Two weeks ago I added 2 marketers to my team. Both mid-20s and both impressed me in the interviews.
Disclaimer: I adore GenZ and have so much respect for their hustle and drive. I know they are going to do big things and change the world!
During our weekly marketing tag up these kiddos sat me down with a PowerPoint presentation to inform me my brand was all wrong. The following is a list of all the changes I needed to make if I wanted my business to succeed. You all, the amount of energy and restraint it took for me to keep a straight face during this meeting was truly heroic.
This is the cover slide for the 'Marketing Meeting'.
From the presentation:
Stop being so political including women’s rights and equality posts. Politics has nothing to do with candles. I had to remind them that the whole mission of MWCC was to give voice to real issues, set the feelings on fire and let that shit go.
Stop using profanity. I almost broke here…but didn’t burst out laughing yet.
Curate the social media feeds, especially Instagram. The feed looks like chaos and is not aesthetically pleasing. *slowly nodding my head* I said “yeah…life is chaos. I’m not going to curate my feed with some rose-gold bullshit, I like to keep it real and authentic.
This is the slide that killed me. I have so many questions. Like the goal here is to have candles floating in the middle of the road? Don't even get me started on the formatting.
Only post your blog notices on your personal social accounts and write candle related content only. I did actually laugh at this one. All I said was okay…continue…AND THEY DID!!! There was no stopping this dynamic GenZ duo! Like, ladies…read the room! Nope, they were so confident in their opinions.
James (21 YO Male) even tried to jump in and help educate them, to which the presenter said "You're not our target demographic, your opinion doesn't matter. It was so rude and disrespectful. I had to jump in on that one. Like she looked James directly in the eyes and dismissed him. Later, I told James that is what it is like for women in any corporation.
I let it go on mostly out of curiosity. I mean how could two college-educated marketers get a brand so wrong? I stared blankly, making direct eye contact with them as they informed me that I should personally take over Facebook because people my age don’t use TikTok. I’m 49.
I am very unclear on what a 'tubber ware' is???
The presentation ended with them explaining to me that to compete in the candle market, we needed to be more candle focused and less focused on me and my stories. *My eyes got so big at this point they nearly fell out of my face* I raised my hand like a student in a classroom and said…’Ok…my turn’.
I went through as calmly as I could and explained AGAIN (this was not our first conversation which is why they chose to do a formal presentation) the brand, my mission and that I wasn’t going to fit in a mason jar candle box. Our demographic is not Women Ages 35-54, It is any person 16+ that has ever felt unheard, unseen or under-represented. I am going to continue telling my stories and I will NEVER curate my social media feeds or hide my voice.
The ringleader continued to argue with me. Like, full-on telling me she knows more about marketing than I do. I looked her directly in the face and asked her if she has ever built a business with an organic social media following of 400K?
She kept going...I finally put both hands up and said "Full Stop, this is my business and I will run it the way I want to." She actually said "Good Luck."
I paused. Then said “I’m not feeling a good fit here and invite you to please leave.” I got up, went to my office, shut the door and just laughed in shock and disbelief. I called my husband and I was cry-laughing as I told him all about this ‘sit-down-talking-to’ I just endured. He said he was proud of me for not losing my shit. I told Joe ‘You know I keep my bitch locked up tight for everyone’s protection.”
So…back to Indeed to start the process over again. Wish me luck!
This week's Candle: I am putting my Generation collection on sale for $18 each!
Stay Malicious,
Lacie
Comments (70)
Way to hold it together. You’re a better woman than I am. Gen Zs missing a “chip” and apparently life experience. If the children had done their homework, they would have gotten a hint prior to their BS PowerPoint presentation. Haha and good luck with their marketing degrees, they will be burned out by the time they hit 40 totally disillusioned because they didn’t get what your business was about.
AND
You do you!
Always stay you, authentic and real. Never let anyone tell you differently. I buy your stuff because you are real, funny, true and make me laugh during the good and crappy times. 💋
What the ACT-ual FUQ?!?! The audacity of both of them! They did ZERO homework on your company!!! ZERo
I’m a Boomer and the power point seems designed to neutralize any political messaging especially on the left. Be fearless, be real and do it with Humor – something squares can’t stand!
“The meeting ended” closer to the beginning…
Follow up question- were they smart enough to realize they were fired??
HAHAHAHA!!! This was the best blog I’ve read in a long time!!! What a bunch of ass clowns! I hope you didn’t pay them too much. The cussing, the inappropriate captions, the women’s rights, and on and on and on, are the reasons why I buy these candles and push them on everyone else to buy! Perhaps you should let them read all the comments from this blog to help them learn, poor lil babies, so sweet, so clueless….eye roll.
That was just hilarious – bought 2 candles to support my fellow gen Xer. I love when they don’t read the room and just assume that you are falling for the BS. From the original latch key generation buh bye – we will figure it out just like we have been doing our whole lives. Love your product, love the sarcasm and love that you are true to yourself.
Hilarious. I enjoyed this so much. I am old and work with young people. I am 63. I get a lot of ok boomer. Say that one more time you little shit! Lol
Yet another reason I’m sooo grateful I got to leave my corporate job and follow my dream. I dealt with some of the most entitled assholes at all ages and now I get to pick who I work with!
And THAT’s why Lacie is a badass, she’s the Boss!
Can we get a Badass Boss candle? Infused with perseverance and opposition- or any witty combo you want.
And I really hope you have a great massage therapist, you deserve it!!! You too, James!
Less profanity? ASMR? Using Taylor Swift as a fake fan to promote your products like all the MLM hunbots? “Equality divides.”? JFC! I’d also like to know what is this “tubber ware” of which they speak.
So proud of you for not losing your shit.
You definitely did the right thing letting them know they weren’t the right fit! Stay true to who you are! We love you and your genuine self keep up the amazing work you do. Keep being malicious.