613: Why Most Beauty Brands Fail - and How to Beat The Rest | DIBS Beauty Founder

What It Covers

Jeff Lee, cofounder of DIBS Beauty, explains how the brand reached mid-eight figures in four years through 500 creator partnerships, 60% repurchase rates, retail expansion into Ulta, and obsessive customer proximity including personal phone support.

Key Questions Answered

• •Prelaunch waitlist strategy: Built 20,000 person waitlist by sending products to 500 trusted creators with personal relationships, hosting week-long community events in Austin, and creating scarcity with limited storytelling that made audiences feel part of the journey before launch.
• •Customer proximity tactics: Founders personally answer customer service calls and DMs, watch shoppers in Ulta stores without identifying themselves to observe natural buying behavior, and visit all 50 states to understand regional purchasing patterns and demographic differences in makeup preferences.
• •Retail timing shift: Pure DTC beauty brands face increasing pressure to enter retail earlier than 2021 standards. DIBS transitioned to omnichannel after three years, but new color cosmetics brands should plan retail partnerships sooner due to customer need for color testing and product experimentation.
• •Content measurement evolution: Success metrics shifted from likes and comments to tracking user-generated content inspired by brand posts. Community manager was first hire, with entire team responsible for relationship building including store visits, event participation, and direct influencer engagement regardless of follower count.