Today’s FACE created a wonderful app for your phone that will not only make shopping for beauty products easier, but also more FUN! Welcome, Caroline!
Tell us a little about PRIMP?
Pretty in my Pocket is a free, innovative mobile beauty app that gives the consumer all the tools they need to make a satisfying and smart purchase decision right inside the store. What better way to be confident in your purchase decision than to have friend and expert advice, non-biased ratings and reviews, and visual confirmation and inspiration with uploaded beauty photos right at your fingertips? Oh and just in case you’re still unsure about your possible purchase, PRIMP has targeted perks to mitigate that risk. Think of PRIMP as your honest and trustworthy beauty pocket pal.
Tell us a little about your background?
I graduated from the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia then later went on to get my MBA from Emory University. Prior to launching Pretty in my Pocket, I worked in marketing and advertising at agencies and publishers such as Time Warner Media Properties. I gained experience in traditional, digital, and emerging media, but saw the opportunity for brands to connect with the end consumer effectively via a mobile platform.
Why did you decide to transition from traditional marketing to marketing that is more digitally driven and customer focused?
The future is not just digitally driven, but mobile driven and we wanted to create a solution that made sense for the user in the most applicable way.
Where did the idea for Pretty in my Pocket come from?
The idea for Pretty in my Pocket came to me when I was standing in a Walgreens beauty aisle, trying to pick out a mascara and there tons to choose from. So I thought, wouldn’t it be nice if you could pull out your phone, barcode scan any product, and get all the information you want and need to help you make a satisfying purchase decision? Whether you’re the brand or retailer, the best way to keep customers coming back for more is to make sure they are buying what’s right for them. With PRIMP, customers can hear from friends, experts, and even brands to make that perfect purchase, leaving them happy and much more likely to be a loyal and satisfied consumer.
For a woman standing in the beauty department staring at a row of products, how is her shopping experience different if she has the PRIMP app on her phone?
She can scan in a product, get ratings and reviews, and reference her own virtual beauty bag and the beauty bags of friends and experts for product recommendations. She can read about what’s trending in beauty to get inspiration and even check out the top products in each beauty category for fast and easy product suggestions. She can check out “Looks,” uploaded beauty images, to not only show what a product really looks like on, but also to serve as a re-creation tool with the tagged products and how-to description. And at the end of the day, she can redeem location-based perks from the retailer and the brand to provide that extra pep in her step purchase. All this information is right there with her in the aisle when she needs it most. Product purchase frustration no more!
How do you balance running PRIMP and your personal life?
Haha personal life? PRIMP is my life. And I love it. It’s a privilege to work here.
Who are your mentor(s)?
Catherine Tabor of Sparkfly. She is incubating our company and is one of our biggest supporters, not to mention she’s an incredible woman and one of the smartest entrepreneurs I know.
Chris Cobb is my mental guru. He keeps me in-line spiritually so I can maintain perspective when things appear overwhelming. That can happen a lot in the startup world so his grounding is key to any success I achieve.
What is the best piece of advice you received while starting PRIMP?
It’s a long road, don’t give up. Celebrate the small things.
What is your favorite drugstore beauty product?
L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara. It’s the best mascara out there and it’s only $8!
What is your morning beauty routine?
I wish I could say it were far more glamorous than it really is. I sometimes don’t even put makeup on! But, I always put L’Oreal face moisturizer on. I use Hydroxatone under eye cream, L’Oreal mascara, Vaseline on my lips and I always throw bronzing powder on.
Do you have a favorite beauty ritual?
I get a gel nail manicure all the time. Eeek, I didn’t do them for this interview though! I love it because I am active and usually rough with my nails. Since gel nails don’t chip, there’s no need for a touch up before a big meeting! I am running a beauty app so I should probably have manicured nails 24/7 for aesthetics sake! I’ll go to the nail place right after this photo shoot!
You grew up in Atlanta and received a graduate degree from Emory, what is your favorite thing about the city?
I used to live in NYC and I paid a lot of money for a one bedroom apartment. Atlanta allows me to live in a house with a yard with my two dogs. I’m near friends and family and I have the luxury of hopping in the car to drive whenever I so please. So Atlanta offers a really great quality of life.
Where is your favorite place to eat in Atlanta?
Barcelona in Inman Park. Great atmosphere, friendly staff, and of course yummy tapas and drinks.
What are you most looking forward to in 2013?
PRIMP making it big time.
What can be found on your bedside table?
Coasters. My bedside tables are antiques from my grandmother and she would not approve of sweat rings from an ice water glass. A spiritual book of some sort, a glass of water, and chapstick.
Name three things you can’t live without (besides God, Family and Friends).
Yoga, my two dogs Georgie and Winston, and (since I can’t pick just 1 more!) self-motivated optimism, Haribu gummi bears, confidence in what i’m doing!
Thanks, Caroline! Pretty in My Pocket’s latest update with all of the new features will be out in two weeks! Stay tuned!
And a special thank you to our FACES photographer, Amy Lesesne! Click here to find out more about Amy’s photography: http://amylphotography.com/
To find out more about PRIMP, click here. To download the PRIMP app, click here.
