Building a Beauty Brand: Insights from Buzz of Beauty Festival Creator Agnes Cazin
In a recent episode of the Smart Beauty podcast, host Viola Levy sat down with Agnes Cazin, the visionary behind branding and communications agency Haiti73 and founder of the Buzz of Beauty Festival. As a beauty industry veteran who has worked with global giants like L'Oreal, Unilever, and Cantu, Agnes shared invaluable insights about what it takes to build a successful beauty brand, especially for Black entrepreneurs.
The Birth of Buzz of Beauty Festival
Agnes created the Buzz of Beauty Festival after experiencing inconsistencies in beauty industry events. As someone who had attended events as a VIP, vendor, and consumer, she noticed that many Black-focused beauty events weren't delivering the quality experience she knew was possible.
"It's my son who said to me, 'stop complaining and do something about it,'" Agnes shared. This push led her to create her "ideal festival" – a curated space featuring talented brands that are passionate about their craft and professional in their approach.
Education: The Missing Link for Beauty Entrepreneurs
One of the most striking observations Agnes made was about the critical need for education among beauty brand founders. Many entrepreneurs enter the beauty space with passion and a great product idea, but lack essential business knowledge.
"Brand founders need education on wholesale, on prices, on marketing strategies, on everything, because these people have not been working in beauty before," Agnes explained.
She recounted an experience with a client who didn't understand basic business operations like the role of an accountant in handling invoices. These knowledge gaps can make the difference between a brand that survives a few months versus one that thrives for decades.
The Advantage of Being a Small Brand
While many small beauty entrepreneurs compare themselves unfavourably to industry giants, Agnes points out that being small offers significant advantages:
Ability to move faster and be more dynamic
Freedom to make changes without extensive approvals
Building a community rather than just having customers
Authentic connection with your audience
"When you're a small entrepreneur, you can move faster, you can make this move faster," Agnes noted. "You have a community, not clients... I don't care the price, I want that brand."
Navigating Gatekeeping in the Beauty Industry
When asked about the gatekeeping prevalent in the beauty industry, Agnes offered a surprising perspective: "Sometimes you think there's a lot of gatekeeping because someone knows more than you. But often when there's a lot of gatekeeping, it's because they know less and they're trying to hide it."
Her advice? Put money aside and pay a consultant to show you what you need to know. Those who truly understand the industry are often more willing to share knowledge than those operating from a place of insecurity.
Career Advice: Go with the Flow, But Deliver Excellence
When asked what advice she'd give her younger self, Agnes didn't hesitate: "Go with the flow." She explained that her career path wasn't calculated – much of it happened by "mistake" – but what was never a mistake was her commitment to quality work.
"My work ethic, my execution, whether I have half a million or 20K, I'm trying to make sure that you don't see the difference and that it looks good at all times."
Her philosophy is that if you consistently deliver excellent work, the right people will eventually notice, regardless of your budget or resources.
The Buzz of Beauty Festival Experience
The inaugural Buzz of Beauty Festival took place March 29-30 at the African Centre, creating a space where Black beauty entrepreneurs could connect, learn, and thrive. Agnes emphasised her focus on people and creating a welcoming atmosphere rather than hierarchies or exclusivity.
"When I do my thing, I'm very much about the people. And people actually have a very good time."
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