Secrets of an eCommerce giant: key takeaways from Love and Pebble

Love and Pebble's journey is a story of innovation, resilience, and adaptability in the competitive world of eCommerce. In our recent Webinar, Noel Hillman, Chief Revenue Officer at Stenn interviewed co-founder Paul Tren who was kind enough to share the strategies they developed to forge their path to success.

Here are the key takeaways from our webinar.

From frozen bananas to a world-class product

As Paul says ‘it all started when he saw his wife, Linda rubbing a frozen banana on her face’. Like most people, Paul was bewildered by this action but Linda being the skin aficionado, he decided to take her advice and try it himself. And it did work - his skin was smoother and felt healthier than ever. 

That formed the idea for their hero product, Beauty Pops, a brainchild of Linda’s innovative approach to skincare. Linda experimented with natural ingredients and discovered that freezing them into popsicles had notable skincare benefits. After two to three years of development, they launched Beauty Pops in 2021, a revolutionary frozen skincare treatment that transforms the skin, similar to a spa treatment, only in the comfort of your home.

Lesson: Be innovative - explore new ways to package your product and make it easy and fun for your customers to use.

Instant success, instant headaches.

Love & Pebble's journey is made by overcoming new challenges. The brand really started to kick-off with their appearance on Shark Tank, which provided immense exposure. But in business, you can’t take the good without the bad. The ensuing surge in demand tested their logistics as well as their supply chain capabilities.

But amidst the chaos, Paul and Linda still maintained a healthy relationship with their customer base. Being open and candid about any supply chain disruptions and always being kind and courteous to every customer. As Paul says ‘I think as a small brand what you need to understand is that you can still nurture that customer right, even without having inventory so as they come back and they really want to buy your product’.

Lesson: Be honest and transparent with you customers - when you give your customers a great experience, even with delays and stockouts, they remember and are more likely to come back. 

Embrace flexibility and innovation

Paul’s motto, "Dream big and pivot," encapsulates their approach. Love and Pebble’s ability to adapt has been crucial. They have gone viral on TikTok 8 times and each time they’ve had to quickly learn how to manage supply chain issues, cashflow, and customer service demands.

But with every influx, they have learned a new approach to make processes and operations smoother. And in that found valuable tools and partners that can meet the unique demands of their business.

Lesson: work with tools and partners that add value to your workflows, you don’t need to be an expert on everything, you just need to understand your problems and approaches to solve them.

Explore marketing strategies and techniques

Love and Pebble takes an omnichannel approach, selling on Amazon, Shopify, and through retailers like Urban Outfitters. However, TikTok remains their most successful channel.

Businesses that offer an omnichannel experience have a 287% higher purchase rate than those on a single platform.

TikTok has now played a pivotal role in their marketing strategy. Their raw, authentic videos resonated with audiences, driving massive sales. First going viral showing showcasing Paul’s mother-in-law using Beauty Pops, embodying the concept of "shoptainment" — a blend of shopping and entertainment. This success highlighted the importance of authentic user-generated content (UGC) in their marketing strategy - as Paul says ‘People want the real deal’.

Lesson: explore and be authentic - finding your way through the endless sales channels can lead you to the right one, but the most important thing is to showcase your offering in an authentic way.

Loyal partnerships

Launched in 2023, their affiliate program has transformed their marketing approach by using the authenticity and reach of everyday users. Initially, they collaborated with larger influencers, but the lack of genuine interest in the product led to inauthentic content.

They then ‘’pivoted’ partnering with micro-influencers and authentic users who genuinely loved the product. This change brought remarkable results, with stay-at-home moms and aestheticians becoming key promoters of Beauty Pops. This appealed to whole new community of like-minded people through affiliates creating compelling, relatable content that resonates with potential customers.

The affiliate program operates on a revenue-sharing model, incentivizing affiliates based on the sales they generate. 

Lesson: Find genuine customers - the best form of advertising will always be word-of-mouth as it comes from a place of true authenticity. 

Add financial muscle to your hustle

By using revenue-based financing Paul and Lynda still control 100% of the business. This innovative financing solution helps them to manage three key aspects of a social commerce start-up: marketing; customer service and logistics.

“Honesty and transparency are huge for us, and that’s why we chose to work with Stenn once we needed financing,” Paul says. “Ease of communication, access and helping to map financing and cashflow are big aspects of the partnership. That leaves time for us to focus on other areas.”  Paul Tren

Lesson:  find a financial partner that suits your business so you have the support you need to invest in growth channels to build scale. While alternative solutions like RBF give you the flexibility you need when you need it.

Reasons why RBF can be a  game-changer for your business:

• High Approval Rates: RBF is more accessible than traditional bank loans.
• Quick Access to Capital: Funds can be disbursed within as little as 48 hours, providing timely support for growth initiatives.
• Revenue-Linked Repayments: Repayments are tied to revenue, reducing financial strain during slower periods.
• Non-dilutive: Get funding without relinquishing ownership or control of your business, leaving you to only pay what’s owed, based on your revenue. 

Love and Pebble's story is a tribute to the power of innovation, adaptability, and authenticity in eCommerce. By ‘dreaming big and pivoting’ Love and Pebble has carved out a unique space in the skincare industry, setting the stage for continued success.

To watch the full webinar click HERE.

Ready to explore how revenue-based financing can benefit your eCommerce business? Get in touch with us HERE.