Behind the Label

Leading with Sustainability: How to Incorporate Sustainable Practices and Products Into Your Business with Roma Agarwal

Summary In this Earth Day special, I interview Roma Agarwal of The White Lotus Life and Earth Swag Shop. Emphasizing the importance of mindful sourcing, transparent vendor relationships, sustainable packaging, and conscious marketing, Roma provides actionable tips and questions you should be asking so you can adopt more sustainable practices into your business. The episode also highlights the value and impact of community involvement and networking for not only finding sustainability partnerships, but as a means to build a sustainable, legacy-building brand, too. Actionable Tips You’ll Walk Away With 1. Things to ask yourself BEFORE searching for potential vendors 2. Questions to ask potential vendors about their ethical and sustainable practices 3. How to communicate the sustainable aspects of your products and brand to customers 4. Where to look for potential vendors 5. How to find networking opportunities in-person and online About Roma Roma is a sustainability ambassador and founder of The White Lotus Life and Earth Swag. Before embarking on her passion project, Roma founded Splurge Cosmetics, a PETA-certified skincare company specializing in natural and non-toxic personal care products. Through her platform, she encourages individuals to choose plastic-free swaps to turn their homes into a safe and non-toxic place to live, empowers businesses to choose eco-friendly swag for promotions to keep the planet from brand-filling, and educates communities on how to sort waste correctly, reflect on the impact of trash, lead alow-impact lifestyle, and motivates them to repair over replace. Timestamps 00:30 Meet Roma Agarwal: Sustainability Advocate 02:19 Creating meaningful and sustainable branded merchandise 05:10 What does “sustainability” actually mean 06:29 Communicating the sustainability aspects in your products 08:43 Finding and evaluating sustainable wholesalers 09:29 Sourcing sustainable raw materials 11:07 Questions to ask potential suppliers and wholesalers 15:33 Finding balance between technological advances and sustainability 16:43 Where to look for suppliers and wholesalers 18:02 Benefits of working with local vendors 19:12 Why product-based business founders should be networking 22:46 The importance of in-person networking for solopreneurs 24:31 In-person vs online networking 25:48 How to find networking opportunities in smaller cities and towns 27:35 Where to find Roma online Connect with Roma * Follow The White Lotus Life [https://www.instagram.com/the_white_lotus_life/] and Earth Swag [https://www.instagram.com/earthswagshop/] on Instagram * Check out The White Lotus Life’s [https://www.thewhitelotuslife.com/] and Earth Swag’s [https://www.earthswag.shop/] websites Lindsay's Links * Let's be friends on ⁠Instagram⁠ [instagram.com/lccreativeagency] * ⁠Join my newsletter,⁠ [https://www.lccreativeagency.com/weekly-email-newsletter] where you'll learn how to improve your marketing strategy in bite-size, weekly lessons⁠ * ⁠Download my absolute favorite⁠ content planning template⁠⁠ [https://stan.store/lccreativeagency/p/download-the-ultimate-content-planning-bundle] * ⁠Need 1-on-1 support? ⁠Let's connect! [https://calendly.com/d/ds4-c63-z2s]

Blending Fitness and Design: How Kodi Kitchen Berg Crafted Fitness Products That You Want to Display

Summary Today I spoke with Kodi Kitchen Berg, founder of Equipt Movement, about her journey from actress to business owner and how she scaled Equipt by utilizing unique partnership opportunities and meeting her customers where they’re at in their everyday lives. Throughout the episode, Kodi emphasizes the significance of community building, learning from customer feedback, and knowing your areas of expertise so you can effectively delegate and outsource. *A note about this episode: This podcast was recorded in May of 2024 and is being released in March of 2025, so some things related to how Kodi markets Equipt NOW may have changed, but the past learnings she shares throughout the episode are still relevant and helpful. Actionable Tips You’ll Walk Away With 1. How to leverage in-person events 2. Effective ways to foster brand partnerships with new connections 3. What it means to meet your customers where they’re at 4. How to connect with your customer through unique touchpoints in their everyday lives 5. Ways to craft messaging for each of your customer profiles while maintaining a consistent brand voice About Kodi Kodi started her career as a model and soap opera actress on General Hospital. However, she always felt like fitness was too end result-oriented, and she was tired of traditional weights. She wanted weights that made her feel good and want to reach for them. She’s a believer in the power of movement, and that beautiful design incentivizes movement. This belief inspired the creation of Equipt. In the episode, Kodi explains how Equipt removes the intimidation often associated with fitness, making it enjoyable and playful through design-led weights. Timeline Missed a great quote you wanted to write down earlier? Skip to the section you’re searching for instantly: 01:02 The inspiration behind Equipt 02:29 Using customer insights to influence their content and strategy 06:35 Early business learnings 09:12 What acting and being a mom taught her about business 10:20 Building a small community first 11:25 How building a community helped her think of more expansion ideas 13:30 Expanding their in-person events 14:01 Making their lifestyle accessible to everyone through an app 16:15 How she forged her first few partnerships 16:59 Her approach to building partnerships with new people 19:36 The importance of thinking outside of the box to differentiate your brand 20:17 Tailoring your messaging based on who you’re talking to 22:00 How to start growing together 23:03 The messaging through line when speaking to each customer profile 25:06 Meeting the customer where they’re at 28:08 How they’re connecting with customers on vacation through hotel partnerships 28:34 Why you should think about the feeling someone is going to get from using your products, not just the physical benefits 30:45 Determining her bandwidth and areas of expertise 34:00 All of the cool resources female founders have available to them now 34:32 How to identify your areas of expertise 36:50 Why it’s important to try every role in your business before outsourcing 38:56 Her ice cream business 41:39 One piece of advice she’d give newer business owners Connect with Kodi and Equipt * Kodi's personal Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kodikitchenberg/] * Equipt's Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/equiptmovement/] * Equipt's website [https://www.equiptmovement.com/] * Ojai Ice Cream's Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ojaiicecream/] My Links * Let's be friends on Instagram [instagram.com/lccreativeagency] * Join my newsletter, [https://www.lccreativeagency.com/weekly-email-newsletter] where you'll learn how to improve your marketing strategy in bite-size, weekly lessons⁠ * ⁠Download my absolute favorite content planning template⁠ [https://stan.store/lccreativeagency/p/download-the-ultimate-content-planning-bundle] * ⁠Need 1-on-1 support? Let's connect! [https://calendly.com/d/ds4-c63-z2s] Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review. I read them all :)

The Power of Personal Branding: Shana Rehwald's Approach to Brand Building

Summary of the Episode In this episode, we chat with Shana Rehwald, founder of Me-est Me, about how a journey of self-discovery led her to launch her first product, the Me-est Me Journal. Shana emphasizes the importance of community building, the benefits of great PR opportunities, and the need to tie your personal brand into your business’s brand. Actionable Tips You’ll Walk Away With 1. How to build a cohesive brand identity throughout all of your marketing channels 2. Effective PR outreach strategies 3. Utilizing influencers to build brand awareness as a new brand 4. Why consumers crave connection and how you can connect with your customers 5. Boundaries to set early on in your business About Shana Rehwald Shana has made it her mission to show up as her “me-est me” every day by being her most honest, authentic, and comfortable self. Her products and services help others embrace their “me-est me,” ditch self-doubt, and reconnect with themselves. The Me-est Me Journal has been featured in publications like Refinery29, Cosmo, Shape, and SELF Magazine. Me-est Me has helped 5,000+ people across 17 countries reconnect with themselves and build a deeper sense of self-awareness. Missed a great quote you wanted to write down earlier? Skip to the section you’re searching for instantly: 01:16 Shana's career journey 02:11 Launching the Me-est Me Journal 04:10 How her marketing background influenced her launch 05:45 How influencer marketing paid off in the beginning years 06:34 Finding influencers to work with 07:52 Her pivot from influencer marketing to press 08:25 Where she learned about PR strategies and her notable press accolades 10:03 How customer insights influenced her next pivot 10:38 Challenges and lessons from trade shows 13:03 Return on investment of each marketing strategy she’s tried 15:02 Advice for getting your first PR opportunity 16:38 Investing in community building events 20:41 How to build self-trust as an entrepreneur 23:53 Podcast guesting 101 for product-based brand founders 25:14 Importance of weaving your personal brand into your business’s branding 28:51 Consumers are craving connection 30:40 Number one marketing tip for new business owners Connect with Shana and Me-est Me: * Her workshop [https://meestme.com/products/c-e-o-for-press-workshop?pr_prod_strat=e5_desc&pr_rec_id=c77a3b159&pr_rec_pid=7914920411336&pr_ref_pid=8019839615176&pr_seq=uniform] on cold email outreach strategies for landing more press deals * Buy the Me-est Me Journal [https://meestme.com/products/me-est-me-workbook] * Connect with Shana on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/shanarehwald/] * Follow Me-est Me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/me.est.me] Connect with Lindsay and Behind the Label: * Let's be Insta friends⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/lccreativeagency/] * ⁠If you're more of a TikTok fan, connect with us there⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@lccreativeagency] * ⁠Join our newsletter, where you'll learn how to improve your marketing strategy in bite-size, weekly lessons⁠ [https://www.lccreativeagency.com/weekly-email-newsletter] * ⁠Download my absolute favorite content planning template⁠ [https://stan.store/lccreativeagency/p/download-the-ultimate-content-planning-bundle] * ⁠Need 1-on-1 support? Let's connect! [https://calendly.com/d/ds4-c63-z2s] Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review. We read them all :)

The Making and Marketing Of Celebrity Beauty Brands Feat. Kim Wileman of Galla Beauty

Summary of the Episode: Kim joins us today to discuss her extensive background in the beauty industry, from her early days at Saks Fifth Avenue to the manufacturing floor to creating Galla Beauty, while sharing insights into successful celebrity brands. She shares the importance of knowing your customers, what we can learn and apply from celebrity brands, effective product launches, the potential of TikTok Shop for brands, and how she’s applying all she’s learned to her and Victoria Jackson’s brand, No Makeup Makeup. Actionable tips you'll walk away with: 1. How to stay true to your brand’s message 2. Why you should use firsthand customer insights in developing new products 3. Benefits of launching only one or a few products at a time 4. How to best launch a new product 5. What consumers need to know before purchasing from you Kim Wileman's Bio: As the Founder of Galla Beauty and No Makeup Makeup, Kim Wileman has left an indelible mark in the beauty industry. With a visionary spirit and a knack for innovation, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the industry's narrative. At the heart of Kim's success is her ability to forge meaningful connections and cultivate partnerships. From manufacturing to distribution, her extensive network of trusted allies paves the way for brands to expand their reach and impact. The Galla Beauty portfolio reads like a who's who of beauty royalty, focusing on collaborations with industry giants such as Farmacy, Guthy Renker, DIBS BEAUTY, and JLO BEAUTY. Through strategic collaboration and unwavering dedication, Kim continues to redefine the standards of success in the ever-evolving world of beauty. Missed a great quote you wanted to write down earlier? Skip to the section you’re searching for instantly: 01:16 Kim's journey in the beauty industry 02:29 The importance of learning customer service early on 04:35 Getting to know your customer firsthand 05:54 Kim's career path of working in every vertical of the beauty industry 11:07 Her biggest learning experience from her past jobs 13:44 What made her transition to self-employment 14:34 How she’s launching No Makeup Makeup based on past experiences 18:49 Advantages of launching with only one product 21:50 Best limited product drops she’s seen in the beauty industry 23:24 How to best launch a new product 25:30 How celebrities influence the beauty industry 25:51 Example: Selena Gomez and Rare Beauty 29:03 Another Example: Beyonce and Cécred 29:46 What consumers need to see and know about before purchasing 30:15 TikTok's impact on shopping 32:44 Everyone makes purchasing decisions differently 35:02 What to think about before taking a brand global 38:26 What small business owners can learn from celebrity brands 42:31 How she’s marketing No Makeup Makeup based on her years of experience 45:10 Her best piece of marketing advice for new business owners Connect with Kim, Galla Beauty, and No Makeup Makeup: * Follow No Makeup Makeup on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/originalnomakeupmakeup/?hl=en] * Explore No Makeup Makeup’s product line [https://nomakeupmakeup.com/] * Connect with Kim on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimwileman/] * Visit Galla Beauty’s website [https://www.gallabeauty.com/] For more resources and to further connect with Lindsay or Behind the Label: * Let's be Insta friends⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/lccreativeagency/] * ⁠If you're more of a TikTok fan, connect with us there⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@lccreativeagency] * ⁠Join our newsletter, where you'll learn how to improve your marketing strategy in bite-size, weekly lessons⁠ [https://www.lccreativeagency.com/weekly-email-newsletter] * ⁠Download my absolute favorite content planning template⁠ [https://stan.store/lccreativeagency/p/download-the-ultimate-content-planning-bundle] * ⁠Need 1-on-1 support? Let's connect! [https://calendly.com/d/ds4-c63-z2s] Additional resources we mentioned: * Skala hair mask [https://www.amazon.com/Skala-Tratamento-Maracuja-Passion-Treatment/dp/B0BC6RSS1S/ref=sr_1_6?crid=LIDHZS1173ZW&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.UNlMyEadr1emqai3PjTMuau9It72VQXr1VO06bGcKlC0rnW8KRj9PintWhfAgo6yRgIyfo4L7nWymr8ckVG5cyNvqxH2qfrBKWnpfC3e2W0k7HyuZziOun5RwNjTByHrgJQQ_UsZK1zxFStp0_XoA4a9dxNhBww5ytZqGbElTJAQ4TPnHLNIunxMsz9Vt186p2l2z9wB8qcUTOwRN0AbxbwvNfUhFlbujS-PcRGJnWSle7xLAmuZ-78mfHT6LFG_MDicqYzdlV4SsAv9OBzFUbK56Zx4tN6MUpmdYhYWFVI.sRdCfokidQfNX-c1y7ExvI8BjT7C2V6c0hRMTJoos8w&dib_tag=se&keywords=scala&qid=1721426189&sprefix=scala%2Caps%2C124&sr=8-6] (Lindsay’s favorite curly hair product) * Licensed aesthetician and creator on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@charlotteparler] Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review. We read them all :)

Striking Gold in the Jewelry Industry: Georgia Humbert Shares Smoothie London Jewelry's Marketing Playbook

Summary After years of buying throwaway earrings that would turn her ears green, Georgia Humbert was tired of the never-ending cycle of buying boring, easily tarnished earrings. So, after searching for quality, stylish earrings that didn’t break the bank and not finding anything, she decided to start her own brand. Enter Smoothie London, a brand specializing in huggy hoop earrings that has expanded into more over the years. Throughout the episode, Georgia shares her marketing successes and failures, highlighting the strategies that drive each stage of their marketing funnel, from using TikTok for brand awareness to email for sales conversions. Actionable Tips You’ll Walk Away With From This Episode 1. How to utilize each social media platform for different goals, like TikTok for building awareness and Instagram for customer engagement 2. The secrets to gathering emails to grow your list 3. What types of emails to send for more sales and reviews 4. Where to find great UGC creators and influencers 5. How to overcome fear and embarrassment of showing up on social as a founder Missed a great quote you wanted to write down earlier? Skip to the section you’re searching for instantly: 00:41 The beginning of Smoothie London 02:30 Marketing strategies in the early days 04:07 The content strategy behind their TikTok virality 056:11 Converting content 07:29 Not everyone buys right away. Here’s why that’s okay 08:58 How to sell as a brand that doesn’t “solve a problem” 11:10 What marketing strategies didn’t work 12:22 How they’re present on multiple social platforms 13:04 Email list growth strategies 15:33 Their email welcome sequence 17:12 The key to more reviews 18:34 The power of the founder’s presence in a brand’s marketing 22:05 Overcoming the fear of showing your face on social media 24:03 The difference in giving it your all in your content vs playing small 27:02 Marketing your product with UGC vs influencers 28:46 Effective guidelines for UGC creators 32:14 Finding great UGC creators and influencers 35:50 Georgia's favorite marketing tip for new brands 36:34 Georgia and Smoothie London’s info Connect with Georgia and Smoothie London: * Shop their new collection [https://www.smoothielondon.com/] (coming July 19th) * Follow Smoothie London on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/smoothielondonjewelry/] * Connect with Smoothie London on ⁠TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@smoothielondonjewelry] * Learn from Georgia on her TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@georgiahumbert_] Connect with LC Creative and Lindsay: * ⁠Let's be ⁠Insta friends⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/lccreativeagency/] * ⁠If you're more of a TikTok fan, ⁠connect with us there⁠⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@lccreativeagency] * ⁠⁠Join our newsletter,⁠ [https://www.lccreativeagency.com/weekly-email-newsletter] where you'll learn how to improve your marketing strategy in bite-size, weekly lessons⁠ * ⁠Download our absolute favorite ⁠content planning template⁠ [https://stan.store/lccreativeagency/p/download-the-ultimate-content-planning-bundle]⁠ * ⁠Need 1-on-1 support? ⁠Let's connect! [https://calendly.com/d/ds4-c63-z2s]