In this episode of Scaling Emerging Beauty, I sit down with Anthony Standifer—co-founder of MSeed Group and a 25-year beauty industry veteran. We get into the real talk around what it takes to scale from direct-to-consumer to retail—and how to stay profitable while doing it.

We discuss:
- How to stand out in crowded beauty categories through niche positioning
- Why building emotional connections with your customers is key to scaling
- What early-stage brands need to know about innovation cadence and product development
- The truth about manufacturing partnerships—and why it should never be a transactional relationship
- How to finance growth and manage the cash flow gap when transitioning to retail

If you're a beauty founder looking to grow your brand from six figures to multimillion-dollar retail distribution, this episode is full of expert insights, strategic frameworks, and the kind of candid advice most people don't say out loud.

Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform!

Links:
📌 Connect with Anthony Standifer on LinkedIn

📌 Check out MSeed Group: https://mseedgroup.com/

🔗 Monique Benoit on Instagram
🔗 Monique Benoit on LinkedIn
🔗 Scaling Emerging Beauty on Instagram
🔗 Scaling Emerging Beauty Website

🚀 Subscribe to Scaling Emerging Beauty for expert tips on growing your beauty brand!

In this episode of Scaling Emerging Beauty, I'm joined by Matt Putra, fractional CFO and founder of Eightx, a financial advisory firm helping CPG and beauty brands scale responsibly. If you've ever felt unsure about forecasting cash flow, managing inventory costs, or figuring out how to fund retail growth—this is your episode.

Matt shares his proven frameworks for financial planning, with a focus on what beauty brands need to know when transitioning from DTC to retail. He breaks down complex financial concepts in a way that's clear, actionable, and rooted in real-world experience.

We cover:
✅ How to prepare your beauty brand financially before entering retail
✅ The difference between short-term sales growth and long-term financial health
✅ Smart approaches to funding—debt vs equity, and how to choose what's right
✅ Cash flow strategies to avoid inventory shortages and payment crunches
✅ Why forecasting matters—and how to use your numbers to make better decisions

If you're a founder navigating the leap into retail, or trying to build a more sustainable, profitable brand, Matt's insights will help you move forward with confidence.

Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform!

Links:
📌 Connect with Matt Putra on LinkedIn

📌 Check out Eightx Group: https://eightx.co/

🔗 Monique Benoit on Instagram
🔗 Monique Benoit on LinkedIn
🔗 Scaling Emerging Beauty on Instagram
🔗 Scaling Emerging Beauty Website

🚀 Subscribe to Scaling Emerging Beauty for expert tips on growing your beauty brand!

In this episode of Scaling Emerging Beauty, I'm joined by Sarah Gallagher—founder of e-commerce agency Gamma Waves and a marketing strategist behind powerhouse brands like Supergoop. Sarah has helped both emerging and established brands scale through digital optimization, brand storytelling, and smart consumer engagement strategies.

We explore:
✅ What makes a beauty brand story stick—and why clarity matters more than complexity
✅ How to optimize your website to boost conversion (spoiler: it's not just about design)
✅ The keys to customer retention and how to increase lifetime value through personalization
✅ How testing and A/B optimization unlock meaningful growth—even for smaller brands
✅ Lessons from scaling Supergoop pre-acquisition, and how loyalty programs drive repeat business

Whether you're refining your DTC site, launching new SKUs, or growing your loyal customer base, Sarah shares practical tips to help you build a better digital experience and tell your brand story with impact.

Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform!

Links:
📌 Connect with Sarah Gallagher on LinkedIn

📌 Check out Gamma Waves: https://gammawaves.io/

🔗 Monique Benoit on Instagram
🔗 Monique Benoit on LinkedIn
🔗 Scaling Emerging Beauty on Instagram
🔗 Scaling Emerging Beauty Website

🚀 Subscribe to Scaling Emerging Beauty for expert tips on growing your beauty brand!