TotalBeauty.com Catches Up with Maureen Kelly, Creator and CEO of tarte Cosmetics
Find out what products (outside of tarte) she has stashed in her beauty arsenal
Q: What do you attribute the initial growth of tarte to?
A: I'd have to say innovative products, hard work, word-of-mouth publicity, a dedicated team and women who love makeup that's good for your skin. And the list goes on!! Needless to say, I'm not only the founder of tarte, but I'm also our best customer. Each and every product we make I truly want to wear, whether it's every day or on special occasions.
Q: What do you hope the Internet will do for your business?
A: We look to the Internet to help us grow as a company. It allows us to have an active voice and it creates a community for us. We're able to educate our customers about our products. By visiting tarte.com, you can learn about our healthy ingredients and eco-friendly attributions. You can also find out what my team and I are up to by checking out our blog and "the green life" where I give green tips and we showcase our favorite green company of the month. More than that -- the Internet enables us to talk with our customers. Everyone on my team is constantly tweeting -- it's the new way of customer service.
Q: How do you motivate your team to come up with creative ideas for new products and business advancements, especially during challenging economic times?
A: I'm proud to say that my team is really motivated and passionate about the brand. In order to keep our creative focus, we sometimes step away from the project and take a walk over to Starbucks. Being out of the office definitely helps. Or, on Mondays and Wednesdays, some of us work out with our personal trainer. Other ways I help motivate my team is with little perks like Summer Fridays, Pizza and Cookie Cake parties, and personal gifts when big goals are achieved.
Q: What advice can you offer to beauty professionals that hope to rise to the top of their company or start their own business?
A: I'd encourage them to think "out of the box" -- offer ideas other people aren't talking about. Be passionate about your work. In my opinion, determination and hard work never goes unnoticed. Make yourself do outside projects -- whether it's researching a new technology, joining a professional group like CEW or taking classes on a subject of interest to you. Find a mentor who can teach you new things. Remember, you always want to bring more to the table, so go on out there and network!
Q: What's your beauty mantra?
A: Less is more. I can't tell you how many women I've said this to. Play up your best feature or experiment with a new color on your lips. Combining too many looks and trends just ends up looking overdone. I love it when a woman looks naturally beautiful.
Q: What skin care and hair care brands might we find in your bathroom?
A: Ohhh, this is a tough one! Some goodies you'd find in my bathroom: my Clarisonic, Boscia cleanser, SKYN Iceland eye cream, Burt's Bees Sweet Almond Bath Oil and Buttermilk Soap, Oscar Blandi everything, Goody Ouchless Ponytail Holders, and my T3 hair dryer. And I LOVE candles -- some of my favorites are: Volupsa's Crisp Champagne, Tocca's Yma and all of D.L. & Co.'s candles. One of my new faves is Cire Trudon: 100% vegetable-based wax with a pure cotton wick that is biodegradable, allergen free and contains no pesticides.
Q: Our final hard-hitting question -- have any fun summer travel plans?
A: I love spending time at our beach house in Jersey with my family. We have a trip planned to Asheville, N.C. this summer. My in laws have a lake house there so all of the cousins spend long, lazy days swimming while the adults get to water ski and have some well-deserved R&R.
