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[00:00:00.880 --> 00:00:05.680] Hey Entrepreneurs, it's Steph here with a special invite just for you.
[00:00:05.680 --> 00:00:10.800] Do you want to experience what it's like to be part of our Entrepreneursa League community of founders?
[00:00:10.800 --> 00:00:12.400] Now is your chance.
[00:00:12.400 --> 00:00:21.360] You can join me this month at one of our upcoming Entrepreneursa League info sessions where I'm going to share with you all you're going to get access to when you join the community.
[00:00:21.360 --> 00:00:27.040] Plus, I'll be giving away some big bonuses that you will only be able to get access to when you attend live.
[00:00:27.040 --> 00:00:35.600] Head over to refer.entrepanista.com forward slash info session to join us at one of our virtual info sessions this month.
[00:00:35.600 --> 00:00:44.560] That's refer.entrepranista.com forward slash info session or head over to the show notes right now and tap the link to join us.
[00:00:44.560 --> 00:00:49.280] I can't wait to meet you there and learn more about you and your business.
[00:00:49.920 --> 00:00:54.080] And you can see like a true entrepreneur, like a true startup mindset.
[00:00:54.080 --> 00:01:02.320] Like we get some people on the interviews that when they say what was their worst situation, in my case, would be the best day for me.
[00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:19.280] So that's that's somehow a way to measure like the level of stress that this person has gone through, like especially like if they come from like bigger companies with more limited risk, you can see that their worst case scenario is like a normal day in my life.
[00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:23.440] So that's one way to say it if they are ready for going to war.
[00:01:28.560 --> 00:01:30.400] Build what you can sell.
[00:01:30.400 --> 00:01:32.640] Don't sell what you can build.
[00:01:32.640 --> 00:01:48.720] Great advice from Miami-based Entrepreneur, Andrea Lesbona, the founder and CEO of Touchland, a vegan, cruelty-free hand sanitizer that makes your skin happy, kills 99.9% of germs, and smells great.
[00:01:48.720 --> 00:01:58.000] In 2010, Andrea decided to take hand hygiene to a whole new level with a visionary team that had a sixth century for what was needed.
[00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:08.120] Seven years later, the company took the products to the world and then with the 2020 pandemic, hit a 2,000% growth almost overnight.
[00:02:09.720 --> 00:02:13.160] This is the Entrepreneurship Podcast presented by Socialfly.
[00:02:13.160 --> 00:02:23.880] It's the best business meeting you'll ever have with must-hear real-life looks at how leading women in business are getting it done and what it takes to build and grow a successful company.
[00:02:23.880 --> 00:02:29.800] It's beyond the Graham with no filters, no limits, and plenty of surprises.
[00:02:33.000 --> 00:02:38.520] Andrea, I am so excited to hear more about your entrepreneurship journey today.
[00:02:38.520 --> 00:02:48.280] I actually found out about your business through Instagram over the past couple of months during this whole pandemic because I was searching for hand sanitizer.
[00:02:48.280 --> 00:02:50.600] So that's initially how I came across your business.
[00:02:50.600 --> 00:02:56.920] But I would love to learn more about your story and what led to the launch of Touchland.
[00:02:56.920 --> 00:02:59.640] Thank you for having me, Stephanie and Courtney.
[00:02:59.640 --> 00:03:06.920] It's been a pleasure to be part of the Entrepreneurs female funders that you interview and happy to share my story.
[00:03:06.920 --> 00:03:08.680] It's a quite interesting one.
[00:03:08.680 --> 00:03:13.400] Yeah, so how did the idea for Touchland come to be and what were you doing before?
[00:03:13.720 --> 00:03:16.680] So I started the business when I was 24 years old.
[00:03:16.680 --> 00:03:19.160] I studied business administration.
[00:03:19.160 --> 00:03:24.280] Then I did an entrepreneurship course at URC in California.
[00:03:24.280 --> 00:03:27.480] And after that, I decided to do a fashion design course.
[00:03:27.480 --> 00:03:37.000] And the reason why is because I've always loved fashion and I wanted to not only know about business, but also getting to know more of the industry from the design perspective and everything.
[00:03:37.000 --> 00:03:43.400] And in 2010, the economic crisis came in Europe and I come from an entrepreneur family.
[00:03:43.400 --> 00:03:58.960] So I wanted to help out with the family business and I was thinking I've always been in love with Steve Jobs story and espresso and like how companies and founders have taken industries that have been commoditized and forgotten.
[00:03:58.960 --> 00:04:03.920] Like you think about it, like the coffee industry and they have elevated it to a whole new level.
[00:04:03.920 --> 00:05:19.640] So in 2010 I thought like okay like I remember this product that I met when I was at USC that everyone was using like crazy, not so popular in Europe called hand sanitizer and then I was thinking like what everyone said about the product is like it smells like cheap vodka it's so sticky and when I was starting to understand this category I was like this is gonna be like brushing your teeth and hand hygiene plays a key role to stay healthy 80% of infectious diseases spread through cancer so I was challenged to believe why a key product that keeps you healthy has to be so unpleasing so I started the venture at 2010 distributing hand sanitizer solutions because I think one of the lessons I learned is like build what you can sell not sell what you can build so I took five years to really understand the industry from inside instead of like okay my thoughts this is what people need for five years we distributed brands and we got to see both from commercial point of view but also personal point of view what were the pains in this industry was it the formula was it the experience what it was it the application the technology and after five years we decided okay we've learned enough we're ready to go we develop our own product line and we partner with a multinational manufacturer that believed in us.
[00:05:19.640 --> 00:05:26.040] And so that's where the touchland that we know as of today started after these five years of distribution.
[00:05:26.040 --> 00:05:32.680] Were you working full-time while you were developing this on the side, or were you just focused on this for those five years?
[00:05:33.000 --> 00:05:36.840] I started my first venture at 2010 when I was 24 years old.
[00:05:36.840 --> 00:05:37.800] That was Toshland.
[00:05:37.800 --> 00:05:42.280] I have never worked with anyone else besides the internships when you're studying.
[00:05:42.280 --> 00:05:44.760] So I'm self-learning every day.
[00:05:44.760 --> 00:05:48.600] Like I was fully dedicated to this project since the very beginning.
[00:05:48.600 --> 00:05:52.520] I do believe that it has a lot of potential and there's still a lot to do.
[00:05:52.520 --> 00:05:56.440] And so I've been dedicated to that for the last 10 years of my life.
[00:05:56.440 --> 00:05:58.360] When did you officially launch the brand?
[00:05:58.360 --> 00:06:00.120] What year did you say that was?
[00:06:00.120 --> 00:06:03.560] Our own product line was launched in 2015 in Europe.
[00:06:03.560 --> 00:06:10.760] One of the things that I've learned as an entrepreneur is that when you want to get somewhere, sometimes you just have to change your path.
[00:06:10.760 --> 00:06:15.720] Like we had this great idea, this great concept, but we were in the wrong market.
[00:06:15.720 --> 00:06:24.280] So we partnered with this multinational in 2016 and we said, look, 30% of the global demand of hand sanitizers is in US.
[00:06:24.280 --> 00:06:30.600] We're going to dream big, we're going to think outside the box, we're going to pack our things and just start our American dream.
[00:06:30.600 --> 00:06:32.920] And we moved here in 2018.
[00:06:32.920 --> 00:06:38.520] And that's when we officially relaunched the brand in the US with this partnership with the multinational.
[00:06:38.520 --> 00:06:49.160] We developed skin caring formulations that would not only be like meeting the functional perspective of the part of the hand sanitizer, but also would take care of the skin and everything.
[00:06:49.160 --> 00:06:51.240] Did you raise money for your company?
[00:06:51.240 --> 00:06:51.640] Yes.
[00:06:51.640 --> 00:06:57.400] So the first time that we raised money was in 2014 when we developed the products in Europe.
[00:06:57.400 --> 00:07:04.120] To be honest, I've been very lucky with the investors and the people that I got in board, like, I think I'm a long-term thinker.
[00:07:04.120 --> 00:07:09.080] During these years, we've been approached by so many people that my guide was telling me no.
[00:07:09.080 --> 00:07:11.480] And I'm glad that I follow my instinct.
[00:07:11.480 --> 00:07:18.160] The first investor was one of our distributors that said, hey, Andrea, if at some point you raise money, just count on me.
[00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:24.560] And then the first serious investment round was done in 2016 with the multinational that we partnered.
[00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:31.200] They ended up investing over a million dollars in dedicated equipment and the testing for FDA, the tests, and everything.
[00:07:31.520 --> 00:07:38.560] And then before we moved to US, we had to raise capital, obviously, to have some structure to launch in US.
[00:07:38.560 --> 00:07:46.720] And also, it was through someone that I knew from the business school that loved the project and my commitment since I was 24 years old.
[00:07:46.720 --> 00:07:53.680] So they truly believe that no matter what challenge we would encounter, my persistence and stubbornness would make me go through it.
[00:07:53.680 --> 00:07:59.600] Do you have any tips for those who are thinking about raising money for their business based on your experience?
[00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:03.200] To trust their God, like one of the worst mistakes that entrepreneurs can do.
[00:08:03.200 --> 00:08:05.680] And sometimes it's because they need to raise capital.
[00:08:05.680 --> 00:08:12.800] Like I remember when we were raising the capital to move here, it took one year and a half of pitching and everything and desperation.
[00:08:12.800 --> 00:08:15.040] And you see the bank account that goes like this.
[00:08:15.040 --> 00:08:18.640] But we had offers that just were like, okay, I'm going to regret it in a year from now.
[00:08:18.640 --> 00:08:20.320] I'd rather don't get married.
[00:08:20.320 --> 00:08:23.520] And so we keep going and going and meeting with people.
[00:08:23.520 --> 00:08:29.680] And then you end up, I think I do believe in karma and I do believe that at some point, if it has to happen, it will happen.
[00:08:29.680 --> 00:08:32.960] And so we ended up meeting with the right investor.
[00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:38.800] It took us one year and a half to raise funds and then we pitched and we raised in 24 hours.
[00:08:38.800 --> 00:08:48.080] So as an entrepreneur, it's such a roller coaster of emotions, like the desperation that you face for one year and a half, and then in 24 hours, you close the round.
[00:08:48.080 --> 00:08:50.800] So, I would say just to follow their gut.
[00:08:50.800 --> 00:08:54.560] And in the end, like investors, partners, anything, it's like a marriage.
[00:08:54.560 --> 00:08:58.840] It has to be something that you feel as an equal that you feel comfortable with.
[00:08:58.840 --> 00:09:05.400] Because I do believe that at some point, like it has not happened me with investors, but it has happened me with distributors and everything.
[00:09:05.720 --> 00:09:12.280] That if you have a feeling that it's not going to work, the time let's ends up telling you that you were right.
[00:09:12.280 --> 00:09:13.720] So, definitely.
[00:09:13.720 --> 00:09:22.440] And, like Stephanie was saying earlier, I actually found out about you back in March when I was looking for hand sanitizers for the team.
[00:09:22.440 --> 00:09:31.640] And we knew that we were going to be working remotely for a few weeks, turned into months, and we wanted to gift the team hand sanitizer.
[00:09:31.960 --> 00:09:35.720] I immediately fell in love with your branding.
[00:09:35.720 --> 00:09:38.360] And at the time, unfortunately, it was all sold out.
[00:09:38.360 --> 00:09:41.400] So, hoping that I will get to try it soon.
[00:09:41.400 --> 00:09:43.000] But I love the brand.
[00:09:43.000 --> 00:09:46.200] So, can you tell us about how the branding came to be?
[00:09:46.200 --> 00:09:47.480] Did you develop it yourself?
[00:09:47.480 --> 00:09:49.320] Did you work with an agency?
[00:09:49.320 --> 00:09:51.240] Yeah, I'm a branding fan.
[00:09:51.240 --> 00:10:02.440] I spent a lot of years learning about the story of Apple, Nike, Nespresso, and also D2C brands, I just like Glossia away, outdoor voices.
[00:10:02.440 --> 00:10:06.920] And I think when we develop the brand, it has some ingredients from all of these brands.
[00:10:06.920 --> 00:10:21.160] I think, like, we have the innovation and the design approach of Apple, we have the experience approach of Nespresso, like the moment, like when you are thinking about this Nespresso, they have elevated the coffee moment to a pleasure-luxury moment.
[00:10:21.160 --> 00:10:25.240] And I think Touchdown is doing the same in the hand sanitizer industry.
[00:10:25.240 --> 00:10:37.320] And also, we brought in the table something that we were surprised that for 20 years there was no brand that connected with the millennial and the Gen Z and through social media of hand sanitizers.
[00:10:37.320 --> 00:10:40.520] So, we started building this community.
[00:10:40.840 --> 00:10:48.320] I think that's what has triggered Touchdown success: having a community that I'm always surprised when I see the reviews and it makes me so proud.
[00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:53.280] They say, like, they use words like, I never thought I would be obsessed with hand sanitizer.
[00:10:53.280 --> 00:10:56.720] I never thought I would fall in love with hand sanitizer.
[00:10:56.720 --> 00:10:59.600] And a lot of people ask me, like, how did you do it?
[00:10:59.600 --> 00:11:03.840] And I think there's no shortcut to building a community.
[00:11:03.840 --> 00:11:07.920] Some brands just think about the outer shell of being a perfect brand.
[00:11:07.920 --> 00:11:16.640] But I think, in case of Touchdown, we've built a community that they have seen Touchdown interacting through many ways: social media, customer service.
[00:11:16.640 --> 00:11:22.080] Everything that we do and our values are aligned across all the channels, across all the platforms.
[00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:31.680] And I feel like consumers nowadays are very smart and they see if it makes sense if your brand is being honest and transparent and coherent or not.
[00:11:31.680 --> 00:11:39.040] And I think like that's part of the success has been like being very strategic, building a community, being super transparent.
[00:11:39.040 --> 00:11:48.640] Like there have been many hand sanitizer brands during the COVID that they were in order to gain sales saying my hand sanitizer kills COVID.
[00:11:48.640 --> 00:11:49.840] And many people came to us.
[00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:52.240] It's like, is your brand killing COVID too?
[00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:55.040] And I'm like, well, first of all, here's the CDC.
[00:11:55.040 --> 00:11:57.600] No hand sanitizer brand killed COVID.
[00:11:57.920 --> 00:12:00.880] They help you prevent it, but they cannot kill viruses.
[00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:03.280] So I think that's the kind of things that customers love.
[00:12:03.280 --> 00:12:06.880] It's like, we're not trying to gain sales from everywhere.
[00:12:06.880 --> 00:12:10.320] We're just trying to be very transparent and it pays off.
[00:12:10.640 --> 00:12:13.920] How big is your customer service and social media team now?
[00:12:13.920 --> 00:12:17.760] I assume your community has really grown, especially over the past couple of months.
[00:12:17.760 --> 00:12:21.520] I think, like, I have more white hair in two months than ever in my life.
[00:12:21.520 --> 00:12:22.960] We have grown very much right now.
[00:12:22.960 --> 00:12:26.560] We are attending year to date from last year's revenue.
[00:12:26.560 --> 00:12:32.520] So, obviously, I always say it's like a kid that his height is one meter and then suddenly it's three meters.
[00:12:29.840 --> 00:12:34.920] Your bones ache, you cannot sleep.
[00:12:35.000 --> 00:12:42.200] You're like, we've struggled a lot, especially because we always want to maintain the same level of commitment and transparency.
[00:12:42.520 --> 00:12:49.720] We respond to every message on social media, on customer service, like even like your inquiries, or can I try your product?
[00:12:49.720 --> 00:12:55.160] We just try to be very 100% proactive with the communication, and it has been a challenge.
[00:12:55.400 --> 00:12:57.880] Right now, the team is over 10 people.
[00:12:57.880 --> 00:13:01.800] We were a very small team in 2019, that's when we launched.
[00:13:01.800 --> 00:13:04.200] We launched in December 2018.
[00:13:04.200 --> 00:13:09.240] But I think we have been able to create a team that it feels like a family, have it involved.
[00:13:09.240 --> 00:13:25.000] Like, we work across the country, but all of us are heavily invested in making sure that it's not about sales, it's about building a company that is going to mark a difference, such as Apple changed the way we communicate, and Espresso changed the way we take coffee.
[00:13:25.000 --> 00:13:38.040] And I feel like one of the things that people ask me, what makes you happy, is to be honest, when I'm in the street and I see someone popping up that power mist and using it, I'm like, that's what really makes me happy and accomplished.
[00:13:38.040 --> 00:13:42.280] And what did you have to do differently during this time to meet the demands of the market?
[00:13:42.360 --> 00:13:46.600] Did you have to hire more people, work around the clock, weekends?
[00:13:46.920 --> 00:13:48.440] Everything, everything.
[00:13:48.760 --> 00:13:58.840] I think one of the biggest challenges that we experienced was we were sold out at the beginning of March, and so we were growing over 2,000% overnight.
[00:13:58.840 --> 00:14:10.680] So, obviously, we had to readjust everything, make sure that we could take all the pre-orders that we were receiving, and making sure that we could maximize product availability for as many people as possible.
[00:14:10.680 --> 00:14:17.200] One of the challenges that we had is like, okay, we need to measure demand, we need to know how much do we have to grow the capacity.
[00:14:17.440 --> 00:14:27.040] Like my last four months, I've been 90% of my time dedicated to supply chain because we needed to maximize product availability for everyone.
[00:14:27.040 --> 00:14:34.880] So we decided, and at the beginning of March, that we were sold out, right when the pandemic started, we were sold out.
[00:14:34.880 --> 00:14:36.960] We decided to start two initiatives.
[00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:41.360] Like we started with the waiting list and we started also with pre-orders.
[00:14:41.680 --> 00:14:48.800] And thanks to that, we were capable to go to our supply chain and say, look, we have over 30,000 orders to serve.
[00:14:48.800 --> 00:15:05.040] Like we need you to increase the filling machines and like we need you to increase the malls that we have because that was one way not to feel like one of the things that we experienced that other hand sanitizer brands couldn't experience is that we have a direct contact with the customer and we are D2C.
[00:15:05.040 --> 00:15:10.880] While the majority of hand sanitizers, they are like working through distributors, they are offline.
[00:15:10.880 --> 00:15:12.960] So when you're sold out, you're sold out.
[00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:14.400] You cannot do anything.
[00:15:14.400 --> 00:15:19.840] But in our case, we were able being very transparent, we said, look, we're going to do it by batches.
[00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:23.600] If you order, it's going to be four to six weeks wait time till it ships.
[00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:27.680] It sucks, but it's the reality and we wanted to be very transparent.
[00:15:27.680 --> 00:15:33.840] We also were refunding everyone, like people that was like, hey, look, I was waiting, but I really need my money back.
[00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:37.280] We refunded everyone that couldn't wait for the six weeks.
[00:15:37.280 --> 00:15:42.560] So it was challenging because people were very nervous and we understand it during a pandemic.
[00:15:42.560 --> 00:15:44.320] Everyone is in need of product.
[00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:51.280] We also, at the same time that we were sold out, we decided to dedicate part of our container arrival.
[00:15:51.280 --> 00:15:55.840] Every time that we received a container, we shipped to hospitals, to healthcare workers.
[00:15:55.840 --> 00:16:04.440] We shared with everyone that it wouldn't affect their waiting times, but at the same time, for us, it was very tough to have a product that can change people's lives.
[00:16:04.440 --> 00:16:13.400] And you see all these doctors and healthcare workers dealing with this nightmare of outbreak that they have to deal with everything and they don't have even protection.
[00:16:13.400 --> 00:16:16.360] That we decided as a company that we wanted to do it.
[00:16:16.360 --> 00:16:22.600] And I think we maintained this campaign for over two months and we were shipping on a weekly basis to healthcare workers.
[00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:35.960] And I feel like that's part of why the community loves Oslo is because when we have to do stuff, we just need to take action on something that for us was important during that moment of time.
[00:16:43.880 --> 00:16:45.080] Hi, Entrepreneurs.
[00:16:45.080 --> 00:16:46.200] It's Steph here.
[00:16:46.200 --> 00:16:52.760] As a founder, I know firsthand that building a business can feel so lonely, but it doesn't have to.
[00:16:52.760 --> 00:16:57.480] And that's why we created our Entrepreneursa Founders Weekend Wealth and Wellness Retreat.
[00:16:57.480 --> 00:16:59.640] And I can't wait to meet you in person there.
[00:16:59.640 --> 00:17:13.800] So you're officially invited to join us from April 30th to May 3rd, 2026 at the stunning PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida for three transformative days of connection, collaboration, and real business growth.
[00:17:13.800 --> 00:17:15.960] This isn't just another business conference.
[00:17:15.960 --> 00:17:24.360] It is a curated retreat designed to help you build authentic, lasting relationships with women who truly understand your journey.
[00:17:24.360 --> 00:17:31.160] From business panels and workshops to wellness activations and so much more, this is the room that you need to be in.
[00:17:31.160 --> 00:17:42.600] So, if you are ready to invest in yourself and your business and your vision and your next level of success, head over to entrepreneurs.com forward slash founders weekend to reserve your ticket today.
[00:17:42.600 --> 00:17:46.320] That's entrepreneur.com forward slash foundersweekend.
[00:17:46.320 --> 00:17:50.880] Or head over to the show notes right now and tap the invitation to reserve your ticket.
[00:17:44.760 --> 00:17:52.000] I'll see you there.
[00:18:02.080 --> 00:18:13.520] Now that we are four or five months into dealing with the pandemic in the U.S., what would you say your biggest challenges are now?
[00:18:13.520 --> 00:18:16.800] And what do you think the future looks like for Touchland?
[00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:23.600] Well, our biggest challenge is, I think it's going to be for a long time supply chain and capacity.
[00:18:23.600 --> 00:18:29.680] Because well before the COVID, we launched at Ulta in 1200 doors, and that was in January.
[00:18:29.680 --> 00:18:31.760] And we sold out within days.
[00:18:31.760 --> 00:18:33.280] And we're getting a lot of press.
[00:18:33.280 --> 00:18:35.440] We're obviously they are sharing our story.
[00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:40.000] Like, look at this hand sanitizer company with 34,000 people on the wait list.
[00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:43.920] And this has been on and off selling out for the last month.
[00:18:43.920 --> 00:18:46.240] So that also creates more buzz.
[00:18:46.240 --> 00:18:48.480] So we have a lot of demand.
[00:18:48.800 --> 00:18:55.520] One of our plans, obviously, is to grow internationally because not only in the US, we have a lot of demand across the world.
[00:18:55.520 --> 00:19:02.160] Right now, we have distributors in Italy, we have distributors in Mexico, South Korea, Canada.
[00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:11.200] But the world is so big, and we're getting proposals from South Africa and Middle East and so many places that I think that's one of our challenges.
[00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:15.360] Like Touchland is now a brand that is needed, especially for many people.
[00:19:15.360 --> 00:19:26.240] And if you think it's not only about the function of sanitizing, but when you think about people that use this product on a daily basis or constant basis, like healthcare, their skin is cracked.
[00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:32.680] And they're like, Andrea, like this product leaves my hands so good that I no longer have to carry a lotion with me.
[00:19:33.000 --> 00:19:49.400] So that's going to be our main focus: like continue growing the capacity at our supply chain facility and also building up great partnerships that I cannot say, but we're already working with great brands to develop co-branding products that are going to be very successful.
[00:19:49.400 --> 00:19:50.760] I do believe so.
[00:19:50.760 --> 00:19:52.520] And keep growing.
[00:19:52.760 --> 00:19:59.160] Also, we have our commercial solution that we launched at the beginning of the year, the dispenser, the CAP.
[00:19:59.160 --> 00:20:11.320] I think one of the things that we've experienced with the outbreak is that businesses that are not talking about healthcare, but like general businesses, hotels, restaurants, offices, they saw fan sanitizer as an extra.
[00:20:11.320 --> 00:20:16.600] But right now, they understood that this is a product that they need to carry as a mandatory product.
[00:20:16.600 --> 00:20:23.400] And one of the challenges that we are going to continue pushing forward is the establishment of partnerships with the B2B customers.
[00:20:23.400 --> 00:20:41.720] During these months, we have been able to sign partnerships with companies such as Equinox, SoulCycle, Blink, Sweet Green, the standard hotels, like many brands that have decided to implement our dispensers in their facilities to offer like clean and healthy environments for their customers and staff.
[00:20:41.720 --> 00:20:51.160] So this also has had the brand not only be a consumer goods brand, but also be a B2B brand that offers the solutions for category leaders across the US.
[00:20:51.480 --> 00:21:06.680] So I know being an entrepreneur, especially when you see there's so much opportunity, then definitely in your category right now, it's really hard to figure out how to prioritize what to do first, what you should focus on, what someone on your team should focus on.
[00:21:06.680 --> 00:21:16.480] Can you talk a little bit about what that looks like for you, especially given all of the opportunities that you have available to you right now, given the current situation?
[00:21:14.680 --> 00:21:30.880] Yeah, one of the worst things is having to say no, especially to customers that we're having over thousands of inquiries of distribution and customers and businesses that they want to have the product and you have to prioritize.
[00:21:30.880 --> 00:21:36.240] And I think like obviously our strategy is to build like meaningful long-term partnerships.
[00:21:36.240 --> 00:21:40.720] We've been offered like even like some examples is distributions.
[00:21:40.720 --> 00:22:00.560] We decided to focus on distributors that we already signed before the pandemic because our biggest fear was this opportunistic wave of business people that just see this as an opportunity to make bold for the next 12 months and not think Touchland as a brand that wants to stay for many years in the market.
[00:22:00.560 --> 00:22:05.360] And so we've tested distributors and just say like, hey, perfect, you will start in 2021.
[00:22:05.360 --> 00:22:07.600] Oh no, that's going to be too late.
[00:22:07.600 --> 00:22:17.440] So then you can see also like the vision, the mission, the values that these partners, that potential partners that you're evaluating, if they are aligned or not with you.
[00:22:17.440 --> 00:22:28.960] So that has been part of our due diligence is trying to understand like what kind of values all these people that are reaching out have and we should simply select those that feel more aligned with us.
[00:22:28.960 --> 00:22:38.320] I think one of the things that we've seen during this pandemic is the price couching and people were very happy because we not only maintain the prices although the alcohol price triples.
[00:22:38.320 --> 00:22:47.280] So in some SKUs we are struggling because obviously when your main ingredient triples the price, some brands had to touch the prices.
[00:22:47.280 --> 00:22:49.360] We decided that we didn't want to.
[00:22:49.360 --> 00:22:57.440] But I think also consumers appreciated that we continue to offer the bundling option where you can get like up to 30% discount and all that.
[00:22:57.440 --> 00:23:06.280] So I think in this case, we focus more on what's going to be touchdown in one year, two years, three years from now, than what can we make best out of this moment.
[00:23:06.280 --> 00:23:14.600] Many, even the FDA now is regulating so many companies that are making hand sanitizer that has toxic ingredients and everything.
[00:23:14.600 --> 00:23:17.400] And I'm glad they do because this is an FDA product at the end.
[00:23:17.400 --> 00:23:22.760] So it's good that they are stepping in and making sure that toxic products don't end up in the market.
[00:23:22.760 --> 00:23:28.440] As entrepreneurs, we know that you're really only as good as your team.
[00:23:28.440 --> 00:23:37.320] So can you talk to us about the types of roles you have and what they've enabled you to prioritize and what do you delegate to them?
[00:23:37.640 --> 00:23:41.080] Yeah, so I think one of the things that I'm more picky is about the team.
[00:23:41.080 --> 00:23:46.040] I'm a person with values, a lot of values, and that's like also touchdown values.
[00:23:46.040 --> 00:23:51.000] So anyone that jumps in the team has to be someone that I don't want to have to fire in a few months.
[00:23:51.000 --> 00:23:54.600] I'm proud to say that I haven't fired anyone since we started.
[00:23:54.600 --> 00:23:56.840] So we have been very lucky with the team.
[00:23:56.840 --> 00:23:59.880] We started hiring in August 2018.
[00:23:59.880 --> 00:24:04.920] The first person we hired was our chief growth officer, digital growth officer.
[00:24:04.920 --> 00:24:10.680] He was helping brands that are like fast-growing D2C companies in the US.
[00:24:10.680 --> 00:24:15.320] He came on board, helped us build the e-commerce, like the omni-channel strategy and everything.
[00:24:15.320 --> 00:24:21.720] The second person we hired was customer service because we do believe that customer service is key for us.
[00:24:21.720 --> 00:24:23.320] And then we've been growing since then.
[00:24:23.320 --> 00:24:26.600] We have over like 10 people right now and all of them are great.
[00:24:26.600 --> 00:24:30.920] Like, I mean, these are people that I can ask anything.
[00:24:30.920 --> 00:24:33.000] Like, this is not a hierarchy company.
[00:24:33.000 --> 00:24:36.040] I feel like most of the startups are not hierarchic.
[00:24:36.120 --> 00:24:40.440] Like, we conversate, I listen to them as much as I would listen to myself.
[00:24:40.440 --> 00:24:42.120] Like, that's why we hire them.
[00:24:42.120 --> 00:24:48.960] Like, this is people that have been very valuable for many companies, and they decided to trust me and Toshlan into this venture.
[00:24:49.120 --> 00:25:02.080] So, I think that's one of the most important things to get people that are not only great workers but that are aligned with the values because some point they are going to talk with customers, they're going to talk with businesses.
[00:25:02.080 --> 00:25:08.400] And the last thing you want is that they don't share the same values and that they talk in a different way that you would talk.
[00:25:08.720 --> 00:25:12.720] Is there a particular question you always ask during interviews?
[00:25:12.720 --> 00:25:19.840] The problem is, to be fairly transparent, Stephanie, that I have never worked with anyone, so I have never been interviewed.
[00:25:19.840 --> 00:25:24.720] So, I'm learning as I go with questions, and I think it's more about the gut that I have.
[00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:30.160] I'm not so focused on the resume of the person, like where did they study, where they did not.
[00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:44.160] I'm more focused on their productivity, their values, their anxiety to make a change, and also like to work in this like environment of uncertainty and challenges and problems because it is like that.
[00:25:44.160 --> 00:25:48.480] And if you get someone that gets overwhelmed easily, they're gonna go in panic.
[00:25:48.480 --> 00:25:54.640] So, it's good that you get people that have work also for startups that they understand what are they getting into.
[00:25:54.960 --> 00:26:02.720] How do you assess an interview whether or not they can work under uncertainty or they're proactive?
[00:26:02.720 --> 00:26:12.400] One of the questions that I ask to know the character of the person in an interview is like, What's the worst situation you've encountered in your role in the past?
[00:26:12.400 --> 00:26:16.480] And you can see, like, a true entrepreneur, like a true startup mindset.
[00:26:16.480 --> 00:26:24.800] Like, we get some people on the interviews that when they say what was their worst situation, in my case, would be the best day for me.
[00:26:24.800 --> 00:26:41.800] So, that's that's somehow a way to measure like the level of stress that this person has gone through, like, especially like if they come from like bigger companies with more limited risk, you can see that their worst case scenario is like a normal day in my life.
[00:26:41.800 --> 00:26:45.640] So, that's one way to see it if they are ready for going to war.
[00:26:45.640 --> 00:26:48.360] Is your whole team working remotely right now?
[00:26:48.360 --> 00:26:48.920] Yeah.
[00:26:49.240 --> 00:26:57.080] Do you have any tips you can share for keeping your company culture engaged right now while everyone's been working from home?
[00:26:57.080 --> 00:27:02.600] We were already working from home even before the outbreak because I have team across the US.
[00:27:02.600 --> 00:27:11.080] Being in Miami, it's very hard, like when you find all these talented people across the US to ask them, okay, leave your family or you have to move here.
[00:27:11.080 --> 00:27:14.040] And I feel like nowadays it's not required.
[00:27:14.040 --> 00:27:18.840] There are some old-style companies that you have to move to this city and work from here.
[00:27:18.840 --> 00:27:28.200] But I feel it's more motivating, like, for example, like team members that have kids that they go to schools, like have them move to another state, start from zero.
[00:27:28.200 --> 00:27:33.240] Like, if that's going to keep them more motivated, that we allow them to work from home.
[00:27:33.240 --> 00:27:35.240] And I feel like the culture has changed.
[00:27:35.240 --> 00:27:39.880] I feel like before, like, if you work from home, you had the feeling that they might not be doing anything.
[00:27:39.880 --> 00:27:44.520] In our case, like, their involvement is so big, I have no concerns about it.
[00:27:44.520 --> 00:27:49.560] Like, they are just even work harder than I do, and I work a lot.
[00:27:49.880 --> 00:27:56.040] And was there anything in the last few years that's really surprised you about running a business?
[00:27:56.360 --> 00:27:57.560] Everything.
[00:27:57.880 --> 00:28:03.240] Like, I get a lot of times, like, when something happens, like, oh, that's the first time that it has happened to me.
[00:28:03.240 --> 00:28:15.760] And it's like, either I have the worst pad luck in the world, or like, I'm getting all the obstacles because every single situation that we've encountered, like, of problems, like the partner is like, oh, that's the first time that we encounter something like this.
[00:28:16.080 --> 00:28:22.880] And so I feel like they say that every time to make you feel like the first one, but it's been challenging everything.
[00:28:22.880 --> 00:28:35.600] I think one of the hardest parts is supply chain because you can have the most successful product in the world, but in the end, like there's some parts that you cannot control, which is supply chain, quality, and you can have many problems.
[00:28:35.600 --> 00:28:41.200] Like two weeks ago, we were bringing a container that was already committed and it had an accident.
[00:28:41.200 --> 00:28:49.520] And so you encounter, I feel like when you watch movies that just like joy or everything is, you have to go through hell as an entrepreneur.
[00:28:49.520 --> 00:28:56.640] And I kind of like it because that makes me also feel like challenge every day, but it is obstacle after obstacle.
[00:28:56.640 --> 00:29:02.160] How do you stay level-headed during all of these challenges and keep going?
[00:29:02.480 --> 00:29:13.120] The long-term thinking, like in my case, I started this to create kind of like the apple of hand sanitizers, and you have to pay the fees of being an entrepreneur.
[00:29:13.120 --> 00:29:16.480] And it's going to be like one in a million that gets there.
[00:29:16.480 --> 00:29:18.320] And it's all about attitude.
[00:29:18.320 --> 00:29:20.720] And sometimes I must say, like, yeah, I've cried.
[00:29:20.720 --> 00:29:21.840] Yeah, I've been anxious.
[00:29:21.840 --> 00:29:26.720] Yes, I wanted sometimes to strangulate someone, but it is part of the journey.
[00:29:26.720 --> 00:29:28.640] And you have to just think long-term.
[00:29:28.640 --> 00:29:32.560] And it's like, one more step, you're closer, one more step to your goal.
[00:29:32.560 --> 00:29:33.200] And that's it.
[00:29:33.200 --> 00:29:39.760] It doesn't have like such a big goals that sometimes when you experience challenges, that's when you doubt if you want to continue.
[00:29:39.760 --> 00:29:45.120] That's why it's so important to have a very strong reason why when you start.
[00:29:48.960 --> 00:29:55.440] Founders are always asking us: what has been the secret to our success building multiple seven-figure businesses?
[00:29:55.440 --> 00:29:56.880] Do you want to know how?
[00:29:56.880 --> 00:29:58.560] It's our community.
[00:29:58.560 --> 00:30:05.880] We created the Entrepreneursa League for founders like you because the most successful entrepreneurs do not navigate business alone.
[00:30:06.120 --> 00:30:11.960] We navigate the challenges and opportunities with the support of people we know, love, and trust.
[00:30:11.960 --> 00:30:15.800] The relationships you build in business will be the key to your success.
[00:30:15.800 --> 00:30:17.960] Trust me, it's how we've done it.
[00:30:17.960 --> 00:30:23.640] And I'm giving you access to everything we've used to grow and scale our businesses over the past decade.
[00:30:23.640 --> 00:30:28.040] Plus, you're going to meet your new best friends in business right inside the community.
[00:30:28.040 --> 00:30:50.360] Our members have access to everything we've used to grow our businesses over the past 10 plus years, from in-person events to virtual events, business education, funding resources, office hours with myself and other top founders in your industry, press opportunities, and access to our community platform where you can instantly get all of your business questions answered.
[00:30:50.360 --> 00:30:57.160] You can join us in the community over at refer.entreprenista.com forward slash join us.
[00:30:57.160 --> 00:31:02.920] That's refer.entreprenista.com forward slash join us to join the community.
[00:31:02.920 --> 00:31:06.280] Or head to the show notes right now and tap the link to join.
[00:31:06.280 --> 00:31:08.520] I cannot wait to meet you.
[00:31:09.160 --> 00:31:14.920] What's something that our listeners would be surprised to learn about you?
[00:31:15.560 --> 00:31:16.600] A lot.
[00:31:17.880 --> 00:31:20.520] For example, that I am Black Belt in Judo.
[00:31:20.520 --> 00:31:23.480] I did 10 years of judo when I was little.
[00:31:24.040 --> 00:31:26.760] That I have sung in front of a thousand people.
[00:31:26.760 --> 00:31:31.480] Also, when I was little, I was heavily entertained.
[00:31:31.800 --> 00:31:33.720] What were you singing?
[00:31:33.720 --> 00:31:34.360] Everything.
[00:31:34.360 --> 00:31:39.960] I used to go to contests and everything, but then I realized that it would be more fun to be an entrepreneur.
[00:31:39.960 --> 00:31:40.840] That's so funny.
[00:31:40.840 --> 00:31:44.800] I did musical theater growing up, so I love that, that that's your background.
[00:31:44.800 --> 00:31:46.160] I totally can relate.
[00:31:44.520 --> 00:31:47.360] Yeah, I did musical theater.
[00:31:47.600 --> 00:31:50.000] I was gonna say, I have to ask, what shows were you in?
[00:31:50.960 --> 00:31:57.520] I did Chicago, I did rent, I did in Barcelona, obviously, but I did a lot of them.
[00:31:57.520 --> 00:32:00.960] Well, we'll have to have an offline Broadway sing-along one day.
[00:32:00.960 --> 00:32:03.040] Maybe we'll do an Instagram live.
[00:32:03.040 --> 00:32:04.160] With a glass of wine.
[00:32:04.320 --> 00:32:05.280] Yes.
[00:32:06.560 --> 00:32:09.360] What does a typical day look like for you?
[00:32:09.680 --> 00:32:12.640] It's a typical day before the pandemic or?
[00:32:12.880 --> 00:32:15.360] I guess before and how has it changed?
[00:32:15.360 --> 00:32:18.480] Before I used to have an orange.
[00:32:18.800 --> 00:32:21.280] What time would you wake up before and now?
[00:32:21.600 --> 00:32:23.040] Every time it's earlier.
[00:32:23.040 --> 00:32:24.720] I don't even use alarm clock.
[00:32:24.720 --> 00:32:30.000] My brain is just like, I normally wake at seven, but sometimes at six, 5:30.
[00:32:30.000 --> 00:32:32.240] It depends on the time and the stress.
[00:32:32.400 --> 00:32:33.360] I sleep not a lot.
[00:32:33.360 --> 00:32:36.400] And also, I'm Spanish, so we go to sleep very late.
[00:32:36.400 --> 00:32:38.640] We go to sleep at midnight or 1 a.m.
[00:32:38.880 --> 00:32:41.520] So that shortens the sleep time.
[00:32:41.520 --> 00:32:43.760] And I wake up, I haven't started meditating.
[00:32:43.760 --> 00:32:46.240] So I get in the terrace and I breathe and everything.
[00:32:46.240 --> 00:32:48.720] And that helps me clear my mind.
[00:32:48.720 --> 00:32:50.480] And then we would go to the office.
[00:32:50.480 --> 00:32:52.800] I learned to cook for the last month.
[00:32:52.800 --> 00:33:00.400] I've learned to cook because when I was in Barcelona, my mom was always helping me with cooking and have Tupperwares every week.
[00:33:00.400 --> 00:33:02.320] And now I'm surviving.
[00:33:02.320 --> 00:33:07.200] So I learn how to cook and basically work until 9 p.m.
[00:33:07.360 --> 00:33:10.720] after have dinner, love TV shows.
[00:33:10.720 --> 00:33:13.600] Now I'm watching The Last Empire, The Last.
[00:33:14.000 --> 00:33:19.120] Since I just moved to Miami, are you staying in your apartment and just working around the clock?
[00:33:19.120 --> 00:33:20.000] Or do you go out?
[00:33:20.000 --> 00:33:22.400] Do you go to the beach, restaurants?
[00:33:22.400 --> 00:33:30.680] No, no, like especially even before the pandemic, since we launched, I've been fully dedicated and we don't go out as much.
[00:33:30.680 --> 00:33:34.200] I feel like I've partied enough in my young days.
[00:33:34.200 --> 00:33:36.440] So I cover that part of me.
[00:33:36.440 --> 00:33:38.600] These days, we are all day at home.
[00:33:38.600 --> 00:33:42.280] I have two dogs that I am very entertained with.
[00:33:42.680 --> 00:33:45.320] So it's been very relaxing, actually.
[00:33:45.320 --> 00:33:48.120] And it has helped me also to slow down.
[00:33:48.280 --> 00:33:57.000] I used to live a life with a lot of stress, always like meeting with friends and always having time for everyone and forgetting about self-care and everything.
[00:33:57.000 --> 00:34:07.480] And I feel like these last months I have been able to find my inner peace and relax and enjoy watching the TV and not be always in a rush with everything that I do.
[00:34:07.480 --> 00:34:12.040] What are some tips that you can share that have helped you been able to slow down?
[00:34:12.360 --> 00:34:17.560] I love getting out of Derras in Miami, especially that there is some meditating.
[00:34:18.040 --> 00:34:20.200] I use these meditation apps.
[00:34:20.200 --> 00:34:21.400] I love music.
[00:34:21.400 --> 00:34:26.920] So this kind of thing just chills me down and helped me to relax.
[00:34:27.320 --> 00:34:30.600] Is there anything you wish you knew when you first started?
[00:34:30.600 --> 00:34:35.880] So back to when you were 24, what would you tell your 24-year-old self?
[00:34:35.880 --> 00:34:37.720] Yeah, I get this question a lot.
[00:34:37.720 --> 00:34:41.000] And the problem is that I do believe that everything happens for a reason.
[00:34:41.000 --> 00:34:45.480] And that if I knew and I didn't go through that path, I would not be here.
[00:34:45.480 --> 00:34:57.080] So of course, I wish I knew a lot about everything from trademark protection and IV protection and supply chain and presidias and prototypes.
[00:34:57.080 --> 00:35:04.120] And there are so many things that I've learned that I didn't know when I was fresh out of university that I wish I knew.
[00:35:04.120 --> 00:35:14.280] But at the same time, it has been great to learn and to look back on time and the innocent 24-year me thinking that if you work hard, you get what you want.
[00:35:14.280 --> 00:35:17.840] No, unfortunately, as an entrepreneur, it's not like that.
[00:35:18.240 --> 00:35:27.200] Sometimes, as I said, like sometimes you just can maintain your goal, but you just have to change your path to get there because sometimes that's not the right path.
[00:35:27.200 --> 00:35:35.520] And I'm glad that when we were in certain situations where I knew that we were pushing too much, we readjusted the ways to get there.
[00:35:35.520 --> 00:35:41.600] And you mentioned before that you at one point will exit the company or sell the company.
[00:35:41.600 --> 00:35:44.960] Do you have a goal in mind of when you want to do that?
[00:35:44.960 --> 00:35:48.720] To be honest, I have dedicated the last 10 years that has been very tough.
[00:35:48.720 --> 00:35:51.440] And now I say that the party is getting started.
[00:35:51.440 --> 00:35:54.640] So I don't want to, so I wanted joy as an entrepreneur.
[00:35:54.640 --> 00:36:09.120] Like for the last 10 years, I've been preparing myself for growing this company and building this team that I call my business family and to create this community that adores us and we also adore them for being so kind with us.
[00:36:09.120 --> 00:36:13.360] So that's, I think, what I was dedicating one-third of my life.
[00:36:13.360 --> 00:36:16.400] And I'm glad that I pushed hard to be where we are right now.
[00:36:16.400 --> 00:36:18.320] And I'm not thinking about it, to be honest.
[00:36:18.320 --> 00:36:24.400] Like, obviously, during these days before the outbreak, trying to raise money was a nightmare.
[00:36:24.400 --> 00:36:27.440] Like, all investors said, like, this is not a sexy category.
[00:36:27.520 --> 00:36:29.040] Hand sanitizers, no.
[00:36:29.360 --> 00:36:31.280] And now it has changed the wheel.
[00:36:31.280 --> 00:36:35.840] And now, all of us, all of them that we meet, was like, hey, how are you doing?
[00:36:35.840 --> 00:36:36.960] Can we invest now?
[00:36:36.960 --> 00:36:38.080] And it's like, no.
[00:36:38.400 --> 00:36:56.400] We're just in a moment that we just want to grow this baby, make sure that we can create a company like Apple that can change self-care, and that we can create these delightful moments of self-care, like through hand sanitizers and through new categories that we introduce, but like keep bringing joy to the everyday life.
[00:36:56.400 --> 00:36:58.240] No, that's that's really great.
[00:36:58.240 --> 00:37:04.200] How do you decide now what tasks you're gonna take on versus what you delegate to other team members?
[00:37:05.640 --> 00:37:06.520] It depends.
[00:37:06.520 --> 00:37:13.240] Like, I feel like I'm getting to a point that I have a very proactive team, they anticipate myself that there's something that they can do.
[00:37:13.240 --> 00:37:14.680] It's like I'll do that.
[00:37:14.680 --> 00:37:16.520] And we're very well organized.
[00:37:16.520 --> 00:37:18.360] I'm very strong at negotiation.
[00:37:18.360 --> 00:37:28.120] So, a lot of people say, When I negotiate, I want to be on your side because that's something that I push forward to get like an equal deal that I feel comfortable with.
[00:37:28.120 --> 00:37:31.720] And if I don't, I don't go forward.
[00:37:31.720 --> 00:37:36.280] But we're getting in a point that we're very well engineered and well-synchronized with the task.
[00:37:36.280 --> 00:37:39.640] Everyone knows what, and I feel comfortable before.
[00:37:39.640 --> 00:37:42.600] It was more like you have to do this, are you doing this?
[00:37:42.600 --> 00:37:49.320] And now I'm getting more like in a moment that I don't have to be checking homework, and it's more like everyone knows what they have to do.
[00:37:49.320 --> 00:37:55.160] Are there certain tools or softwares that you use with your team so you can all stay organized and communicate together?
[00:37:55.160 --> 00:37:57.000] Yeah, we use a lot.
[00:37:57.000 --> 00:38:02.280] We use obviously Slack, we use Trello, we use WhatsApp a lot.
[00:38:02.280 --> 00:38:08.440] We have obviously like my WhatsApp has like 10 touchland groups, like the marketing, the logistics.
[00:38:08.440 --> 00:38:14.040] So, it's very funny that all my WhatsApp is all the logos of Touchland from up to down.
[00:38:14.040 --> 00:38:15.640] And we call a lot.
[00:38:15.640 --> 00:38:20.520] I feel like one of the parts of being in the distance is I'm just talking with them all day.
[00:38:20.520 --> 00:38:30.360] Like, I end up at night with no voice because, if anything, I like to consult, and I feel like that way also team members feel part of something.
[00:38:30.360 --> 00:38:38.720] Even if it's like, what should be the brand direction that we're doing with this agency, what should be the style for the shooting, what should be the collaboration?
[00:38:38.720 --> 00:38:40.520] Which brand should we collaborate?
[00:38:40.520 --> 00:38:48.000] We are all, even no matter what department they're in, we are all very, like, as a community, like we decide everything together.
[00:38:44.840 --> 00:38:51.040] And that's a good way also for them to feel motivated.
[00:38:51.360 --> 00:38:54.560] And what would you say you're most grateful for each day?
[00:38:54.880 --> 00:38:55.920] Health.
[00:38:56.240 --> 00:38:56.960] Yes.
[00:38:56.960 --> 00:38:57.440] Nowadays.
[00:38:58.320 --> 00:39:01.440] Yeah, I think like the most important is health and also family.
[00:39:01.440 --> 00:39:05.840] I was supposed to go to Barcelona in March, but my flight got canceled.
[00:39:05.840 --> 00:39:13.440] So it's been seven months that I don't get to see my family and it's not easy, but like health right now is one of the priorities.
[00:39:13.440 --> 00:39:17.680] And I think everyone should value health over everything else.
[00:39:17.680 --> 00:39:18.720] That is so true.
[00:39:18.720 --> 00:39:21.200] Without your health, you really have nothing.
[00:39:21.200 --> 00:39:26.800] And you're building a company right now to be able to help people continue to stay healthy.
[00:39:26.800 --> 00:39:30.320] So you're definitely contributing to your goal and mission.
[00:39:30.320 --> 00:39:32.400] And it's truly incredible.
[00:39:32.400 --> 00:39:36.080] What would you say that being an entrepreneur means to you?
[00:39:36.080 --> 00:39:43.840] I think like one of the parts that is very exciting is that by sharing your knowledge, you empower other people to follow their dreams.
[00:39:43.840 --> 00:39:49.360] And I think like being an entrepreneur is not only following your journey, but also giving back.
[00:39:49.360 --> 00:39:51.840] I think that's one of the things that I like the most.
[00:39:51.840 --> 00:39:54.080] And people tell me like, you have no time.
[00:39:54.080 --> 00:39:55.520] Why do you share your story?
[00:39:55.520 --> 00:40:05.920] And it's like, I think by sharing my story, my worst days, my obstacles, like I also motivate people to say like, okay, she went through hell, but there she is.
[00:40:05.920 --> 00:40:07.760] Like maybe I could do the same.
[00:40:07.760 --> 00:40:17.360] And I think being an entrepreneur is like being part of a community that not only follows your own dreams, but also empowers other women to follow their dreams.
[00:40:17.360 --> 00:40:25.440] And by somehow eliminating those obstacles and like leveraging your knowledge to help others not go through the same.
[00:40:25.760 --> 00:40:26.720] Yeah, absolutely.
[00:40:26.720 --> 00:40:28.000] I couldn't agree more.
[00:40:28.000 --> 00:40:33.160] And our audience is going to learn so much from you just sharing your story and your journey.
[00:40:33.480 --> 00:40:39.800] And I can't wait to continue to follow your journey and your company and see what you do next.
[00:40:39.800 --> 00:40:41.640] I know it's going to be absolutely incredible.
[00:40:41.640 --> 00:40:45.720] So thank you so much for taking the time to share with us today.
[00:40:45.720 --> 00:40:48.120] This has been so wonderful.
[00:40:48.120 --> 00:40:50.920] Where can everyone find you and follow you?
[00:40:50.920 --> 00:40:53.640] And of course, buy your incredible products.
[00:40:53.640 --> 00:41:00.360] Everyone can follow us at Instagram and TikTok at Toshland and myself at Daniel Isbona and Instagram.
[00:41:00.360 --> 00:41:00.840] Wonderful.
[00:41:00.840 --> 00:41:03.000] Thank you so much for being here.
[00:41:03.000 --> 00:41:05.480] I'm Stephanie and I'm Courtney.
[00:41:05.480 --> 00:41:08.680] And this is the best business meeting we've ever had.
[00:41:09.000 --> 00:41:10.360] Hi, Entrepranistas.
[00:41:10.360 --> 00:41:11.400] It's Steph here.
[00:41:11.400 --> 00:41:18.520] And I hope today's episode has left you feeling inspired and with some actionable tips that you can apply to your own business.
[00:41:18.520 --> 00:41:25.880] The way we've grown our community and resources is by sharing content like this for years and asking for help along the way.
[00:41:25.880 --> 00:41:31.400] So here's where we need your help so we can continue to make as much impact as possible together.
[00:41:31.400 --> 00:41:48.440] If you can leave us a five-star review and extra credit if you share this episode on Instagram, LinkedIn, or DM it to a founder friend who would benefit from hearing it, not only would it mean the world to us, but you sharing this episode is going to help someone who just may need to hear what we share today.
[00:41:48.440 --> 00:41:51.480] And you know I love nothing more than giveaways and prizes.
[00:41:51.480 --> 00:41:58.200] So every month I'll be giving away a one-on-one session with me to someone who has shared the episode and left a review.
[00:41:58.200 --> 00:42:03.520] So send me a personal DM over on Instagram, I'm at Steph Jill Carton.
[00:42:03.520 --> 00:42:05.960] Once you've done it, so you can be entered to win.
[00:42:05.960 --> 00:42:11.720] Wishing you a productive week ahead and stay tuned for another impactful episode next week.

Prompt 2: Key Takeaways

Now please extract the key takeaways from the transcript content I provided.

Extract the most important key takeaways from this part of the conversation. Use a single sentence statement (the key takeaway) rather than milquetoast descriptions like "the hosts discuss...". 

Limit the key takeaways to a maximum of 3. The key takeaways should be insightful and knowledge-additive. 

IMPORTANT: Return ONLY valid JSON, no explanations or markdown. Ensure:
- All strings are properly quoted and escaped
- No trailing commas
- All braces and brackets are balanced
Format: {"key_takeaways": ["takeaway 1", "takeaway 2"]}

Prompt 3: Segments

Now identify 2-4 distinct topical segments from this part of the conversation.

For each segment, identify:
- Descriptive title (3-6 words)  
- START timestamp when this topic begins (HH:MM:SS format)
- Double check that the timestamp is accurate - a timestamp will NEVER be greater than the total length of the audio
- Most important Key takeaway from that segment. Key takeaway must be specific and knowledge-additive.
- Brief summary of the discussion

IMPORTANT: The timestamp should mark when the topic/segment STARTS, not a range. Look for topic transitions and conversation shifts.

Return ONLY valid JSON. Ensure all strings are properly quoted, no trailing commas:
{
  "segments": [
    {
      "segment_title": "Topic Discussion", 
      "timestamp": "01:15:30",
      "key_takeaway": "main point from this segment",
      "segment_summary": "brief description of what was discussed"
    }
  ]
}

Timestamp format: HH:MM:SS (e.g., 00:05:30, 01:22:45) marking the START of each segment.

Prompt 4: Media Mentions

Now scan the transcript content I provided for ACTUAL mentions of specific media titles:

Find explicit mentions of:
- Books (with specific titles)
- Movies (with specific titles)  
- TV Shows (with specific titles)
- Music/Songs (with specific titles)

DO NOT include:
- Websites, URLs, or web services
- Other podcasts or podcast names

IMPORTANT: 
- Only include items explicitly mentioned by name. Do not invent titles.
- Valid categories are: "Book", "Movie", "TV Show", "Music"
- Include the exact phrase where each item was mentioned
- Find the nearest proximate timestamp where it appears in the conversation
- THE TIMESTAMP OF THE MEDIA MENTION IS IMPORTANT - DO NOT INVENT TIMESTAMPS AND DO NOT MISATTRIBUTE TIMESTAMPS
- Double check that the timestamp is accurate - a timestamp will NEVER be greater than the total length of the audio
- Timestamps are given as ranges, e.g. 01:13:42.520 --> 01:13:46.720. Use the EARLIER of the 2 timestamps in the range.

Return ONLY valid JSON. Ensure all strings are properly quoted and escaped, no trailing commas:
{
  "media_mentions": [
    {
      "title": "Exact Title as Mentioned",
      "category": "Book",
      "author_artist": "N/A",
      "context": "Brief context of why it was mentioned",
      "context_phrase": "The exact sentence or phrase where it was mentioned",
      "timestamp": "estimated time like 01:15:30"
    }
  ]
}

If no media is mentioned, return: {"media_mentions": []}

Full Transcript

[00:00:00.880 --> 00:00:05.680] Hey Entrepreneurs, it's Steph here with a special invite just for you.
[00:00:05.680 --> 00:00:10.800] Do you want to experience what it's like to be part of our Entrepreneursa League community of founders?
[00:00:10.800 --> 00:00:12.400] Now is your chance.
[00:00:12.400 --> 00:00:21.360] You can join me this month at one of our upcoming Entrepreneursa League info sessions where I'm going to share with you all you're going to get access to when you join the community.
[00:00:21.360 --> 00:00:27.040] Plus, I'll be giving away some big bonuses that you will only be able to get access to when you attend live.
[00:00:27.040 --> 00:00:35.600] Head over to refer.entrepanista.com forward slash info session to join us at one of our virtual info sessions this month.
[00:00:35.600 --> 00:00:44.560] That's refer.entrepranista.com forward slash info session or head over to the show notes right now and tap the link to join us.
[00:00:44.560 --> 00:00:49.280] I can't wait to meet you there and learn more about you and your business.
[00:00:49.920 --> 00:00:54.080] And you can see like a true entrepreneur, like a true startup mindset.
[00:00:54.080 --> 00:01:02.320] Like we get some people on the interviews that when they say what was their worst situation, in my case, would be the best day for me.
[00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:19.280] So that's that's somehow a way to measure like the level of stress that this person has gone through, like especially like if they come from like bigger companies with more limited risk, you can see that their worst case scenario is like a normal day in my life.
[00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:23.440] So that's one way to say it if they are ready for going to war.
[00:01:28.560 --> 00:01:30.400] Build what you can sell.
[00:01:30.400 --> 00:01:32.640] Don't sell what you can build.
[00:01:32.640 --> 00:01:48.720] Great advice from Miami-based Entrepreneur, Andrea Lesbona, the founder and CEO of Touchland, a vegan, cruelty-free hand sanitizer that makes your skin happy, kills 99.9% of germs, and smells great.
[00:01:48.720 --> 00:01:58.000] In 2010, Andrea decided to take hand hygiene to a whole new level with a visionary team that had a sixth century for what was needed.
[00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:08.120] Seven years later, the company took the products to the world and then with the 2020 pandemic, hit a 2,000% growth almost overnight.
[00:02:09.720 --> 00:02:13.160] This is the Entrepreneurship Podcast presented by Socialfly.
[00:02:13.160 --> 00:02:23.880] It's the best business meeting you'll ever have with must-hear real-life looks at how leading women in business are getting it done and what it takes to build and grow a successful company.
[00:02:23.880 --> 00:02:29.800] It's beyond the Graham with no filters, no limits, and plenty of surprises.
[00:02:33.000 --> 00:02:38.520] Andrea, I am so excited to hear more about your entrepreneurship journey today.
[00:02:38.520 --> 00:02:48.280] I actually found out about your business through Instagram over the past couple of months during this whole pandemic because I was searching for hand sanitizer.
[00:02:48.280 --> 00:02:50.600] So that's initially how I came across your business.
[00:02:50.600 --> 00:02:56.920] But I would love to learn more about your story and what led to the launch of Touchland.
[00:02:56.920 --> 00:02:59.640] Thank you for having me, Stephanie and Courtney.
[00:02:59.640 --> 00:03:06.920] It's been a pleasure to be part of the Entrepreneurs female funders that you interview and happy to share my story.
[00:03:06.920 --> 00:03:08.680] It's a quite interesting one.
[00:03:08.680 --> 00:03:13.400] Yeah, so how did the idea for Touchland come to be and what were you doing before?
[00:03:13.720 --> 00:03:16.680] So I started the business when I was 24 years old.
[00:03:16.680 --> 00:03:19.160] I studied business administration.
[00:03:19.160 --> 00:03:24.280] Then I did an entrepreneurship course at URC in California.
[00:03:24.280 --> 00:03:27.480] And after that, I decided to do a fashion design course.
[00:03:27.480 --> 00:03:37.000] And the reason why is because I've always loved fashion and I wanted to not only know about business, but also getting to know more of the industry from the design perspective and everything.
[00:03:37.000 --> 00:03:43.400] And in 2010, the economic crisis came in Europe and I come from an entrepreneur family.
[00:03:43.400 --> 00:03:58.960] So I wanted to help out with the family business and I was thinking I've always been in love with Steve Jobs story and espresso and like how companies and founders have taken industries that have been commoditized and forgotten.
[00:03:58.960 --> 00:04:03.920] Like you think about it, like the coffee industry and they have elevated it to a whole new level.
[00:04:03.920 --> 00:05:19.640] So in 2010 I thought like okay like I remember this product that I met when I was at USC that everyone was using like crazy, not so popular in Europe called hand sanitizer and then I was thinking like what everyone said about the product is like it smells like cheap vodka it's so sticky and when I was starting to understand this category I was like this is gonna be like brushing your teeth and hand hygiene plays a key role to stay healthy 80% of infectious diseases spread through cancer so I was challenged to believe why a key product that keeps you healthy has to be so unpleasing so I started the venture at 2010 distributing hand sanitizer solutions because I think one of the lessons I learned is like build what you can sell not sell what you can build so I took five years to really understand the industry from inside instead of like okay my thoughts this is what people need for five years we distributed brands and we got to see both from commercial point of view but also personal point of view what were the pains in this industry was it the formula was it the experience what it was it the application the technology and after five years we decided okay we've learned enough we're ready to go we develop our own product line and we partner with a multinational manufacturer that believed in us.
[00:05:19.640 --> 00:05:26.040] And so that's where the touchland that we know as of today started after these five years of distribution.
[00:05:26.040 --> 00:05:32.680] Were you working full-time while you were developing this on the side, or were you just focused on this for those five years?
[00:05:33.000 --> 00:05:36.840] I started my first venture at 2010 when I was 24 years old.
[00:05:36.840 --> 00:05:37.800] That was Toshland.
[00:05:37.800 --> 00:05:42.280] I have never worked with anyone else besides the internships when you're studying.
[00:05:42.280 --> 00:05:44.760] So I'm self-learning every day.
[00:05:44.760 --> 00:05:48.600] Like I was fully dedicated to this project since the very beginning.
[00:05:48.600 --> 00:05:52.520] I do believe that it has a lot of potential and there's still a lot to do.
[00:05:52.520 --> 00:05:56.440] And so I've been dedicated to that for the last 10 years of my life.
[00:05:56.440 --> 00:05:58.360] When did you officially launch the brand?
[00:05:58.360 --> 00:06:00.120] What year did you say that was?
[00:06:00.120 --> 00:06:03.560] Our own product line was launched in 2015 in Europe.
[00:06:03.560 --> 00:06:10.760] One of the things that I've learned as an entrepreneur is that when you want to get somewhere, sometimes you just have to change your path.
[00:06:10.760 --> 00:06:15.720] Like we had this great idea, this great concept, but we were in the wrong market.
[00:06:15.720 --> 00:06:24.280] So we partnered with this multinational in 2016 and we said, look, 30% of the global demand of hand sanitizers is in US.
[00:06:24.280 --> 00:06:30.600] We're going to dream big, we're going to think outside the box, we're going to pack our things and just start our American dream.
[00:06:30.600 --> 00:06:32.920] And we moved here in 2018.
[00:06:32.920 --> 00:06:38.520] And that's when we officially relaunched the brand in the US with this partnership with the multinational.
[00:06:38.520 --> 00:06:49.160] We developed skin caring formulations that would not only be like meeting the functional perspective of the part of the hand sanitizer, but also would take care of the skin and everything.
[00:06:49.160 --> 00:06:51.240] Did you raise money for your company?
[00:06:51.240 --> 00:06:51.640] Yes.
[00:06:51.640 --> 00:06:57.400] So the first time that we raised money was in 2014 when we developed the products in Europe.
[00:06:57.400 --> 00:07:04.120] To be honest, I've been very lucky with the investors and the people that I got in board, like, I think I'm a long-term thinker.
[00:07:04.120 --> 00:07:09.080] During these years, we've been approached by so many people that my guide was telling me no.
[00:07:09.080 --> 00:07:11.480] And I'm glad that I follow my instinct.
[00:07:11.480 --> 00:07:18.160] The first investor was one of our distributors that said, hey, Andrea, if at some point you raise money, just count on me.
[00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:24.560] And then the first serious investment round was done in 2016 with the multinational that we partnered.
[00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:31.200] They ended up investing over a million dollars in dedicated equipment and the testing for FDA, the tests, and everything.
[00:07:31.520 --> 00:07:38.560] And then before we moved to US, we had to raise capital, obviously, to have some structure to launch in US.
[00:07:38.560 --> 00:07:46.720] And also, it was through someone that I knew from the business school that loved the project and my commitment since I was 24 years old.
[00:07:46.720 --> 00:07:53.680] So they truly believe that no matter what challenge we would encounter, my persistence and stubbornness would make me go through it.
[00:07:53.680 --> 00:07:59.600] Do you have any tips for those who are thinking about raising money for their business based on your experience?
[00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:03.200] To trust their God, like one of the worst mistakes that entrepreneurs can do.
[00:08:03.200 --> 00:08:05.680] And sometimes it's because they need to raise capital.
[00:08:05.680 --> 00:08:12.800] Like I remember when we were raising the capital to move here, it took one year and a half of pitching and everything and desperation.
[00:08:12.800 --> 00:08:15.040] And you see the bank account that goes like this.
[00:08:15.040 --> 00:08:18.640] But we had offers that just were like, okay, I'm going to regret it in a year from now.
[00:08:18.640 --> 00:08:20.320] I'd rather don't get married.
[00:08:20.320 --> 00:08:23.520] And so we keep going and going and meeting with people.
[00:08:23.520 --> 00:08:29.680] And then you end up, I think I do believe in karma and I do believe that at some point, if it has to happen, it will happen.
[00:08:29.680 --> 00:08:32.960] And so we ended up meeting with the right investor.
[00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:38.800] It took us one year and a half to raise funds and then we pitched and we raised in 24 hours.
[00:08:38.800 --> 00:08:48.080] So as an entrepreneur, it's such a roller coaster of emotions, like the desperation that you face for one year and a half, and then in 24 hours, you close the round.
[00:08:48.080 --> 00:08:50.800] So, I would say just to follow their gut.
[00:08:50.800 --> 00:08:54.560] And in the end, like investors, partners, anything, it's like a marriage.
[00:08:54.560 --> 00:08:58.840] It has to be something that you feel as an equal that you feel comfortable with.
[00:08:58.840 --> 00:09:05.400] Because I do believe that at some point, like it has not happened me with investors, but it has happened me with distributors and everything.
[00:09:05.720 --> 00:09:12.280] That if you have a feeling that it's not going to work, the time let's ends up telling you that you were right.
[00:09:12.280 --> 00:09:13.720] So, definitely.
[00:09:13.720 --> 00:09:22.440] And, like Stephanie was saying earlier, I actually found out about you back in March when I was looking for hand sanitizers for the team.
[00:09:22.440 --> 00:09:31.640] And we knew that we were going to be working remotely for a few weeks, turned into months, and we wanted to gift the team hand sanitizer.
[00:09:31.960 --> 00:09:35.720] I immediately fell in love with your branding.
[00:09:35.720 --> 00:09:38.360] And at the time, unfortunately, it was all sold out.
[00:09:38.360 --> 00:09:41.400] So, hoping that I will get to try it soon.
[00:09:41.400 --> 00:09:43.000] But I love the brand.
[00:09:43.000 --> 00:09:46.200] So, can you tell us about how the branding came to be?
[00:09:46.200 --> 00:09:47.480] Did you develop it yourself?
[00:09:47.480 --> 00:09:49.320] Did you work with an agency?
[00:09:49.320 --> 00:09:51.240] Yeah, I'm a branding fan.
[00:09:51.240 --> 00:10:02.440] I spent a lot of years learning about the story of Apple, Nike, Nespresso, and also D2C brands, I just like Glossia away, outdoor voices.
[00:10:02.440 --> 00:10:06.920] And I think when we develop the brand, it has some ingredients from all of these brands.
[00:10:06.920 --> 00:10:21.160] I think, like, we have the innovation and the design approach of Apple, we have the experience approach of Nespresso, like the moment, like when you are thinking about this Nespresso, they have elevated the coffee moment to a pleasure-luxury moment.
[00:10:21.160 --> 00:10:25.240] And I think Touchdown is doing the same in the hand sanitizer industry.
[00:10:25.240 --> 00:10:37.320] And also, we brought in the table something that we were surprised that for 20 years there was no brand that connected with the millennial and the Gen Z and through social media of hand sanitizers.
[00:10:37.320 --> 00:10:40.520] So, we started building this community.
[00:10:40.840 --> 00:10:48.320] I think that's what has triggered Touchdown success: having a community that I'm always surprised when I see the reviews and it makes me so proud.
[00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:53.280] They say, like, they use words like, I never thought I would be obsessed with hand sanitizer.
[00:10:53.280 --> 00:10:56.720] I never thought I would fall in love with hand sanitizer.
[00:10:56.720 --> 00:10:59.600] And a lot of people ask me, like, how did you do it?
[00:10:59.600 --> 00:11:03.840] And I think there's no shortcut to building a community.
[00:11:03.840 --> 00:11:07.920] Some brands just think about the outer shell of being a perfect brand.
[00:11:07.920 --> 00:11:16.640] But I think, in case of Touchdown, we've built a community that they have seen Touchdown interacting through many ways: social media, customer service.
[00:11:16.640 --> 00:11:22.080] Everything that we do and our values are aligned across all the channels, across all the platforms.
[00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:31.680] And I feel like consumers nowadays are very smart and they see if it makes sense if your brand is being honest and transparent and coherent or not.
[00:11:31.680 --> 00:11:39.040] And I think like that's part of the success has been like being very strategic, building a community, being super transparent.
[00:11:39.040 --> 00:11:48.640] Like there have been many hand sanitizer brands during the COVID that they were in order to gain sales saying my hand sanitizer kills COVID.
[00:11:48.640 --> 00:11:49.840] And many people came to us.
[00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:52.240] It's like, is your brand killing COVID too?
[00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:55.040] And I'm like, well, first of all, here's the CDC.
[00:11:55.040 --> 00:11:57.600] No hand sanitizer brand killed COVID.
[00:11:57.920 --> 00:12:00.880] They help you prevent it, but they cannot kill viruses.
[00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:03.280] So I think that's the kind of things that customers love.
[00:12:03.280 --> 00:12:06.880] It's like, we're not trying to gain sales from everywhere.
[00:12:06.880 --> 00:12:10.320] We're just trying to be very transparent and it pays off.
[00:12:10.640 --> 00:12:13.920] How big is your customer service and social media team now?
[00:12:13.920 --> 00:12:17.760] I assume your community has really grown, especially over the past couple of months.
[00:12:17.760 --> 00:12:21.520] I think, like, I have more white hair in two months than ever in my life.
[00:12:21.520 --> 00:12:22.960] We have grown very much right now.
[00:12:22.960 --> 00:12:26.560] We are attending year to date from last year's revenue.
[00:12:26.560 --> 00:12:32.520] So, obviously, I always say it's like a kid that his height is one meter and then suddenly it's three meters.
[00:12:29.840 --> 00:12:34.920] Your bones ache, you cannot sleep.
[00:12:35.000 --> 00:12:42.200] You're like, we've struggled a lot, especially because we always want to maintain the same level of commitment and transparency.
[00:12:42.520 --> 00:12:49.720] We respond to every message on social media, on customer service, like even like your inquiries, or can I try your product?
[00:12:49.720 --> 00:12:55.160] We just try to be very 100% proactive with the communication, and it has been a challenge.
[00:12:55.400 --> 00:12:57.880] Right now, the team is over 10 people.
[00:12:57.880 --> 00:13:01.800] We were a very small team in 2019, that's when we launched.
[00:13:01.800 --> 00:13:04.200] We launched in December 2018.
[00:13:04.200 --> 00:13:09.240] But I think we have been able to create a team that it feels like a family, have it involved.
[00:13:09.240 --> 00:13:25.000] Like, we work across the country, but all of us are heavily invested in making sure that it's not about sales, it's about building a company that is going to mark a difference, such as Apple changed the way we communicate, and Espresso changed the way we take coffee.
[00:13:25.000 --> 00:13:38.040] And I feel like one of the things that people ask me, what makes you happy, is to be honest, when I'm in the street and I see someone popping up that power mist and using it, I'm like, that's what really makes me happy and accomplished.
[00:13:38.040 --> 00:13:42.280] And what did you have to do differently during this time to meet the demands of the market?
[00:13:42.360 --> 00:13:46.600] Did you have to hire more people, work around the clock, weekends?
[00:13:46.920 --> 00:13:48.440] Everything, everything.
[00:13:48.760 --> 00:13:58.840] I think one of the biggest challenges that we experienced was we were sold out at the beginning of March, and so we were growing over 2,000% overnight.
[00:13:58.840 --> 00:14:10.680] So, obviously, we had to readjust everything, make sure that we could take all the pre-orders that we were receiving, and making sure that we could maximize product availability for as many people as possible.
[00:14:10.680 --> 00:14:17.200] One of the challenges that we had is like, okay, we need to measure demand, we need to know how much do we have to grow the capacity.
[00:14:17.440 --> 00:14:27.040] Like my last four months, I've been 90% of my time dedicated to supply chain because we needed to maximize product availability for everyone.
[00:14:27.040 --> 00:14:34.880] So we decided, and at the beginning of March, that we were sold out, right when the pandemic started, we were sold out.
[00:14:34.880 --> 00:14:36.960] We decided to start two initiatives.
[00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:41.360] Like we started with the waiting list and we started also with pre-orders.
[00:14:41.680 --> 00:14:48.800] And thanks to that, we were capable to go to our supply chain and say, look, we have over 30,000 orders to serve.
[00:14:48.800 --> 00:15:05.040] Like we need you to increase the filling machines and like we need you to increase the malls that we have because that was one way not to feel like one of the things that we experienced that other hand sanitizer brands couldn't experience is that we have a direct contact with the customer and we are D2C.
[00:15:05.040 --> 00:15:10.880] While the majority of hand sanitizers, they are like working through distributors, they are offline.
[00:15:10.880 --> 00:15:12.960] So when you're sold out, you're sold out.
[00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:14.400] You cannot do anything.
[00:15:14.400 --> 00:15:19.840] But in our case, we were able being very transparent, we said, look, we're going to do it by batches.
[00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:23.600] If you order, it's going to be four to six weeks wait time till it ships.
[00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:27.680] It sucks, but it's the reality and we wanted to be very transparent.
[00:15:27.680 --> 00:15:33.840] We also were refunding everyone, like people that was like, hey, look, I was waiting, but I really need my money back.
[00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:37.280] We refunded everyone that couldn't wait for the six weeks.
[00:15:37.280 --> 00:15:42.560] So it was challenging because people were very nervous and we understand it during a pandemic.
[00:15:42.560 --> 00:15:44.320] Everyone is in need of product.
[00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:51.280] We also, at the same time that we were sold out, we decided to dedicate part of our container arrival.
[00:15:51.280 --> 00:15:55.840] Every time that we received a container, we shipped to hospitals, to healthcare workers.
[00:15:55.840 --> 00:16:04.440] We shared with everyone that it wouldn't affect their waiting times, but at the same time, for us, it was very tough to have a product that can change people's lives.
[00:16:04.440 --> 00:16:13.400] And you see all these doctors and healthcare workers dealing with this nightmare of outbreak that they have to deal with everything and they don't have even protection.
[00:16:13.400 --> 00:16:16.360] That we decided as a company that we wanted to do it.
[00:16:16.360 --> 00:16:22.600] And I think we maintained this campaign for over two months and we were shipping on a weekly basis to healthcare workers.
[00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:35.960] And I feel like that's part of why the community loves Oslo is because when we have to do stuff, we just need to take action on something that for us was important during that moment of time.
[00:16:43.880 --> 00:16:45.080] Hi, Entrepreneurs.
[00:16:45.080 --> 00:16:46.200] It's Steph here.
[00:16:46.200 --> 00:16:52.760] As a founder, I know firsthand that building a business can feel so lonely, but it doesn't have to.
[00:16:52.760 --> 00:16:57.480] And that's why we created our Entrepreneursa Founders Weekend Wealth and Wellness Retreat.
[00:16:57.480 --> 00:16:59.640] And I can't wait to meet you in person there.
[00:16:59.640 --> 00:17:13.800] So you're officially invited to join us from April 30th to May 3rd, 2026 at the stunning PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida for three transformative days of connection, collaboration, and real business growth.
[00:17:13.800 --> 00:17:15.960] This isn't just another business conference.
[00:17:15.960 --> 00:17:24.360] It is a curated retreat designed to help you build authentic, lasting relationships with women who truly understand your journey.
[00:17:24.360 --> 00:17:31.160] From business panels and workshops to wellness activations and so much more, this is the room that you need to be in.
[00:17:31.160 --> 00:17:42.600] So, if you are ready to invest in yourself and your business and your vision and your next level of success, head over to entrepreneurs.com forward slash founders weekend to reserve your ticket today.
[00:17:42.600 --> 00:17:46.320] That's entrepreneur.com forward slash foundersweekend.
[00:17:46.320 --> 00:17:50.880] Or head over to the show notes right now and tap the invitation to reserve your ticket.
[00:17:44.760 --> 00:17:52.000] I'll see you there.
[00:18:02.080 --> 00:18:13.520] Now that we are four or five months into dealing with the pandemic in the U.S., what would you say your biggest challenges are now?
[00:18:13.520 --> 00:18:16.800] And what do you think the future looks like for Touchland?
[00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:23.600] Well, our biggest challenge is, I think it's going to be for a long time supply chain and capacity.
[00:18:23.600 --> 00:18:29.680] Because well before the COVID, we launched at Ulta in 1200 doors, and that was in January.
[00:18:29.680 --> 00:18:31.760] And we sold out within days.
[00:18:31.760 --> 00:18:33.280] And we're getting a lot of press.
[00:18:33.280 --> 00:18:35.440] We're obviously they are sharing our story.
[00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:40.000] Like, look at this hand sanitizer company with 34,000 people on the wait list.
[00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:43.920] And this has been on and off selling out for the last month.
[00:18:43.920 --> 00:18:46.240] So that also creates more buzz.
[00:18:46.240 --> 00:18:48.480] So we have a lot of demand.
[00:18:48.800 --> 00:18:55.520] One of our plans, obviously, is to grow internationally because not only in the US, we have a lot of demand across the world.
[00:18:55.520 --> 00:19:02.160] Right now, we have distributors in Italy, we have distributors in Mexico, South Korea, Canada.
[00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:11.200] But the world is so big, and we're getting proposals from South Africa and Middle East and so many places that I think that's one of our challenges.
[00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:15.360] Like Touchland is now a brand that is needed, especially for many people.
[00:19:15.360 --> 00:19:26.240] And if you think it's not only about the function of sanitizing, but when you think about people that use this product on a daily basis or constant basis, like healthcare, their skin is cracked.
[00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:32.680] And they're like, Andrea, like this product leaves my hands so good that I no longer have to carry a lotion with me.
[00:19:33.000 --> 00:19:49.400] So that's going to be our main focus: like continue growing the capacity at our supply chain facility and also building up great partnerships that I cannot say, but we're already working with great brands to develop co-branding products that are going to be very successful.
[00:19:49.400 --> 00:19:50.760] I do believe so.
[00:19:50.760 --> 00:19:52.520] And keep growing.
[00:19:52.760 --> 00:19:59.160] Also, we have our commercial solution that we launched at the beginning of the year, the dispenser, the CAP.
[00:19:59.160 --> 00:20:11.320] I think one of the things that we've experienced with the outbreak is that businesses that are not talking about healthcare, but like general businesses, hotels, restaurants, offices, they saw fan sanitizer as an extra.
[00:20:11.320 --> 00:20:16.600] But right now, they understood that this is a product that they need to carry as a mandatory product.
[00:20:16.600 --> 00:20:23.400] And one of the challenges that we are going to continue pushing forward is the establishment of partnerships with the B2B customers.
[00:20:23.400 --> 00:20:41.720] During these months, we have been able to sign partnerships with companies such as Equinox, SoulCycle, Blink, Sweet Green, the standard hotels, like many brands that have decided to implement our dispensers in their facilities to offer like clean and healthy environments for their customers and staff.
[00:20:41.720 --> 00:20:51.160] So this also has had the brand not only be a consumer goods brand, but also be a B2B brand that offers the solutions for category leaders across the US.
[00:20:51.480 --> 00:21:06.680] So I know being an entrepreneur, especially when you see there's so much opportunity, then definitely in your category right now, it's really hard to figure out how to prioritize what to do first, what you should focus on, what someone on your team should focus on.
[00:21:06.680 --> 00:21:16.480] Can you talk a little bit about what that looks like for you, especially given all of the opportunities that you have available to you right now, given the current situation?
[00:21:14.680 --> 00:21:30.880] Yeah, one of the worst things is having to say no, especially to customers that we're having over thousands of inquiries of distribution and customers and businesses that they want to have the product and you have to prioritize.
[00:21:30.880 --> 00:21:36.240] And I think like obviously our strategy is to build like meaningful long-term partnerships.
[00:21:36.240 --> 00:21:40.720] We've been offered like even like some examples is distributions.
[00:21:40.720 --> 00:22:00.560] We decided to focus on distributors that we already signed before the pandemic because our biggest fear was this opportunistic wave of business people that just see this as an opportunity to make bold for the next 12 months and not think Touchland as a brand that wants to stay for many years in the market.
[00:22:00.560 --> 00:22:05.360] And so we've tested distributors and just say like, hey, perfect, you will start in 2021.
[00:22:05.360 --> 00:22:07.600] Oh no, that's going to be too late.
[00:22:07.600 --> 00:22:17.440] So then you can see also like the vision, the mission, the values that these partners, that potential partners that you're evaluating, if they are aligned or not with you.
[00:22:17.440 --> 00:22:28.960] So that has been part of our due diligence is trying to understand like what kind of values all these people that are reaching out have and we should simply select those that feel more aligned with us.
[00:22:28.960 --> 00:22:38.320] I think one of the things that we've seen during this pandemic is the price couching and people were very happy because we not only maintain the prices although the alcohol price triples.
[00:22:38.320 --> 00:22:47.280] So in some SKUs we are struggling because obviously when your main ingredient triples the price, some brands had to touch the prices.
[00:22:47.280 --> 00:22:49.360] We decided that we didn't want to.
[00:22:49.360 --> 00:22:57.440] But I think also consumers appreciated that we continue to offer the bundling option where you can get like up to 30% discount and all that.
[00:22:57.440 --> 00:23:06.280] So I think in this case, we focus more on what's going to be touchdown in one year, two years, three years from now, than what can we make best out of this moment.
[00:23:06.280 --> 00:23:14.600] Many, even the FDA now is regulating so many companies that are making hand sanitizer that has toxic ingredients and everything.
[00:23:14.600 --> 00:23:17.400] And I'm glad they do because this is an FDA product at the end.
[00:23:17.400 --> 00:23:22.760] So it's good that they are stepping in and making sure that toxic products don't end up in the market.
[00:23:22.760 --> 00:23:28.440] As entrepreneurs, we know that you're really only as good as your team.
[00:23:28.440 --> 00:23:37.320] So can you talk to us about the types of roles you have and what they've enabled you to prioritize and what do you delegate to them?
[00:23:37.640 --> 00:23:41.080] Yeah, so I think one of the things that I'm more picky is about the team.
[00:23:41.080 --> 00:23:46.040] I'm a person with values, a lot of values, and that's like also touchdown values.
[00:23:46.040 --> 00:23:51.000] So anyone that jumps in the team has to be someone that I don't want to have to fire in a few months.
[00:23:51.000 --> 00:23:54.600] I'm proud to say that I haven't fired anyone since we started.
[00:23:54.600 --> 00:23:56.840] So we have been very lucky with the team.
[00:23:56.840 --> 00:23:59.880] We started hiring in August 2018.
[00:23:59.880 --> 00:24:04.920] The first person we hired was our chief growth officer, digital growth officer.
[00:24:04.920 --> 00:24:10.680] He was helping brands that are like fast-growing D2C companies in the US.
[00:24:10.680 --> 00:24:15.320] He came on board, helped us build the e-commerce, like the omni-channel strategy and everything.
[00:24:15.320 --> 00:24:21.720] The second person we hired was customer service because we do believe that customer service is key for us.
[00:24:21.720 --> 00:24:23.320] And then we've been growing since then.
[00:24:23.320 --> 00:24:26.600] We have over like 10 people right now and all of them are great.
[00:24:26.600 --> 00:24:30.920] Like, I mean, these are people that I can ask anything.
[00:24:30.920 --> 00:24:33.000] Like, this is not a hierarchy company.
[00:24:33.000 --> 00:24:36.040] I feel like most of the startups are not hierarchic.
[00:24:36.120 --> 00:24:40.440] Like, we conversate, I listen to them as much as I would listen to myself.
[00:24:40.440 --> 00:24:42.120] Like, that's why we hire them.
[00:24:42.120 --> 00:24:48.960] Like, this is people that have been very valuable for many companies, and they decided to trust me and Toshlan into this venture.
[00:24:49.120 --> 00:25:02.080] So, I think that's one of the most important things to get people that are not only great workers but that are aligned with the values because some point they are going to talk with customers, they're going to talk with businesses.
[00:25:02.080 --> 00:25:08.400] And the last thing you want is that they don't share the same values and that they talk in a different way that you would talk.
[00:25:08.720 --> 00:25:12.720] Is there a particular question you always ask during interviews?
[00:25:12.720 --> 00:25:19.840] The problem is, to be fairly transparent, Stephanie, that I have never worked with anyone, so I have never been interviewed.
[00:25:19.840 --> 00:25:24.720] So, I'm learning as I go with questions, and I think it's more about the gut that I have.
[00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:30.160] I'm not so focused on the resume of the person, like where did they study, where they did not.
[00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:44.160] I'm more focused on their productivity, their values, their anxiety to make a change, and also like to work in this like environment of uncertainty and challenges and problems because it is like that.
[00:25:44.160 --> 00:25:48.480] And if you get someone that gets overwhelmed easily, they're gonna go in panic.
[00:25:48.480 --> 00:25:54.640] So, it's good that you get people that have work also for startups that they understand what are they getting into.
[00:25:54.960 --> 00:26:02.720] How do you assess an interview whether or not they can work under uncertainty or they're proactive?
[00:26:02.720 --> 00:26:12.400] One of the questions that I ask to know the character of the person in an interview is like, What's the worst situation you've encountered in your role in the past?
[00:26:12.400 --> 00:26:16.480] And you can see, like, a true entrepreneur, like a true startup mindset.
[00:26:16.480 --> 00:26:24.800] Like, we get some people on the interviews that when they say what was their worst situation, in my case, would be the best day for me.
[00:26:24.800 --> 00:26:41.800] So, that's that's somehow a way to measure like the level of stress that this person has gone through, like, especially like if they come from like bigger companies with more limited risk, you can see that their worst case scenario is like a normal day in my life.
[00:26:41.800 --> 00:26:45.640] So, that's one way to see it if they are ready for going to war.
[00:26:45.640 --> 00:26:48.360] Is your whole team working remotely right now?
[00:26:48.360 --> 00:26:48.920] Yeah.
[00:26:49.240 --> 00:26:57.080] Do you have any tips you can share for keeping your company culture engaged right now while everyone's been working from home?
[00:26:57.080 --> 00:27:02.600] We were already working from home even before the outbreak because I have team across the US.
[00:27:02.600 --> 00:27:11.080] Being in Miami, it's very hard, like when you find all these talented people across the US to ask them, okay, leave your family or you have to move here.
[00:27:11.080 --> 00:27:14.040] And I feel like nowadays it's not required.
[00:27:14.040 --> 00:27:18.840] There are some old-style companies that you have to move to this city and work from here.
[00:27:18.840 --> 00:27:28.200] But I feel it's more motivating, like, for example, like team members that have kids that they go to schools, like have them move to another state, start from zero.
[00:27:28.200 --> 00:27:33.240] Like, if that's going to keep them more motivated, that we allow them to work from home.
[00:27:33.240 --> 00:27:35.240] And I feel like the culture has changed.
[00:27:35.240 --> 00:27:39.880] I feel like before, like, if you work from home, you had the feeling that they might not be doing anything.
[00:27:39.880 --> 00:27:44.520] In our case, like, their involvement is so big, I have no concerns about it.
[00:27:44.520 --> 00:27:49.560] Like, they are just even work harder than I do, and I work a lot.
[00:27:49.880 --> 00:27:56.040] And was there anything in the last few years that's really surprised you about running a business?
[00:27:56.360 --> 00:27:57.560] Everything.
[00:27:57.880 --> 00:28:03.240] Like, I get a lot of times, like, when something happens, like, oh, that's the first time that it has happened to me.
[00:28:03.240 --> 00:28:15.760] And it's like, either I have the worst pad luck in the world, or like, I'm getting all the obstacles because every single situation that we've encountered, like, of problems, like the partner is like, oh, that's the first time that we encounter something like this.
[00:28:16.080 --> 00:28:22.880] And so I feel like they say that every time to make you feel like the first one, but it's been challenging everything.
[00:28:22.880 --> 00:28:35.600] I think one of the hardest parts is supply chain because you can have the most successful product in the world, but in the end, like there's some parts that you cannot control, which is supply chain, quality, and you can have many problems.
[00:28:35.600 --> 00:28:41.200] Like two weeks ago, we were bringing a container that was already committed and it had an accident.
[00:28:41.200 --> 00:28:49.520] And so you encounter, I feel like when you watch movies that just like joy or everything is, you have to go through hell as an entrepreneur.
[00:28:49.520 --> 00:28:56.640] And I kind of like it because that makes me also feel like challenge every day, but it is obstacle after obstacle.
[00:28:56.640 --> 00:29:02.160] How do you stay level-headed during all of these challenges and keep going?
[00:29:02.480 --> 00:29:13.120] The long-term thinking, like in my case, I started this to create kind of like the apple of hand sanitizers, and you have to pay the fees of being an entrepreneur.
[00:29:13.120 --> 00:29:16.480] And it's going to be like one in a million that gets there.
[00:29:16.480 --> 00:29:18.320] And it's all about attitude.
[00:29:18.320 --> 00:29:20.720] And sometimes I must say, like, yeah, I've cried.
[00:29:20.720 --> 00:29:21.840] Yeah, I've been anxious.
[00:29:21.840 --> 00:29:26.720] Yes, I wanted sometimes to strangulate someone, but it is part of the journey.
[00:29:26.720 --> 00:29:28.640] And you have to just think long-term.
[00:29:28.640 --> 00:29:32.560] And it's like, one more step, you're closer, one more step to your goal.
[00:29:32.560 --> 00:29:33.200] And that's it.
[00:29:33.200 --> 00:29:39.760] It doesn't have like such a big goals that sometimes when you experience challenges, that's when you doubt if you want to continue.
[00:29:39.760 --> 00:29:45.120] That's why it's so important to have a very strong reason why when you start.
[00:29:48.960 --> 00:29:55.440] Founders are always asking us: what has been the secret to our success building multiple seven-figure businesses?
[00:29:55.440 --> 00:29:56.880] Do you want to know how?
[00:29:56.880 --> 00:29:58.560] It's our community.
[00:29:58.560 --> 00:30:05.880] We created the Entrepreneursa League for founders like you because the most successful entrepreneurs do not navigate business alone.
[00:30:06.120 --> 00:30:11.960] We navigate the challenges and opportunities with the support of people we know, love, and trust.
[00:30:11.960 --> 00:30:15.800] The relationships you build in business will be the key to your success.
[00:30:15.800 --> 00:30:17.960] Trust me, it's how we've done it.
[00:30:17.960 --> 00:30:23.640] And I'm giving you access to everything we've used to grow and scale our businesses over the past decade.
[00:30:23.640 --> 00:30:28.040] Plus, you're going to meet your new best friends in business right inside the community.
[00:30:28.040 --> 00:30:50.360] Our members have access to everything we've used to grow our businesses over the past 10 plus years, from in-person events to virtual events, business education, funding resources, office hours with myself and other top founders in your industry, press opportunities, and access to our community platform where you can instantly get all of your business questions answered.
[00:30:50.360 --> 00:30:57.160] You can join us in the community over at refer.entreprenista.com forward slash join us.
[00:30:57.160 --> 00:31:02.920] That's refer.entreprenista.com forward slash join us to join the community.
[00:31:02.920 --> 00:31:06.280] Or head to the show notes right now and tap the link to join.
[00:31:06.280 --> 00:31:08.520] I cannot wait to meet you.
[00:31:09.160 --> 00:31:14.920] What's something that our listeners would be surprised to learn about you?
[00:31:15.560 --> 00:31:16.600] A lot.
[00:31:17.880 --> 00:31:20.520] For example, that I am Black Belt in Judo.
[00:31:20.520 --> 00:31:23.480] I did 10 years of judo when I was little.
[00:31:24.040 --> 00:31:26.760] That I have sung in front of a thousand people.
[00:31:26.760 --> 00:31:31.480] Also, when I was little, I was heavily entertained.
[00:31:31.800 --> 00:31:33.720] What were you singing?
[00:31:33.720 --> 00:31:34.360] Everything.
[00:31:34.360 --> 00:31:39.960] I used to go to contests and everything, but then I realized that it would be more fun to be an entrepreneur.
[00:31:39.960 --> 00:31:40.840] That's so funny.
[00:31:40.840 --> 00:31:44.800] I did musical theater growing up, so I love that, that that's your background.
[00:31:44.800 --> 00:31:46.160] I totally can relate.
[00:31:44.520 --> 00:31:47.360] Yeah, I did musical theater.
[00:31:47.600 --> 00:31:50.000] I was gonna say, I have to ask, what shows were you in?
[00:31:50.960 --> 00:31:57.520] I did Chicago, I did rent, I did in Barcelona, obviously, but I did a lot of them.
[00:31:57.520 --> 00:32:00.960] Well, we'll have to have an offline Broadway sing-along one day.
[00:32:00.960 --> 00:32:03.040] Maybe we'll do an Instagram live.
[00:32:03.040 --> 00:32:04.160] With a glass of wine.
[00:32:04.320 --> 00:32:05.280] Yes.
[00:32:06.560 --> 00:32:09.360] What does a typical day look like for you?
[00:32:09.680 --> 00:32:12.640] It's a typical day before the pandemic or?
[00:32:12.880 --> 00:32:15.360] I guess before and how has it changed?
[00:32:15.360 --> 00:32:18.480] Before I used to have an orange.
[00:32:18.800 --> 00:32:21.280] What time would you wake up before and now?
[00:32:21.600 --> 00:32:23.040] Every time it's earlier.
[00:32:23.040 --> 00:32:24.720] I don't even use alarm clock.
[00:32:24.720 --> 00:32:30.000] My brain is just like, I normally wake at seven, but sometimes at six, 5:30.
[00:32:30.000 --> 00:32:32.240] It depends on the time and the stress.
[00:32:32.400 --> 00:32:33.360] I sleep not a lot.
[00:32:33.360 --> 00:32:36.400] And also, I'm Spanish, so we go to sleep very late.
[00:32:36.400 --> 00:32:38.640] We go to sleep at midnight or 1 a.m.
[00:32:38.880 --> 00:32:41.520] So that shortens the sleep time.
[00:32:41.520 --> 00:32:43.760] And I wake up, I haven't started meditating.
[00:32:43.760 --> 00:32:46.240] So I get in the terrace and I breathe and everything.
[00:32:46.240 --> 00:32:48.720] And that helps me clear my mind.
[00:32:48.720 --> 00:32:50.480] And then we would go to the office.
[00:32:50.480 --> 00:32:52.800] I learned to cook for the last month.
[00:32:52.800 --> 00:33:00.400] I've learned to cook because when I was in Barcelona, my mom was always helping me with cooking and have Tupperwares every week.
[00:33:00.400 --> 00:33:02.320] And now I'm surviving.
[00:33:02.320 --> 00:33:07.200] So I learn how to cook and basically work until 9 p.m.
[00:33:07.360 --> 00:33:10.720] after have dinner, love TV shows.
[00:33:10.720 --> 00:33:13.600] Now I'm watching The Last Empire, The Last.
[00:33:14.000 --> 00:33:19.120] Since I just moved to Miami, are you staying in your apartment and just working around the clock?
[00:33:19.120 --> 00:33:20.000] Or do you go out?
[00:33:20.000 --> 00:33:22.400] Do you go to the beach, restaurants?
[00:33:22.400 --> 00:33:30.680] No, no, like especially even before the pandemic, since we launched, I've been fully dedicated and we don't go out as much.
[00:33:30.680 --> 00:33:34.200] I feel like I've partied enough in my young days.
[00:33:34.200 --> 00:33:36.440] So I cover that part of me.
[00:33:36.440 --> 00:33:38.600] These days, we are all day at home.
[00:33:38.600 --> 00:33:42.280] I have two dogs that I am very entertained with.
[00:33:42.680 --> 00:33:45.320] So it's been very relaxing, actually.
[00:33:45.320 --> 00:33:48.120] And it has helped me also to slow down.
[00:33:48.280 --> 00:33:57.000] I used to live a life with a lot of stress, always like meeting with friends and always having time for everyone and forgetting about self-care and everything.
[00:33:57.000 --> 00:34:07.480] And I feel like these last months I have been able to find my inner peace and relax and enjoy watching the TV and not be always in a rush with everything that I do.
[00:34:07.480 --> 00:34:12.040] What are some tips that you can share that have helped you been able to slow down?
[00:34:12.360 --> 00:34:17.560] I love getting out of Derras in Miami, especially that there is some meditating.
[00:34:18.040 --> 00:34:20.200] I use these meditation apps.
[00:34:20.200 --> 00:34:21.400] I love music.
[00:34:21.400 --> 00:34:26.920] So this kind of thing just chills me down and helped me to relax.
[00:34:27.320 --> 00:34:30.600] Is there anything you wish you knew when you first started?
[00:34:30.600 --> 00:34:35.880] So back to when you were 24, what would you tell your 24-year-old self?
[00:34:35.880 --> 00:34:37.720] Yeah, I get this question a lot.
[00:34:37.720 --> 00:34:41.000] And the problem is that I do believe that everything happens for a reason.
[00:34:41.000 --> 00:34:45.480] And that if I knew and I didn't go through that path, I would not be here.
[00:34:45.480 --> 00:34:57.080] So of course, I wish I knew a lot about everything from trademark protection and IV protection and supply chain and presidias and prototypes.
[00:34:57.080 --> 00:35:04.120] And there are so many things that I've learned that I didn't know when I was fresh out of university that I wish I knew.
[00:35:04.120 --> 00:35:14.280] But at the same time, it has been great to learn and to look back on time and the innocent 24-year me thinking that if you work hard, you get what you want.
[00:35:14.280 --> 00:35:17.840] No, unfortunately, as an entrepreneur, it's not like that.
[00:35:18.240 --> 00:35:27.200] Sometimes, as I said, like sometimes you just can maintain your goal, but you just have to change your path to get there because sometimes that's not the right path.
[00:35:27.200 --> 00:35:35.520] And I'm glad that when we were in certain situations where I knew that we were pushing too much, we readjusted the ways to get there.
[00:35:35.520 --> 00:35:41.600] And you mentioned before that you at one point will exit the company or sell the company.
[00:35:41.600 --> 00:35:44.960] Do you have a goal in mind of when you want to do that?
[00:35:44.960 --> 00:35:48.720] To be honest, I have dedicated the last 10 years that has been very tough.
[00:35:48.720 --> 00:35:51.440] And now I say that the party is getting started.
[00:35:51.440 --> 00:35:54.640] So I don't want to, so I wanted joy as an entrepreneur.
[00:35:54.640 --> 00:36:09.120] Like for the last 10 years, I've been preparing myself for growing this company and building this team that I call my business family and to create this community that adores us and we also adore them for being so kind with us.
[00:36:09.120 --> 00:36:13.360] So that's, I think, what I was dedicating one-third of my life.
[00:36:13.360 --> 00:36:16.400] And I'm glad that I pushed hard to be where we are right now.
[00:36:16.400 --> 00:36:18.320] And I'm not thinking about it, to be honest.
[00:36:18.320 --> 00:36:24.400] Like, obviously, during these days before the outbreak, trying to raise money was a nightmare.
[00:36:24.400 --> 00:36:27.440] Like, all investors said, like, this is not a sexy category.
[00:36:27.520 --> 00:36:29.040] Hand sanitizers, no.
[00:36:29.360 --> 00:36:31.280] And now it has changed the wheel.
[00:36:31.280 --> 00:36:35.840] And now, all of us, all of them that we meet, was like, hey, how are you doing?
[00:36:35.840 --> 00:36:36.960] Can we invest now?
[00:36:36.960 --> 00:36:38.080] And it's like, no.
[00:36:38.400 --> 00:36:56.400] We're just in a moment that we just want to grow this baby, make sure that we can create a company like Apple that can change self-care, and that we can create these delightful moments of self-care, like through hand sanitizers and through new categories that we introduce, but like keep bringing joy to the everyday life.
[00:36:56.400 --> 00:36:58.240] No, that's that's really great.
[00:36:58.240 --> 00:37:04.200] How do you decide now what tasks you're gonna take on versus what you delegate to other team members?
[00:37:05.640 --> 00:37:06.520] It depends.
[00:37:06.520 --> 00:37:13.240] Like, I feel like I'm getting to a point that I have a very proactive team, they anticipate myself that there's something that they can do.
[00:37:13.240 --> 00:37:14.680] It's like I'll do that.
[00:37:14.680 --> 00:37:16.520] And we're very well organized.
[00:37:16.520 --> 00:37:18.360] I'm very strong at negotiation.
[00:37:18.360 --> 00:37:28.120] So, a lot of people say, When I negotiate, I want to be on your side because that's something that I push forward to get like an equal deal that I feel comfortable with.
[00:37:28.120 --> 00:37:31.720] And if I don't, I don't go forward.
[00:37:31.720 --> 00:37:36.280] But we're getting in a point that we're very well engineered and well-synchronized with the task.
[00:37:36.280 --> 00:37:39.640] Everyone knows what, and I feel comfortable before.
[00:37:39.640 --> 00:37:42.600] It was more like you have to do this, are you doing this?
[00:37:42.600 --> 00:37:49.320] And now I'm getting more like in a moment that I don't have to be checking homework, and it's more like everyone knows what they have to do.
[00:37:49.320 --> 00:37:55.160] Are there certain tools or softwares that you use with your team so you can all stay organized and communicate together?
[00:37:55.160 --> 00:37:57.000] Yeah, we use a lot.
[00:37:57.000 --> 00:38:02.280] We use obviously Slack, we use Trello, we use WhatsApp a lot.
[00:38:02.280 --> 00:38:08.440] We have obviously like my WhatsApp has like 10 touchland groups, like the marketing, the logistics.
[00:38:08.440 --> 00:38:14.040] So, it's very funny that all my WhatsApp is all the logos of Touchland from up to down.
[00:38:14.040 --> 00:38:15.640] And we call a lot.
[00:38:15.640 --> 00:38:20.520] I feel like one of the parts of being in the distance is I'm just talking with them all day.
[00:38:20.520 --> 00:38:30.360] Like, I end up at night with no voice because, if anything, I like to consult, and I feel like that way also team members feel part of something.
[00:38:30.360 --> 00:38:38.720] Even if it's like, what should be the brand direction that we're doing with this agency, what should be the style for the shooting, what should be the collaboration?
[00:38:38.720 --> 00:38:40.520] Which brand should we collaborate?
[00:38:40.520 --> 00:38:48.000] We are all, even no matter what department they're in, we are all very, like, as a community, like we decide everything together.
[00:38:44.840 --> 00:38:51.040] And that's a good way also for them to feel motivated.
[00:38:51.360 --> 00:38:54.560] And what would you say you're most grateful for each day?
[00:38:54.880 --> 00:38:55.920] Health.
[00:38:56.240 --> 00:38:56.960] Yes.
[00:38:56.960 --> 00:38:57.440] Nowadays.
[00:38:58.320 --> 00:39:01.440] Yeah, I think like the most important is health and also family.
[00:39:01.440 --> 00:39:05.840] I was supposed to go to Barcelona in March, but my flight got canceled.
[00:39:05.840 --> 00:39:13.440] So it's been seven months that I don't get to see my family and it's not easy, but like health right now is one of the priorities.
[00:39:13.440 --> 00:39:17.680] And I think everyone should value health over everything else.
[00:39:17.680 --> 00:39:18.720] That is so true.
[00:39:18.720 --> 00:39:21.200] Without your health, you really have nothing.
[00:39:21.200 --> 00:39:26.800] And you're building a company right now to be able to help people continue to stay healthy.
[00:39:26.800 --> 00:39:30.320] So you're definitely contributing to your goal and mission.
[00:39:30.320 --> 00:39:32.400] And it's truly incredible.
[00:39:32.400 --> 00:39:36.080] What would you say that being an entrepreneur means to you?
[00:39:36.080 --> 00:39:43.840] I think like one of the parts that is very exciting is that by sharing your knowledge, you empower other people to follow their dreams.
[00:39:43.840 --> 00:39:49.360] And I think like being an entrepreneur is not only following your journey, but also giving back.
[00:39:49.360 --> 00:39:51.840] I think that's one of the things that I like the most.
[00:39:51.840 --> 00:39:54.080] And people tell me like, you have no time.
[00:39:54.080 --> 00:39:55.520] Why do you share your story?
[00:39:55.520 --> 00:40:05.920] And it's like, I think by sharing my story, my worst days, my obstacles, like I also motivate people to say like, okay, she went through hell, but there she is.
[00:40:05.920 --> 00:40:07.760] Like maybe I could do the same.
[00:40:07.760 --> 00:40:17.360] And I think being an entrepreneur is like being part of a community that not only follows your own dreams, but also empowers other women to follow their dreams.
[00:40:17.360 --> 00:40:25.440] And by somehow eliminating those obstacles and like leveraging your knowledge to help others not go through the same.
[00:40:25.760 --> 00:40:26.720] Yeah, absolutely.
[00:40:26.720 --> 00:40:28.000] I couldn't agree more.
[00:40:28.000 --> 00:40:33.160] And our audience is going to learn so much from you just sharing your story and your journey.
[00:40:33.480 --> 00:40:39.800] And I can't wait to continue to follow your journey and your company and see what you do next.
[00:40:39.800 --> 00:40:41.640] I know it's going to be absolutely incredible.
[00:40:41.640 --> 00:40:45.720] So thank you so much for taking the time to share with us today.
[00:40:45.720 --> 00:40:48.120] This has been so wonderful.
[00:40:48.120 --> 00:40:50.920] Where can everyone find you and follow you?
[00:40:50.920 --> 00:40:53.640] And of course, buy your incredible products.
[00:40:53.640 --> 00:41:00.360] Everyone can follow us at Instagram and TikTok at Toshland and myself at Daniel Isbona and Instagram.
[00:41:00.360 --> 00:41:00.840] Wonderful.
[00:41:00.840 --> 00:41:03.000] Thank you so much for being here.
[00:41:03.000 --> 00:41:05.480] I'm Stephanie and I'm Courtney.
[00:41:05.480 --> 00:41:08.680] And this is the best business meeting we've ever had.
[00:41:09.000 --> 00:41:10.360] Hi, Entrepranistas.
[00:41:10.360 --> 00:41:11.400] It's Steph here.
[00:41:11.400 --> 00:41:18.520] And I hope today's episode has left you feeling inspired and with some actionable tips that you can apply to your own business.
[00:41:18.520 --> 00:41:25.880] The way we've grown our community and resources is by sharing content like this for years and asking for help along the way.
[00:41:25.880 --> 00:41:31.400] So here's where we need your help so we can continue to make as much impact as possible together.
[00:41:31.400 --> 00:41:48.440] If you can leave us a five-star review and extra credit if you share this episode on Instagram, LinkedIn, or DM it to a founder friend who would benefit from hearing it, not only would it mean the world to us, but you sharing this episode is going to help someone who just may need to hear what we share today.
[00:41:48.440 --> 00:41:51.480] And you know I love nothing more than giveaways and prizes.
[00:41:51.480 --> 00:41:58.200] So every month I'll be giving away a one-on-one session with me to someone who has shared the episode and left a review.
[00:41:58.200 --> 00:42:03.520] So send me a personal DM over on Instagram, I'm at Steph Jill Carton.
[00:42:03.520 --> 00:42:05.960] Once you've done it, so you can be entered to win.
[00:42:05.960 --> 00:42:11.720] Wishing you a productive week ahead and stay tuned for another impactful episode next week.