"We didn't envision after launching in the US that in two years time, we'd be go
By Deannaandersen · October 9, 2026 · Curated by George's Blog
"We didn't envision after launching in the US that in two years time, we'd be gone."
- that's Amy Ford, founder and CEO of Hello Sunday, on leaving SEPHORA US, in a truly honest conversation with Beauty Independent and one every founder should read.
Hello Sunday hit its 1st year targets, and the U.S. grew to 30% of sales. Sounds great, right?! Well, about $2.4M of the launch funding was gone a little over a year later. Hitting targets didn't mean the market was working or the business could sustain it.
Lessons for any brand entering a new market:
◾ Look hard at your P&L first. Can it run today's business and fund a new market without taking from the markets you already have? She says more often than not, it can't.
◾ Raise for the expansion itself. You need 2-3 years of runway, so you aren't back raising a year later.
◾ Partner with operators who live it, and know the market. She wishes she'd known more about the hidden costs of making and testing sunscreen in the U.S. By her estimate, cost of goods ran 28% higher than in Europe.
◾ Expect two businesses. Her U.K. best seller ranked last in the U.S., and product and marketing had to be tailored separately for each market.
◾ Stay focused. Just because you want the dream retailer or next new market doesn't mean you ready for it.
We've carried P&Ls and negotiated with major retailers, so this story is familiar. Here's what we'd add at WADE Advisory:
✅ Start with demand. A retail door gives you access to shoppers. The pull has to come from you, before launch. Do shoppers in that market already know you and want you, and what have you done to create that demand?
✅ Build a separate P&L for each market, and budget the run rate, not only the launch: landed cost, testing, inventory, retailer margin, tariffs, marketing, and every formula change or new size.
✅ Plan field support early. Hello Sunday had two people on the ground plus PR and influencer agencies - that was not enough. Stores need coverage, retail staff need to be trained, you need to run sampling, and add it in stages as sell-through shows up. This is where runway is needed.
✅ Scenario Plan. Know what you'd pause or scale back and decide it while you still have room to choose.
👉 Retailers have a role too. More than 120 skincare brands exited SEPHORA and Ulta Beauty btw early-2025 & mid-2026, staggering! Brands decide better when retailers are candid partners early, share performance while there's cash to act, and say who funds field support and marketing.
We spoke a lot about this with the Target Beauty Studio launch recently (link in comments) - for brands considering retail, be careful and pace this decision for when your business is truly ready.
What do you wish you'd known before your first big retail door?
If you're weighing a new market or a new retail door, WADE Advisory is here to move through this with you - let's chat.
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cc: Wendy Salisko