WoW Woman in Beauty I Lauren Lovelady, co-founder and CEO of Each & Every
Lauren Lovelady is the co-founder and CEO of Each & Every. She has an MBA from the University of Alabama and previously worked in the finance world before pursuing her passion for brand building.
Lauren is a former Brand Manager for deodorant brands, Secret and Old Spice, and it was during her time in deodorants that she noticed the naturals segment of the market was underserved and got the bug to create something new.
Though natural products had been on the rise, her journey to find a natural deodorant was frustrating, and she was inspired by the challenge to create a natural product that worked as well as the mainstream brands she had worked on for years.
She teamed up with Mikah Coffindaffer, a colleague with years of experience as a product developer, and together they launched Each & Every. Lauren led the brand creation for Each & Every and oversees the physical and digital development of creative, marketing, advertising, and design.
Lauren, tell us a bit about your background and your projects so far.
I am the co-founder of Each & Every, a clean, sustainable beauty brand. I have been in the industry for 12 years, working on mainstream beauty brands before starting Each & Every.
How did you get into the beauty industry? Has it been an easy industry to get into or have you had many challenges?
I have always been a beauty junkie. I love trying new products and I am in constant pursuit of my holy grails. Beauty has always been such a big part of my personal life. As I was looking at career opportunities out of college, I really looked for opportunities that would allow me to be part of this industry. I was fortunate to receive job offers in the industry out of graduate school but have worked to create my own path that allows me to pursue personal passions like clean beauty, sustainability, and e-commerce.
How long did it take you to be where you are now? What was the biggest obstacle?
I have been working in this industry for 12 years and every day is a new challenge and new obstacle to overcome. When I first started Each & Every, I knew nothing about e-commerce. I knew a lot about deodorant and brand building but had no idea how to sell online. I built our first website myself (and I don’t have an IT background), taught myself how to connect the dots from media to manufacturing to fulfillment, and every day I continue to learn something new. I have really learned how to embrace the pivot and accept that the space is ever-evolving.
What are the challenges of being in the industry you are in?
One of our biggest challenges is that this industry is very trend-driven and it can be difficult to stay ahead of the curve when product development timelines are long. We do everything we can to get products to market as fast as possible without sacrificing quality and safety.
What are your biggest achievements to date?
I am really proud of how our team has been able to build and grow Each & Every. Using clean products is an emotional journey for so many. We hear from consumers all the time that someone close to them had a health scare that caused them to think differently about the products they use and when they find a product that meets their criteria and works it’s such an emotional relief. On the hard days, we read the reviews to remind us of our “why”.
What are the projects you are currently working on?
We are working to expand Each & Every into new categories, bringing our clean and sustainable philosophy to skin, hair, and body.
Is the #WomenInTech movement important to you and if yes, why?
Absolutely! Women are under-represented in many areas of the workforce and especially so in tech. We are female-founded and we have female UX/UI designers, female product managers, and female engineers, and we believe that is key to our success because gender diversity leads to stronger ideas and better outcomes. We are committed to continuing to use our platform to create opportunities for women to succeed.
What will be the key trends in your industry in the next five years and where do you see them heading?
Consumer demand for more sustainable products will continue to increase. The industry is quite behind here but there are so many new, evolving technologies in the space and I believe we’ll see big shifts from big brands that move the industry in a positive direction toward a more sustainable future.
What is the most important piece of advice you could give to anyone who wants to start a career in this industry?
Make connections! Find something you’re passionate about and then connect with people in that industry to build rapport and experience. Volunteer, intern, slide into the DMs, send a LinkedIn message. There is power in human connection!
Who are three inspirational women in your respective industry you admire?
Jamie Kern Lima, founder of It Cosmetics. I love her story and I think her grit and tenacity are inspiring for any entrepreneur.
Tabitha Brown, Tik Tok sensation and actress - I am so inspired by content creators who have genuine influence and I will listen to anything she says.
Kris Jenner, the ultimate brand manager, turned her children into billion-dollar brands.
Find out more about Each & Every on their website.
Follow Each & Every on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Lauren will be one of the speakers at our upcoming webinar “The Future of Beauty: Inclusive and Driven by Technology” in May. The webinar is FREE to join, register for your ticket here.
This interview was conducted by Anja Streicher, Chief Marketing Officer at Women of Wearables. Anja is passionate about women’s health and wellness and is inspired every day by WoW women in tech and business who are changing lives with their innovative products.