DTC POD: Scaling Growth In Beauty with ILIA Beauty VP of Digital & Ecommerce, Cherene Aubert

In this episode of DTC Pod, we’re joined by Cherene Aubert, VP of Digital & E-commerce for Ilia, a clean beauty brand that is taking the industry by storm, with unwavering dedication to clean, skin-centric beauty. 

She is also the former VP of Growth & Data at Bobbie, where she grew it to nine figures from Series A through Series C, acquired a competitor brand and built their own manufacturing facility. (Hear this story in episode #212)

Join us as we talk with Cherene on the importance of innovation, what is so hot about beauty brands and what were the first things she did when she joined Ilia.

• 3 Big Lessons from Cherene

  • 1. The importance of building a brand and innovating

  • 2. What were Cherene’s initial priorities and actions when she started her new position at Ilia?

  • 3. You probably shouldn’t be thinking about CRO

• DTC Job Positions!

  • Rate this Newsletter!

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3 Big Lessons from Cherene

1. The importance of building a brand and innovating.

Consider the hypothetical: 

What would happen if your paid advertising suddenly shuts off? 

How much organic revenue would you have coming in? 

Relying solely on paid conversions isn't sustainable.

You have to build a brand to set the foundation for success.

However, this isn’t a must for brands that are just starting out. Once you get to the 8-9 figure mark, that’s when you have to build a differentiated brand to really cement why you are different.

Take Bobbie, a baby food company. It made its mark in an industry run by men who had likely never experienced feeding a baby or dealing with the associated challenges firsthand.

Bobbie was created by mothers who had lived through these experiences themselves, allowing them to share a genuine story.

Ask yourself: What unique element can your brand offer that others can't replicate? And how can you do more of it?

Cherene recalls a memorable campaign from before she joined Ilia. 

It featured a mother and daughter applying makeup together, an authentic moment that resonated so well it inspired imitation from other brands.

Integrating storytelling into your brand not only sets you apart but also creates a deeper connection with your audience on a personal level.

2. What were Cherene’s initial priorities and actions when she started her new position at Ilia?

1. Looking at finances →  She measured:

   1. How much are we spending? 

   2. Where are we spending? 

   3. What do we think we're going to hit next year? (Revenue)
      

2. Set specific KPIs → She started with a hypothesis of what she thought could be the solution, and then made a case to get the team to believe in that hypothesis and be willing to test and then execute. While measuring results.
   

3. Building the process around the KPI’s → For instance, Cherene built an Iterative Ads Lab for Ilia. She crafted a process where all of the content Ilia had in their archives was tested and within a few weeks, immediately improved their direct response performance, and lowered their CAC.

3. You probably shouldn’t be thinking about CRO

CRO isn’t the main focus of Ilia, a 9 figure brand.

They’re focusing on crafting a great offer. 

“How can we really come up with the best new customer acquisition offer? And then how do we know that once customers try our products, they like it?” - Cherene

Brands today are very invested in having a fast site, the latest pop ups, and a well crafted copy while having an average offer. 

And although CRO is important, it shouldn’t be your primary concern.

Cherene believes the most impactful growth lever, once you're already drawing traffic to your site, is your offer. 

Developing the best offers is the way to improve profitability and customer acquisition.

DTC Job Positions!

Join Ilia as Digital Design Director

Job Description: Creating innovative digital content, Los Angeles, hybrid role.
Responsibilities: Lead digital design for eCommerce, social media, oversee creative team, develop style guides, enhance UX/UI.
Benefits: $130,000-$170,000, bonus, full health coverage, unlimited PTO, 18 weeks parental leave, 401(k), wellness stipends, ILIA products.

Join Bobbie as People Business Partner at Bobbie,

Job Description: Supporting HR functions at Heath, Ohio infant formula facility.
Responsibilities: Manage HR aspects: engagement, payroll, employee relations, performance, support production goals, lead HR initiatives.
Benefits: Medical, dental, vision insurance fully covered, stock options, 401k match, 20 days off, 16 holidays, snacks, subsidized meals, product subscription.

Join Ilia as Senior Manager of Retail Marketing

Job Description: Enhancing global retail partnerships, Los Angeles-based, hybrid role.
Responsibilities: Develop retail marketing strategies, lead retailer collaborations, manage campaigns, and drive brand engagement globally.
Benefits: $115,000-$130,000 salary, bonus, full health coverage, unlimited PTO, 18 weeks parental leave, 401(k) with match, wellness stipends, ILIA products.

That wraps up this week’s newsletter!

As always, reply any time with thoughts, questions, reactions, or ideas for future issues. And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter to unlock new episodes of DTC Pod each week!