Jamie Kern Lima

You see, I'd always dreamed of launching our products on QVC, which is a live television shopping channel. It's broadcast to more than 100 million homes across the country. And when you have a product, QVC is huge. It's a huge deal because you can actually sell more there on QVC in a 10-minute window than in most store chains nationwide for an entire year.

You see, I'd always dreamed of launching our products on QVC, which is a live television shopping channel. It's broadcast to more than 100 million homes across the country. And when you have a product, QVC is huge. It's a huge deal because you can actually sell more there on QVC in a 10-minute window than in most store chains nationwide for an entire year.

So it's massive, and I had gotten word that the head of QVC Beauty, a guy named Alan Burke, he's like a living legend, he wanted to have a call, and I thought, I have been sending them our products for years, so many samples for years, and right now, as we're down to no money left, and we had no idea how we were gonna keep going, I was like, this is it, this is finally it, this could change,

So it's massive, and I had gotten word that the head of QVC Beauty, a guy named Alan Burke, he's like a living legend, he wanted to have a call, and I thought, I have been sending them our products for years, so many samples for years, and right now, as we're down to no money left, and we had no idea how we were gonna keep going, I was like, this is it, this is finally it, this could change,

everything for us. And when I got the call, I was so pumped up, I was actually pacing around our entire office, which was our living room, and I was like power posing, I was like trying to tell myself they'd be lucky to have us. And I got the call, and he said, hello, Jamie, this is Alan Burke with QVC. And he said, listen, I want to call you myself and let you know that we received your samples,

everything for us. And when I got the call, I was so pumped up, I was actually pacing around our entire office, which was our living room, and I was like power posing, I was like trying to tell myself they'd be lucky to have us. And I got the call, and he said, hello, Jamie, this is Alan Burke with QVC. And he said, listen, I want to call you myself and let you know that we received your samples,

all of them. And I wanted to tell you myself, I met with the entire buying team and it's unanimous. You are not the right fit or QVC or for our customers. And I remember standing there, y'all, we were so close to bankruptcy at that moment. I remember tears start streaming down my face and I went into pitching. I'm like, Oh, but Alan, we are the right fit. And I told him all the reasons why.

all of them. And I wanted to tell you myself, I met with the entire buying team and it's unanimous. You are not the right fit or QVC or for our customers. And I remember standing there, y'all, we were so close to bankruptcy at that moment. I remember tears start streaming down my face and I went into pitching. I'm like, Oh, but Alan, we are the right fit. And I told him all the reasons why.

and he thanked me for loving QVC and said it's a no. I wanted it to be a yes, so bad at the time, and I'd been getting so many rejections for years, and I truly hoped that this would be it. But we kept going, kept going, and kept going, barely keeping the company alive, and we continued to get rejection after rejection. One potential investor who we were really hoping would be our saving grace

and he thanked me for loving QVC and said it's a no. I wanted it to be a yes, so bad at the time, and I'd been getting so many rejections for years, and I truly hoped that this would be it. But we kept going, kept going, and kept going, barely keeping the company alive, and we continued to get rejection after rejection. One potential investor who we were really hoping would be our saving grace

He even ended the meeting by saying, congratulations, this is a really great product. You should be really, really proud. But to be honest with you, I just don't think women will buy makeup from someone who looks like you with your body and your weight. That one, y'all, I cried in my bed for three days straight after. But every time, I would get another rejection.

He even ended the meeting by saying, congratulations, this is a really great product. You should be really, really proud. But to be honest with you, I just don't think women will buy makeup from someone who looks like you with your body and your weight. That one, y'all, I cried in my bed for three days straight after. But every time, I would get another rejection.

I would meditate or pray and I would keep getting this feeling deep inside that said, you're supposed to keep going. You need to dare to lean on your faith. You need to dare to believe even when it feels like no one else is. And I would write these words in my journal. Champions aren't made when the game is easy and you are a champion.

I would meditate or pray and I would keep getting this feeling deep inside that said, you're supposed to keep going. You need to dare to lean on your faith. You need to dare to believe even when it feels like no one else is. And I would write these words in my journal. Champions aren't made when the game is easy and you are a champion.

And what I know right now as I stand here, what I know for sure is that each and every one of you is born to be a champion too, and today is the day to decide to dare to believe that for yourself. It's true. After years of rejections and more rejections and more rejections and no's, A moment, a huge moment, it finally happened. We got one single yes that had the power to change everything.

And what I know right now as I stand here, what I know for sure is that each and every one of you is born to be a champion too, and today is the day to decide to dare to believe that for yourself. It's true. After years of rejections and more rejections and more rejections and no's, A moment, a huge moment, it finally happened. We got one single yes that had the power to change everything.

QVC finally gave us a yes and I learned we would get one shot live on QVC to present our product in this 10 minute window and either hit their sales goal, which is massive, or not come back, and I learned I'd have to sell over 6,000 units of our product in a 10 minute window, live on air, and y'all, we were doing one to two orders a day on our website, okay?

QVC finally gave us a yes and I learned we would get one shot live on QVC to present our product in this 10 minute window and either hit their sales goal, which is massive, or not come back, and I learned I'd have to sell over 6,000 units of our product in a 10 minute window, live on air, and y'all, we were doing one to two orders a day on our website, okay?

But we said yes, and we went all in, and we hired third party consultants who are amazing, they help a lot of people, but they told me if I had a shot at succeeding, we would need to use what they called beautiful models, to demonstrate our product and our one big shot, which to them meant they all had no skin issues, the same skin tone, and they looked like they were barely 18.

But we said yes, and we went all in, and we hired third party consultants who are amazing, they help a lot of people, but they told me if I had a shot at succeeding, we would need to use what they called beautiful models, to demonstrate our product and our one big shot, which to them meant they all had no skin issues, the same skin tone, and they looked like they were barely 18.