What It's About
A mother of two finds purpose in building a cosmetics line dedicated to inspiring confidence in other women.
Business Model
Skills Required
Complexity
Profit Potential
Words of Wisdom
When she was putting together her approach for marketing sexC Cosmetics, Camisha decided that her target market was mature, corporate women working steady 9-5 jobs with an annual income between $55,000 and $75,000/year. She chose that market because they’re consistent buyers who constantly brag on products if they’re good—and especially if they discovered it before their friends.
While it may seem counter-intuitive to narrow your market, it can really help you fine-tune your message and get the customers you really want.
Fun Fact
Camisha believes that her business has helped her find speaking gigs. She grew connections with people she never thought she’d meet (like the current and former mayors of Toledo, the chief of police, and an anchor on a major newscast crew). Having these high-profile contacts that know her story has opened the door for speaking opportunities, and she tries to get three a month.
Notes from Chris
Episode 390
Today’s story comes from Camisha Shamaine from Toledo, Ohio. By day, she’s a case worker for the state of Michigan. Her side hustle is sexC Cosmetics, a cosmetics line selling lip products. Camisha is a widowed mother of two kids, currently raising them on her own. The loss of her partner wasn’t the only hardship she’d experienced: as a child, she struggled with her weight, and was working on overcoming various insecurities. What does this have to do with her side hustle? A lot. When she thought about starting a new project, her thoughts went to lipstick. It’s the only makeup she wears, and she says it makes her feel confident and sassy. She wants to show women that a simple smile will go a long way. Camisha had just started feeling good about herself when she decided that she wanted to bring that energy into a makeup line. She wanted a lipstick that was highly pigmented and long-lasting so people wouldn’t need to reapply it ten times a day. At first, she thought she’d create her own lipsticks from scratch, so she went to the store to buy all sorts of ingredients: coconut butter, beeswax, and anything else she thought she might need. She discovered the ingredients after spending some time on YouTube and Google researching how to create a lipstick line from home. However, the initial plan didn’t work out so well: she wasn’t able to make the perfect lipstick that met her standards. So she decided to look for a manufacturer. In addition to wanting that perfect lipstick in the form of a quality product, she also had some clear specifications: she wanted to customize the colors and the logo branding for it, and remember, that lipstick had to have a long wear time. She sampled products from several different manufacturers until she found one she liked. These days, most of her sales come from these vending events, which currently bring more traffic and sales than the website. Each event usually brings in at least $500-1,000, and it also expands her reach and builds brand awareness. As she gains more understanding of what her target market wants, and how to best reach them with her message, she hopes to ramp up online. She also plans to launch eye products this summer, and then continue launching one cosmetic product at a time until there’s a full line.MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
- sexC Cosmetics: Check out Camisha's line of lipsticks on her website and keep an eye out for new additions!
- Eventbrite: The event platform that Camisha used to search in nearby cities for opportunities to promote her products and introduce them to new markets
- College Student Generates 50M Views on YouTube, Hires 13 Employees: After seeking a method to conquer her own skin issues, one woman takes to YouTube to help others shed their skin insecurities as well. Five years later, she has her own skincare line serving people all over the world!
- Afrocentric Head Wraps Earn Extra Money for Target Employee: A college-aged hustler creates a product line that pays homage to the African diaspora
- 17-Year Old Canadian Makes $7,000 from Holiday Pop-Up Shop: Having grown up with an interest in entrepreneurship, a high school student starts a holiday pop-up shop that earns $7,000 in just one month
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