You have been called a social Media Guru by many, helping brands increase their engagement by 10s of thousands, what made you change from that career path and begin your company Smile?
Prior to founding SMILE I ran a digital marketing agency called Waverly.co based out of New York City. We represented some very distinguished clients ranging from major record labels to some of the world’s leading direct to consumer companies. We helped brands significantly increase engagement with their customers and grow their follower base through social media. It was my experience helping countless brands grow exponentially that inspired me to eventually start my own.
Who inspires you (alive or not) and why?
Elon Musk, with Tesla, and Steve Jobs, with Apple, have inspired me in the countless ways that I’ve shaped SMILE. Both founders created products that people not only like, but lust after; They’ve been frontrunners of their industries with their innovation and means of creating products that feel accessible. Likewise, I wanted people to look forward to using SMILE products when they wake up in the morning.
If you could speak to your younger self, just starting out, what advice would you give you?
To spend a lot of time figuring out who your customer is and what it is exactly that they want. We carefully selected each ingredient that goes into our products and taste tested hundreds of flavors before settling on 5. Also, be careful to budget wisely and not to overorder inventory. It’s a mistake you only need to learn once!
What inspired you to start your company Smile? Do you still feel the same way?
With SMILE, I wanted to create a wellness outreach that goes beyond supplying your daily vitamin intake, but also helping with everyday people handling their underlying anxiety or stress. We’ve introduced the world’s very first vegan multivitamin gummy in a delicious natural passion fruit flavor. It includes 9 of the most commonly lacked vitamins and minerals in the average American diet and is meant to be a multivitamin replacement.
I most definitely still feel the same way, and continue to feel empowered and supported by our repeating customers who tell us how SMILE has improved their lives.
What did the first few weeks look like, day to day for you?
In the beginning I literally got no sleep and I was working 24/7. I spent a lot of time figuring out how to get the backend of the business set up, I was researching the best ingredients and identifying the best manufacturers from around the world to work with. Luckily, I found a great team.
Outside of your work life what are some of your hobbies?
I spend a lot of time working on Smile and making sure that we’re constantly developing new products and engaging with customers. When I have free time I like to go to the gym and spend time with friends.
With everything that is going on with Covid 19, how has this affected Smile?
We’ve been donating our profits to the United Nations Fundraiser for COVID-19. We’ve been getting a lot of support from our customers for the initiative.
Where can we keep up to date with your life?
You can follow SMILE with our Instagram handle @smile or keep up to date with our news section of www.reasontosmile.com
