Ashlene Nand, marketing executive in fashion, and co-founder of Lacquerous. How did the idea for Lacquerous come about? By her own admission, Ashlene “was changing my nail color every two weeks to match my outfits or keep up with fashion trends.”
Q: Who inspires you? A: Oprah
Q: Why are you an entrepreneur? A: I have a passion for innovation.
Q: What was a defining moment in your career? A: Partnering the Girl Scouts with Rev Run. I had a vision but most folks didn’t get it until it aired on MTV.
Q: How is your company different from your competitors? A: Lacquerous is the first nail polish rental company. It doesn’t have competition. I wanted access to luxury lacquer and couldn’t find it. I knew it was an issue for other women too.
Q: Where do you see your company in the next five years? A: Hundreds of thousands of members on Lacquerous sharing, buying, loving nail luxury lacquer.
Q: What’s next for your company? A: It’s about capturing user experience and growth. We are now focused on Operations along with Branding and Customer Service.
Q: How did you finance your business when it was at the early stage? (Self-funded, crowd-funded, Angel Investor, VC) A: Self-funded.
Q: Tell me something about yourself that we don’t know already. A: I used to be a Hip-Hop journalist. When I need motivation, I listen to Jay Z.
Q: What is your guilty pleasure? (Real Housewives, Chocolate, 50 shades of Grey, etc) A: Nail polish! But with Lacquerous I no longer need to worry about spending money on half-empty bottles. Second guilty pleasure would be Necole Bitchie. I try to stay away from gossip but it doesn’t always work.
Q: Have you learned from failure? A: That failure is inevitable for success.
Q: What is your favorite mobile app? A: I love Photo Collage. It takes me seconds and I could collage all day!
Q: What do you do to help focus? A: Meditate or read. I just finished reading the Lipstick Queen by fellow Aussie Poppy King.
Q: Your favorite trend in fashion right now is…… A: Big statement holiday sweaters.
Q: Beauty product you can’t live without (or best beauty tip)? A: Oh gosh, so many! Albolene is the best make-up remover EVER. It keeps the moisture in but comes off with one wipe.
Q: What is on your gift-giving guide? A: Jason Wu’s backpack. Burberry jackets (they last a lifetime). Giuseppe sneakers.
Q: Any words of advice for up & coming entrepreneurs who are trying to get their ventures launched? A: Don’t do it if you don’t know who your consumer is or how to reach them. Sales is the most important skill. If you can’t sell, you won’t be good at business. Start small and figure out how to do it with minimal investment. Apps are expensive and I’ve seen many people lose money. While trial and error is important, if you have a family or need income, put your priorities in order. Don’t be blinded by passion.
Read what others are saying about Lacquerous
http://www.blackenterprise.com/small-business/lacquerous-netflix-nail-polish/
http://www.fastcompany.com/3003328/lacquerous-netflix-nails-polish-sharing-service
http://style.time.com/2012/11/13/bottle-it-up-lacquerous-a-netflix-for-nail-polish/