We had tried so many tanners and could not find one that wasn't sticky, that ...
that would stay so long for athletes and people that are sweating all the time.
“And so we reformulated 26 times before we got this one product and so we launched that one”
and sold out three minutes and we were like, "What else can we do?" Lacy Shelby Shaw is a dynamic, resilient and multifaceted beauty entrepreneur and the founder of Hayhati Cosmetics. Drawing from her extensive industry experience, she empowers women to embrace their confidence through custom beauty products, setting a new standard for authentic connection and everyday empowerment. With my platforms aside from my brand is I want women
to know their value from inside out from their looks like they're literally made to be
beautiful beings. Do you become from all over the country to shop at our store and have the whole
Hayhati experience? You walk in the door and our entire team says, "Hey, Hayhati!" They're so cute and they're full, so special. You're not just coming into shop, you're coming in and hanging out with the girls. And then after that, you're getting the word of mouth, you get to know your customers, right? They're Instagramming about it, right? It's a whole system between great product, great people, great marketing, right? And so it's almost
like you get the whole package, like not just for them, but also for you because they're doing their own social media for you, right? I want to keep the heart of what we are and that human connection and, you know, genuine connection and so. The Living Your Legacy podcast for those who live to leave a legacy. Hey, welcome everybody back to another episode of Living Your Legacy Podcast.
I got a special guest here tonight for Mompreneurs, but she's come out here. She's changing her outfit, looking real good, right? Come out of the Barbie room and into the dark podcast room, but it's still bright in here because of her presence. So let me know your name and your business and yeah, tell us what's good. I am Lacey Shelby. I am from Forward Texas. All right. And I am the founder of Hay-Hoddy Cosmetics. Hay-Hoddy Cosmetics, okay, right? So what kind
of Cosmetics we're talking about? There's a whole world of Cosmetics. There is a whole world. And that's actually why we started Hay-Hoddy because there's a whole world of cosmetics out there and we wanted to fill gaps in that with just something a little different. And so we started with one product we now have 48. So we cover a wide range. Yeah. We like to call it the ADD line because it's got some hair. We've got some makeup. We've got some tanning. Yeah. And what age group are you
“guys going for? What's the target market here? So we actually have... Or is it a target market?”
Hotties. Hotties around the world are target market. But it's so interesting because anytime we look at stats it's equal. It's like equal parts 13 to 18 and you know every age group is
within 20 to 30 percent. And so it's pretty equal, which I love. Yeah. And the marketing team is like,
oh, no, can't you just focus? So we can kind of get the analytics through this group. We are the marketing team. Oh, okay. Yes, we are like that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you got a wide range of products and you have a wide target market, right? Tell us more about the products. So you said you got hair. What kind of makeup? We started with one product. Yeah. And it was a self-taining mousse. And we spent over a self-taining mousse. Yes. So let me put it on. Yeah. Like, makes you tan. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah.
We're sure. No, I've heard of her self-taining liquids, right? But then usually you would mix that liquid with a lotion or something. Right. And but I guess you've kind of combined that into a mousse, which I'm just guessing is a lighter, fluffier texture thing, right? Yes. We like to do a little puffy. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. But not the stickiness of a mousse. Not the stickiness. Yes. Exactly. So you rub in the tan. And so you had one product. One product. What what what what tending level was that.
“So this was ultra dark. And that's why we did the one product. Because we had tried so many”
tanners and could not find one that wasn't sticky. That was super dark. That was today so long for athletes and people, you know, that are sweating all the time. Yeah. And so we we reformulated 26 times. Oh, okay. Got this one product. Yeah. And so we launched that one and sold out three minutes and we were like, what else can we do? What else can we do? Like people loved our stuff. So now we have lip gloss. We have lip liner. We have blush. We have our hair mask in our shampoo.
Yeah.
right now? We just love it. We love it. Like all the boys, all the hobbies, they still in the girls are like, and now I got to get to one for my man and one for me. All right. And then we also branched. So I did hair and it worked in the salon everything for 18 years. And I wanted a really
“good hair tool. And everybody kept asking like, y'all did these? So well, what else can you do?”
Yeah. So I made a curling iron and weaver. So we literally have a little pocket in the real different areas. Really. And how what's like how long is this journey to come up with all these products? Like what how many years we're talking about? We're talking over four years now.
Over four years from first product to 48 products. Wow. And so getting that first product down,
right? Taking that that leap of faith, right? And you said it took a while like any different iterations to get the formula, right? You know, where were you sourcing it? How did you even know where to start, right? That's exactly all the all the questions every entrepreneur has when they take that leap. You know, do I need investors? I mean, there's so many things to think about coming from the beauty world, also where there's so much competition. And it's so fierce. And it's like,
I'm packing on the questions here, right? Because honestly, these are all things when you're taking
“that leap. You know, it's like, it seems like unless you're a superstar celebrity, right?”
It's hard to get that makeup line, right? So how did you do it all? How did you take that leap and trust yourself and bet on yourself? Tell us through that journey? It really started with we were building our own social media presence and working with different companies in different brands. And we would post and sell them out and post and sell them out. We were making a flat rate. I was like, well, even before that, right? Did you make a name for yourself in the in the
hair world? So what I did, I did having, you know, a full career in the retiring, as I said when I got out from behind the chair, but I did, I did build a lot of trust with people. And I learned what people
really want. And it was always super important, like whether people really wanted to hear like,
they're like, this is my favorite product, but it's not doing this. And I wanted to be so honest, like, yeah, like, I know the brand is cool and all, but you don't want to put this on. You know, I was just really honest, building a trust with people that was always super important to me. And even we were talking about it this morning, years later now, not behind the terrace, still have clients message me about things that aren't even here related because of building that
trust. So I always, I tell people be authentic, no matter what you're doing in your life, and it's going to carry through. Yeah. And so we, I built that that trust with just my peers and you know, customers. And then we started our social media and had nothing to do with any of that, other than just being ourselves and showing up every day. Okay. Then we started working with brands because we were authentic and integrating, you know, things into our everyday life. And so we were like,
okay, like, we're doing all this for other people. And I've always been an entrepreneur.
Yeah. And so I was like, we should do this for ourselves. And that's where the whole thing started. And also using so many different products and not really finding exactly what we wanted. I'm like, there's the whole we're going to fill it. Yeah. Yeah. And so that's where it started. I probably should sometimes, but I never think, I guess myself, if I have an idea and I like, build solid, like, this is what we're going to do. It never once has been like,
oh, should I try it? Should I risk it? Should I this? It was very much like this is what I'm doing. And we're going to, Scott is still going to let's see how far we can take it. Wow. You guys sell locally, nationally, like, how's that growth been going? We sell online worldwide. And it's so cool. So, very cool. We have hoties around the whole world. And thank God for that. All right. We also side note of that. We make every single package like a gift. So our boxes, everything. So
we encourage everybody that orders from us online. Yeah. And a boxing video like a gift or like an experience. It's a gift. It's like a gift to themselves. So it's like this box with tissue and cutie stickers and the extra is in fluff. So you open it. It's like you gifted yourself this cute, adorable hot girl. Nice package. Yeah. And so it's cute people will. So there's, there's some experience
“behind that here. Yes. Yes. Absolutely. Yeah. I mean, you have to think about unboxing has become such a”
major thing. Right? It's, it's crazy, right? The smallest thing becomes the biggest thing, right? And it's like these details that you have to look at when you're, when you're make it. Okay. Now we got the product. How do we display that product? You know, but it's awesome fun when you're having fun with it, right? And you get to work with designers and you're designing yourself and you get to put your creativity. Yes. It, it, it all becomes a really fun process, right? So sourcing your, your, I mean,
I don't know, the slightest thing about sourcing beauty products, right? Are you sourcing from
China?
right now are a huge thing, right? So yeah, tell us about the sourcing. That was kind of the biggest
question mark when we started like, okay, here's what we want to do. Where do we start? Where do we
find an engineer a lab? Yeah. So I just started Googling. And so actually there's, they're way more
“accessible than people realize I think. So my brain, my ADD brain is like, I could tell you all the”
things there, but pause. And so I found four different manufacturers, somewhere in the US, somewhere Korea, somewhere China. Okay. And I told them exactly what I wanted. And I, I did, I, I'm looking at this from this standpoint, then it was like, okay, we just want it dark. And we wanted to smell good. We wanted to be, you know, it was just kind of a general, not necessarily like formula wise. I didn't know enough then. Yeah. And I relied on the engineers for that. And then
I quickly narrowed it down to just one manufacturer engineer because they were so easy to work with. They didn't make me feel like I didn't know what I was doing. And the men, so you had a kind of like dealin fix. Yes. The internationally, because you got China versus Korea versus America. So who, who won? Who got the goals? So for this product, China won. Oh, this one. And they still, I have not been able to go visit, but they want me to come and watch like in the lab when they
actually make ourselves with my dream to get there and do that. But they were amazing. And I mean,
I already told you I went through 26 formulas. Yeah. And so she was like, okay, perfect. Like that one adjustment. Let me do it for you. Let me for you. Now working with China also, what kind of safe guys or protections did you have? So that they're not kind of mass producing this and putting it on all the, all the websites that you know are out there today. Everything that I have is trademarked, FDA approved registered internationally trademarked. Okay. So that's a lot of money to put up, right?
It is. Because you're talking about, okay, you got the American trademark. And then, I mean, yeah. And I didn't know anything about any of that. Like, I found amazing. Well, you're what? I know. I know that. And let's see, jump in. You're not going to be like, oh, I just have it to know about trademark. I see now. Yeah. So, and I know about it because I've been through that road too. It's like, right. Until you've been there. Yes. You figured out as you go. Yes.
“And so that's what I did. I just basically won by one created a bubble of a team that's going to”
help me keep growing. And you had investors or you are, wow. So you totally bootstrapping this business. You've totally jumped in. You've gone talked to overseas people because you didn't go over there yet. Korea, Chinese, and some Americans. And then you go with a Chinese one. And then you kind of trademark it globally. And you're just bent in on yourself. Right? Because you didn't even know if
it's going to work or sell yet. You know, I never questioned that it wouldn't. Yeah. Which is probably
little busy because you got the product. You tested it with your friends. And they're all kind of everybody was like giving it showing off their 10. Yes. Right. Yes. They're also getting compliments. Right. Yes. That's like okay. The number one thing right for women when they get a good haircut. They put on makeup. Get a new outfit. Right. Sure. The husband or the boyfriend can say, oh, you look great. Right. But it's about going out there feeling confident, like getting some,
some, you know. Yes. The girls mean like, you look good. Yeah. Yes. Yes. It's like, okay. Do you want the cat calls? Or you do not want the cat call? Yes. Maybe not the cat calls. Right. But yeah. You know, a nice compliment every here and there. Right. Oh, that's amazing. And that is genuinely like my heart behind it, too. Yeah. With, with my platform's aside from my brand is I want women to know their value from inside out from their looks. Like
“of course. They're literally made to be beautiful beings. Yeah. And I think women look different.”
We are wired differently. You know, men are wired to look at beauty, right? Yeah. And women are wired to like feel. Yes. Beautiful. You know, I mean, it's a thing. It's like even in nature. When you talk, they see those birds that do those wow crazy exotic dances. You know, or if you go to some parts of Miami, there's peacocks everywhere, right? Yeah. Like you'll Google down, you know, some of these side streets, right? And then all of a sudden, there's like 12 peacocks,
one of one of one full flat feathers out. Do it as shaky thing. It's like, oh, you know, wow. Yeah, trying to impress the girls, right? But yeah, I mean, it's just a nature thing, right? And so you're helping to enhance the features, the beauty, the tans, you know? So, yeah. I mean, you are helping people grow their confidence to be more beautiful, right? There's nothing wrong in that. Yeah. And also keeping it very, like, I am picky, obviously. Yeah. Through 26,
for me, it was before the 27th was perfect. I am very excited. Twenty seven times a chance.
Twenty seven times a chance.
you know, and so I will not put my name on it. So we have very high quality products, but very reasonable prices. It is accessible for a lot of people. Yeah. And so how are you, how are you keeping the quality high and the pricing down? Like, is it just bulk and like, like, you guys must be selling
a lot. We do. All right. We do. I know. I know. Yeah. We actually did a million and sales are first
year in business. So we're doing the same things. Oh, dear, my microphone just dropped on the floor. Right. Right. Right. I don't know what to tell you. Product to that is like crazy. But yeah, mainly doing it in bulk. And I'm going straight to the source. Nothing is wholesale. You know, I'm literally making it. It's for all my. As I say, Miami. It's for all my strength on the source. Right. Right. All right. So, all right. I mean, so what kind of growing pains do you have now
in terms of, you've done over a million and sales? You've got 48 products. Are you kind of testing which ones work, which ones don't work or they're all working? So now you're growing
“to the next product. And how are you getting to the next, the next stage of where you want to be?”
We pretty much now at this point know what our audience wants. Yeah. But you got the systems down. We have the systems down. Growing pains are on the daily. Growing pains are literally on the daily, especially when we grew so fast. I will say business wise. I think the hardest part is, here's this big bubble of things that have to be done every 24 hours. And delegating that to who to make it continue to be successful and grow. And so since it's consistently changing,
we're consistently having to change that and change our systems. Okay. So, I mean, I feel like I'm the queen of pivoting. And we're pivoting. You know what's next? But as far as products, we would like to hone in on we have a few more in the work. So we haven't told people about
we always have something. It takes about a year for me to perfect a product. So I normally have
a lot of products being formulated at one time. But we would in the next six months to a year like to get to a point where it's like, this is our line. This is what we're going to have. We want to, well, we have a brick and mortar now. Okay. I don't know if I mentioned that. So you're in half ago, we did expand and have a brick and mortar. So people come from all over the country to shop at our store and have the whole, hey, how do you experience? Yeah. It is amazing. And what
is the whole, hey, how do you experience it? So you walk in the door and our entire team says, hey, howdy. And it's so cute and there are people so special. And then you get any drink you want, Coke, Sprite, you know what I'm saying, say brands. But all the drinks and we put glitter in them, we have custom cups and lids and it's like, you're not just coming into shop, you're coming in hang out with the girls. Awesome. And so we my daughter and I run the company together,
me an audience. So the guys want to hang out with the girl? No, the guys will come and they literally will pull up and be like, let's hang out. Can I have a sparkly drink right? Absolutely. Can I have a sparkly drink? And so then we have so many different like photo app, you know, opportunities there. And they get to actually smell and touch all of our products. Yeah. Because we get a lot different from the, what's that, what's that, black and white striped store. But that shows all
“them all the makeup. Oh, Sephora. Sephora. It's a lot different than the Sephora's brands, right?”
So this is smaller, more personalized. Hey, these are our brands, right? Let's have fun testing them.
And then, you know, try these out. And we know you're going to be back. Yes. Right. Yes. That's amazing.
Yeah. Yes. And even in store, we have a gift bag and it's got gift tissue. And then we have a special secret scent that we put on there. So then they keep every piece of it. And so for months, it's like, it smells like a holiday in here. And you know what, it's kind of like, we've lost that small experience that we've grown to all these big, these big box stores. You know, it's, it's so funny because we're the world cup now. You get all these people from around the world. And they're like
talking about the American experience. And they're just like Walmart and it was so funny. They're like, look how big, you know, you want olive oil? Look how big and they're laughing. They're asses of, right? But when you go to Europe, what's so great is like, you got these small little grocery stores, but you also have the meat shop, right? And the meat and cheese place. And but it's just like these these small businesses, right? And you kind of miss that, right? These these these small streets,
where you know, you know, the, the guy that you buy your meats from, the guy that you buy your cheeses from, they have this little wine shop, you know. And instead of going to these big box
“makeup experiences, right? Where they just cut you, trying to get you in and out the door, right?”
You offer this that small kind of boutique experience, right? And then after that, you get in the
Word of mouth, you get to know your customers, right?
a whole system between great product, great people, great marketing, right? And so it's almost like
“you get the whole package, like, not just for them, but also for you because they're doing”
their own social media for you, right? Yes. Hey, that's a great system. So what do you most
excited about, uh, moving forward? I am most excited, we're going to go one of two ways from here
“and business, okay? So there's a high demand for both. And I need, you know, I won't act until”
I know. Yeah. We are either going to franchise, okay? Or we're going to wholesale, okay? And so that will kind of, sorry, both are kind of complete different paths, right? But both are exciting
“because there's just massive growth behind both. I want to keep the heart of what we are and that”
human connection and, you know, genuine connection. And so that's the only pivot that I'm trying to navigate because I want to expand and keep that heart. And I know it's doable. I just want to have the perfect systems in place before we jump. Now you're having done multiple jumps. Right. Now you do calculated jumps and not emotional jumps, right? There's still something motion behind them. But, uh, having been through it, having grown, you know, you kind of
going to take your time, make the right decisions, see where your heart goes. Yeah. Well, I'm so
excited for you. It sounds like a really fun, really smart and amazing brand. I'll give you my
address after for that shampoo, right? I'm so, I'm so all right. But yeah, thank you for joining us here in Miami Beach at the Studios, right? Thank you. All right. And thank you guys for joining us also and see you again for another Living Your Legacy Podcast. Cheers, everyone. Bye.
