When AURA's founder came to us, she had 40,000 followers on Instagram, a clear brand vision, and zero experience making a physical product. She had been posting about skincare for two years and her audience kept asking the same question: "When are you going to make your own?"
She knew the answer should be "soon." But she did not know where to start. Here is how we went from that first conversation to finished product on a shelf in 10 weeks.
Week 1: the brief
She filled out the Start Your Brand form on a Monday. By Wednesday we were on a call. She wanted a two product launch: a vitamin C serum and a hydrating mist. Her audience skewed 25 to 34, cared about clean ingredients, and wanted products that looked good on a bathroom shelf.
We matched her with two formulas from our catalog that fit her brief. Both were already tested for stability and compliance. She did not need to start from scratch.
Weeks 2 to 3: samples and adjustments
We sent samples within a week. She tested them on herself and a handful of trusted followers. The serum was exactly what she wanted. The mist needed a lighter scent. We adjusted and sent a second round.
She approved both formulas by the end of week three.
Weeks 4 to 5: packaging and label
She had a brand designer already, so we provided the label template and dieline specs. Her designer delivered the artwork, and our team reviewed it for compliance: ingredient lists, required disclosures, claim language, barcode placement.
We caught two claims that would have caused problems ("anti inflammatory" and "clinically proven" without a study to back it). We rewrote them as cosmetic claims and she approved the revisions within a day.
She chose stock packaging (frosted glass dropper bottles for the serum, a matte white spray bottle for the mist) to keep her first run simple and affordable.
Weeks 6 to 8: production
Production started with a batch of TODO: [quantity] units per product. Filling, labeling, quality checks, and boxing happened in our facility. Every batch was tested before anything got packed.
She used this time to build hype. Teaser posts, countdown stories, an email campaign to her list. By the time production finished, she had over 500 people on a waitlist.
Weeks 9 to 10: ship and sell
We shipped the finished goods to her fulfillment center. She launched on a Tuesday morning with an Instagram post, an email blast, and a link to her Shopify store.
Her first run sold out in 11 days. She placed a reorder within the month, this time at double the quantity.
What made it work
Three things. First, she started with existing formulas instead of building from scratch. That saved weeks. Second, she had her brand identity ready before she came to us. We did not have to wait for design decisions. Third, she treated the first run as a test, not a final product. Stock packaging, small quantity, focused on getting it out there.
She did not wait until everything was perfect. She launched, listened to her customers, and improved from there. Her second run had custom packaging and a third product in the lineup.
Your next step
If you have an audience and a product idea, you are closer to launching than you think. Fill out the Start Your Brand form and let us show you what the timeline looks like.