September 23, 2024 • 31 mins
It’s in the name. Sam Levi is as luxe as they come when it comes to running a business. Sam started up his first-of-its-kind beauty brand Luxe Sticks in lockdown and has since become a force to be reckoned with in the business world.
On launch day, Luxe sticks sold out within 48-hours on launch day, fast-forward to now, Sam hosts an entrepreneurial TV show: Take Your Shot with Sam Levi.
Find out what it takes to run an internationally recognised business, the inspiration behind the brand and what it was like to be one of the first openly gay men on New Zealand reality television.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
From ZM and iHeartRadio. It's Bored to Boss. Real stories
of how to navigate starting your own business with me
Georgia Patton. Welcome to another episode of Board to Boss.
I wanted to welcome Sam Levi to the podcast today.
(00:21):
Some of you may remember Sam from New Zealand's very
first series of Married at First Sight, But since then
he's made a name for himself on social media through
his business Luck Sticks and now is the host of
his very own TV show. And we're going to cover
all of this today. But first welcome Sam.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
How are you?
Speaker 2 (00:39):
I'm good, I'm tired. Business does that to you?
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Yeah? You had a bit of a journey getting here today.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
In a busy week.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
What's it been like?
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Hecktach? Oh god, where did I start? So I flew
over from Melbourne, flew went to Auckland, went to christ
To It, came back to Aukland, went back on the
plan to christ To It, came back to Auckland. Now
I'm here and now I played Melbourne in the morning.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Oh my gosh, fourth.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
With the weather in Christchurch. So we had all these
things planned for Saturday and then we flew in someone
who was working with us plan playing a rounds. Then
we had to change the events and it's been a
big week.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Oh my gosh. So after this you're ready just to
have wine and a little nap.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Yes, after there's somebody to get on the plane and
go home and then stay there for two days, just
two days, two days.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
That's all the like downtime, me giving, giving myself. So yeah, no,
I get it, that's real. I'm going to start you
off with a scenario, as I do with all of
my podcast interview ease, just so that the listeners can
get more of an overview of what you do. Are
you ready?
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Hit me?
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Cool? So you're at your usual fitness class. Do you
do a fitness class? Yeah, well give me one. You're
at forty five, you're the new person. Somebody new is
next to you and they ask you what you do
for work? Yes, what are you going to pitch them?
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Oh my god? That is a hard one because I'm
actually I get really shy when I tell you, but
I don't know why. I could sell anyone's business, but
when it comes to my own sometimes I get really awkward.
So you could give me, you could give me your life,
I says, not to sell them. But when it comes
to my own I'm like, oh, I just have my
own business, and you're like what is that? And then
but now I normally just say self employed, No, give
me more, okay, self employed, and I do a little
(02:10):
bit in TV.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Okay, so what is it that you do in self employed?
I'm going to pretend to be Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
So I work on the beauty space. And then the
first thing that normally says, oh, so like do you
having kick the Balls and do you cosmetics? Oh no,
I have my own skincare line. And then they're like,
oh what is it?
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Oh my god. You really make them work for it.
It's not just working out their body.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
I get really awkward. I get really really awkward, and
I think a lot of people think maybe I'm the
total opposite where I'll be like, yeah, I can do
like sticks and blah blah blah. Yeah, I get really shy.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Col So give me the twenty sickond lowdown on like sticks.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Like sticks. So if you don't know what like sticks are,
if you heard the claim masks, I have taken that
format and put it into a stick. So now for
a no miss, no fass easy application.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
And I've used them, and honestly, it's a game changer.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
You have and I did see your story, so thank
you so much.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
It's quite funny to think that nobody's actually done this
in the past.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
I know, I think it might have been done half
fast in the past. I'm just assuming by some feedback,
but it never picked up and never got like the
traction that I did. Well. Well, I have literally changed
the game, changed the beauty game with my sticks.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
That should be the little tagline underneath.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Changed the game, change the game.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
I want to start back at the beginning with married
at first sight. We're only going to lightly touch on
this because I'm sure that you want to brush straight
right past it. But I want an honest little review
on why you went on the show in the first place.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Absolutely, so I'm so open about that. So I ran
the show in the first place because I was heartbroken
at the time and I wanted to pretty much say
fuck you to my X.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
Oh my gosh, that's amazing.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Yeah. So that was literally about that, and then when
I kind of went through the journey of grinding it,
I was like, oh shit, okay, now this is real. Yeah,
so I just ran with it.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
I love that, so We recently had Lauren Dunn from
Married at First Sight Australia Yes on here and we
talked about people having ulterior motives going on the show.
Do you reckon it's the same in New Zealand that
most people go on there maybe looking for exposure, business opportunit.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
It is rather love one hundred percent. I would say,
I think reality TV the whole landscape has changed. You
think my series was five years ago now?
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (04:08):
So back then I think it was a bit more
wholesome and a little bit more real. It's like you
go now and it's like, you know what you're getting
this up into, you know what you're selling up for,
and you know what's going to come out of it.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
So with me, it was more I had no really
idea of what was going to turn out afterwards, and
then once I found out what did, I ran with
them and.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
So much came from it. How do you reckon it
affected your reputation?
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Oh my god. I have worked my outside for the
past three or four years to show people that real me,
really real me, And yeah it was hard.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
It was so straight after the show.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
What was it like either half the country loved you
and half the country literally hated your guts. And then
you throw in being a openly gay male on national TV.
Then that's even a different spander in the works because
back then it was quite new.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
I can imagine. So can you talk me through I
guess five years ago on that show and then getting
the idea of starting luck Sticks what, Yeah, sort of
hid space or place where you and in your life
where you thought I'm going to start a business.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Going back, I've always had an entrepreneurial kind of mindset,
and my thing is I never wanted to work for
someone else. I hate work for someone else. I didn't
want to do the nine to five job, even though
having your own business is probably worse. So you're more passionate.
But you know, so I did the show. I came
off that my head space wasn't in a good space.
My mental health kind of took a toll, as it
(05:25):
does for I think a lot of maybe reality TV people,
I'm assuming. And then yeah, so I stayed in New
Zealand for another twelve months, and then I decided to
pack my bags and leave and hit abroad and go
to Melbourne. Never been to Melbourne in my life.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
You hadn't been before you moved.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
No. No, So I was going to originally move to Sydney,
and it was the last minute I decided I want Melbourne,
no idea what I was doing over there. And then
literally it was about five or six months later COVID
hit Yeah, so COVID had and I had literally I
think I had five days to decide if I was
going to come home or stay there, and I just
(06:00):
had to stay in Melbourne with no idea. They closed
the borders and I was stuck there. We had like
eight pm coopy as you weren't allowed outside your house
past eight pm. There were police patrol and you couldn't
leave your five column the radius. And then that's when
I kind of was just my brain was just ticking
and ticking and ticket. I know it sounds so stupid.
I just had this epiphany of COVID skincare. I rash
(06:21):
out to everything I was. I keep getting some skincare, Like,
I don't want to put ote other people's products. How
do I get on board and do my own thing?
And literally, I know it sounds so stupid, but I
just came out of this concept of claim usk and
stick there was I said, oh my god, I need
a claimus on the stick, and they start talking to
manufacturers and they start doing something. You can use this
time wisely to come out the other end and hopefully
(06:42):
have a successful business.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Do you remember where you were when you thought up
the idea?
Speaker 2 (06:45):
I do. I remember I was at my partner's house
at the time, on the farm. Yeah, I was speaking.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
You know, most people were like I was in the shower.
It was three.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Remember I was on a farm. I was literally there
on the farm, and I literally had not in COVID.
You couldn't do anything. You couldn't do anything. So I
just say, you know, I was just thinking of ideas
and ways and I don't want to be depressed as
how coming up with no job.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Okay, that makes my next question a little bit more interesting.
I was going to ask how do you formulate a
product and how involved are you? But I guess there's
kind of a spin on that when you're in lockdown
trying to create a product.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Trying to create a product. So I work with manufacturers,
and I've always known kind of that kind of background
of stuff. I've got friends who have had businesses, so
I do ask for help. Yeah, I think that's one
thing a lot of people don't do. I'm not afraid
to ask for help, even though I do feel bit
the same time, do asking for help there's a KIPI thing.
I don't know that's a proud Yeah, yeah, I don't
feel proud asking for help, but I've learned that's one
thing you've got to do if you want to succeed,
(07:37):
ask for help. If you know someone that's done something,
please help me. So I knew these people who have
done businesses and nothing like what I've done, and they
just connected me, and I just started researching the hell
out of where to start?
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Yep? And where do you start?
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Where do you start finding the right manufacturers and then
dealing with them and then pretty much telling them your
idea and your concept seeing if it's what they can do,
and if they can't do that, then you make sure
they give you the right person who can basically, and
that sounds weird way, but yeah, you actually that you
were for me. I made sure I don't want to
leave with the answers.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
And how evolved are you in picking the formulation? Like
do they see you're there in the lab.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Hands on? So a lot of my product products and
manufactured up in Queensland and Australia, and then obviously the
boxes and all that come actually from Hong Kong and stuff,
because who wants to pay bloody double the price when
you can get it over there. I think most businesses
like that.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
I actually get my made in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Yeah you do, I do know that. Yeah, how do
you do that? Have you talked about it? Or I
did do some research because I always thought I was like,
that must be expensive.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
It actually worked out to be round about the same.
I needed them really last minute, and now that I
order larger quantities, it kind of works out the same anyway.
And being able to just pop over to Albany, yeah
and work with the New Zealand manufacturer is pretty cool.
I've changed one day, but for now it works.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
For business, goes it?
Speaker 1 (08:59):
Yeah, exactly exactly. So when you launched lucksticks, you sold
out in under forty eight hours. Yes, and you brought
an over fifty thousand dollars in revenue.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Click around that.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Yes, what, Yes, that's wild.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
I know that is. I think I was looking at
the sales coming through and I was like, oh know,
in that mindset, I know, it's like one of those
things it's like, oh my god, I'm rich. What am
I gonna do all this money? And then you guys,
I start thinking business yeap, and it's like, okay, well
that's not actually money for me, that's money for the business,
and this is what I need to use to settle up.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
What was your strategy going into that launch, Because there's
a difference between someone like you who's purposefully building a
business and then going to launch it in someone like
me who on my launch day I was twenty one
and I made one sale to some guy in Auckland City.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
And then all honestly, I didn't have a plan. I
didn't have a plan. I just trusted make up instinct
and I utilized the people around me who had social
media followings.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
I was going to say, do you think that your
content creation and social media helped with that launch?
Speaker 2 (09:57):
One hundred percent? Absolutely, because it was all online sales.
So if you think it was all online hours that
came through, they were all from people I knew, people
who loved me and they just wanted to help me
with my brains. And those are people I will forever
be grateful for because that's how it started.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
It's such a cool story. To say that you sold
out forty eight hours on your very first launch. Yes,
I don't think many businesses could say.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
That awkward question. I oh no, I guess yeah, myself,
I am impressing myself and I'm always striving to do
better and more. And like I said, I gause that
what anyone else is. But when it comes to mind
openly talking about that.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
But yeah, no, I feel that we've spoken about that
with a few people on here. Not even wanting to
share your business in the first couple of years because
you're a little bit awkward about it. But I think
the further along you get, the easier it gets.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
And I guess I'm getting there now. Yeah, the two
year mark, I'm getting there.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Ah, two years, I'm at five now. Yeah, it's just
intertwined in me as a person.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
It's just part of you. That's just a journey now
and it's yeah, yep.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
Nobody knows me as George on the street. They call
me board George. So the first product you launched was
a face mask and a stick. Yes, and you've launched
a second product, which is a sermon a stick.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Yes, We've got three rangers. So we did the clay masks.
So I started off with five five clay masks. We're
now had nine clay masks, also ten because we just
did a limited edition one. What was that, honey? So
that's where I partnered with a very well known New
Zealand Kii icon here in New Zealand. So I worked
with her. That's why I was in New Zealand doing
a little tour. And then I went to add I masks.
(11:28):
I think a lot of beauty brands with skincare underry
ye have them.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Yeah, I see someone Anderson advertising them.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
Yes, yeah, they're not a selling point.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
Perfect little add on.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Yes, a perfect add on. And then we launched our
serum sticks the same format. We took serums and put
it into a stick and a barm and made it
easy and no fast and going well, you're going really well, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Your Vitamin C stick through us girls, through a loobe.
You've seent me some products. And it was the weekend
we had a girl a girl's weekend and we're all
sitting there smelling the Vitamin SEA stick for ten minutes
is trying to think of what nostalgic smell?
Speaker 2 (12:03):
What was it?
Speaker 1 (12:03):
It was bringing us back to and we all landed on.
There's an orange fizzy drink in Australia that the four
of us went on holiday and hat and it's it's
kind of like a fan toy drink. Is it called
sun something sun Kiss? Yes, and all of us threw
it back to sunkissed.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
I had to try one tomorrow when they get back,
and let's sniff it. Which one that goes.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Yeah, Whether whether you meant to do that or not,
we were both sitting there going, oh, it takes us
back to like ten years ago and Ossie hitting gold cost.
So this is my favorite question to ask business owners
because it's not all smooth sailing, and there are way
more failures than what we like to show on social media.
(12:48):
So what are some of the biggest mistakes you've made
a long way? Maybe some products that didn't go to plan.
I want all the stories.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
God, business failures. There's so much we don't talk about. Actually,
because I'm so new to hold color grading is it?
I don't know if it's about word say color grade
in So when you're designed and you work with the
graphic designer, they send you packaging, they send you the
color things.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
And we think in New Zealand, we work a lot
with I don't know if it's in Australia with Heck's colors,
and in China they work with a system called Pantone.
It is way less.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
This is so this is something that happens recently with
my recent launch. When it first came, what I saw
was totally different to what was printed.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
This has happened to every business owner was printed.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
But then all my images had what I thought it
was going to look like. This is not what. This
is not what I've set myself up for.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
What we were discussing before about me geting packaging in Albany.
The reason for that was that I tried in China
for so long and I just wanted a beige and
the first sample came baby pink and the second sample
came baby blue, and I was running out of time.
And that's why I went to someone in New Zealand
so that I could actually go there and double check it.
But the colors over there are really really hard and
(13:53):
they've they've gotten most business owners at some point.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Happened to me. Another one is I'm going to use
the weekends that it's just gone. It's a good business
learning get your guests and get your people to the
location a day before, Yeah, a day before, and allow
for the disruptions. So yeah, what happened was I flew
into Christ. It's a little bit earlier, Vidy for our
big day hit. What happened Christ is hard to have
(14:17):
fog and that and the plan turned around and we
had people out the door lighting up to see both
of us and it didn't got a plan. So that
was a big learning curve and the first for me.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
So people lighting up out the door though.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Yes it was it was really cool. And then but
I didn't even see the pods. It's so hard because
I was like I saw the negative side of it
rather than more the positive. And until now I'm like, Okay,
I know there's still people there, there's still people purchasing
the product, there's still people who were coming down to
see me and come see her, and but yeah, it
was just for a weekend.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
What were some of the early formulations, like, did you
have any that were just horrible?
Speaker 2 (14:49):
One hundred percent? Well, for me, the whole point of
why I started the brand as well as I have
sensed of the skin and then to try your products
and to work with the formulation. I'm going to have
to put products on my and it's going to rash out.
So it's going to rash out in the matter what
to make sure that these aren't the ones that I
want to use. So that was one where I would
definitely rash out and be prone to actually gives worse
skin than what I wanted from these products. But now
(15:11):
we've got there in the end, it's all been smooth
sailing since hopefully.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
Touched with ye And I guess the further you get
into it, you now know what ingredients you want to
get away.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
And I think this day and age, you need natural ingredients.
I don't know if it's just our generation or what's
been pushed out there, but you need natural ingredients and
that's what I push.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
So one of the main things I wanted to talk
to you about was PR because you've had a lot
of PR in your time. What's the importance of PR
in your marketing strategy and how do you think that
affects both your personal brand and luck Sticks as a brand.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
So my background, actually I probably should have started this
is PR.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
Is it?
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (15:49):
Oh well that makes a lot more sense then because
I see your face everywhere.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
So my background is marketing and PR. So that has
helped me a lot with my own personal brand and
twining that with luck Sticks and that, but it's when
I start other luck sticks is I utilized my PR
experience in that, but then I kind of had to
learn to delicate PR is really good. I think PR
is definitely good. Now maybe I expect.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
That I don't have to work.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
For it any And that sounds so stupid because you
see all this stuff coming through and then it's like,
oh my god, all this good work, all the stuff,
people love it, and then when you don't have it,
it's like, oh my god, am I doing something wrong?
And then something might pop up and say, oh I'm
doing something good and then yeah, I don't know. But
I'm definitely on the going to get a PR person,
So yep, so I'm definitely giving the PR person to
jump on board so I don't have to focus on that.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
And why do you think you need it when you're getting.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Because I want I want hurt different markets. Oh yes,
so I want tohur different markets. That's my main thing.
So hints we'll probably jump on this topic eventually, but
hints why I took on this TV show that I'm
doing in Australia is there's a whole stategy behind it.
There's a whole staledgy jump behind it, because it's heaving
a market that I can't help without that.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Exactly, yeah, exactly. So week she have tests in the
studio with us today. Who is my PR agent? And
I thought it would be great to bring her on
for a couple of questions. Just give our listeners some
tips on how to get effective PR for their brands.
H T Hi, Thanks for having me. This is fun.
We've never had three people have had four producer PIXI
(17:09):
here two zone Wag. I've got a little gang going
on here. How are you? I'm good?
Speaker 3 (17:14):
Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
So I'm going to keep this short and sweet because
I'm thinking we could do a fun little bonus episode
at some stage and really delve into PR. Sure, but
I want you to give us your top three tips
for our listeners on how to secure media coverage for themselves.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
It's a hard one securing it for yourself, but I
understand that any kind of new business, it might be
something that they want to try. Exactly, So I think
the key things you need to do these are kind
of things I actually tell my clients to do as well,
even when I'm assisting them with coverage. I think it's
really important is to work out who the key journalists are.
So say you've got a beauty product, work out who
(17:49):
those beauty editors are and follow them like their posts,
engage with them, make them realize who you are. At
the same time, obviously find out you know, maybe their
personal contact detail, that their work contact details, and send
them a pitch so know the outlet, know what they
would cover, and then like try to tailor your pitch
(18:09):
to hit those targets. And then the other thing I
would do is in them the product. Yeah, you're never
going to get a beauty review if you've got a
beauty product if you're not sending the products to the journalist, definitely.
So those would be the kind of the key three
things to start and to and to keep keep going,
you know.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
To be persistent, it'd be persistent. How much do you
reckon you give? How much product do you reckon? You've
given away to media a lot.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
I've seen a lot, and sometimes it's it's hard work
because that's costing us as a business. It's the same
with you when you send to influencers and they don't
do anything, and it's like, I don't expect.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
You to do something, but you're doing it just in case.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
You're doing it just in case. And then a lot
of the time, let's say, for me, the influencers or
use it, you know, the content creators or whoever I
use to help push the brands, they allude to the
fact that they are going to do something.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
For example, they're like, oh, yes, please send that, but
can you please send three more products? Says like I'd
love to try that and create some content, and then
you send all this stuff and it's like, okay, I
waiting for the content and then nothing comes to it.
So that can be actually quite frustrating.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
Oh definitely.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Also, I started off I guess influencing, and I don't
really do it now, but I understand influencer side, but
now as a business owner, I really sometimes can't stand
by the influencers. I really can't stand it.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
Yeah, I think tests And I had one recently we
sent out do we send h maybe? Yeah, I think so,
and we hadn't heard back from any and we just
completely missed. Olivia Molly Rogers wearing my sunglasses in a
get Ready with Me video and posted it and I'm
not sure, just completely completely missed it. I was just
(19:43):
scrolling through the tags one day and I went, oh,
the skills, real hot. Look at her, Oh my god,
nice jumpsuit. She's wearing my sunnies.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Oh my god.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
And I could test because I noticed the jump suit,
but I think she kind of shows the glasses like
a little little way in. So i'd actually seen the
beginning of the post and hadn't even noticed it.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
So yeah, and then when you land something like that,
it is so exciting and it makes another seven of
lost is worth it. But yeah, you've just got to
keep your keep your eye on the ball and don't
miss those because we missed that opportunity by a week
to really like utilize it.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
While it comes to the cost, sometimes I think people
think free product doesn't cost much, so you don't go
down to countdown and say, oh, can I try this
and if that like it, I'll put it back on
the shaft.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
Chi can you imagine?
Speaker 3 (20:29):
I think it's having those clear deliverables, though you obviously
can't do that with media media. You have to really
be like, look, there's twenty journals that I'm going to
send it to hopefully I get three or four, you know,
and I'd say that's a pretty yes. But with influencers,
it's being really clear. I will send you this, but
I'm expecting this back. Yeah, And if you're clear on
(20:50):
those deliverables and you've almost got a little bit of
a a contract, I can go, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
Do you have anyqual luck sticks today?
Speaker 2 (21:03):
I don't, but I know you do. I know you do.
Think you would think the owner of the Brain would
bring luck sticks, but I had to get them away
yesterday and I was like, shoot, do I go into
the pharmacy to get some.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
It's actually ironic because as a sunglasses brand, do you
have glasses on you?
Speaker 2 (21:17):
No?
Speaker 1 (21:18):
I have about twenty to thirty peers in my car downstairs.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
Okay, we're going to car after them, but I will.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
Always forget to put them in my handbag. And I'm
getting much better. But maybe like two years ago, I
would never have a peir on me.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
I mustn't met well claims. But harder we're using them
when you have to wash them off after. Yeah, but
the serum sticks I have everywhere. Really literally, I had
a different jacket on before I came and it's always
in my jacket pocket.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
Oh, we're going to test one of your sticks today, okay,
but I'm going to get you to put it on me, okay,
so that it looks good.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
Ever Cardo one, the Ever Color one, which is good
for every day. It's with planers. It's moisture.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
Yeah, give me, give me the avocado.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
Pittch Well color. The Evercarlo one is good if you've
got dry skin or if you just want to add
moisture back into your skin. So this is one that
we is quite popular. If you want to use one
kind of a few days, just pop it up. This
is really weird. I've never applied the license to some
of what the first what?
Speaker 1 (22:08):
Oh, I'm so glad to be your first. I always
feel like I do a really good job around the
outside of my face, and then when it comes to
doing my nose and like my brow, that's where I
screw it up. Yet it's so.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Cold, I think that I'm being very gentle with it.
Speaker 1 (22:28):
This is the main reason I like these is because
they feel like those cooling balls.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
Are those sculpting cooling things?
Speaker 1 (22:35):
Pop in theory, How how does it feel cool?
Speaker 2 (22:44):
It's so nice makeup?
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Yeah, well, makeup's not cooling. This is like cooling.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
I'm just trying to do this.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
This is the bit that I can't do, the little
bit in between the eyebrow. Whoa stairs, How do you
get it to cool when you put it on your skin?
Speaker 2 (23:04):
It's just the sun. I keep my approaching on me.
So I have a little beauty fridge. You have a beauty,
little beauty fridge.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Oh that sounds lush. I'm going to do that while
we let our skin rate and marinate. I wanted to
ask you. I'm going to say, this is one of
your proudest moments.
Speaker 2 (23:22):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
I've read a million articles of you and this is
one of the top things.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Oh, come on, no, no, I'm just I'm just thinking
what you're going to help me with?
Speaker 1 (23:29):
Landing Forbes Australia.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
Ah, yes, yes, how did they come about? They just
reached out to me. The reached out to me and
they actually ask for samples. Really yeah, so obviously they
mustn't did research online. So I see them samples and
then I got an email one day saying congratulation, here's
your here's your photo, here's the media article. If you
want to share, You're more than to share.
Speaker 1 (23:49):
Well, for those who don't know, it's the Forbes Australia
Top one hundred Entrepreneurials list for twenty twenty three.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
Yeah, last year, so not this year. So yeah, it
was last year, not this year. But yeah, that was
last year. So I think that actually having that really
did help. I think people maybe take me CRUs with business. Yes,
so that was that was amazing actually for me to
share that and talk about it and yeah, that was
really it was really good from a business point of view.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
I can imagine.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
Sometimes people can take can't take people from social media crush.
Speaker 1 (24:19):
I agree with that, and it's.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Like, well, we are people as well, but we also
came run the business successfully too.
Speaker 1 (24:24):
Do you reckon that helps you land, which we're going
to go into now, your role of host for your
own TV show?
Speaker 2 (24:31):
Possibly? Yeah, actually I've never never we've never talked about it,
but it possibly could have. Yeah, I guess I'm quite
new in fridgion to the New Zealand Australian market. I
guess when it comes to media and that apart from
Daily Mail which they just love to write a new story.
But yeah, possibly could it could have helped. And because
the TV show that I'm doing this talking about business
and talking about entrepreneurs and kind of going down that
(24:51):
kind of route. So yeah, it could have actually really
helped and got noticed that way. Yeah, what's the name
of the show, Take your Shot?
Speaker 1 (24:57):
Take Your Shot? And it's all about.
Speaker 2 (24:59):
Taking a shot with samul Lebo. So it's all about
why did you take your shot in business? Whether you fail,
whether your succeed. So it's similar to actually what you're
doing here as a podcast in TV format, but in
TV format and streaming services and yeah, just bringing entrepreneurs
on that I think have a really great story and
basically it's really actually about people who don't have a
business background and why they decided to take the shot,
(25:20):
whether they lift their KFA job or do they I
love that, live to do whatever there's too found something
or do something you can really believe in that.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
Yeah, yeah, pretty much the same thing you've stole.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
You've stolen, I know, but it's in a TV format.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
So what's doing TV like? Is it a nice contrast
to working on luck sticks?
Speaker 2 (25:36):
Going? Yeah, one hundred percent. So obviously, I mean working
in business it's not glamorous at all.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
No, sitting here.
Speaker 2 (25:45):
It's not glamorous that you sit there half the time.
I'm in gym gear half the time, and I'm sitting
there stressed as how behind the laptop emailing or hustling
or doing something. So to step away like once a
week to go and film and do stuff and meet
these inspiring people that bring on it is nice. I
need to have a little like office. It's a little
bit more glamorous. Yeah, like jumping from the camera feeling
good and dreesting up. But it's really nice.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
What was the process like of landing the role?
Speaker 2 (26:06):
They interviewed me as in I went on the show
to talk about luck sticks, No, I'm on the show
or when on one of the show's there to talk
about luck sticks quite a few times. And then I
only actually found this out recently when I talked to
the founder of the network who watched my show, and
he's like, oh my god, he's really passionate about his brand,
which I would hope anyone who owns a businesses he's
really passionate about his brand. He loves talking to people.
(26:28):
Would he want to do something with us? And I
still remember the call when they called me when I
left afterwards and they asked me, ah my going to
be thought about to show and I was like, absolut
bloody lutely, I will be doing it, like you'll be
stupid not to do it. Yeah, And it just kind
of all happened from there.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
That gives me little tangles of when I got the
call about this podcast, I excited, Oh my god. I
was in the doctor's practice screaming of subsiders.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
And it's like, oh my god, Like if these people
believe in me, that means I'm doing something right, I'm
doing something good.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
And then going back to what you mentioned before, this
you're kind of using as a platform to boost into
differ markets. How are you gonna intertwine the two?
Speaker 2 (27:04):
The network in the streaming services much bigger actually in
the UK and the US. When I when I'm there
and I interviewed me, when they say what's nicks for
like sticks? I said, I really want to tap into
the UK and US market. That's what got the MAXT.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
So when they come to New Zealand and look for
a host, that's what I should.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
Say, Yes, be like I want to tap into the
explansive market. But that's what that was the thing actually
why they they were like, oh, he wants to tap
We did help them and this could be great for us.
And yeah, so they they're bigger in the UK and
the US. They do have streaming services in Australia. But
that was my goal. I'm like, I really want to
just tap into the US and UK market and if
there's an easier, kind of more organic way to do that,
then this is the end. I'm not a stranger in
(27:38):
front of the camera. Yeah, I kind of worked out
a little bit more natural for me.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
Yeah, would have been some of the highlights of the
TV show so far.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
I just love having guests on and then then sharing
it and then being so excited. Yeah, I mean it's
going to be like that's when I when I share this,
I'm so excited because I'm like, oh my god, I'm
doing something different. I'm talking about my brand and it's
seeing these people get so excited to have this opportunity
to talk about the brand or the platform on this
network and be seen literally from the thousand, one hundred
thousand of people who was watching. So yeah, that was
my thing. And I do want to bring some kiwis
on as well, so that was part of it. I
(28:06):
want to bring on a few ki entrepreneurs because I
know when I was starting out, I wish I had
people like that to help, and unfortunately I didn't. So yeah, yeah, no, kind.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
Of the same here, like bringing these small businesses into
a different realm of an audience.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Yes, I think it all helps, and I think it's
I'm all about connection and being in front of people
and talking to people as well. So I think having
the men and talking and connecting, you just never know
what comes.
Speaker 1 (28:31):
Out of something exactly exactly. That's why you've got to
keep your network really wide and do all the opportunities
that come your way, because you might meet somebody and
then in three years time an opportunity will come through
that person.
Speaker 2 (28:41):
Absolutely absolutely, so always going to things with the open mind.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
I think that's a good way to wrap it up.
But I'm going to finish off with one last question. Yes,
are you proud of everything that you've achieved?
Speaker 2 (28:53):
I am, yes, No, I actually am really proud. That
it's hard to sit back sometimes and take it all
them because as a business owner you've got a million
gone on in your head. But yeah, no, I am proud.
I always said I don't want to be where I
was five years ago, and then I want to be
even more successful and more proud in another five years.
So yeah, no, I'm proud. That's a really good question.
Thank you. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
I love that We've had a real array of answers.
But I love it when someone can straight up, without hesitation, say.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
Yes, yeah, I'm proud.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
Now, next time somebody asks you in the gym, yeah,
what you do for work.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
I'm going to say it. You're going to say it
because very big tall poppy syndrome. Oh, it's very That's
part of the reason why I live the country.
Speaker 1 (29:31):
Definitely. Do you not think it's worse in Australia Because
I'm not a podcast I listened to the Australians say
that Australia is the worst of the world.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
I would say is, But because I'm not Australian, I
feel like it often doesn't happen to me there, which
is a beneficial thing. Yeah, but I understand you. When
I'm back here, Oh my god, that happens lift Center.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
Yes, exactly. The sick and you have a little bit
of success, people are.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
Oh my god, ran on your parade. Yeah. So I
slaid myself from that and has gone into a new
market and freshers fresh mind.
Speaker 1 (29:58):
Yeah, yeah, I think another way to look at it
as well as if people are looking down on you,
they're not your people, and move on and find the
people that. Yeah, and that's kind of how I found
the business. Girls that are found and doing that as
we get we do. When you find your people, you're
welcome to join our little a little gang, yeah, a
little business gang.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
A little girls club. Jumping business is lonely. I mean,
I know we keep talking, but no business can be lonely.
Speaker 1 (30:29):
But anyway, I am going to wrap it up there
before we go over. Thank you so much for coming on.
It has been so much fun. We could cook much longer,
but we can do that over on SCIS.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
Yes, but thank you for giving me this opportunity. It's
been great.
Speaker 1 (30:42):
You're welcome, it's been fun.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
You wash our face off.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
Thanks for listening. Boor de Boss is a zi M
podcast for iHeartRadio with Me Georgia Patton. This episode was
produced by Pixi Copperrell, engineered by Me Could and Call
It with production help from Sam. If you liked it,
hit subscribe to get notified whenever we release a new episode.
Listen every Tuesday on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts,
(31:08):
and make your business idea a reality.
From ZM and iHeartRadio. It's Bored to Boss. Real stories
of how to navigate starting your own business with me
Georgia Patton. Welcome to another episode of Board to Boss.
I wanted to welcome Sam Levi to the podcast today.
(00:21):
Some of you may remember Sam from New Zealand's very
first series of Married at First Sight, But since then
he's made a name for himself on social media through
his business Luck Sticks and now is the host of
his very own TV show. And we're going to cover
all of this today. But first welcome Sam.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
How are you?
Speaker 2 (00:39):
I'm good, I'm tired. Business does that to you?
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Yeah? You had a bit of a journey getting here today.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
In a busy week.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
What's it been like?
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Hecktach? Oh god, where did I start? So I flew
over from Melbourne, flew went to Auckland, went to christ
To It, came back to Aukland, went back on the
plan to christ To It, came back to Auckland. Now
I'm here and now I played Melbourne in the morning.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Oh my gosh, fourth.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
With the weather in Christchurch. So we had all these
things planned for Saturday and then we flew in someone
who was working with us plan playing a rounds. Then
we had to change the events and it's been a
big week.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Oh my gosh. So after this you're ready just to
have wine and a little nap.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Yes, after there's somebody to get on the plane and
go home and then stay there for two days, just
two days, two days.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
That's all the like downtime, me giving, giving myself. So yeah, no,
I get it, that's real. I'm going to start you
off with a scenario, as I do with all of
my podcast interview ease, just so that the listeners can
get more of an overview of what you do. Are
you ready?
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Hit me?
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Cool? So you're at your usual fitness class. Do you
do a fitness class? Yeah, well give me one. You're
at forty five, you're the new person. Somebody new is
next to you and they ask you what you do
for work? Yes, what are you going to pitch them?
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Oh my god? That is a hard one because I'm
actually I get really shy when I tell you, but
I don't know why. I could sell anyone's business, but
when it comes to my own sometimes I get really awkward.
So you could give me, you could give me your life,
I says, not to sell them. But when it comes
to my own I'm like, oh, I just have my
own business, and you're like what is that? And then
but now I normally just say self employed, No, give
me more, okay, self employed, and I do a little
(02:10):
bit in TV.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Okay, so what is it that you do in self employed?
I'm going to pretend to be Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
So I work on the beauty space. And then the
first thing that normally says, oh, so like do you
having kick the Balls and do you cosmetics? Oh no,
I have my own skincare line. And then they're like,
oh what is it?
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Oh my god. You really make them work for it.
It's not just working out their body.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
I get really awkward. I get really really awkward, and
I think a lot of people think maybe I'm the
total opposite where I'll be like, yeah, I can do
like sticks and blah blah blah. Yeah, I get really shy.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Col So give me the twenty sickond lowdown on like sticks.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Like sticks. So if you don't know what like sticks are,
if you heard the claim masks, I have taken that
format and put it into a stick. So now for
a no miss, no fass easy application.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
And I've used them, and honestly, it's a game changer.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
You have and I did see your story, so thank
you so much.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
It's quite funny to think that nobody's actually done this
in the past.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
I know, I think it might have been done half
fast in the past. I'm just assuming by some feedback,
but it never picked up and never got like the
traction that I did. Well. Well, I have literally changed
the game, changed the beauty game with my sticks.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
That should be the little tagline underneath.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Changed the game, change the game.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
I want to start back at the beginning with married
at first sight. We're only going to lightly touch on
this because I'm sure that you want to brush straight
right past it. But I want an honest little review
on why you went on the show in the first place.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Absolutely, so I'm so open about that. So I ran
the show in the first place because I was heartbroken
at the time and I wanted to pretty much say
fuck you to my X.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
Oh my gosh, that's amazing.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Yeah. So that was literally about that, and then when
I kind of went through the journey of grinding it,
I was like, oh shit, okay, now this is real. Yeah,
so I just ran with it.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
I love that, so We recently had Lauren Dunn from
Married at First Sight Australia Yes on here and we
talked about people having ulterior motives going on the show.
Do you reckon it's the same in New Zealand that
most people go on there maybe looking for exposure, business opportunit.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
It is rather love one hundred percent. I would say,
I think reality TV the whole landscape has changed. You
think my series was five years ago now?
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (04:08):
So back then I think it was a bit more
wholesome and a little bit more real. It's like you
go now and it's like, you know what you're getting
this up into, you know what you're selling up for,
and you know what's going to come out of it.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
So with me, it was more I had no really
idea of what was going to turn out afterwards, and
then once I found out what did, I ran with
them and.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
So much came from it. How do you reckon it
affected your reputation?
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Oh my god. I have worked my outside for the
past three or four years to show people that real me,
really real me, And yeah it was hard.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
It was so straight after the show.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
What was it like either half the country loved you
and half the country literally hated your guts. And then
you throw in being a openly gay male on national TV.
Then that's even a different spander in the works because
back then it was quite new.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
I can imagine. So can you talk me through I
guess five years ago on that show and then getting
the idea of starting luck Sticks what, Yeah, sort of
hid space or place where you and in your life
where you thought I'm going to start a business.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Going back, I've always had an entrepreneurial kind of mindset,
and my thing is I never wanted to work for
someone else. I hate work for someone else. I didn't
want to do the nine to five job, even though
having your own business is probably worse. So you're more passionate.
But you know, so I did the show. I came
off that my head space wasn't in a good space.
My mental health kind of took a toll, as it
(05:25):
does for I think a lot of maybe reality TV people,
I'm assuming. And then yeah, so I stayed in New
Zealand for another twelve months, and then I decided to
pack my bags and leave and hit abroad and go
to Melbourne. Never been to Melbourne in my life.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
You hadn't been before you moved.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
No. No, So I was going to originally move to Sydney,
and it was the last minute I decided I want Melbourne,
no idea what I was doing over there. And then
literally it was about five or six months later COVID
hit Yeah, so COVID had and I had literally I
think I had five days to decide if I was
going to come home or stay there, and I just
(06:00):
had to stay in Melbourne with no idea. They closed
the borders and I was stuck there. We had like
eight pm coopy as you weren't allowed outside your house
past eight pm. There were police patrol and you couldn't
leave your five column the radius. And then that's when
I kind of was just my brain was just ticking
and ticking and ticket. I know it sounds so stupid.
I just had this epiphany of COVID skincare. I rash
(06:21):
out to everything I was. I keep getting some skincare, Like,
I don't want to put ote other people's products. How
do I get on board and do my own thing?
And literally, I know it sounds so stupid, but I
just came out of this concept of claim usk and
stick there was I said, oh my god, I need
a claimus on the stick, and they start talking to
manufacturers and they start doing something. You can use this
time wisely to come out the other end and hopefully
(06:42):
have a successful business.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Do you remember where you were when you thought up
the idea?
Speaker 2 (06:45):
I do. I remember I was at my partner's house
at the time, on the farm. Yeah, I was speaking.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
You know, most people were like I was in the shower.
It was three.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Remember I was on a farm. I was literally there
on the farm, and I literally had not in COVID.
You couldn't do anything. You couldn't do anything. So I
just say, you know, I was just thinking of ideas
and ways and I don't want to be depressed as
how coming up with no job.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Okay, that makes my next question a little bit more interesting.
I was going to ask how do you formulate a
product and how involved are you? But I guess there's
kind of a spin on that when you're in lockdown
trying to create a product.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Trying to create a product. So I work with manufacturers,
and I've always known kind of that kind of background
of stuff. I've got friends who have had businesses, so
I do ask for help. Yeah, I think that's one
thing a lot of people don't do. I'm not afraid
to ask for help, even though I do feel bit
the same time, do asking for help there's a KIPI thing.
I don't know that's a proud Yeah, yeah, I don't
feel proud asking for help, but I've learned that's one
thing you've got to do if you want to succeed,
(07:37):
ask for help. If you know someone that's done something,
please help me. So I knew these people who have
done businesses and nothing like what I've done, and they
just connected me, and I just started researching the hell
out of where to start?
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Yep? And where do you start?
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Where do you start finding the right manufacturers and then
dealing with them and then pretty much telling them your
idea and your concept seeing if it's what they can do,
and if they can't do that, then you make sure
they give you the right person who can basically, and
that sounds weird way, but yeah, you actually that you
were for me. I made sure I don't want to
leave with the answers.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
And how evolved are you in picking the formulation? Like
do they see you're there in the lab.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Hands on? So a lot of my product products and
manufactured up in Queensland and Australia, and then obviously the
boxes and all that come actually from Hong Kong and stuff,
because who wants to pay bloody double the price when
you can get it over there. I think most businesses
like that.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
I actually get my made in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Yeah you do, I do know that. Yeah, how do
you do that? Have you talked about it? Or I
did do some research because I always thought I was like,
that must be expensive.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
It actually worked out to be round about the same.
I needed them really last minute, and now that I
order larger quantities, it kind of works out the same anyway.
And being able to just pop over to Albany, yeah
and work with the New Zealand manufacturer is pretty cool.
I've changed one day, but for now it works.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
For business, goes it?
Speaker 1 (08:59):
Yeah, exactly exactly. So when you launched lucksticks, you sold
out in under forty eight hours. Yes, and you brought
an over fifty thousand dollars in revenue.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Click around that.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Yes, what, Yes, that's wild.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
I know that is. I think I was looking at
the sales coming through and I was like, oh know,
in that mindset, I know, it's like one of those
things it's like, oh my god, I'm rich. What am
I gonna do all this money? And then you guys,
I start thinking business yeap, and it's like, okay, well
that's not actually money for me, that's money for the business,
and this is what I need to use to settle up.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
What was your strategy going into that launch, Because there's
a difference between someone like you who's purposefully building a
business and then going to launch it in someone like
me who on my launch day I was twenty one
and I made one sale to some guy in Auckland City.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
And then all honestly, I didn't have a plan. I
didn't have a plan. I just trusted make up instinct
and I utilized the people around me who had social
media followings.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
I was going to say, do you think that your
content creation and social media helped with that launch?
Speaker 2 (09:57):
One hundred percent? Absolutely, because it was all online sales.
So if you think it was all online hours that
came through, they were all from people I knew, people
who loved me and they just wanted to help me
with my brains. And those are people I will forever
be grateful for because that's how it started.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
It's such a cool story. To say that you sold
out forty eight hours on your very first launch. Yes,
I don't think many businesses could say.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
That awkward question. I oh no, I guess yeah, myself,
I am impressing myself and I'm always striving to do
better and more. And like I said, I gause that
what anyone else is. But when it comes to mind
openly talking about that.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
But yeah, no, I feel that we've spoken about that
with a few people on here. Not even wanting to
share your business in the first couple of years because
you're a little bit awkward about it. But I think
the further along you get, the easier it gets.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
And I guess I'm getting there now. Yeah, the two
year mark, I'm getting there.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Ah, two years, I'm at five now. Yeah, it's just
intertwined in me as a person.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
It's just part of you. That's just a journey now
and it's yeah, yep.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
Nobody knows me as George on the street. They call
me board George. So the first product you launched was
a face mask and a stick. Yes, and you've launched
a second product, which is a sermon a stick.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Yes, We've got three rangers. So we did the clay masks.
So I started off with five five clay masks. We're
now had nine clay masks, also ten because we just
did a limited edition one. What was that, honey? So
that's where I partnered with a very well known New
Zealand Kii icon here in New Zealand. So I worked
with her. That's why I was in New Zealand doing
a little tour. And then I went to add I masks.
(11:28):
I think a lot of beauty brands with skincare underry
ye have them.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Yeah, I see someone Anderson advertising them.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
Yes, yeah, they're not a selling point.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
Perfect little add on.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Yes, a perfect add on. And then we launched our
serum sticks the same format. We took serums and put
it into a stick and a barm and made it
easy and no fast and going well, you're going really well, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Your Vitamin C stick through us girls, through a loobe.
You've seent me some products. And it was the weekend
we had a girl a girl's weekend and we're all
sitting there smelling the Vitamin SEA stick for ten minutes
is trying to think of what nostalgic smell?
Speaker 2 (12:03):
What was it?
Speaker 1 (12:03):
It was bringing us back to and we all landed on.
There's an orange fizzy drink in Australia that the four
of us went on holiday and hat and it's it's
kind of like a fan toy drink. Is it called
sun something sun Kiss? Yes, and all of us threw
it back to sunkissed.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
I had to try one tomorrow when they get back,
and let's sniff it. Which one that goes.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Yeah, Whether whether you meant to do that or not,
we were both sitting there going, oh, it takes us
back to like ten years ago and Ossie hitting gold cost.
So this is my favorite question to ask business owners
because it's not all smooth sailing, and there are way
more failures than what we like to show on social media.
(12:48):
So what are some of the biggest mistakes you've made
a long way? Maybe some products that didn't go to plan.
I want all the stories.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
God, business failures. There's so much we don't talk about. Actually,
because I'm so new to hold color grading is it?
I don't know if it's about word say color grade
in So when you're designed and you work with the
graphic designer, they send you packaging, they send you the
color things.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
And we think in New Zealand, we work a lot
with I don't know if it's in Australia with Heck's colors,
and in China they work with a system called Pantone.
It is way less.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
This is so this is something that happens recently with
my recent launch. When it first came, what I saw
was totally different to what was printed.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
This has happened to every business owner was printed.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
But then all my images had what I thought it
was going to look like. This is not what. This
is not what I've set myself up for.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
What we were discussing before about me geting packaging in Albany.
The reason for that was that I tried in China
for so long and I just wanted a beige and
the first sample came baby pink and the second sample
came baby blue, and I was running out of time.
And that's why I went to someone in New Zealand
so that I could actually go there and double check it.
But the colors over there are really really hard and
(13:53):
they've they've gotten most business owners at some point.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Happened to me. Another one is I'm going to use
the weekends that it's just gone. It's a good business
learning get your guests and get your people to the
location a day before, Yeah, a day before, and allow
for the disruptions. So yeah, what happened was I flew
into Christ. It's a little bit earlier, Vidy for our
big day hit. What happened Christ is hard to have
(14:17):
fog and that and the plan turned around and we
had people out the door lighting up to see both
of us and it didn't got a plan. So that
was a big learning curve and the first for me.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
So people lighting up out the door though.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Yes it was it was really cool. And then but
I didn't even see the pods. It's so hard because
I was like I saw the negative side of it
rather than more the positive. And until now I'm like, Okay,
I know there's still people there, there's still people purchasing
the product, there's still people who were coming down to
see me and come see her, and but yeah, it
was just for a weekend.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
What were some of the early formulations, like, did you
have any that were just horrible?
Speaker 2 (14:49):
One hundred percent? Well, for me, the whole point of
why I started the brand as well as I have
sensed of the skin and then to try your products
and to work with the formulation. I'm going to have
to put products on my and it's going to rash out.
So it's going to rash out in the matter what
to make sure that these aren't the ones that I
want to use. So that was one where I would
definitely rash out and be prone to actually gives worse
skin than what I wanted from these products. But now
(15:11):
we've got there in the end, it's all been smooth
sailing since hopefully.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
Touched with ye And I guess the further you get
into it, you now know what ingredients you want to
get away.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
And I think this day and age, you need natural ingredients.
I don't know if it's just our generation or what's
been pushed out there, but you need natural ingredients and
that's what I push.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
So one of the main things I wanted to talk
to you about was PR because you've had a lot
of PR in your time. What's the importance of PR
in your marketing strategy and how do you think that
affects both your personal brand and luck Sticks as a brand.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
So my background, actually I probably should have started this
is PR.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
Is it?
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (15:49):
Oh well that makes a lot more sense then because
I see your face everywhere.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
So my background is marketing and PR. So that has
helped me a lot with my own personal brand and
twining that with luck Sticks and that, but it's when
I start other luck sticks is I utilized my PR
experience in that, but then I kind of had to
learn to delicate PR is really good. I think PR
is definitely good. Now maybe I expect.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
That I don't have to work.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
For it any And that sounds so stupid because you
see all this stuff coming through and then it's like,
oh my god, all this good work, all the stuff,
people love it, and then when you don't have it,
it's like, oh my god, am I doing something wrong?
And then something might pop up and say, oh I'm
doing something good and then yeah, I don't know. But
I'm definitely on the going to get a PR person,
So yep, so I'm definitely giving the PR person to
jump on board so I don't have to focus on that.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
And why do you think you need it when you're getting.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Because I want I want hurt different markets. Oh yes,
so I want tohur different markets. That's my main thing.
So hints we'll probably jump on this topic eventually, but
hints why I took on this TV show that I'm
doing in Australia is there's a whole stategy behind it.
There's a whole staledgy jump behind it, because it's heaving
a market that I can't help without that.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Exactly, yeah, exactly. So week she have tests in the
studio with us today. Who is my PR agent? And
I thought it would be great to bring her on
for a couple of questions. Just give our listeners some
tips on how to get effective PR for their brands.
H T Hi, Thanks for having me. This is fun.
We've never had three people have had four producer PIXI
(17:09):
here two zone Wag. I've got a little gang going
on here. How are you? I'm good?
Speaker 3 (17:14):
Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
So I'm going to keep this short and sweet because
I'm thinking we could do a fun little bonus episode
at some stage and really delve into PR. Sure, but
I want you to give us your top three tips
for our listeners on how to secure media coverage for themselves.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
It's a hard one securing it for yourself, but I
understand that any kind of new business, it might be
something that they want to try. Exactly, So I think
the key things you need to do these are kind
of things I actually tell my clients to do as well,
even when I'm assisting them with coverage. I think it's
really important is to work out who the key journalists are.
So say you've got a beauty product, work out who
(17:49):
those beauty editors are and follow them like their posts,
engage with them, make them realize who you are. At
the same time, obviously find out you know, maybe their
personal contact detail, that their work contact details, and send
them a pitch so know the outlet, know what they
would cover, and then like try to tailor your pitch
(18:09):
to hit those targets. And then the other thing I
would do is in them the product. Yeah, you're never
going to get a beauty review if you've got a
beauty product if you're not sending the products to the journalist, definitely.
So those would be the kind of the key three
things to start and to and to keep keep going,
you know.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
To be persistent, it'd be persistent. How much do you
reckon you give? How much product do you reckon? You've
given away to media a lot.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
I've seen a lot, and sometimes it's it's hard work
because that's costing us as a business. It's the same
with you when you send to influencers and they don't
do anything, and it's like, I don't expect.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
You to do something, but you're doing it just in case.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
You're doing it just in case. And then a lot
of the time, let's say, for me, the influencers or
use it, you know, the content creators or whoever I
use to help push the brands, they allude to the
fact that they are going to do something.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
For example, they're like, oh, yes, please send that, but
can you please send three more products? Says like I'd
love to try that and create some content, and then
you send all this stuff and it's like, okay, I
waiting for the content and then nothing comes to it.
So that can be actually quite frustrating.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
Oh definitely.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Also, I started off I guess influencing, and I don't
really do it now, but I understand influencer side, but
now as a business owner, I really sometimes can't stand
by the influencers. I really can't stand it.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
Yeah, I think tests And I had one recently we
sent out do we send h maybe? Yeah, I think so,
and we hadn't heard back from any and we just
completely missed. Olivia Molly Rogers wearing my sunglasses in a
get Ready with Me video and posted it and I'm
not sure, just completely completely missed it. I was just
(19:43):
scrolling through the tags one day and I went, oh,
the skills, real hot. Look at her, Oh my god,
nice jumpsuit. She's wearing my sunnies.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Oh my god.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
And I could test because I noticed the jump suit,
but I think she kind of shows the glasses like
a little little way in. So i'd actually seen the
beginning of the post and hadn't even noticed it.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
So yeah, and then when you land something like that,
it is so exciting and it makes another seven of
lost is worth it. But yeah, you've just got to
keep your keep your eye on the ball and don't
miss those because we missed that opportunity by a week
to really like utilize it.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
While it comes to the cost, sometimes I think people
think free product doesn't cost much, so you don't go
down to countdown and say, oh, can I try this
and if that like it, I'll put it back on
the shaft.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
Chi can you imagine?
Speaker 3 (20:29):
I think it's having those clear deliverables, though you obviously
can't do that with media media. You have to really
be like, look, there's twenty journals that I'm going to
send it to hopefully I get three or four, you know,
and I'd say that's a pretty yes. But with influencers,
it's being really clear. I will send you this, but
I'm expecting this back. Yeah, And if you're clear on
(20:50):
those deliverables and you've almost got a little bit of
a a contract, I can go, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
Do you have anyqual luck sticks today?
Speaker 2 (21:03):
I don't, but I know you do. I know you do.
Think you would think the owner of the Brain would
bring luck sticks, but I had to get them away
yesterday and I was like, shoot, do I go into
the pharmacy to get some.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
It's actually ironic because as a sunglasses brand, do you
have glasses on you?
Speaker 2 (21:17):
No?
Speaker 1 (21:18):
I have about twenty to thirty peers in my car downstairs.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
Okay, we're going to car after them, but I will.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
Always forget to put them in my handbag. And I'm
getting much better. But maybe like two years ago, I
would never have a peir on me.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
I mustn't met well claims. But harder we're using them
when you have to wash them off after. Yeah, but
the serum sticks I have everywhere. Really literally, I had
a different jacket on before I came and it's always
in my jacket pocket.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
Oh, we're going to test one of your sticks today, okay,
but I'm going to get you to put it on me, okay,
so that it looks good.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
Ever Cardo one, the Ever Color one, which is good
for every day. It's with planers. It's moisture.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
Yeah, give me, give me the avocado.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
Pittch Well color. The Evercarlo one is good if you've
got dry skin or if you just want to add
moisture back into your skin. So this is one that
we is quite popular. If you want to use one
kind of a few days, just pop it up. This
is really weird. I've never applied the license to some
of what the first what?
Speaker 1 (22:08):
Oh, I'm so glad to be your first. I always
feel like I do a really good job around the
outside of my face, and then when it comes to
doing my nose and like my brow, that's where I
screw it up. Yet it's so.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Cold, I think that I'm being very gentle with it.
Speaker 1 (22:28):
This is the main reason I like these is because
they feel like those cooling balls.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
Are those sculpting cooling things?
Speaker 1 (22:35):
Pop in theory, How how does it feel cool?
Speaker 2 (22:44):
It's so nice makeup?
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Yeah, well, makeup's not cooling. This is like cooling.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
I'm just trying to do this.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
This is the bit that I can't do, the little
bit in between the eyebrow. Whoa stairs, How do you
get it to cool when you put it on your skin?
Speaker 2 (23:04):
It's just the sun. I keep my approaching on me.
So I have a little beauty fridge. You have a beauty,
little beauty fridge.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Oh that sounds lush. I'm going to do that while
we let our skin rate and marinate. I wanted to
ask you. I'm going to say, this is one of
your proudest moments.
Speaker 2 (23:22):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
I've read a million articles of you and this is
one of the top things.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Oh, come on, no, no, I'm just I'm just thinking
what you're going to help me with?
Speaker 1 (23:29):
Landing Forbes Australia.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
Ah, yes, yes, how did they come about? They just
reached out to me. The reached out to me and
they actually ask for samples. Really yeah, so obviously they
mustn't did research online. So I see them samples and
then I got an email one day saying congratulation, here's
your here's your photo, here's the media article. If you
want to share, You're more than to share.
Speaker 1 (23:49):
Well, for those who don't know, it's the Forbes Australia
Top one hundred Entrepreneurials list for twenty twenty three.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
Yeah, last year, so not this year. So yeah, it
was last year, not this year. But yeah, that was
last year. So I think that actually having that really
did help. I think people maybe take me CRUs with business. Yes,
so that was that was amazing actually for me to
share that and talk about it and yeah, that was
really it was really good from a business point of view.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
I can imagine.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
Sometimes people can take can't take people from social media crush.
Speaker 1 (24:19):
I agree with that, and it's.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Like, well, we are people as well, but we also
came run the business successfully too.
Speaker 1 (24:24):
Do you reckon that helps you land, which we're going
to go into now, your role of host for your
own TV show?
Speaker 2 (24:31):
Possibly? Yeah, actually I've never never we've never talked about it,
but it possibly could have. Yeah, I guess I'm quite
new in fridgion to the New Zealand Australian market. I
guess when it comes to media and that apart from
Daily Mail which they just love to write a new story.
But yeah, possibly could it could have helped. And because
the TV show that I'm doing this talking about business
and talking about entrepreneurs and kind of going down that
(24:51):
kind of route. So yeah, it could have actually really
helped and got noticed that way. Yeah, what's the name
of the show, Take your Shot?
Speaker 1 (24:57):
Take Your Shot? And it's all about.
Speaker 2 (24:59):
Taking a shot with samul Lebo. So it's all about
why did you take your shot in business? Whether you fail,
whether your succeed. So it's similar to actually what you're
doing here as a podcast in TV format, but in
TV format and streaming services and yeah, just bringing entrepreneurs
on that I think have a really great story and
basically it's really actually about people who don't have a
business background and why they decided to take the shot,
(25:20):
whether they lift their KFA job or do they I
love that, live to do whatever there's too found something
or do something you can really believe in that.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
Yeah, yeah, pretty much the same thing you've stole.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
You've stolen, I know, but it's in a TV format.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
So what's doing TV like? Is it a nice contrast
to working on luck sticks?
Speaker 2 (25:36):
Going? Yeah, one hundred percent. So obviously, I mean working
in business it's not glamorous at all.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
No, sitting here.
Speaker 2 (25:45):
It's not glamorous that you sit there half the time.
I'm in gym gear half the time, and I'm sitting
there stressed as how behind the laptop emailing or hustling
or doing something. So to step away like once a
week to go and film and do stuff and meet
these inspiring people that bring on it is nice. I
need to have a little like office. It's a little
bit more glamorous. Yeah, like jumping from the camera feeling
good and dreesting up. But it's really nice.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
What was the process like of landing the role?
Speaker 2 (26:06):
They interviewed me as in I went on the show
to talk about luck sticks, No, I'm on the show
or when on one of the show's there to talk
about luck sticks quite a few times. And then I
only actually found this out recently when I talked to
the founder of the network who watched my show, and
he's like, oh my god, he's really passionate about his brand,
which I would hope anyone who owns a businesses he's
really passionate about his brand. He loves talking to people.
(26:28):
Would he want to do something with us? And I
still remember the call when they called me when I
left afterwards and they asked me, ah my going to
be thought about to show and I was like, absolut
bloody lutely, I will be doing it, like you'll be
stupid not to do it. Yeah, And it just kind
of all happened from there.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
That gives me little tangles of when I got the
call about this podcast, I excited, Oh my god. I
was in the doctor's practice screaming of subsiders.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
And it's like, oh my god, Like if these people
believe in me, that means I'm doing something right, I'm
doing something good.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
And then going back to what you mentioned before, this
you're kind of using as a platform to boost into
differ markets. How are you gonna intertwine the two?
Speaker 2 (27:04):
The network in the streaming services much bigger actually in
the UK and the US. When I when I'm there
and I interviewed me, when they say what's nicks for
like sticks? I said, I really want to tap into
the UK and US market. That's what got the MAXT.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
So when they come to New Zealand and look for
a host, that's what I should.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
Say, Yes, be like I want to tap into the
explansive market. But that's what that was the thing actually
why they they were like, oh, he wants to tap
We did help them and this could be great for us.
And yeah, so they they're bigger in the UK and
the US. They do have streaming services in Australia. But
that was my goal. I'm like, I really want to
just tap into the US and UK market and if
there's an easier, kind of more organic way to do that,
then this is the end. I'm not a stranger in
(27:38):
front of the camera. Yeah, I kind of worked out
a little bit more natural for me.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
Yeah, would have been some of the highlights of the
TV show so far.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
I just love having guests on and then then sharing
it and then being so excited. Yeah, I mean it's
going to be like that's when I when I share this,
I'm so excited because I'm like, oh my god, I'm
doing something different. I'm talking about my brand and it's
seeing these people get so excited to have this opportunity
to talk about the brand or the platform on this
network and be seen literally from the thousand, one hundred
thousand of people who was watching. So yeah, that was
my thing. And I do want to bring some kiwis
on as well, so that was part of it. I
(28:06):
want to bring on a few ki entrepreneurs because I
know when I was starting out, I wish I had
people like that to help, and unfortunately I didn't. So yeah, yeah, no, kind.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
Of the same here, like bringing these small businesses into
a different realm of an audience.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Yes, I think it all helps, and I think it's
I'm all about connection and being in front of people
and talking to people as well. So I think having
the men and talking and connecting, you just never know
what comes.
Speaker 1 (28:31):
Out of something exactly exactly. That's why you've got to
keep your network really wide and do all the opportunities
that come your way, because you might meet somebody and
then in three years time an opportunity will come through
that person.
Speaker 2 (28:41):
Absolutely absolutely, so always going to things with the open mind.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
I think that's a good way to wrap it up.
But I'm going to finish off with one last question. Yes,
are you proud of everything that you've achieved?
Speaker 2 (28:53):
I am, yes, No, I actually am really proud. That
it's hard to sit back sometimes and take it all
them because as a business owner you've got a million
gone on in your head. But yeah, no, I am proud.
I always said I don't want to be where I
was five years ago, and then I want to be
even more successful and more proud in another five years.
So yeah, no, I'm proud. That's a really good question.
Thank you. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
I love that We've had a real array of answers.
But I love it when someone can straight up, without hesitation, say.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
Yes, yeah, I'm proud.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
Now, next time somebody asks you in the gym, yeah,
what you do for work.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
I'm going to say it. You're going to say it
because very big tall poppy syndrome. Oh, it's very That's
part of the reason why I live the country.
Speaker 1 (29:31):
Definitely. Do you not think it's worse in Australia Because
I'm not a podcast I listened to the Australians say
that Australia is the worst of the world.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
I would say is, But because I'm not Australian, I
feel like it often doesn't happen to me there, which
is a beneficial thing. Yeah, but I understand you. When
I'm back here, Oh my god, that happens lift Center.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
Yes, exactly. The sick and you have a little bit
of success, people are.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
Oh my god, ran on your parade. Yeah. So I
slaid myself from that and has gone into a new
market and freshers fresh mind.
Speaker 1 (29:58):
Yeah, yeah, I think another way to look at it
as well as if people are looking down on you,
they're not your people, and move on and find the
people that. Yeah, and that's kind of how I found
the business. Girls that are found and doing that as
we get we do. When you find your people, you're
welcome to join our little a little gang, yeah, a
little business gang.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
A little girls club. Jumping business is lonely. I mean,
I know we keep talking, but no business can be lonely.
Speaker 1 (30:29):
But anyway, I am going to wrap it up there
before we go over. Thank you so much for coming on.
It has been so much fun. We could cook much longer,
but we can do that over on SCIS.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
Yes, but thank you for giving me this opportunity. It's
been great.
Speaker 1 (30:42):
You're welcome, it's been fun.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
You wash our face off.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
Thanks for listening. Boor de Boss is a zi M
podcast for iHeartRadio with Me Georgia Patton. This episode was
produced by Pixi Copperrell, engineered by Me Could and Call
It with production help from Sam. If you liked it,
hit subscribe to get notified whenever we release a new episode.
Listen every Tuesday on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts,
(31:08):
and make your business idea a reality.
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