JLo Magnificence’s Lisa Sequino: ‘Lots of people can discuss the discuss, however you want grit’

“Over the previous 4 years, at my previous seat [at Estée Lauder Companies] — the place I might sit and have a look at manufacturers to doubtlessly purchase [and see] the place the market goes, the place the shopper goes — I all the time went to the identical conclusion,” mentioned Sequino on the latest episode of the Shiny Magnificence Podcast. “Most firms are centered on a sure buyer who’s youthful, [ages] 18-25. They ignored the subset, which I turned a part of: the facility 40- to 50-year-old. To me, [that consumer] is on the peak of their energy.”

At 53, Lopez is arguably probably the most well-known particular person exuding that energy, making the thread of skincare and getting older all of the extra impactful for JLo Magnificence. Since launching in January 2021, the road, which is bought at Sephora and its personal e-commerce website, has tripled in dimension, mentioned Sequino. And it has over 1% market share.

“Any model, whether or not it’s superstar or not, if it doesn’t have a robust connection or motive for being with the buyer, it’s not going to be as profitable,” mentioned Sequino. “For us, one factor that rises to the highest for Jennifer is her authenticity, within the sense of by no means giving up but in addition having an amazing sense of self-worth, which took a very long time for her to have and many people can relate to. It’s about making a discernible transformation in folks’s lives with an incredible product that works laborious, feels good and makes a distinction.”

Beneath are further highlights from the dialog, which have been flippantly edited for readability.

Moving into heart stage
“I feel lots of people can discuss the discuss, however what it requires to run a enterprise, whether or not what you are promoting is a $10,000 enterprise or a $10 billion enterprise, is grit. You want to have the ability to have the imaginative and prescient, however you additionally want to have the ability to roll up your sleeves and get it achieved. I’m getting knocked down and I maintain going, getting again up; the resilience and the grit is the distinction. I feel the explanation why Jennifer and I get alongside so properly is we each come from self-made backgrounds. No person was there saying, ‘Oh, hey, right here’s a possibility for you.’ And no one gave that to her, both. So [it’s about] overcoming doubt, having extra self-worth, figuring out that you simply deserve a seat on the desk and, if somebody’s not going to place you on the desk, making your personal. These are all issues that I realized the laborious manner. I’m 40. Now, my 20-year-old self didn’t know that; my 30-year-old self didn’t know. I simply needed to maintain transferring ahead. I used to be exhausted doing [night] enterprise college, however I knew it was going to assist me indirectly get the place I needed to go and have a talent set or [be] given a bonus of figuring out just a little bit extra … in conditions that bought actually laborious. And it did.”

A contemporary buyer
“Girls at 40 have rather a lot occurring, so if [a product] just isn’t giving an incremental profit, then what’s the purpose? That’s actually been our focus. We’re not a star magnificence model; we’re a pro-living model and a way of life enterprise that goes past to make folks really feel nice, look good and allow them to have limitless potential. … Once you’re hitting 40, you don’t need to look older or like a grandparent. You’re dressing like most 20-, 30-year-olds. … I don’t need to be spoken to the place I’m speaking about anti-aging. I’ve all these nice issues taking place in my life — give me one thing that speaks to that. … I did a ton of shopper analysis once I first began to know who our buyer is, and I’ll inform you that our buyer is doing all of it. She’s in her 30s, 40s or 50s, she’s bought a job, she’s bought children, she’s bought duties, she’s exhausted, she’s lonely, she feels underserved — but she nonetheless needs to really feel enjoyable and attractive.”

The three pillars of neighborhood
“We now have a major quantity of owned prospects that we’re capable of faucet into, given the scale of our DTC enterprise and the general dimension of the shoppers we’ve captured. We’re always talking with them, both testing new concepts or listening to from them about what they need, what they like and what they dislike, and about tensions, and alternatives of their life. It’s not simply concerning the product, however it’s additionally about the whole lot that they’re doing. There’s fixed communication, neighborhood boards, in-person digital zooms, occasions — all of that, to deal with our buyer base like a household.  The ‘On the JLo’ publication has been a rabid success as a result of Jennifer has supplied a really unique standpoint on what’s taking place in her life. … And the opposite neighborhood that we’re very, very happy with and we’re persevering with to develop is what I prefer to name our Critically Attractive Science neighborhood. I’m a giant believer in girls in all industries. I persistently meet with superb, kickass builders, scientists, docs and formulators all through the world which are doing superb issues in magnificence and out of doors of magnificence, in wellness and longevity. We’re cultivating a neighborhood, a board and a squad, if you’ll, of those amazingly proficient girls who’re doing issues in a different way in science for the betterment of well being, wellness and general look, each inside and out of doors.”