Jecca Blac began with its founder, Jessica Blackler, offering a safe space for transgender women to explore and learn about makeup.
Jessica shares her experiences working with retailers, getting a barcode, and the ups and downs of launching a successful beauty business.
How and why did you start the business?
I began the business by offering makeup lessons to trans women. I soon noticed that clients felt very overlooked by the beauty industry. Therefore, we began to create products that offered solutions (e.g. covering beard shadow) and a brand that overlooked gender.
How long have you been a member of GS1 UK?
We have been a member of GS1 since we launched the products in 2017. My Numberbank is where we store all our barcodes, which is a very important part of our multichannel retailer set up.
What is a typical day like for you?
We are part of L’Oréal Innovation; therefore, I spend a lot of time travelling to Paris. Every day is very different to the next, sometimes office based and sometimes on photoshoots.
What are the main pros and cons to running your own business?
Pros: Doing what you love and having the freedom.
Cons: It’s a lifestyle and can sometimes cross over with your own personal commitments.
What are your plans for the business for the nearest future?
Expanding into new retailers and growing our product range.
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself?
I was once in a TV advert!
Who inspires you?
The clients that I started with inspire everything we do! I am still in contact with them weekly and it’s an important part of our brand – the customer is our core.
What top piece of advice would you give to other brands?
Sales process can be a long process and it’s so important to be patient!
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