Tina Hedges of LOLI Beauty – Determination

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:00:44 — 55.7MB)

Determination is an essential ingredient to succeeding in business and overcoming the inevitable challenges any entrepreneurial journey can pose. It’s also something that defines Tina Hedges, who at every turn has pushed forward to realize her vision of a company that can make a difference to countless beauty consumers and the environment as well.

Tina Hedges, Founder and CEO of LOLI Beauty (a beauty brand using only organic, raw, fair-trade, non-GMO ingredients), joins Socialfly  founders Stephanie Cartin and Courtney Spritzer in the MouthMedia Network studios for a conversation about building her company and her journey to success, along with a surprise and a brainstorm.

In this episode:

• How Tina’s career trajectory changed from being on track to run factories in China to starting her own beauty company
• Standing up for your morals even if it may cost you your job
• The changes in the fashion industry from the 80s to today
• Learning to appreciate the little details of running a beauty company by working in retail
• Why Tina still makes sure to spend time in stores when on business trips to stay in touch with the consumer’s experience with the product
• How a chance phone call changed Tina’s trajectory from going to business school to working on a creative marketing team and learning on the job 
• Why giving employees autonomy and encouraging decision making is important for building a strong team 
• How Tina’s childhood shaped her view of health and beauty products 
• The environmental damage the beauty industry does, and how that sparked Tina’s decision to start LOLI
• The filling station concept, and the spark to deconstruct the beauty industry to fresh and raw ingredients which can be customized and sustainable 
• Getting accustomed to working for yourself, and how to judge work for yourself objectively 
• How Tina started LOLI as a surprise subscription box service, and the benefits of using your early clients as a focus group to hone your brand 
• The creative ways that LOLI operates as a zero waste organic beauty brand, but  upscaling from food produce sources and finding ways to operate without adding or wasting water 
• The strength of collaborating with brands, like Adidas and Alexander Wang, to gain traction and boost visibility 
• How Tina funded the start of LOLI, and some tips for those presenting business plans to potential investors 
• Ageism, and how Tina overcame the obstacles she encountered when trying to find investors 
• A dramatic story where a sick Tina flies to Geneva to meet with investors who had the funds to start LOLI
• Learning to hire employees and the stresses and learning experiences Tina experienced while building a strong team around her 
• The importance of communicating with your consumers and solving issues quickly 
• A one minute brainstorm on how LOLI can build more traction as the look to take their next step forward as a company