We chat to Sarah Balmer, Founder of Australian-owned brand After Tan Co, who has created the world’s first full product offering designed specifically for the ‘After’ Tan market, from application right up until your next tan.
Tell us about After Tan Co.
I have had years of experience tackling the first world challenges that come with fake tanning. With regular at home fake tan applications, and occasional spray tans, I’m certainly not immune to a #faketanfail and have often wondered how to make the whole process a lot easier. After many, many years of fake tanning I would often face the same dilemmas within my Tan Plan – particularly post fake tan application. Faced frequently with ‘What to wear? How do I not ruin clean/nice sheets?’ and ‘How do I get this off?’. I was astounded there was nothing around globally to provide this support for what was to be an inevitable experience for fake tanners. So After Tan Co was born from my quest to make what can only be described as ‘a somewhat painful, sometimes hilarious, but more often than not, absolutely necessary fake tan application’, a little bit easier.
What inspired you to start After Tan Co?
Growing up in the hot Australian sun, fake tanning was the most sensible way to sustain a year round glow without damaging my skin. So, it goes without saying that regular fake tan applications, and the occasional spray tan, have been a part of my repertoire since I was really young. And I know my journey has not been unique. I come from a long line of fake tan enthusiasts, with three younger sisters, and a bunch of fake tanned friends. I’ve had years tackling the first world challenges that come with ‘fake’ aka ‘self’ tanning. At this point in my life, it’s safe to say I’m an extremely qualified fake tanner – I’ve seen it all.
After many years of dealing with ‘post’ tan application woes I decided enough was enough and scoured the globe for products that would provide support during this difficult time. I searched high and low for an appropriate solution and came up empty handed. I discussed these challenges with my fellow fake tanners and discovered we were all in the same boat. So, I decided to do something about it.
Tell us about your career and background.
I have had over 17 years working in all facets of marketing from Agency to Client side and it has taken me everywhere from the UK, Dubai and interstate. I started my digital marketing agency Balmer Agency three and a half years ago when I returned from working with Amex in Sydney back to my home, Melbourne. The Agency continues to grow year on year and I have been lucky enough to have some fantastic clients and a great team. My experience in branding and marketing has been paramount to building After Tan Co brand from the ground up and it is great to use our skills and strategic approach to get the same results we deliver to our clients. And now I have even more understanding of some of the challenges my clients go through particularly in a manufacturing and logistics sense – it’s a totally different game!
Describe a typical work day for you.
Managing two businesses at once is a juggle but in this day and age I think it is impossible to start a product driven business without capital to put back into it, and I enjoy the challenge of both and think that they compliment each other nicely.
MORNING
Wake up at 8ish – I am not an early bird (I go to bed late!) but I’m trying to improve
Check both After Tan Co and Balmer Agency email accounts – spend 30 minutes responding to emails and adding to my to do list.
Grab a coffee and do my makeup while returning phone calls, listening to messages and driving into work. Very glamorous and I’m sure a real treat for fellow commuters.
Get to the office in South Yarra, greet team and tackle more emails. Prioritise USA emails in the hope I’ll catch them before the work day is over. Reach out to my USA based PR agency for After Tan Co following up on their initiatives and provide them with the information we need.
Touch base with my agents for After Tan Co product development. I am currently dealing with 12 different suppliers across the globe plus a number of 3PL and logistics companies.
Go to meetings.
THE BULK OF THE DAY
Packaging is a real focus at the moment. There are at least five requirements that need to get moving ASAP. So I review packaging dimensions and make sure the metallic inks we are looking at for our next three products are in line with our master brand logo colours. Finding a match is harder than you think!
Eat lunch at desk at about 2pm.
Follow up on international and local opportunities for After Tan Co – we have some very exciting things on the go. Hustling is key!
Write a few proposals for prospects for Balmer Agency, and follow up on strategic plans and various initiatives across Balmer Agency portfolio.
Regroup with the team to discuss and prioritise the multiple workstreams we are working across from SEO, website development, CRM implementation, reporting and analytics and other traditional media across our portfolio.
At the moment we are in the process of shooting an After Tan Co commercial, so I’ve been looking into music, talent and production values for the finished product to be benchmarked against. Send this to my producer.
Research new product idea I have come up with recently. Spend an hour doing desktop research on possible packaging mechanisms, campaign ideas, pricing and suppliers. See if anyone else is doing this.
Touch base with a few clients. Lock in work in progress meetings and discuss reporting and results with the team.
Look at possible launch strategies for three new products. Call a photographer and get some quotes.
Brief a video promotion for a client product launch. Explain the concept and ask for quotes.
6PM ISH – HALF TIME – SECOND PHASE OF WORK DAY – NIGHT
Do exercise of some sort. Started Yoga which is great for the ‘monkey mind’ and a nice way to cap off a stressful day.
Rewrite to do list and start reprioritizing. It’s currently at 4 pages so spend a bit of time highlighting and crossing things off to ensure I’m setting clear tasks for night work and getting organised for tomorrow.
Cook something in 30 mins and start eating while the laptop comes out again.
Work all the way through until 11pm. Unless I’m exhausted and then I just watch TV and get ready to do it all over again.
What advice do you have for those wanting to start a business?
1. Do not give up your day job. Gone are the days where you can just start a business without any type of funding. Banks do not readily lend to a small business right off the bat, and in order to be successful and survive you will need money. Whether it is for marketing, product development or just surviving you are going to need it.
2. Hustling and networking is critical to your growth. Do not underestimate how much knowledge is around you in your networks, and never be too scared to reach out and ask someone for a coffee. They can be unbelievably helpful.
3. You will make mistakes. And they will cost money. Just make sure you don’t make the same ones again.
4. You must be obsessed with what you are doing because you will be working longer days, making real sacrifices and your holidays and weekends will never be the same again. And it’s likely you will feel like you are on an island – because you have put yourself on one, which is not a bad thing, but there are lots of people who won’t be as consumed by their careers as you are about to be. It will take a while to make money but you need to keep believing in yourself and eventually things will fall into place. It’s going to be a long race but give it a good go and you won’t have regrets.
What’s next for you, and After Tan Co?
We have a lot of really exciting opportunities on the horizon. We are gaining traction in the USA, exploring a few opportunities in other markets via airlines and established beauty/salon chains, and solidifying our direction locally. We have three products dropping in the next four months, and another one in development which is due to launch next year. I’m so excited to see how the rest of this year, and our plans for next year come together. I think this, plus everything else, will be enough to keep me busy!
Find out more about After Tan Co here.
