1. SEVEN START-UP SINS
sylvia gruber
sylvia@rubybox.co.za
@rubybox_beauty
http://rubybox.co.za

2. WHAT IS RUBYBOX?

3. WHAT IS RUBYBOX?
a monthly beauty box subscription for consumers
for R100 p/m
sampling, market research and other marketing
services for beauty brands
SA beauty e-commerce platform

4. WHO IS RUBYBOX?
self-funded in Sept 2011 by two co-founders
amazing all-girl power team - currently seven staff
socially responsible
Cape Town-based, delighting consumers all over
South Africa

5. WHO LOVES RUBYBOX...
thousands of very excited consumers (‘rubies’)
communicating with us across various channels -
tel, email, live chat and social media

6. ...and sometimes not so
much

7. SIN: SAVING ON THE
WRONG THINGS

8. SIN: SAVING ON THE
WRONG THINGS
YOUR TIME IS WORTH A LOT OF MONEY - always
factor in opportunity costs
DON’T SCRIMP ON THE CORE OF YOUR BUSINESS -
pay peanuts and you get monkeys

9. SIN: CHANGING TOO
MUCH AT ONCE

10. SIN: CHANGING TOO
MUCH AT ONCE
CHANGE IS GREAT...BUT IT BEARS RISKS
CHANGE GRADUALLY or be super prepared for any
and every outcome

11. SIN: HIDING

12. SIN: HIDING
HIDING DOESN’T WORK...IT JUST WASTES YOUR TIME
CONSUMERS ARE CLEVER
DON’T UNDERESTIMATE YOUR COMPETITOR’S INTELLIGENCE
BEING UNDER THE RADAR CAN MAKE YOU LOSE OUT ON
AMAZING OPPORTUNITIES AND COLLABORATIONS

13. SIN: PANICKING

14. SIN: PANICKING
THERE WILL ALWAYS BE STRESS...LEARN TO LIVE WITH
IT
DON’T PANIC...IT HELPS NO ONE
HAVE A ‘THERE IS ALWAYS A PLAN’ MINDSET

15. SIN: UNDERVALUING THE
IMPORTANCE OF A BRAND

16. SIN: UNDERVALUING THE
IMPORTANCE OF A BRAND
YOUR BRAND IS YOUR EQUITY even more so if you
are a self-funded start-up - PERSONALITY VS
POLISH
PEOPLE SHOULD IDENTIFY WITH YOUR BRAND
LEADING TO LOYALTY

17. SIN: NOT LISTENING AND
CONVERSING WITH YOUR
CONSUMERS

18. SIN: NOT LISTENING AND
CONVERSING WITH YOUR
CONSUMERS
THE CONSUMER IS BOSS...It does not really matter
what you like or would buy
LISTEN, LEARN AND HAVE AN ONGOING
CONVERSATION

19. SIN: GETTING SIDE-TRACKED

20. SIN: GETTING SIDE-TRACKED
DON’T WATCH COMPETITION’S EVERY MOVE, it will
distract you, waste your time, and potentially make you
lose your direction
STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF - DON’T GO FOR CONFORMITY
ALWAYS FOCUS

21. BONUS SIN: PERFECTING

22. BONUS SIN: PERFECTING
DON’T THINK YOU HAVE EVER REACHED PERFECTION
Roberto Goizueta, Coca Cola former CEO, “We need to
compare ourselves against WATER, not Pepsi.”
DON’T WAIT FOR PERFECTION, GO FOR TRIAL AND ERROR
to get as close as possible to perfection, then MOVE ON
Woody Allen, “If you’re not failing every now and again,
it’s a sign you’re not doing anything very innovative.”

24. CREATE
INNOVATE & REINVENT
MOST IMPORTANTLY...HAVE FUN
sylvia gruber
sylvia@rubybox.co.za
@rubybox_beauty
http://rubybox.co.za