Spark and Hustle
Welcome to Spark and Hustle. The podcast that ignites your inspiration and fuels your hustle in the dynamic worlds of career and entrepreneurship. Join our host Karina a marketing junkie, on a journey of exploration, conversation, and empowerment.
In each episode, we dive deep into stories of professionals, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders. Discover the spark that ignites their journeys and the hustles that propelled them to success.
Whether navigating the corporate ladder or building your empire, follow Spark and Hustle for inspiration, practical advice, and occasional humor. Get ready to spark your ambitions and elevate your hustle game.
We believe in the power of connection. Join our community on Spotify, iTunes, and Instagram to share your experiences, learn from others, and become part of a supportive network of dreamers and doers. 🚀✨
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Spark and Hustle
Revolutionizing Beauty and Fashion: Delali's Journey with FaceON
What happens when you take a simple hack passed down through generations and transform it into a revolutionary product? Delali Heidenfelder answers this question through her entrepreneurial journey with FaceOn, a premium protection piece that keeps your makeup intact while safeguarding your clothing from stains.
Most of us have experienced the frustration of makeup transfer onto clothing when changing outfits. From ruined cashmere sweaters to stained white shirts, this common problem has led people to resort to makeshift solutions like towels and even trash bags. Recognizing this gap in the market, Delali and her mother transformed their family's organza fabric hack into a thoughtfully designed product that's as luxurious as the clothing it protects.
Delali's story is particularly fascinating as she navigates the transition from balancing entrepreneurship with full-time employment to completely dedicating herself to FaceOn. This pivotal decision unleashed her creativity and accelerated the brand's growth, leading to a product redesign and a partnership with Dallas Fashion Week. Her approach to business combines strategic thinking with bold action – like when she secured the Fashion Week partnership by simply picking up the phone and making the call.
The mother-daughter dynamic adds another layer of richness to this entrepreneurial tale. While Delali's mother drove the initial business formation with her entrepreneurial experience, Delali's background in product marketing helped position the brand in the premium space it occupies today. Their complementary skills created a powerful foundation for success, demonstrating how family partnerships can thrive when roles are clearly defined.
Whether you're dreaming of launching your own product, transitioning to full-time entrepreneurship, or simply looking for inspiration to take that next bold step, this conversation offers valuable insights about courage, feedback, and the power of finally stopping holding yourself back.
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Welcome to Spark and Hustle, the podcast where we dive into the journeys of bold entrepreneurs, creatives and changemakers who are redefining success on their own terms. I'm your host, karina, and today's guest is someone whose journey perfectly embodies innovation, resilience and the power of a great idea. I'm thrilled to be joined by Delali, co-founder of FaceOn, a brand that's revolutionizing the beauty and fashion space by solving a problem many of us deal with keeping our makeup intact while changing outfits. Not only is Delali building an incredible brand with her mom, but she also has a background in product marketing and client success, making her the perfect guest to share insights on entrepreneurship, brand positioning and transitioning from a corporate career to full-time entrepreneurship. Let's dive in.
Speaker 1:Hello, welcome to Spark and Hustle, the podcast that ignites your inspiration and fuels your hustle in the dynamic worlds of career and entrepreneurship. I'm your host, karina, a marketing junkie, on a journey of exploration, conversation and entrepreneurship. I'm your host, karina, a marketing junkie, on a journey of exploration, conversation and empowerment. In each episode, we dive deep into the stories of professionals, entrepreneurs and thought leaders, discover the spark that ignites their journeys and the hustle that propels them to success. Whether you're navigating the corporate ladder or building your empire, follow Sparking Hustle for inspiration, practical advice and why not? Occasional handwork. Get ready to spark your ambitions and elevate your hustle game. We believe in the power of connection. Join our community on Spotify, itunes and Instagram to share your experiences, learn from others and become part of a supportive network of dreamers and doers. Thanks, delali, super honored to have you in the podcast and can't wait to hear everything about FaceOn, how it got started and the journey that it's been like for you. If you can, please start introducing yourself.
Speaker 2:Sure, thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited to be here. My name is Delali Heidenfelder and I am co-founder and CEO of FaceOn. Faceon is a protection piece thoughtfully designed to safeguard your clothing from makeup stains when you're getting dressed and to keep your hair and makeup in place when you're getting dressed as well.
Speaker 1:FaceOn started as a solution your mom created decades ago. Can you share the moment you realized this could turn into a business?
Speaker 2:Sure so yeah, my mom had. She'd used so many different hacks over the years, but they all kind of did the same thing. She would either use like a scarf or we had cause she always had different fabrics around. She would use organza, she would tie it around her neck and pull it like over her head and get dressed. And so she taught me to do that too, once I started wearing makeup and I don't even know if I had shared it with friends or not over the years, up until recently when my friend was getting married and so of course you know she was wearing a lot of white and she needed to get dressed one day. And so I told her about the hack and she was like, oh my gosh, this is genius. And I was like maybe it is genius. And so I called my mom and I was like I think we might have like a business idea here. She has a huge entrepreneurial spirit. So all I had to do is say the word and she was ready to go.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's so fun. I'm so happy to see that you're doing this with your mom. The scarf hack is definitely much better than a trash bag. I think somebody commented on the reel that I posted that they use a bag and I was like is that kind of dangerous?
Speaker 2:Like you're suffocating yourself, but you don't have. People use all sorts of things. It's such an issue for women and that's how you see it. With all the makeshift kind of DIY hacks, People are using trash bags, towels, t-shirts, and it's just I don't know that. It was practically like screaming for a solution.
Speaker 1:So it's a genius solution. I've never even seen the hacks before, so I've always just had the pain point of getting my clothes full with makeup. I never thought about any hack at all. Maybe tell us what were the first steps you took to go from an idea to the actual product? Sure.
Speaker 2:So I think my mom's always had a huge entrepreneurial spirit. So the second, I even was like I have a business. I don't even know if I could get it out of my mouth. She was like, oh my God, yes, yes, yes, let's go. So I was really busy with work at the time. I was working full time and I always wanted to have a business of my own, but it was definitely a one day kind of thing.
Speaker 2:So she was really really really like the driving force in the beginning. She was pushing it along the entire way, like I think I've mentioned it to you before like if it was up to me, we'd probably still be in the very, very beginning stage because I just was so gun shy about going. But she did. You know, she did the patent, she did the LLC, she did she sourced the fabric. She really got it going in the beginning and I mean, of course, I helped as much as I could on the weekends, but I credit her completely with like pushing it forward, because without her, like I said, I would have just still been trying to perfect it and waiting until it was like this or like that before finally making the job.
Speaker 1:That's great to hear that your mom was a big driving force behind everything and to get started, and so did your role. Help, because I think that I saw you've done product marketing in the past. Help, because I think that I saw you've done product marketing in the past. And, of course, product marketing. It's all about how you position a product into the end consumer's eyes. And did your skills, how did your skills help into being an entrepreneur and starting this new product?
Speaker 2:So it's interesting.
Speaker 2:I worked on a team full of designers actually for the past three or so years, so I got a backseat or a full view of everything, because what they would do is they would build landing pages, and so all they were talking about is what catches the consumer's eye first, like what you have to do, how you have to spell things out, how things should be laid out.
Speaker 2:So that was more so in my head when it came to social media or our website or just how the products positioned across the board. So it was more like the soft skills or things that I had observed from them that came in handy with FaceOn. The soft skills are things that I had observed from them that came in handy with face on when it comes to what I was doing at my corporate job. It's almost like I have two brains. So face on, I've really been able to funnel my creativity and with that I was more structured and it was just a whole different thought process. So there's not as much crossover as you would think in that regard, but definitely from working on that team of designers, I gained a wealth of knowledge that I use every day.
Speaker 1:Well, you've applied it really well, because I absolutely love how you've positioned face on, how the landing page or the website looks like the messaging. Have you positioned it overall? I think it's really um admiring and I I love what you've done. So it definitely I can definitely see the work you've put into and talking a little bit about the early stages too, you said you're working on a patent and I'm sure you did some research, including competitive research, so can you talk to us a little bit about your early stages, from the ideation to the research?
Speaker 2:Sure. So it's interesting with this product. We've run into it too. Seo kind of isn't a thing because people aren't searching for it. No one's going to go search makeup protector, or so we did all of that but we weren't finding much. Maybe a really really, really old brand. I was able to dig through the deepest part of Google, but there wasn't a lot that we found beforehand. Since we started the brand, I have seen a couple others. Some are more dedicated or more makeup adjacent. Besson's more so focused on wardrobe protection. It's more clothing adjacent, so that's kind of been a distinguishing factor there. But yeah, before we started out, it was almost difficult to find competitors, which I didn't know what to think about it. I was like, well, is there a market for this or is this the best opportunity in the world? But clearly it's a real issue and you know. So we're happy we got started.
Speaker 1:I am a full supporter that this is a great opportunity and there is a need. So, like I said, I'm pretty sure it's going to go in big, it's going to go to great places. I'm so excited for what the future holds for you and face on. Tell us a little bit about the challenges that you faced in the early stages of the product development and how did you overcome this.
Speaker 2:Sure, honestly, it was when I was working full time. It was balancing Because, like I said, my mom was doing the things I really couldn't do. I couldn't go register. I mean I could have, I guess, during my lunch break or something but it was just easier for her to go and do that, and more so the difficulties I had was finding the time to really dedicate as much time and devote as much as myself as I wanted to.
Speaker 2:You know how it is when you're working full time like you're tired at the end of the day. You're emotionally, you're sometimes physically, you're just drained. You don't really want to start on a brand new project or to kind of make your mind shift. So that was an issue I kind of ran into. But it really helped to find time on the weekends. So that was where I just was able to just be creative, be fresh and fully focus on face on. But overall, I would say one of the biggest things was time, and I feel like that almost lent itself to not We'll probably touch on this later but not getting it to where exactly I wanted it to be the first go. We've evolved over time because I didn't have that time at the beginning. I just was able to kind of be there but not really hone in. So now that I have more time to fully focus, I've been able to devote more of myself in creativity and grow much faster than I was initially.
Speaker 1:So excited that you took that step and transition from doing it on the side to now fully focusing on your product and your brand and focusing more on building the brand in a premium space, because I think this is a premium product and it's focused on the how do you save your luxurious pieces. I saw a lot of content on cashmere sweaters, which is so true. So all the content that you share it's so relevant to me. But Faison is positioned as a premium brand and what was your strategy in choosing this market site?
Speaker 2:It was all about the type of clothing that needs protection. I wanted to design a product that matched it. Like we talked about, people are sometimes using trash bags or towels for their really really nice clothes that they've spent a lot of money on. That just didn't make sense to me. There was definitely a gap I identified and it was always going to be really, really nice, thoughtful fabrics or nice, nice fabrics with a thoughtful design.
Speaker 2:I should say so organza, that's a very luxurious fabric but it's also functions how we need it to. It's see-through, it's really smooth, it's soft against your hair and makeup and all of those things. And then the satin edging Satin is like a very luxurious, really nice fabric, but it was necessary because it's going to need to be on your neck or again like rubbing against your hair. So it came down to a thoughtful design, really functioning but also luxurious fabrics really functioning but also luxurious fabrics and the need to make a tool a beauty tool, like a wardrobe tool that matched the clothing it was protecting, that matched, like the level of how nice they were.
Speaker 1:And you choose great colors too. So is the material organza. Is that what the fabric is? Yes, yeah.
Speaker 2:So the fabric itself is organza. And then the neckline, which you'll see with our newer design. Well, our older design has it too. It's just much thinner. You've probably seen, it's satin, but our new one's a lot thicker.
Speaker 1:Okay, yeah, I can't wait to try the. Uh, I can't wait till you get it. I can show it over camera, but I don't know if it's gonna do it justice no, I definitely would love for you to show it, uh, here shortly, um, so they can also see what it looks like. I just think it's such a cool look to it too. Uh, when I was using it and taking pictures, I thought this looks so cool, oh my gosh, thank you so much.
Speaker 2:I love the look, especially these new ones. I'm like okay, this is it, this is the look. We're not changing it because I'm like so obsessed with it.
Speaker 1:But I'll show you her in a second thank you, and what key elements help helped you create this premium brand identity? I think you've already touched on a little bit, but I don't know if there's anything else that you would like to add on. What key elements help you create a premium brand identity?
Speaker 2:So, yes, definitely creating something, creating a beauty tool or wardrobe tool that matched the type of clothing it was protecting, but also market feedback. It's like I said, it's been an evolution over time. So some of our first marketing was just me, or we had models wearing white t-shirts and they were getting changed and getting undressed, and all of that using face on, and we saw comments of people being like, oh my gosh, I need this for my cashmere sweaters. And I was like, oh my gosh, I always use it for my cashmere sweaters or my turtlenecks. Like, why am I not leading with that? It's almost like I just wanted I just wanted to almost just show its functionality so badly with the white t-shirts. But I'm like, no, this is really about protecting really, really nice clothes, or all your clothes, but especially nice clothes. So, yeah, it was mostly based off of feedback and trusting my instinct or not second guessing my instinct.
Speaker 1:Really important to stay close to your end consumer, hear their comments and hear their feedback, so I'm so happy that you listened and you made those changes, and I love also how you've done the with and without it. I think that's also a great way to show, like, what the impact of the yeah, what your product is doing.
Speaker 2:um yeah, no, because it's so funny, because it's like I said, there's so many hacks out there that people have used their entire lives or that they just kind of figure it out and they just think it's something that they need to accept. You almost have to like put it in their face and be like okay, you can save so much more time, you can streamline you're getting dressed, you're getting dressed routine, or getting ready routine, rather, or going on vacation. You know, you could just very quickly pack a face on instead of having to pack an extra towel or trash bag. So it's just like bringing those real life scenarios that people just kind of deal with because it's what they've accepted, and putting them on social media, kind of bringing it to light that way, make it more blaringly obvious.
Speaker 1:I love it. And what advice do you have for entrepreneurs looking to break into the entrepreneur space, or even the premium space?
Speaker 2:So definitely just to break into the entrepreneurial space, my advice is always just do it. Just do it Literally. You can perfect over time Something I'll tell myself sometimes and I'm just like done is better than perfect, because I will sit and try to perfect something so much so to where nothing even gets done. Like I said, if my mom wasn't there pushing it along, I probably would still be trying to perfect it or make it just so, or you know, overthinking everything. Just do it. So that's what, number one.
Speaker 2:And then also for something in the premium space, just any gaps or anything out there that you see a lot of hacks being used for, or you just see a gap and or a need that can be addressed, a real, thoughtful solution for that. The more thought in the design, the more premium it is. That's how I think about it. So first think of a solution to a gap or a problem you're seeing and just give real thought to it. If it's something like in the textile industry, like go check out fabrics, elastics, I feel like I'm like breathing elastics. Right now that's all we're doing is trying to find the perfect elastic. But yeah, it just requires real thought, real real thought to um, to a gap that you're saying, or to a possible solution?
Speaker 1:Right. So yes, just just do it, go for it, but also have that research and thought behind it. Don't just do it without having the knowledge.
Speaker 2:No, I feel like a big part of entrepreneurship, I will say, is courage, like the biggest part, just the courage to do it. So I do that's like always. What I stand by is like just do it, because there's all sorts of products out there. I might not understand it, but the next person wants it, you know. So if you've identified a need or something that you could get used out of every day and it's maybe important to get some feedback from people, you have to kind of manage that too, because you know it can get tricky. But a product or whatever it is anything that can solve a problem that you're experiencing, and then just really put thought into it how you can put out the best version of that.
Speaker 1:Right, yes I agree completely. And to add, I also think it's a lot of trial and error. Yeah. And it's not. It's not bad if it was an error and then you just have to restart again.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. I completely agree with that, and that might have been something in the beginning that I was like oh, you know you're scared to make a mistake because it's it's you you're putting out there, but that's, you need to be making mistakes. You know that's how it gets better over time. You need to be getting all sorts of once your products out there from the market, you need all sorts of feedback because you want to be making your product better over time. So definitely trial and error, absolutely.
Speaker 1:Yes, and how was your? Before we jump into the next yes, and how was your? Before we jump into the next topic how was your experience with your prototypes or your proof of concepts? Did you have a few friends, family, try it on before how?
Speaker 2:was that? Yeah, so our first ever one? Yeah, I guess it was. It was a production, like we had a lot of them made. Um, we did these really cute kind of notes and we dressed them up.
Speaker 2:When we sent them out to, I think it was like 25 of our, like both me and my mom's. So it's like her friends, her age, like my friends, my age, um, close friends and family, and I think just about all of them gave some form of feedback and people are going to be really nice. They might not outrightly tell you, but we had some honest feedback and that was I don't even know if we might, I don't know if those were ever even on our site. It was so early stage, but it was valuable feedback that we got to keep evolving the product. So it's funny and like I don't know the feeling what word do I want to use? Maybe interesting to look back at the initial product because it's so different from how it looks today, which is a good thing, you know yes, no, yeah, evolving, and and change is always good, as long as you know it's.
Speaker 1:It's always making it better. So, exactly, okay, thanks for sharing. So you launched face on while or you were. You started face on while you were still working full time. How did you manage to do both responsibilities? Going back to the conversation we were having earlier at the beginning of that time, it's really precious. So how did you manage?
Speaker 2:So that was one of the biggest struggles at first, because I'm the type of person, you know, I think I can balance everything and squeeze everything in. But that kind of was leading to I don't want to say burnout, because I wasn't burned out with FaceTime, but maybe just like being overloaded. So it was finding time to really dedicate to it, where I could be fresh and creative. So that was mostly on the weekends for me. Sometimes I could squeeze some stuff into, maybe like a lunch break or a couple hours after work, like if I were to do a tuesday, thursday kind of thing. But it was about really being intentional and organizing those times that, um, I was fresh, I was creative and I could actually, you know, do impactful work, you know. So I would say, mostly a couple hours after work, a couple times a week in the weekends, were the kind of how I balanced it.
Speaker 1:Okay and there was a point where you've realized either life put you in this situation or for whatever reason. There was a point that you realized okay, I want to put my full on effort into this entrepreneurship journey. How was the transition for?
Speaker 2:you. It was definitely a situation that life kind of guided. The decision I was able to at that point take some time to fully focus on face on, which turned out to be the most amazing thing in the world. I'm so glad it happened just to have it as my full time job. I don't even know, I just told myself don't hold back. So I think I'd been holding back subconsciously. One because I was overloaded trying to balance two things.
Speaker 2:And then also, you know, you just instinctively maybe might second guess yourself or you're not sure and I was like, let me just fully go for it, Right, Like I'm, I truly believe in this product. I know it solves an issue. Let me make it the best I possibly can Now that I have the time. I have no excuses, you know, let's just let me just go for it. And at that point I just stopped tempering my instincts and just I don't know, I was able to fully just go all in. And with that came all these things. It came the redesign, the Dallas Fashion Week partnership we're so excited about that and just there's so much excitement ahead and that really just came from that shift. So, looking back.
Speaker 1:it was the best thing that could have happened. And, delali, I really admired your courage to take the step into fully entrepreneur, going into your entrepreneur journey, because there's a lot of us out there that hesitate and overthink and we pass on certain opportunities that if we would have had that courage, maybe it could have been something really big. So I really admire that about you. What was your biggest mindset shift that you've had to make through this transition? Because I'm sure working for corporate and being your self-employed it's a big difference.
Speaker 2:Oh, so big. I guess it's like two different worlds. It almost goes back to what I was saying before. It was weird, it sounds cheesy, but it really was a moment where I was like, stop holding back. I feel in a sense I was maybe playing it a little safe. I could post on social media here and I wasn't check off the box, but I just knew I could be doing more. I was like this is your chance. This is something you truly believe in.
Speaker 2:Give it your all. Test it out, test it in every single possible thing in your wardrobe. Write down what works, what doesn't. Go to Harry Hines that's this area here. I don't know if you're familiar with it, it's all fabrics and spend a day there. Look out all the different elastics, just everything. Try to make it as perfect as possible. Reach out that's how we got in touch with Dallas Fashion Week. Actually, gosh, they need face on. The models are going to be changing like crazy. This would be perfect and I just picked up the phone and I was able to get in touch with their CEO and it was just. We were able to make it work. So it's just things like that I just giving myself permission to just go full throttle and that was the biggest mind shift for me.
Speaker 1:Wow, I'm excited about Fashion Week. So you've basically just decided, you know, decided to pick up the phone call and put yourself out there. And how? How was a little bit of that process Like?
Speaker 2:my idols is Sarah Blakely. She started Spanx and they always ask her how she got into Neiman Marcus. She's like because I called and I was like that's so simple but so profound, I'm like no one thinks it could be that easy. Like you kind of, especially like millennials or Gen Zs, like we're so used to texting and emails we're not used to being face-to-face or on the phone. So I was like, oh yeah, like I saw one of their posts, I thought the models could really models and designers, makeup artists. It definitely is a wardrobe product but it protects makeup and hair as well. I was like this could be really beneficial there. I was like who could I get in touch with? And I went to their website and saw the number and I was like I'm just going to call. So we did and she was super sweet and it was something that was honestly worked out in about a 15 minute film.
Speaker 1:Can you talk a little bit about the partnership? How is the partnership going to work?
Speaker 2:We are a sponsor with Dallas Fashion Week and so we're they're going to be using our pieces in the show this March show, this March show and they're going to be using them again in October. And how it's going to work is me and our team are going to be there backstage with the models, the designers, the makeup artists, and we're just going to be giving demos, showing them how it works. Of course, handing them out, we'll take them home every night, make sure they're photo ready and we're ready to use in the mornings or whenever the shows start. And so it's really just having that backstage presence, getting everyone comfortable with the product and making sure it's being used correctly and most beneficially to the models and the designers.
Speaker 1:And then also just keeping track of inventory and all of that because they will be reusing them again in October for that show as well.
Speaker 1:Thanks for sharing the details this sounds like a really excited opportunity and a way to get the word out about face on. So I have no doubt that, um, a lot it's, it's the word's gonna get out. So I'm I'm really excited for you guys and well done on putting yourself out there and just picking up the phone and reaching out. I think that's magnificent. So a little bit of lessons from your entrepreneurial journey. What has been the most unexpected lesson you've learned as an entrepreneur?
Speaker 2:most unexpected lesson. Honestly and again, we probably touched on this before. I'm almost repeating myself, but it's just not to be adverse to feedback. It's so valuable. I think. Going in, like I said, my mindset is let me just make this perfect thing, or that was my intention. Let me make this perfect thing. Here you go. This is it and it's just going to be there. But feedback has been so important just for us to get where we are with what the product looks like. I guess I could try it 10 different ways from Sunday and I know how I like it to look and I know exactly what I want it to do. But it's important for me to hear from people that are different from me. Some people wear their hair differently, some people do their makeup differently, so it's just been really I've found that feedback is just invaluable in this position and you can't um, you have to have kind of tough skin to be able to to hear it and use it to make your product better.
Speaker 1:So definitely not being a burst of feedback is that, uh, so, uh, face on, it's going into a redesign and I'm so excited for you to show us the new design. I'd love for you to show in camera, and that was a pivotal moment for you. Is that how you got to to the redesign because of the feedback, or how did you guys decided to redesign?
Speaker 2:so the design was always kind of in my head. So when I talk about the early days, how I just I felt like I couldn't have that time to really sit to make it come to life, it was always in my head that I wanted I just wanted like a different look, to be like the finish line. You know, there were certain things that I noticed that could be improved, that definitely went into it, and then also just I wanted to really um, I wanted my initial vision to come to life. It was always in my head, like I said, I just couldn't quite get there, and so I'll show you now I don't know how the lighting's going to do. It's a little orange.
Speaker 2:I saw this on social media so this is the new face on design right here. So we have it. I have it in the two colors. Actually, let me know if you can't.
Speaker 1:It's a little orangey, but you get the gist so we have the rose yeah, I see the rose colors and then we see the rose, color the rose, and then we have the black here.
Speaker 2:And what we did is we made our elastic band I'll just show you the rose two inches thicker, so it's all satin here. So that way when it's around your neck it takes that more real estate, I guess you could say. And it's really, really soft and it stays in place no matter what you could be. Taking off. The world's tightest turtleneck like this is not going anywhere. Um, and then we always stick with our organza. But we just thought to streamline it going forward with our dusty rose and I love the dusty rose.
Speaker 1:it's so pretty and like schmear, um it's. It's really nice. That's when we see that. Yeah, I can't wait. I'm so excited and I never really thought about it, but yeah, I think when I had it on, and even on the video that I shared, you can see a little bit how it like doesn't really stay in place. So you're on it right away.
Speaker 2:I have something better for you.
Speaker 1:Thank you. Thank you, I'm so excited. What's one piece of advice you wish you had known when starting face?
Speaker 2:on, I would say, to be really really clear on, or as clear as you can be, about, your marketing strategy. I knew marketing was important. That was, you know, some of my background. But, like I said, I think about my face-on and my entrepreneur side and my corporate side, with almost two different brains. So, with a marketing strategy, I came at it from a more utilitarian standpoint, more functional and then, over time, like I said, it's very thoughtfully designed, it's meant to protect investment, clothing, all of those things I knew but I wasn't putting out there really on social media because I just I wasn't connecting the two. I guess you could say so, probably to be really clear on how you want to market your product and your target audience, like very, very clear on your nation to target audience, like know exactly who your ideal customer is and how you can connect with them and how they're really going to benefit from what you're putting out there.
Speaker 1:Thanks for that. Thanks for sharing. Are there any tools or any tips that you can share on how you handle your social media? Being entrepreneurial, it's wearing so many different hats. And I have no doubt that the marketing hat. It's one of the biggest roles, because obviously that's what's going to sell your product. Yeah, so are there any tips or tools that you could share with us that have been helpful to you?
Speaker 2:I had a foodie page during COVID, kind of like a little Instagram, so I got comfortable with captions and captions, hashtags, all of that are like they're a beast, like there's so much that goes into it, so kind of understanding all of that, like certain I mean there's influencers dedicated to explaining like the right caption length and the right hashtags to use. So, definitely, doing your research there is important. And then also having just maybe an aesthetic in mind. It doesn't have to be your brand or your exact space, but maybe another page that you think looks really beautiful. Ask yourself why, what are they doing that draws your eye and you can kind of work off of that inspiration. That's what I do a lot of Just any brands that are about that highlight, like silks and satins, and have that kind of dreamy, ethereal look like I'm saving, like I'm saving, saving, saving, because that's exactly what I want Besson to look at.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, drawing from a lot of inspo and then maybe just finding some. Oh and I have a book Well, I think it's called Brand Story. That's been helping me a lot with my social media as well. It's in my room but I'll go grab it before we're done. But yeah, that's been really helpful for social media as well, especially in the beginning.
Speaker 1:So, with Faison gaining so much momentum and great upcoming opportunities like the Dallas Fashion Show, what's next for the?
Speaker 2:brand. So right now we're really working on maximizing Dallas Fashion Week as much as we possibly can and hopefully building some retail relationships there. Like I said, I am so excited to see Faison in action with the model, seeing how they're using it, getting as much marketing as we can through that and, like I said, building connections with potential retail partners I really see based on being in department stores, especially around dressing rooms. So that's more further down the line, but right now just definitely maximizing Dallas Fashion Week.
Speaker 1:I love it. Great ideas and great opportunities I'm sure will come. Where do you see Faison in five years?
Speaker 2:Oh, okay, so I was just coming with this Definitely high-end department stores like your Neiman's, your nordstrom's, just you know, nationwide um, and in department stores, yes, but also I see it kind of functioning to protect inventory as well, like I said, maybe in like a dressing room environment as well, um, and maybe in like luxury boutiques yeah, I think luxury boutiques, and one that I thought of is, um, maybe makeup artist, because when I go to get my makeup done, I always think, oh, let me wear a button up because I don't want to mess up my clothes.
Speaker 1:So if I just know that I can pick up the product there to take home with me with me because I forget to wear that button up, yeah, I think it's like an easy purchase for me to make, no doubt. So I think there's so many opportunities and, again, I'm just so excited for you guys.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much. It's beauty adjacent and then also wardrobe, so it's cool. It's like there's opportunity to cover both spaces.
Speaker 1:Yes, how can your audience know more about FaceOn and what your journey's been and where can they find you?
Speaker 2:So you can find us at itsfaceoncom. It's FaceOn, on Instagram and TikTok, so you can learn all about us at itsfaceoncom and on Instagram and TikTok, so you can learn all about us at. It's based oncom and then Instagram and TikTok by the same name.
Speaker 1:It's based on. Okay, and then why face on? I didn't touch about that, but where? How hard was it to find the name?
Speaker 2:So that's so funny Me and my mom it definitely took. That was our first step, actually, once we had to figure out what we were going to do, the materials, all of that we were just texting it back and forth because she would say it out loud and I'd be like, can you text it? I want to see it written down. So there'd be no context. We were just texting different things back and forth and I think one day she was like she said something, she texted face it or something like that, or face it on, and I was like face it on, face it on. She goes oh, no, no, no, face on, or something Like. She texted it right after it.
Speaker 2:So I was like, or maybe I did, I don't remember. We go back and forth on the story, on this one I have to scroll up, but yeah, it went from face it or face it on to face on. I just thought it sounded so much smoother and cleaner. So, yeah, just texting it, seeing how it looked written out, like playing around with different logos on Canva, seeing what looked the prettiest and face on, just seemed clean to me.
Speaker 1:Super clean, straightforward, yeah, and catchy too. I think it's pretty catchy, so great job on the name. Tell me how your experience has been working with your mom. I've had other people in the podcast being sisters, friends. I have not had a mom and daughter yet, so I'm really intrigued and excited to hear how that's been going intrigued and excited to hear how that's been going Sure.
Speaker 2:So we naturally talk. I was with my uncle the other day like 100 times a day. We talk nonstop, just quick phone calls, so it was not that much of a jump into the unknown at all. We're always kind of working through things together. What is maybe different now is she played way more of a hand in it in the beginning when I was working, and she had that entrepreneurial background so that was where she was super comfortable launching. And then now I'm kind of just driving. So now our day-to-day is not talking about based on all day, every day, big decisions, big things like of course dallas fashion week are redesigned. We're both working on, but day-to-day it's it's just me, so it's not a cook, two cooks in the kitchen situation sorry, go ahead I was gonna ask how do you guys split, like, responsibilities?
Speaker 1:um, does does she focus more on, maybe like the operations and you the marketing, like how has? How do you guys split responsibilities?
Speaker 2:So it was more so like she did that. You know the beginning, like the launch, a lot of that was for like or not. Not the launch but a more of like. You know the sourcing, the fabrics at the beginning, or the LLC or the patent. And then I took over with her generation.
Speaker 2:Social media is not really her thing, so I took over with the social media, the website and all of that and that's how we. So we brought the product to launch together, but really taking it from concept to an actual product was her, and then day to day now product was her, and then day to day now it's it's really me driving. And then if there's big things coming up, like a Dallas fashion week or, like I said, like the redesign, or we both went to Harry Heinz together or the fabric stores to pick up, I'm touching it over here, that's what I'm reaching for, but to pick out, like the new fabrics, those sorts of things we work together on. Otherwise, I'm I'm kind of the one driving the ship right now, which it works. It works well Cause she did so much at the beginning. And then she has her other stuff that she's doing too. She has another company that that she spends a lot of her time working on, so that's how we've been able to divvy it all up.
Speaker 1:Dream team. It sounds like it's been really good and you guys both have done a lot of the heavy lifting and the heavy work, so I'm really happy to hear that a mom and daughter business has been successfully launched and that you guys are working together. Some of our rapid fire questions is what sparks your creative flame?
Speaker 2:What sparks my creative flame going on a walk, and that was something like a long walk or a really long shower, anything where I could just be by myself and in my head, like not with a pen and paper or typing, like nothing like that. It has to be just completely separate. So a walk, actually there's three. A walk, cooking or a shower is when I like have my best ideas. They almost just like come to me better when I'm like doing something else and I do miss your cooking uh.
Speaker 1:Facebook I mean instagram page, because I I did started following it, uh, but I haven't. I haven't seen you so active on it, but it was really good.
Speaker 2:That was another world ago, that was during the height of the pandemic. But thank you so much, it was fun. It was definitely fun.
Speaker 1:Can you describe in one word how do you feel in this stage of your life?
Speaker 2:Oh, that's a good one. Um, the word I would use to describe is probably transitionary in a way, you know, transitioning out of the space I was in before and I feel like we're just even though, but based on I mean it's been we're going into year two. We launched last year but we worked on it for a year before that. I still feel like it's only the beginning and there's so much growth ahead, so this just kind of feels like that beginning transitionary stage. So I would say transition is that the word? I'll go with transition.
Speaker 1:Okay, I love that. I love that. Transition it's always good because that means you are evolving. I'll use. I'll use, I'll go with transition. Okay, I love that. I love that transition it's it's always good because that means you are evolving Exactly.
Speaker 2:Oh, what do I want to use? Evolving Transitionary or evolving Maybe, maybe two words. We can do that Okay.
Speaker 1:I love that. All right, anything else you'd like to share with people who would be listening to this?
Speaker 2:Sure, definitely. Just check us out. Like, word of mouth is just the best piece of marketing. So come check us out at itsbasedoncom it's based on Instagram and TikTok and let us know what you think.
Speaker 1:Thank you, and also a perfect gift to give. I already have in my head that maybe if I order me a few and gift them, I think it's such a great gift and unique, so um thank you, it was definitely designed with that in mind as like a great add-on, especially during the holidays, for makeup.
Speaker 2:If someone wants to add it on um to, you know, for their friends, family, to protect their makeup or with, like a nice cashmere sweater yes, I love, I love that.
Speaker 1:Well, thank you so much, delali. It was definitely an honor to have you and I have no doubt that Face On will make it to big places, and I can't wait to see the evolution of where it goes, and I'm sure we will be staying in touch.
Speaker 2:Absolutely Well. Thank you so much for having me, karina. This was so much fun.
Speaker 1:Delali's journey with Faison is nothing short of inspiring. What started as an idea rooted in her mom's personal experience has evolved into a premium brand making waves in the fashion and beauty space. Her stories prove to innovation, persistence and the power of storytelling. If you've ever dreamed of bringing a product to life, this episode is proof that, with the right strategy and determination, it's absolutely possible. Be sure to check out FaceOn on social or website. As always. If you loved this episode, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review and share it with someone who needs to hear this story. Keep sparking ideas and hustling towards your dream. I'll see you in the next episode.