What happens when a new mom, overwhelmed by postpartum skin issues and tired of feeling like an afterthought, creates her own skincare solution from scratch? In this episode of Beauty and the Brand, host Aggie Burnett chats with Kyra Venable, founder of Lavender Meadows, about how she transformed DIY formulations and one-star reviews into a top-ranked Etsy brand that’s now served over 5,000 moms. With no funding and a “just go for it” attitude, Kyra shares the scrappy strategies, raw lessons, and customer-driven insights that helped her grow a bootstrapped beauty business from her kitchen to cult favorite. Whether you’re launching or scaling, this episode is packed with practical inspiration for founders ready to build without waiting for perfect.

Chapters:

• 00:00:00 - Welcome to Beauty and the Brand
• 00:01:23 - Meet Kyra Venable: Mama, Founder & Formulator
• 00:02:00 - Postpartum Struggles Spark a Skincare Mission
• 00:04:08 - Mixing in the Kitchen: From Hobby to Hustle
• 00:05:37 - The One-Star Review That Changed Everything
• 00:10:41 - How Lavender Meadows Dominated on Etsy
• 00:14:01 - Battling Competition and Building a Real Brand
• 00:17:17 - Defining Her Customer and Standing Out Online
• 00:24:19 - Turning DMs Into Sales: Customer Engagement 101
• 00:25:51 - Why Email Marketing Still Converts
• 00:26:18 - Real Talk on Events and Instagram Burnout
• 00:27:16 - Hosting With Heart: Building Deeper Community
• 00:30:12 - Pivoting Product Strategy Without Losing Vision
• 00:34:31 - Asking for Help and Leveling Up as a Founder
• 00:44:59 - What’s Next for Kyra (and Lavender Meadows)
• 00:47:56 - Favorite Products, Real Talk & A Final Word

• Kyra Venable on LinkedIn
• Lavender Meadows Website
• Kyra on Instagram
• Aggie on LinkedIn
• AB Creative
• Aggie on Instagram

Mentioned in this episode:

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