High Beauty Canadian Launch at Hudson's Bay

January was a fast paced month for TryMus Group and myself. We welcomed a number of new clients to the agency and I took on teaching three classes at Seneca Business. It was a month of buckling down and establishing a new workflow. 

I rarely share details of my client work here, but TryMus is a prominent part of my life and so I figured why not share some of the lessons I’ve learned from it. Often times, when it comes to TryMus, I learn a new lesson every day.

“This keeps things exciting but makes learning from my mistakes a never-ending process I’ve had to get comfortable with. ”

Last week, we achieved a new milestone as we prepared to launch a beauty brand to a Canadian market—a launch that was in the making for months. High Beauty is one of the first skincare brands to formulate an entire line with Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil. The brand is on a rise within US and international markets and it’s finally here in Canada. It is now available at Hudson’s Bay and Indigo. This event was our first parlay into event management and media relations, both of which are departures from the digital marketing field that we specialize in. 

Our team had the pleasure of first meeting Melissa Jochim—formulator and founder of High Beauty—over three years ago when we took on the digital marketing for another beauty brand, DermOQ. Melissa is a pioneer in the beauty industry and it is a privilege to work alongside her, as well as both the High and DermOQ teams. We are especially grateful for their trust in us and our work. 

The event was a great success and surpassed our expectations, but then again we were overly prepared with many backup plans in mind! Thankfully, I worked with Shayla Bond who is the yin to my work yang.

“Our story goes back six years when she joined my team as an intern. The rest is history, as we’ve not only become close colleagues but, most importantly, friends. Her strengths are my weaknesses, and vice versa.”

Now that we’ve introduced the High to Canada, we will carry on to manage their influencer relations. Of course, as with any new experience, there are many lessons that were gathered along the way. Here are some of the takeaways that we learned, which can be applied to any high stress situation. 

Remain Calm

Easier said than done, but vital nonetheless. Remaining calm in the midst of chaos is your responsibility. When it comes to client work, you always need to have a brave face and never give them a reason to be nervous. The stress is on you, not them. Manage it.

Go Over Small Details Many Times

We tried to anticipate and have a backup plan for every aspect. It is better to be over- than underprepared. In this instance, our only issue was with our Uber Codes. They were simply not working. As a working solution, we offered to reimburse our guests’ transportation costs. It was a quick solution that we managed for over 40 guests. Yes, this was not ideal, but it did resolve the issue at hand.

Plan Well Ahead But Expect Last Minute Changes

I am type A and want to make sure that everything goes according to plan. Unfortunately,  such is never the case. Be open to changes and run with it when they crop up. This is a lesson I am so desperately trying to learn and apply in my personal life as well. 

Manage Expectations

With many teams involved across both the US and Canada, managing communication is key. Always under promise and over deliver.

After the event finished, Shayla and I indulged in the greasiest, most delicious pizza while looking back on the experiences we’ve shared over the past six or so years! Both of us walked away feeling proud of the work we did and ready for the next challenge. 

With Love…

Marta

Images by Vai You Law