What woman has never found her in an embarrassing situation because of a bra strap showing up at a very important meeting or sheath undoes when you are leaving the house? If you have ever been in one of those situations, you will understand the proposal of the brand That Girl, which has been in the market for five years helping the modern woman, often in a rush, to maintain the pace without losing the pose.
When Mrs. Maria Fernanda Mamede, Brazilian entrepreneur and brand Owner, opened her own business, she did not expect to succeed so quickly in the United States, one of the most competitive markets in the world. Today, That Girl’s product lines are already sold online by Forever21 and present on the shelves of 25 Ricky's stores in NYC, which are among the city's most famous beauty and cosmetics store chains. According to Mrs. Mamede, “The entrepreneur must, first and foremost, be a salesman and understand its consumers”. With that in mind, That Girl got a place on Ricky's shelves in 2014.
With Forever21, the story was a bit different: with the support of ABIHPEC, Apex-Brazil and the Trade Promotion Office of the Brazilian Consulate in Los Angeles through “Beautycare Brazil”, the internationalization project of the Brazilian Cosmetics, Toiletries and Fragrances Industry, That Girl participated in the 2016 Cosmoprof North America - Las Vegas, one of the largest beauty and cosmetics fairs in the world. From there, it came out with a registration form to be a Forever21 supplier. At the same trade show, it got on the radar of US retail giants such as Nordstrom and T.J. Maxx, both also interested in the brand.
"Selling is a process, sometimes it happens right away, but it usually takes multiple meetings until it turns into something more serious," says Fernanda, optimistic about the possibility of starting a partnership with more retailers in the U.S. “I created the brand to help women solve small day-to-day inconveniences so that they would feel more beautiful and confident; an existing need that goes beyond Brazil and the U.S. and can be observed in many different countries”.
Currently the brand has 16 products, many manufactured in Brazil. The intention is to have all of them made in the country. Technology and production costs are still challenges, but nationalization is a priority in the company's agenda.
Another demonstration of success and interest in this Brazilian company came with its selection for the highly competitive International Innovators Initiative (www.in2.nyc), which helps entrepreneurs with growth potential build their business in the United States. The brand was selected from hundreds of companies around the world, including many technology startups.
In April of 2017, the brand Owner will travel to the United States (Miami, Los Angeles and New York) for a month in a trade mission to prospect clients and business partners aiming at accelerating sales and expanding the brand.