program called the Climate Friendly Pledge program. So Amazon itself, we know they're responsible for a lot of cardboard boxes and a lot of shipping, but at least they have this arm in their business now that really supports businesses who are certified carbon neutral and who really are walking the walk and talking the talk. And it's exciting to be one of their partners and to see how Amazon is sort of shifting behind the scenes, as such a huge mammoth player out there.
Lori: 24:15That's that's great. Can you talk about the foundations that you give a portion of your proceeds to? Sure. And what made you do that? How did you pick them, and why is that important to you?
Shannon: 24:27So let's start here. I am a startup who barely makes any money. So. Give
Nola: 24:34A portion is like a percentage of a penny.
Shannon: 24:37Yeah. Like what is that anyways? But I will, I love being honest here because that's the thing, even when you don't have money, we all start with something. So, you give what you can give. Right. Mm-hmm and, and there's no shame in that because this is something that's really coming from the heart. So. One we partnered with the National Forest Foundation. Reason is, when we were starting our company, we had a lot of phone calls, zoom calls with people who lived in California. And I remember looking out their window seeing this like orange background because of the wildfires. And I just was so convicted by like the, oh my goodness, what can I do? They make it so easy. It's literally a dollar for every tree. Everyone can afford that. So, every quarter we've just decided to give them whatever we can for special projects in California. So that's one. The other one is Her Justice out of New York City, which pairs women in need with pro bono attorneys. I had learned during the pandemic that domestic violence really rose, um, yeah, because people were confined to their apartments and it's just something that I felt really strongly about. I've known a lot of women who have suffered and who have been in similar situations. And it just felt like it easy to support them. Great organization. And then the last one is Pencils of Promise. If you were a parent during the pandemic, working a job, losing a job and raising children and teaching them, the respect I had for teachers in schools is unlike anything else and I just wanted to give back to a school organization, because my goodness. I don't know how teachers do it. I really, and they choose to do it. Like this is their livelihood. They like doing this. it's just like, it's funny. Looking back. These are such like COVID-ey organizations to be part of, but that's okay. They're super cool. And Izzy will also be partnering with other organizations down the road, but those three is that's where we started. We give what we can every quarter and we give what we can.
Lori: 26:29It's not the amount. It's the action. It's the intention behind the action.
Nola: 26:35For anyone who's listening and who is thinking about using their knowledge and experience and expertise to start their own business. What entrepreneurial like tips, tricks, tools, hacks, have you discovered to keep you focused and productive in your day to day busy schedule?
Shannon: 26:56My biggest thing is take care of yourself first. Mm. So. Every morning. I have my little wellness ritual that I do. I light my favorite candle because I'm so big on like sensorial experiences. I crack open a window to get actual fresh air inside our condo. And I'm either doing a Peloton yoga class or an actual ride. My biggest thing. This was like, I felt like I was gonna get in trouble, but for the first time ever, I'm the boss, so who the heck's gonna yell at me. I actually take my phone and put the focus button on. Oh. Which is a basically like, don't bother me for the next 20 minutes, which I can't believe I do that. But like, that's great. You guys know how it is when you're running a business, your phone is going off every five seconds and it's not the text. It's the, everything's in the dang phone, right? Mm-hmm the phone calls, the text that emails your calendar. And if you can just give yourself that first, whatever it is, 20 minutes to an hour in the morning, and it really sets the table for the day. And when you're happy and functioning and feeling balanced that your team will feel it. And it all trickles down.
Lori: 28:02That's important advice. You've only been in business a little over a year, but is there anything that you would've done differently from the start?
Shannon: 28:11I think trust your gut feelings. A lot of times, those whispers turn into talks that turns into yelling that turns into these major red flags. And it's just, I mean, women especially, were so instinctual. Mm-hmm And the world is always trying to throw messages at you or signs at you. And I just wish I would've acted on things sooner. However, I have to trust the process like everyone else and know that everything happens in its own good time. And also when you start a business, there's a lot of tripping and falling and life is for learning. So, a lot of the stuff that I know today, I'm sure, all of us would say, should have, could have would've. Mm-hmm But like the point is that is life. You have to learn along the way. And those lessons that you're learning hands-on are the most valuable because you really get them. There's a difference of someone giving you advice versus learning your own lessons. Cause you actually know what you're talking about. When the lesson happens, then you get it. Mm-hmm and then you know what to do moving forward.
Lori: 29:08So, Shannon, can you tell us a little bit about your team? What impact or do you have on them and what impact are they making on you?
Shannon: 29:17Launching Izzy during COVID. We managed to launch a brand in nine months on FaceTime and Zoom meetings. Whoa. We never saw each other in person. This was the most interesting time because we were all at home and we were all being interrupted. And so much life happened within that time span that I think we all learn to be really human. And one thing is. I came from that school of work where, if you weren't at your desk working, then your boss thought you were slacking off or you were somewhere that you shouldn't have been. So I was always scared in the workforce. Hopefully I'm not in trouble. Hopefully I'm doing the right thing. Yep. And this is the first time in my career where we all meet each other where we're at. Just last week, my partner's daughter was in the ER and it's like, all right, for two days, I got it. I mean, she had whooping cough, like so many toddlers get, but it's like, you take care of what you need to do. And we will all scoop in to help you so you can take care of your personal life. And I had another person on the team who just wasn't okay after the pandemic. Had lost people that was close to them and this person had to go and take time off and get help. Yeah. And what I love about this time in our life is that we're not afraid to feel our feelings and we're not afraid to ask for help. And it's okay to say I'm not having a good day. And I give my team permission to do that because I tell them that. I just think we've all learned to be more human and have more compassion and be more accepting of where everyone is in their life.
Lori: 30:46It sounds like you used COVID, that time period, to really make a revolutionary change throughout every aspect of your life. Your personal, your professional, your spiritual, your self care, everything was tapped into.
Nola: 31:04You aligned at all.
Lori: 31:05Yeah, exactly.
Shannon: 31:07Thank you. Yeah, it's good. We all had the opportunity to pause. So, I'm very happy with where we are right now.
Nola: 31:14Well, this has been an awesome conversation. And we wanna thank you, Shannon, for being our guest. If someone wants to learn more about you or Izzy products, where should listeners go or how can they connect with you?
Shannon: 31:29Sure thing. So, my Instagram, I'm pretty active. My handle is, becoming_eco_friendlier. We also have our Instagram, which is Izzy Zero Waste Beauty. And then our website is YourIzzy.com. That's really where we sort of stay. It's like Instagram and our website.
Nola: 31:46That's great. And we'll have all of those links in the show notes too. So thank you listeners, for tuning into this episode. We hope it makes all the difference in you getting started on your business so you can create your best and most exciting life. If you found the information shared here today, helpful, let us know by posting here where you're listening or on our Facebook page,
Lori: 32:08Not sure how to turn your idea into a profitable side business? Contact us at stickybrandlab.com/contact. We'd be happy to help you.
Nola: 32:18Be sure to come back next Tuesday and every Tuesday for another informative, inspiring and motivating episode. And remember. Action creates results. So tap into your desire to create a business and brand you love by taking 1% action every day, small steps, big effects.
Lori: 32:37Trust the process, Nola.
Shannon: 32:41Oh, good. It's it's gonna be a very special podcast. I could tell. Very special.