Jamie Kern Lima

And I got a word that the head of QVC Beauty, who's a legend, a guy named Alan Burke, he wanted to have a call with me. And I was like... Oh my gosh, I've been sending them so many samples for years. And right now, as we're down to no money left, I have no idea how we're going to keep going. Like, this is it. This could change everything. And I remember when I got the call, I was so pumped up.

And I got a word that the head of QVC Beauty, who's a legend, a guy named Alan Burke, he wanted to have a call with me. And I was like... Oh my gosh, I've been sending them so many samples for years. And right now, as we're down to no money left, I have no idea how we're going to keep going. Like, this is it. This could change everything. And I remember when I got the call, I was so pumped up.

I was like pacing around our office, which was our living room, power posing, trying to tell myself, okay, they'll be lucky to have us. And when I answered the call, he said, hello, Jamie, this is Alan Burke with QVC.

I was like pacing around our office, which was our living room, power posing, trying to tell myself, okay, they'll be lucky to have us. And when I answered the call, he said, hello, Jamie, this is Alan Burke with QVC.

And he said, listen, I wanted to call you myself and let you know that we've received your samples, all of them, and I've had a meeting with the entire buying team, and it is unanimous that you are not the right fit for QVC or for our customers. And I remember in that moment, well, the truth is tears started streaming down my face, but I went into re-pitching again.

And he said, listen, I wanted to call you myself and let you know that we've received your samples, all of them, and I've had a meeting with the entire buying team, and it is unanimous that you are not the right fit for QVC or for our customers. And I remember in that moment, well, the truth is tears started streaming down my face, but I went into re-pitching again.

I'm like, oh, but Alan, I am the right fit. 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 we had been getting so many rejections for years, and I really had hoped that this would be it, but it wasn't. So we kept going and barely keeping the company alive. We continued to get rejection after rejection.

I'm like, oh, but Alan, I am the right fit. 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 we had been getting so many rejections for years, and I really had hoped that this would be it, but it wasn't. So we kept going and barely keeping the company alive. We continued to get rejection after rejection.

In fact, one potential investor from a really well-known private equity firm, we were both hoping this would be our saving grace. He loved our product. And we did meeting after meeting after meeting, went to the diligence phase, you guys. The very end of it, the final meeting, he says, congratulations. You should be so proud of this product. But it's a no.

In fact, one potential investor from a really well-known private equity firm, we were both hoping this would be our saving grace. He loved our product. And we did meeting after meeting after meeting, went to the diligence phase, you guys. The very end of it, the final meeting, he says, congratulations. You should be so proud of this product. But it's a no.

We're going to pass on investing in IT Cosmetics. And when I asked him why, I remember he got really quiet and he says, you want me to be really honest with you? And he said, I just don't think women will buy makeup from someone who looks like you with your body and your weight. That one, I cried in bed for three days after.

We're going to pass on investing in IT Cosmetics. And when I asked him why, I remember he got really quiet and he says, you want me to be really honest with you? And he said, I just don't think women will buy makeup from someone who looks like you with your body and your weight. That one, I cried in bed for three days after.

But here's the thing and here's the key is every time that we would meditate or pray and get really, really still, like I get this feeling inside that said you're supposed to keep going. You're supposed to keep going." And I trusted that voice and trusted the power inside of me.

But here's the thing and here's the key is every time that we would meditate or pray and get really, really still, like I get this feeling inside that said you're supposed to keep going. You're supposed to keep going." And I trusted that voice and trusted the power inside of me.

And I'm sharing this because my hope and prayer today is that you do that too, every single step of the way outside of this room, and to trust it over all the no's that might be happening all around you like they were for us. So after years of countless rejections and no's, it finally happened. We got one single yes that had the power to change everything. QVC finally gave us a yes.

And I'm sharing this because my hope and prayer today is that you do that too, every single step of the way outside of this room, and to trust it over all the no's that might be happening all around you like they were for us. So after years of countless rejections and no's, it finally happened. We got one single yes that had the power to change everything. QVC finally gave us a yes.

Then I learned we would get one shot, one shot to go live on QVC to present our product in this ten minute window and either hit their sales goal or not come back. I learned we'd have to sell over 6,000 units of product. in a 10-minute window, live on air. Y'all, we were doing one to two orders a day on our website. Like, that's what we were doing. And we had to sell over 6,000 units.

Then I learned we would get one shot, one shot to go live on QVC to present our product in this ten minute window and either hit their sales goal or not come back. I learned we'd have to sell over 6,000 units of product. in a 10-minute window, live on air. Y'all, we were doing one to two orders a day on our website. Like, that's what we were doing. And we had to sell over 6,000 units.

And then I learned it's a consignment offer. What that meant is we would somehow have to figure out how to pay for, manufacture, ship in, pass regulatory compliance, pass QC, all of the inventory. Then I go live on air in 10 minutes, and if it doesn't sell, we take it all back and we're not paid. So you should never say yes to that, ever, right?

And then I learned it's a consignment offer. What that meant is we would somehow have to figure out how to pay for, manufacture, ship in, pass regulatory compliance, pass QC, all of the inventory. Then I go live on air in 10 minutes, and if it doesn't sell, we take it all back and we're not paid. So you should never say yes to that, ever, right?