Profile: Tallulah Cosmetics
August 14, 2008
I normally write about tech oriented startups but thought I would highlight another company you might not expect to find in Kentucky. Tallulah Cosmetics is the brainchild of Amy Wheeler and is based in Louisville.
You were a first grade teacher and then in sales, what caused you take the leap into entrepreneurship?
I went to sales for more money and found the ethics or lack there of to be less than uplifting. At that point I realized that uplifting and authentic was much more important than money so I began searching for the real me (what was I truly excited and knowledgeable about?). I also believe I reflected upon and learned from my own lesson I had been teaching kids for years which was believe in yourself and follow your dreams.
What skills did your previous jobs teach you that help you in building your cosmetics empire, obviously sales is key but any lessons from life in the first grade?
I believe I learned the importance of authenticity from being around children who just are who they are 24 hours a day. Teaching first grade definitely taught me flexibility and how to be calm and even happy just going with the flow. This is something I continue to do on a daily basis when faced with numerous things I cannot control. The fact that having confidence in yourself makes others have confidence in you was reiterated over and over again throughout my teaching career. My own confidence, to this day gains me respect, relationships, and growth in general within my business.
The beauty and fashion business is highly competitive and subject to trends. How do you plan to keep Tallulah relevant in this environment?
One key thing is to always know as much as I can about every product in the beauty market…what the product does for the consumer, its advantages, and disadvantages. This helps me go in the proper research and development direction and create a more unique stand out product. TALLULAH will always have a fresh new product idea and a twist for every product that is already on the market today. Creativity that is visible within a brand is very important and TALLULAH will always strive to let the consumer see the creativity and work that goes into our brand.
How have you built the business? Expansion plans, needs etc?
The key here is slow and steady, never give up and don’t bite off more than you can chew. Slow is very difficult when we are pumped about our product and some buyer is offering us a bigger deal than we have had before, but it is always in our best interest to move cautiously and make sound decisions that are right for TALLULAH. One of the biggest assets I have found in growing my company is the relationships I have built with more experienced people in my industry. These advisors are priceless to me and my business and I acquired everyone of them by reaching out with an email or phone call and having a casual sit down conversation.
We are currently planning to expand with a unique treatment product and the addition of lipsticks. We currently have partnerships with about 30 US and Canadian boutique retailers and we will soon expand into an exclusive national chain retailer and gain partnership with an international brand.
