Show Notes
“I love a trier. It doesn’t matter where it goes. If you are actually out there trying, that’s the special sauce right there.” - Estée Lalonde
Estée Lalonde has spent 16 years as a content creator, building an audience of more than a million YouTube subscribers. When she launched her body care brand Mirror Water, she’d never had a corporate job and had never used a spreadsheet. Five years later, the brand is mostly self-funded and has grown entirely organically, with no paid media until recently. It’s stocked in Space NK, Liberty, Selfridges and Cult Beauty. In this episode, Estée gets honest about the difference between building an audience and building a business. She talks about why followers don’t automatically become customers, why she still doesn’t take a salary from her own brand, and what it really takes to launch a beauty brand on a fraction of the usual budget.
For aspiring female entrepreneurs and creators who want to build a brand that stands on its own, this is a candid look at creator-led brands and retail. Estée shares the founder mistakes she’d undo (hello, expensive office), how landing her first stockist and one glowing press review changed everything, and why she’s always asking other founders for help. She also covers how she weighs raising investment against staying independent, how she splits her time between Mirror Water and her YouTube channel, and how she’s keeping the brand distinct on an increasingly crowded body care shelf. She also opens up about the year she finally asked for help, why “good enough” isn’t good enough anymore, and why networking in person still matters.
INSIDE THE EPISODE:
00:00 — Intro: Meet Estée Lalonde
02:26 — The Year She Finally Asked for Help
09:48 — Nobody’s Coming to Save You
12:59 — Why You Have to Be in the Room
18:45 — Why “Good Enough” Isn’t Good Enough Anymore
23:16 — Founder Mistakes, Motherhood & Having It All
30:07 — Falling Back in Love With YouTube
33:07 — How Mirror Water Started
37:09 — A Brand That Never Tells You to Do More
41:03 — Raising Money vs Staying Self-Funded
44:42 — Running a Brand and a Channel at Once
47:45 — Why Followers Don’t Equal Customers
50:33 — What Moved the Needle: Stockists, Press & Founder Friends
53:55 — Standing Out on a Crowded Shelf
56:32 — Setting the Tone for What’s Next + Where to Find Estée
Connect with our Guest:
Estée Lalonde on Instagram: @esteelalonde
Mirror Water on Instagram: @mirrorwater.earth
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This episode includes references to third-party brands, retailers, creators and publications (including Space NK, Liberty, Selfridges and Cult Beauty) discussed for educational commentary. Nothing in this episode is financial or investment advice. All rights and ownership belong to their respective copyright holders. This content is utilized under Fair Use principles and does not imply endorsement or affiliation with Process The Podcast. For takedowns or copyright inquiries, please contact [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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