An overnight success takes 9 years with Connie Lo, co-founder of Three Ships Beauty

Today’s episode is a real pinch me moment. I was a Three Ships customer before I knew Connie Lo's name. I absolutely love their Jelly Drops for the most amazing glow and their soft serve lip balm before bed. I found Three Ships at Credo Beauty, one of my favorite places for truly clean products. As someone whose allergic to almost everything, finding products that are safe, let alone work is few and far between.

So when my friend Amanda told me she had DM'd Connie on Substack and that Connie had not just responded, but written back with such warmth and kindness, I knew I had to shoot my shot. I sent the message, asked if she'd be willing to come on Mimir, and here we are!

Ironically, the interview itself ended up being about shooting your shot. There's a story in here about 23-year-old Connie at the end of a beauty trade show, walking up to a woman with her name badge flipped around that nobody else was approaching. Halfway through the conversation, it was revealed that she was the buyer from Whole Foods. A year later, Three Ships was in half of California. The year after that, the whole country.

That's the through line for the whole episode. The unsexy, slightly awkward, reality of how a brand actually gets built. If you are an early-stage founder, especially one in consumer or beauty, this is a rare operational masterclass.

We talk about Three Ships’ 37% repeat rate, and what Connie attributes that to. We talk through a replicable product development process, and the realistic timeline for beauty products. Connie also shares the biggest mistakes founders make when they decide to start their companies.

But outside of all the amazing wisdom Connie imparts, I’m really impressed by how she keeps her ego small, her identity bigger than the company, and her wins documented so she doesn't lose track of how far she's come. Connie is a huge inspiration to me and I am beyond excited to welcome her to the podcast.

Connect with Connie:

LinkedIn

Susbtack

Three Ships

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