Meet Erica Taylor | Owner of Lip Mermaid Cosmetics & Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Erica Taylor and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Erica, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My thought process was I always knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur, I love the freedom aspect of it while also allowing yourself to make your own stamp on the world. I want to leave my own legacy while having financial freedom. My product was the combination of my two passions of events and cosmetics! My muse was from music festival attendees, whenever I would go to music festivals I would see people wearing all this gorgeous glitter on their faces and bodies but anytime I attempted to put glitter on it would explode and make a huge mess in my apartment so I wanted to figure out a way to condense it and allow for on the go application without the mess of a glitter explosion! That is how LMC was born.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My journey as an entrepreneur has been anything but easy, after a year and a half of product development I was finally ready to launch on March 9, 2020. Little did I know the world was about to be on fire for the next year and the necessity of my product went right out the window with COVID. I designed a product where one end is lipstick and the other is shaped glitter for the face, body and hair that was inspired by music festivals, suddenly there was no music festivals and women were less inclined to wear lipstick due to wearing masks in public. It felt like all the work I had put in for the past year and half came to a screeching halt, this past year as for many has been one of the most challenging of my life. I was so amped up to start selling my product at festivals in 2020 and then I had the rug pulled out from beneath me. However I read a quote from Barbara Corcoran that said “The essence of a great entrepreneur is the ability to bounce back… from anything!” I am determined to do exactly that and dive in this year now that the world is beginning to open back up. I am most proud of my ability to pivot and adapt when faced with any adversity, this past year I pivoted my target market to tiktokers and influencers as they were still getting dolled up at home for their social media as well as were able to market my brand to their audiences and gain brand awareness. My best advice for other entrepreneurs is to have all your ducks in line legally before you launch, get your Trademark and your LLC way in advance because its a slow process but as with most hard work, it will all be worth it in the end!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My absolute favorite spot in all of SD is Kate Sessions Park, the view is breathtaking and it is also my dogs favorite place to go play. Almost every time a friend comes to visit me I take them there for a picnic, its a must see! Next up would be The Holding Company for brunch in OB, the third floor view of the ocean and the delicious food is everything I could ever want for brunch! Then I would have to take my friend on a weekend speakeasy bar crawl all over the city including the following speakeasies: Raised by Wolves, Prohibition, Grass Skirt, False Idol and Realm of the 52 Remedies! Of course we would have to have a beach day at Coronado Island and go explore the Hotel del Coronado then head to Little Italy for all the delicous italian food for dinner, Nonna’s is my personal favorite, can’t beat Grandma’s Italian recipes! Lastly, we would have to spend a day in Pacific Beach, it has such a young and vibrant personality that has to be experienced! Writing this made me want to start inviting all my friends down to visit to show them all the wonderful places SD has to offer, I’m in love with this city and its a love the continues to grow as I continue to explore it!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shoutout to Julia Lapham, she is someone I have looked up to since the day I met her my Freshman year of college. She has always encouraged me to be the best version of myself and we have been there for each other through thick and thin! I would also like to shoutout Sabra Rubinstein, I have always been able to call her to bounce business and marketing ideas off of each other and she always has a fresh marketing perspective that is truly priceless! Lastly, I would like to shoutout the book You’re a Badass by Jen Sincero because this book was a reminder that everything you want in life you can accomplish but it all starts with you and from within to make it happen and achieve being an authentic badass!

Website: www.lipmermaid.com

Instagram: @lipmermaidcosmetics

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lip-mermaid-cosmetics

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lipmermaidcosmetics

Image Credits
Carlos Frayre