May 30, 2017

Q&A WITH CAKE BEAUTY’S HEATHER REIER

Q&A WITH CAKE BEAUTY’S HEATHER REIER

EG: How did you go about starting Cake, what were the steps you took?

HR: Well, I started Cake Beauty now 6 years ago in my kitchen, in Kitchener Ontario. I had always been a major beauty junkie but saw an opportunity in the market to develop a line of indulgent suds, scrubs and lotions made with the best ingredients and a scent that would whisk you away, and transform a moment every day. I researched a great deal on the internet about different ingredients and then began to mix them together and test them on family and friends, a brave and supportive bunch! After I’d mastered a few recipes, I sent out packages to retailers and the press and got an amazing response! This lead to stores wanting to carry the collection and over 40 magazines featuring the collection.

EG: What gave you the strength and ambition to make you think that your line could succeed with all of the many competitors?

HR: I have always had a great deal of support from my family and friends, but most importantly I had belief in myself. I knew that with enough hard work I would be able to create and share something really special. With regard to my competitors, I must admit, I was aware of a lot of lines but saw a gap and an opportunity for a quality line that had a bit of fun and an indulgent scent. There really weren’t many things on the market like that at the time.

EG: What type of research was needed in creating all of the many fabulous products that Cake provides?

HR: I researched primarily through the years of using other bath and body products, and also a great deal of ingredient research online. Also a lot of testing of the raw ingredients and the formulas that I was developing.

EG: How long did it take to get your business up and running?

HR: I would say between the time that I started the idea and the first product being shipped to retailers, it was probably 9 to 12 months.

EG: What is your advice for someone starting her own business?

HR: Ensure that you have a great deal of passion for your products or idea, surround yourself with good people, who are generous with their knowledge and skills and don’t be dissuaded by people who aren’t supportive at first. Resilience is also key. It is not always a cake walk! You need to celebrate and enjoy the successes and also be able to positively face challenges and get up and move on from disappointments.

EG: Describe a typical day in your life, while starting up Cake.

HR: A typical day when I started Cake was busy and full. I actually had another full time job at the beginning and wasn’t able to quit that until the formulas were complete and ready to go. So, at the beginning I was busy, in essence, with 2 full time jobs. I spent almost every evening and weekend working Cake! It was a busy but very exciting time for me.

EG: Describe a typical day in your life now.

HR: This is a difficult question because when you own a business you wear many different hats so there really isn’t a typical day. I am always trying new products, testing out formulations for our new Cake Beauty products, developing the creative and on the flip side, I spend a lot of time working on sales, strategies and financials with my teams. I always say I wear two hats, my entrepreneurial, beauty junkie hat and my CEO numbers hat. Both are essential to running a successful business.

EG: How important is branding to your company? Can you describe how you came up with the successful brand that Cake is today ?

HR: Branding is absolutely paramount to our success. It is only tied only with creating quality products. Branding is what people recognize you for, what attracts attention, builds confidence, reaches out to new customers and keeps existing customers coming back to you. Cake is a successful brand today because I am clear about who our customer is, what they want, and how to ensure that new products will meet their needs. The voice of our brand is very clear.

EG: Do you have any tips for building a successful relationship with your clients and manufacturers?

HR: Building relationships and maintaining good relationship is key to Cake’s success. I think the most important thing is to make sure you meet clients expectations and you always convey your expectations to manufacturing partners. If you are clear about what you want it leave less room for error. Also, take it one day at a time because in business there are always situations that arise but if you have built a solid foundation you are able to overcome these.

 

Photo: The backdrop was designed, created and installed by Molly McCracken for Glow Magazine. Photos were shot by Jacquie Rosales.

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