We recently connected with Adrienne Aaron and have shared our conversation below.
Adrienne, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
Overcoming imposter syndrome is tough and something I can really relate to. For me, the turning point came with becoming a parent during a pandemic. Caring for a fragile, tiny human during a really uncertain period of time made me realize that I’m capable of far more than I give myself credit for. I always had an entrepreneurial spirit growing up, so waking up that side of me was really easy once I shifted my mindset and just started believing that I could do it. I had to quit listening to who everyone else told me to be, and instead visualize who I wanted be and who I knew I could be. I realized I was just as capable as anyone else and just had to commit and take action. When your heart truly desires something, you’ll do whatever it takes and the rest will just fall into place.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I started my career as a professional ballerina, dancing for a local company near Dallas, TX. After a couple of years there, I decided I wanted to work in fashion, so I pivoted into product development and brand management spending about 10 years working in corporate for large global brands like Fossil, Armani, DKNY, Ralph Lauren & Kate Spade New York. I became pregnant at the beginning of Covid and during this time (much like a lot of other people) I realized it was the perfect opportunity to pursue my dream of going back to school for my MBA while I took care of my son full-time.
While I was studying, I became really excited by the idea of starting my own company, but I didn’t know for certain what that would be. As I faced struggles in early motherhood like postpartum depression, anxiety, among other things, I turned to beauty products to find my “glow again”. A simple skincare routine became a small ritual I looked forward to and enjoyed during my day. Unfortunately I didn’t have a lot of time for lengthy, multi-step routines and was disappointed by the vast selection of products that contained toxic ingredients I didn’t like or want to expose my son to. Then it clicked. I would create my own line of clean, simple skincare essentials that would help other moms not “glaze and gloss” over their own self-care and find their glow again. I wanted our products to not just help moms in an aesthetic way, but also help them feel good internally. This is what I believe sets our brand apart from others, we don’t treat moms as “damaged goods” with stretch mark creams, belly oils, and tummy tucks in a bottle, we see them as a new and improved version of themselves to embrace. This is why we proudly support maternal mental health and donate $1 of every sale back to Postpartum Support International.
Our debut product, Glassdrops, dubbed a “TikTok beauty filter in a bottle,” is a hyaluronic acid serum that does it all: hydrates, blurs, smooths, perfects, plumps, firms, and tightens the skin, all in one bottle. We intentionally selected this as our hero product because it epitomizes our dedication to multifunctional skincare solutions that streamline routines and deliver a healthy glow.
You can find our products on our website, www.glazedandglossed.com, or in select retail locations. We’re thrilled about our recent entry into our first retail doors in Dallas, TX, at Stanley Korshak and Talulah & Hess. As we strive to broaden our retail presence and expand our product line in the coming year, we’re committed to bringing our innovative skincare solutions to even more customers.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Networking – meeting as many people and learning as much as you can from them will be key to your success as an entrepreneur (LinkedIn is a great resource!). Don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask for help when you need it! Also finding a group of other founders who are going through the same things as you that you can lean on is so important. Entrepreneurship can be super lonely sometimes!
Get scrappy! – You’re not going to have a lot of money to throw around in the beginning, so thinking of new and fresh ideas that don’t cost a lot will help you grow! Social media is free and is a great place to build your community. Also, don’t be afraid to “pound the pavement” and get out there. Walk into your local stores, put your product in their hands and ask. If you don’t ask you won’t receive and the worst they can say is no!
Lean into your background – Leverage your strengths and use them! Take whatever you are good at and know the most about and apply it to your business. The more you can do on your own, the better your business will be. For me it was product development and branding, so leaning into those strengths to create my own CPG brand was intuitive. You are going to be the only person working for your company for awhile and you know your brand better than anyone, so use what you have and own it!
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
I have had to really grow in my presentation skills this year. Being an entrepreneur will require you to speak about your brand on a fairly regular basis – especially if you plan on fundraising. The more you can put yourself in front of people and practice, the better off you will be. I was always so scared to present and speak publicly, so I joined an accelerator program where it forced me to get better at it. After going through that experience over the last 6 months, I have seen these skills drastically improve and now I do feel more prepared to pitch my brand and new ideas to other people. I think this is one of the most valuable things you can invest your time into, and being able to effectively tell your story is one of the most important things when you are building a brand.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.glazedandglossed.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glazedglossedbeauty
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