Scarlette Tidy

I’ve never really told you all what I actually do for a living, so here you go Pisgah Peaks Ventures builds & manages fractional marketing team for SMBs that are doing under 10-15 M ARR. The teams could be anywhere from 2 to 20+ individuals. Hiring for PT marketing roles can be a big drain on small businesses. They're unsure of who to hire, how to train, and they def don't want to manage them. This keeps costs in check (no office space here!) + avoids costly benefits / W2 wages. Perfect clients for us? B2B companies with 1-2 internal marketing team members Dispensaries with 2-5 locations. Soloprenuers who are scaling from 6 > 7 figures. A few years ago we started investing into other small businesses & at this point have equity in a handful of other SMBs. The goal? By 45; be able to live off the proceeds of our portfolio and golf 4X a week. To my network.... Tell us What do you do? Why do you do it? Post in the comments!

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Snag grew their DTC from $0 - Over $30m+ in 3 years. Here’s how they did it: ➤ Problem-Focused Conception While out shopping, Brie realized her tights were slipping down. Growing frustrated, she asked some friends of hers if they experienced something similar. Turns out every single one of her friends had the same issue. This was natural fuel for her to look into things further. ➤ Data = Unfair Advantage Brie didn't have a background in marketing. Instead, her data-oriented mind gave her an advantage by looking at things a little differently. She ran a Google Survey of 3000 women to find out who else struggled to find a pair of tights that fit. The answer? 90% of 3000 people. Bingo. Opportunity validated. The data also showed how: → The market was commoditized → Men made most of the product purchases (Crazy right?) → Most women accepted poor fitting tights as the norm This inspired her to really look into solving this problem, and her search for suppliers began. ➤ Knew the numbers Before launch, Brie’s focus to really get a grip on her numbers really paid off. Since the sales were through DTC, she knew she needed: → 25% of revenue back into marketing → First-order profit → Small seed round to fund initial stock order Armed with the validation from the survey and some strong number-crunching, Snag launched. They cleared £300k/mo in under a year. The emphasis of being profitable from the first order was key to allow her to scale forward and further invest in marketing. ➤ Applied Zero-Party Data & Customer Service This is where Brie’s data-oriented approach really shone a light on how Snag scaled rapidly. The pandemic caused havoc for many brands, including Snag. Over 60% of the business disappeared overnight, and they went into negative. They had Facebook debt that had to be paid. Fast. Or Snag would die. That’s when Brie turned to her customers for answers. Her customers suggested a brilliant offer: 2 tights for the price of one, but the second pair gets sent in 6 months. The offer worked - Snag survived. And eventually thrived. This was a genius idea to help relate to her customers. ➤  Applied the ‘3-Piece’ DTC Law Finally, Brie understood the fundamental law of DTC. → Commitment to customer service → Great product experience → Solve a big problem Since all 3 were checked, the rest was down to semantics, unit economics, and following marketing fundamentals. ➤  Final Thoughts As a data analyst, Brie’s final words of advice were super impactful and really hit home. Yes, data is important, but it’s even more important that each data point is an actual human being, not just a number on a spreadsheet. Combining the importance of data with the understanding that each data point is a human is a brilliant formula for growth. What else would you add?

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📚 Serendipity struck at Powell's Books in Portland! I stumbled upon Mike Kim's "You Are The Brand" - a book I've been eager to explore. As I settled into a cozy corner of the hotel lobby, I was reminded of the irreplaceable joy of holding a physical book. In our digital age, there's something magical about the tactile experience of turning pages. Anyone else feel this way? Diving in, I knew I bought the right book when I read: "For so much of our lives, we see ourselves through the lens of a company, organization, or role rather than the skills we possess or who we inherently are. We fail to see our unique expertise." How often do we define ourselves by job titles, overlooking our unique skills? Focusing on the life we want to live is the way to see ourselves not what job titles we have had. I'm excited to uncover more gems of wisdom. I'm curious: Have you read "You Are The Brand"? How do you approach your personal brand? #PersonalBranding #YouAreTheBrand #ProfessionalGrowth #SelfDiscovery #PowellsBooks

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Rhode is THE celebrity brand of celebrity brands. But not every brand is as successful as Rhode, so how did they do it? Here's what I've seen: 1. White Space Identification Rhode differentiated themselves by launching as a skincare company instead of another celeb make-up brand. They also didn't immediately move into the make-up space. Instead, they focused on products that towed the line of make-up AND skincare (Ex: Tinted Lip Peptides). Once they found that consumers were receptive to both, they've been able to parlay into the make-up space (like their new blush line). 2. Creative, Creative, Creative Rhode has great creative. Simply put. It's simple. Clean. Aesthetic. Yet flavorful and engaging. It's perfectly aligned with who the brand is at its core. 3. Skincare as a Routine Unlike makeup, which people change up based on occasion, skincare is a daily routine that hinges on consistency. This means customers are more likely to repurchase regularly. By focusing on skincare, Rhode taps into a consistent consumer habit, driving higher customer LTV and brand loyalty. 4. The Coveted PR List The Rhode PR list has become the most talked about PR list in the influencer world. Being on the Rhode PR List signifies your status as an influencer more than your follower count. And as a brand, you know you've made it when your PR gift is more validating to the influencer than to the brand. 5. Hailey's Involvement Hailey is known for being a model with great skin. It's a no brainer that she would launch a skincare company. She holds the title of creative director, which gives credibility to the brand, making it feel authentic and personal to her. She is consistently present in the brand’s narrative, and it never feels over the top. AND the brand succeeds even in her absence from some campaigns. Hailey Bieber, we 💙 Rhode. Why do you think Rhode has been so successful? What do you think about their move from skincare into make-up? P.S. Can LinkedIn influencers get on the rhode skin PR list? Asking for a friend😅 -- Follow Ali Kaltman for more brand breakdowns 💙 #rhode #brandmarketing #branding #marketing #celebritybrands

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We've helped ecom brands generate 14.02x ROAS because of this one thing: ✨ Effective Storyboarding ✨ Brands may have the perfect faces of their brand but the real question is... Can they create the best ads for your campaigns? Often, the skill of great storyboarding is what's missing. At Gumamela Studios, we specialize in Creative Strategy services to take your e-commerce campaigns to the next level through effective storyboarding. We'll dive deep into: 🌺 Brand research → to deeply understand your brand's essence 🌺 Competitor analysis → To identify unique positioning. 🌺 Market research → To grasp audience personas and preferences. All these equip your creators with briefs that pack a punch. Remember, great ads start with great storyboarding. PS. Whether you need a brand refresh or an entirely new creative direction, our team will set your e-commerce brand up for sustainable success. Message me "Storyboarding" ---- I’m Marie, the ambitious island voyager. Follow me Marie Tuason 🌺and ring that bell 🔔 for more Social Strategy, Wellness and Digital Nomad tips 🌱

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Tarte is making headlines again, this time with lavish gifts instead of trips. They’ve sent select influencers Dancing with the Stars-themed boxes featuring $700 Hermès bracelets. An interesting choice for a makeup brand, right? Let’s unpack why this type of gifting is problematic: 1. Lack of Inclusivity: Most of the influencers sharing these bracelets are white creators, highlighting Tarte’s ongoing issue of favoring white influencers. This isn’t a new criticism—it’s been raised during past brand trips and is now resurfacing with this Hermès stunt. A Tarte spokesperson responded stating, “33% of every mailer always goes to Black creators & 50% to BIPOC. Our DEI efforts will remain intentional” (People https://bit.ly/3MURVuo). My question, is this enough? It’s not just about percentages; it’s about authentic inclusivity. Is this approach addressing their inclusivity struggles, or is it a step in the right direction? 2. FTC Implications: The FTC guidelines around influencer gifting are murky. We know (or should) that if influencers receive a gift in exchange for agreed upon deliverables, disclosure is required. But if they receive a gift with no required deliverables, do they still have to disclose? The FTC suggests, “if you have a relationship with an advertiser that sends you free stuff in the hope of endorsements, it’s best to let readers know about that relationship whenever you recommend that advertiser’s products.” The problem is that this leaves too much room for interpretation. Anyone else wish the FTC would just develop a bulleted list of requirements instead of using some of their suggestive wording? While brands like Tarte might not face legal repercussions there’s a real risk of eroding trust between influencers and their audiences—and between audiences and the brand itself. We can safely assume that when Tarte sends influencers $700 bracelets, they expect posts in return. So in this case, was influencers saying Tarte sent them this mailing enough? I didn't look at all posts but the few I saw weren't clearly disclosing a relationship. 🚨 Curious what others think! 👉 What’s your take on Tarte’s latest stunt and their response? They have mastered the art of generating earned media and online chatter, but what about the potential damage to trust? Should they stop sending extravagant gifts and hosting lavish trips? #influencermarketing #creatoreconomy #influencergifting #marketing

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If you’re a D2C founder, here’s 1 of 4 lessons I have after taking my peptide company to over $2MM in 90 Days. Lesson #1: Match Your Funnel Assets & Format To Your Market’s Awareness Stage For Example:  We’re selling to a target market of women in their late 40s, 50s who want to lose weight. These women are highly aware about what products like Semaglutide, Ozempic, etc., are and already want to try it. Demand is also very high due to celebrity news about how well these medications work. (Oprah even did a huge special on it recently.) High awareness + high demand means we don’t need to do as much educating to sell our products. The target market already knows the product, and wants the product. So when they land on our page, we just need to show them why they should buy from us. This means instead of longer sales arguments, we should use more social proof and trust driven angles for our marketing. With that, we were able to scale to over $2MM a month with short ads and a shorter, 800-word eCom landing page! So if you’re trying to grow your own D2C business, remember this: For sales to happen, you must understand where your market is currently and adjust your marketing to meet them at that place. _____________ I share more of these insights at CA Pro, where I help D2C founders and their marketing teams increase sales from their campaigns. If you want to join, click my link in bio or send me a DM for more info. Will be posting the next 3 lessons in the next few days.

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Hey California small businesses! We know you hustle hard, and your digital marketing campaigns are key to finding new customers and growing revenue. But guess what? The California legislature is messing with your money. They're trying to pass a new law – SB 1327 – that'll jack up the cost of digital advertising by 7%! That's right, 7% more expensive! This tax is supposed to target the big tech guys like Facebook, Google, and TikTok, but guess who really ends up paying? You guessed it – small businesses like yours! You're already facing enough competition from those big brands with their massive budgets. You don't need lawmakers making it even harder. Tell your legislators to oppose SB 1327 and stop this tax madness before it hits your bottom line. Click below to sign the letter and protect your marketing budget! Your voice matters – let's show them we won't take this lying down. #nonewtax #digitalmarketing https://lnkd.in/gZBGUeKC

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Smart questions to ask references about candidates. An excerpt from our recent Agency Journey episode with Zach Boyette. Watch the full interview: https://lnkd.in/dA5aF5Z5 #agencyjourney #agencylife #podcast

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It all starts with discovery. hacking the algo, scrutinizing over every stage of the funnel, strategizing each deliverable down to the moment the post goes live.... Not it. Truly understanding the art+science that is influencer discovery. The marrying of two brands to tell a cohesive, authentic (sorry, I still love this word), and impactful story. That's it. If you don't invest the time (and the right talent) into your discovery phase, the other stuff won't matter. The performance will suffer and the program won't ✨ sparkle ✨ #influencermarketing #brandmarketing #creatoreconomy

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DTC Founders: Importance of Having a Good Abandon Cart Flow If you have any questions over yours or want to set one up to recover more abandoned carts, message me.

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One of the toughest puzzles we encounter is attribution to brick & mortar store sales for platforms like Meta & Tik Tok. There are many attribution tech companies working to solve this piece of the puzzle but the reality is, most advertisers can't afford attribution tech on top of media spend. That's why case studies like this are so important to read and share! If you are interested in advertising on social media and want a partner who understands the landscape - drop us a line! #mediabuying #retailadvertising #adagency

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📸 Ready to spice up your food brand's social media with user-generated content? Our third blog post is your secret ingredient for UGC success: 🎨 Align UGC with your brand identity 📊 Repurpose UGC across marketing channels ⚖️ Balance UGC with your own content. We suggest 30% UGC, 30% original, 30% curated, 10% promo – what works best for you? 👥 Build lasting relationships with content creators 🇬🇧 UK businesses, take note! We've included essential legal considerations for using UGC. Small business owners, here's a taste of our practical tips: 🖥️ Showcase UGC on your website 📧 Feature customer content in newsletters 🏪 Bring UGC into your physical space Plus, get a glimpse of future UGC trends in the food industry! Tuck into the full post here: https://lnkd.in/gFMx6dqp #UserGeneratedContent #FoodMarketing #SocialMediaStrategy #SmallBusinessTips

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SoSha's mission is to build a repeatable, organic alternative to advertising and in doing so make organizations understand that choosing to redirect part or all of their ad dollars to curating and engaging their community will help them build a healthy, sustainable growth engine that is built on loyalty and deep networks instead of the transactionality of the existing advertising model. I've just had a fascinating convo with my colleague, Areti Livanos, diving into the numbers we see from our customers and wanted to share these (still raw) but exciting data points.💡 One of the top SoSha users is spending 4 cents per every organic website visit they're generating through organic social shares driven through SoSha toolkits. The two platforms this organization is driving most of the clicks on are Whatsapp and Facebook. While I haven't yet been able to find a reliable source for Cost Per Click for Whatsapp (if anyone has those, please let me know!), the average cost per click for advertising on Facebook is $0.26 – $0.50. So, our customer is generating clicks at 10-20% of the cost of advertising through the power of their own community! Want to know the even better news?! 🤩 This cost through SoSha is likely to go even further down as the organization is continuing to engage their community and increasing the volume of social shares they're driving. 📈

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If you are an exec focused on understanding customers, this paper by Alexander Chernev and Ryan Hamilton is a great read. Most execs do not consider the role consumption plays in our own identity formation. Some choice quotes below. It is all worth a read. The commonly held belief is that consumers look to brands as tools of self expression. Either the brand tells the world something about them or reinforces something they believe about themselves. I carry an Alo tote to let people know I am athletic or use a Nalgene to show I care about the environment. The Author's research suggests that individuals have a finite desire for self expression and that consumption is only one way to satisfy that need. There are others. It is an important conversation to have, both when considering brand expression but also when designing experiences. "This unprecedented access to personally relevant self-expressive offerings and information raises the question of how this increase in the means of self-expression—both in terms of number and access—sways consumer preferences." "Brands create value for customers on two dimensions: by serving to signal the quality of the underlying offerings and creating meaningful associations that add value beyond the intrinsic product attributes." "Merely making consumers aware of the different means they already use to express their identity is likely to decrease their need to self-express in subsequent choices...[W]hen a consumer’s need for selfexpression has already been met by some brands, additional self-expressive brands are relatively less attractive." "Consumers’ need for self-expression can be satiated not only by a brand’s direct competitors but also by brands from unrelated product categories, nonbrand means of self-expression, and self-expressive behavioral acts." https://lnkd.in/gx-jYRyK

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YES!!! That is how we drive systemic change: when the people with the money demand change from the people with the problem. Great piece in ADWEEK by Lucinda Southern that shows the incredible impact Scope3 has made in protecting advertisers from publishers that abuse the ad tech ecosystem with massive programmatic supply chain. Laura Wade talks about the EssenceMediacom sustainable marketplace, and "EssenceMediacom is not the only ad buyer that will pull spend based on this criteria. The first publisher exec told ADWEEK how a U.S. agency threatened to stop spending with the publisher unless it reduced its CO2 levels, putting millions of dollars worth of deals at risk." And you really know it's working when you start pissing off the bad actors: "It’s utter crap, the way they have positioned themselves in the mix; it’s an unneeded headache,” said the publisher exec. (By the way, to the various people who said they didn't know if they had a carbon problem, go to scope3.com and you can see benchmarks for free!) Thank you and happy Earth Day to the thousands of people who've made sustainability an industry priority. And to those who see this as an unnecessary headache... maybe it's time to clean up your act? https://lnkd.in/eB8bETgr

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"We're seeing videos on social media of children as young as seven using anti-aging serums" It's about time that there is legislation put in place to protect kids from the beauty industry (and to help inform parents that a life spent in Sephora is not a life well spent!), albeit this is just in California currently. Teens / tweens accounted for 46% of the growth of the facial skincare category in 2023, and whilst a level of understanding your skin and health is key, this is surely an over focus. "But the multi-billion dollar beauty industry in the U.S. is failing to take meaningful action to address the issue, and companies are profiting off of kids who are unknowingly buying and using products that aren’t meant for them. Kids don’t need anti-aging products, and AB 2491 will protect children and preteens from the potential harms of using products that may lead to short- or long-term skin challenges they wouldn’t otherwise have.” I hope this bill gets passed. Will the UK take note? #beautyindustry #beautystandards #thefaceof10

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