Page 26 of The Funnel to You

Two hours later, we are both immersed in the skincare section of Ulta. We have been working on our winter skincare routine videos and Ashley wants to do a series on quick college skincare and budget skincare, so we are working through some options that we want to get.

“Any brands that either of us are hoping to partner with before the end of the year that we should try to prioritize with our purchases today?” Ashley asks me. I grab my phone to check our list from Matt and then check that against our social media favorites. It’s a strategic process, but hopefully this means we have a more curated follower list and collaboration list when that happens too.

I show her the two we are each shooting for – one higher end and one more budget friendly for each of us. We wanted to have a variety, but still brands we could stand behind with products we already know and love. It’s still August, but we are already looking ahead to potential holiday collection collaborations. Matt has us working with specific hashtags, smaller creators, and curated content on my website to try to attract the attention of these brands. We’ve done a couple more farmers market events and I’m working on planning a back to school night at a spa close to campus later this month. I’m finding I love the education aspect of these events and get so excited when I can answer questions about products or specific skincare or application problems.

We go back to shopping the skincare sections and I find the vegan skincare collection I have been looking for. One of the employees is stocking some facial mists in the collection so I wait for her to finish before I go over to see what all they are carrying in the store.

“You’re ‘sashalovesmakeup’ aren’t you?” She asks me after staring at me for a moment.

“Yep, that’s me! How’s it going?” I ask as I grab the sampler pack from the top shelf.

“Great. It’s so awesome to meet you in person! My name is Tilly! I’ve been following you for like two years. You’re the big inspo for why I’m working here now. I just turned eighteen and am hoping to become a professional makeup artist in a few years after I get my esthetics license. Oh, put that one down.” She reaches for what I am holding, plucking it out of my hand and promptly putting it back on the shelf.

“We have gotten so many returns of that sampler pack. I think one of the bottles is defective and it leaks everywhere. Get this one instead.” She hands me a different collection from the same brand, the bottles are a little bigger, but the packaging looks so much better. I can see why – the price point is considerably higher.

“Why do brands do this?” I ask her. “It’s great to meet you by the way. You definitely need to chat with Ashley. She is in college for business right now and will be getting her esthetics license after graduation. She would be a great person to connect with.” I point to her at the end of the aisle then turn back to the two packages in front of me. “It’s so annoying to love a product but have to tell my followers that you can’t buy the smaller size because it breaks or you don’t get your investment back.”

She thinks about it for a moment and then shrugs, pointing back at the first set I picked up, “I’m not sure, but this one does it all the time. Have you checked out this one though?” She motions to the smaller brand display just next to the one I had been looking at. “It’s a newer brand and they are actually Colorado based, woman owned, and the owner comes in like once a month to stock this herself. I got a sample pack last month and really love it. I’ve been recommending it to everyone and haven’t had any returns or complaints yet.” I look over the package and add a few of their items to my cart.

“I haven’t seen this one yet, but you just gave me some more homework for this week. Thanks, Tilly. Please go chat with Ashley and exchange info so we can meet up once you get started with school!” She smiles and walks off while I add a few things to my to-do list on my phone. If I don’t do it right this second, I am going to forget.

Check reviews on retailers for these two brands - specifically on sample sizes

Follow and research COBeauty brand

Do unboxing and first reactions to COBeauty brand products from Ulta

With my list updated, I go grab a new lipstick (obviously) and then head to wait for Ashley at checkout. It looks like I may need to chat with Matt about pivoting the content plan for the fall and go more on the “can we try to fix this problem” side of things instead of the “send me free stuff” plan. And I think I am very okay with this pivot.

Chapter Sixteen

Matt

Americano with sugar free white chocolate powder and sugar free peppermint syrup

As Ashley transitions back to school, we transition content to learning more about brands with better sustainability and customer experience in mind. Apparently, the market for makeup and skincare has grown considerably fast in the last few years, thanks, in part, to social media. This means that a lot of brands have had to add to their catalog without being fully ready for that growth. Outsourcing, cutting corners, and just poor choices have been the result.

Since October is breast cancer awareness month, Sasha wants to do a Women Owned Business focus and then collaborate with a few smaller companies to donate to some local resource centers that are helping women with reproductive and female health concerns. I am more amazed by her the more I get to know her. I wasn’t expecting this pivot from just makeup tutorials to campaigns to give back and even promoting industry changes across the board, but it is something I am absolutely on board with.

The random coffees and lunches continue to show up at her work or apartment. I think she may know it’s me. I know the weekly packages she gets from me are appreciated because I get a text every time one shows up. And the things I send her are showing up in content too. I know Ashley knows about more than Sasha does, but I’m not sure if Ashley has told her or not. I definitely know she hasn’t figured out how I am conveniently where she is at least twice a week. I told you I was good at what I do. She gets nervous when she is out and about without a familiar face, so I want to make sure she doesn’t have to deal with that anxiety when I can help it.

Tonight, I plan on asking her out for the first time. Like, an actual date. Not just grabbing dinner after a meeting. We’ve been working together for several months now and I think she sees me as a friend as well as a business colleague. And I really want the chance to ask her out and see if this can go somewhere. Even if that means taking it slow. I have some big things in the works for her for the holidays this winter, and I would love to show up on her arm to those events to support her and see all of her hard work pay off.

That night, I show up at Home Depot right as she’s clocking out. We make eye contact as she heads up to the front desk holding her cardigan and her purse. And the smile she gives me when she sees the iced coffee in my hand says I made a good choice.

“Long day today?” I ask her.

“It was not ideal.” She smirks at me. “Drama with employees and random customer issues kept me going all day. I feel like I got nothing done and I am just so ready for food and a movie. I’m so glad I don’t have work tomorrow.”

We walk out to her car, parked right next to mine. The parking lot isn’t dark yet so I felt okay having this conversation out here rather than inside where a coworker might make her uncomfortable.

“I was thinking.” I pause as she starts pulling her keys out. “Do you want to go grab dinner with me? And then maybe we can watch a movie together? We are a bit ahead of schedule on some things so it doesn’t have to be anything work related tonight.” I bring my eyes up to meet hers and I honestly don’t know how to read her at this moment. She takes a moment to consider my offer.

“I want to make sure I am understanding you here…are you asking me out on a date or just want to hang out as my friend? Not a problem either way, but I am so emotionally drained right now and I don’t know how to interpret what you just said. And I know we’ve done the dinner and a movie thing a few times after a meeting, but I really need you to just tell me what you mean right now.” She has a slight smile at the end of her lips, and I notice that she must have recently reapplied the color because it is flawless.

“I am asking you out on a date, Sasha. I’ve wanted to for a while, but wanted to make sure work was settled and we could really take some time getting to know each other outside of work stuff. Is that okay?” Again, I hold my breath. This could either go really well or I can get politely refused and continue working with her until the end of the year and have to pretend not to be a lovesick puppy dog around her.

“I would actually really like that.” She responds lightly. She smiles at me then asks, “Who’s driving?”

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