Matching her nail art to her launch palette: how Emma from Beautie adds delight into her business
It’s not everyday as a writer and customer journey consultant that you get to interview a cult leader for your website, but: today is that day. 😉
Emma is the founder of feelgood brand Beau Tie, where she transforms second-hand and thrifted materials into stunning headbands, eyemasks, ties, bow ties (hence the name), and scrunchies (where she really earned her status as cult leader — which we’ll get onto in a sec.) You’ll probably join her online community for her headwear, and stay forever more for her immaculate vibes. Whether it’s her cardboard cut-out of Ainsley Harriott, documenting her solo travels on instagram, or her incredible dedication to collection launches by matching her nail art, Emma is VERY big on adding delight wherever she can, so I knew she’d be perfect to chat to.
Tell us about the cult, first of all, and the rebrand too.
SO. The Cult was born from a business pivot in 2020, 8 years after I started my business. My brand focus had previously been all about the wedding industry making ties, bow ties and pocket squares, predominantly for grooms. But over time I’d built up a strong community online, which had also massively strengthened when my instagram was hacked and I had to start from scratch. (Side note: we interviewed Emma about this on the Business Proposal, which you can listen to here if you so wish.)
It was like I finally I had something new that suited SO much of the community I had built, and the support really showed with the launch of the scrunchies (and eventually various other products too, particularly the headbands!) I really think it was a combination of that which truly made it what it is today. Being able to style my own products on myself too has definitely made a huge change as well.
The actual term ‘scrunchie cult’ and ‘cult leader’ was coined by my customers/followers after that first launch. It was wild, and it stuck! And I’m so glad because it’s a really fun aspect of my brand. That pivot really was the beginning of a complete change for my business and its identity, and for me too. The rebrand, or ‘biz glow up phase’ as I named it, was something I’d wanted for a long time. I’d wanted to really lean into how my customers were responding to my products - it was all about how they FELT when wearing my scrunchies & headbands. Plus I wanted to level up with fabric tags for my products, and a brand new place to share it all together aka the shiny new website. The newsletter and subscriptions were on my dream list too so it’s been very exciting seeing it all come together this year.
You release your scrunchies in collections - what goes into your launch prep?(Both in terms of practicality and vibes, as I know you're v into mindset!)
I have such a ritual with my launches now. I have specific instagram content that is a MUST every time. It’s about building up hype and allowing enough time to do so. But once I have the name of the collection, and I see the colour palette forming…that’s when I really lean IN. I get so excited by it all and I think that energy comes across. That makes a huge difference in itself. I have to have a big mindset pep talk on the day, and now I try and time my nail appointments on the day too as a treat, or even a day out ahead of the launch evening. I also pick up a boujiee bottle of wine, and always do a slightly chaotic instagram live on the night. I treat it like a launch party. And although it’s TECHNICALLY just me at home, with my cat Snowy and my cardboard cut out of Ainsley Harriott, I feel like my online community are there with me. They leave such funny order notes and It’s a whole thing now, which I just love.
You’ve started to match your nail art to your collections, which I am SO here for — how did that come about?
So the NAILS. I’m very big on ‘best future self’ which is something that came from my mindset coach (Chloe Slade). I often try to keep in mind what would she be like, how would she dress/show up/live her life. My future best self would ALWAYS get her nails done, and link it with collection themes. My nails feature in my work so much (filming order boxing/making, photos of scrunchies on my wrist or in my hands) so it’s kinda become a must for me now. It’s all part of the brand aesthetic, and makes things feel a little more professional, but still playful.
What's your fave set been?
Omg every time I get my nails done I say it’s my favourite set yet 😂 but I really loved the nostalgia of the Barbie themed ones for the launch of the Barbie movie (and to go with my ‘Barbie edit’ aka all my fave pink products), the pink & red zebra to match a specific fabric were really fun, and the sketchbook doodle style ones that had my new logo were really cool because they were almost like tiny stories that represented both me and my brand. My current ones are the colour palette of my autumn collection to help me source the right fabrics which I think is quite clever tbh 😏. The next ones planned are for my business anniversary (11 years!) so that’s very exciting!
How do you add delight into your business?
I think I add delight into my business by bringing certain aspects of my life into the brand. I’m always purposely looking for joyful things, and actively romanticising my life. Or as Florence Given calls it ‘Living Deliciously’. I LOVE taking my self on solo dates, day trips or holidays, and I very much bring my online community along with me when I do. I love to turn fabric sourcing into a fun day out round the charity shops, or when I have a big list of admin, I’ll often take myself out of the house to a coffee shop or quiet bar to get it done. I’m all for that main character energy, and making sure that elements of FUN are a big part of my business as much as possible. Because why be self employed if you can’t enjoy the flexibility and freedom that it can bring into your life? It takes A LOT of mindset work and constant pep talks to run a business, and keeping up a positive approach is a daily practise. But getting to call myself a scrunchie cult leader as my job? I can’t be mad at that 😂
You can check out Emma’s shop here, and follow her on instagram @beautieuk_. I look forward to seeing you in the cult soon!
Fancy adding delight into your customer journey? Check out my delight design services here to see what we can do together!
