How To Create A Viral Product And Sell Out Over 30,000 Units
Executive Summary
A Shopify Masters interview with Jen Yu and Alex Penfold, the couple who founded the men's skincare brand Jaxon Lane (Jackson Lane in the auto-captions). They say the idea began when Alex kept borrowing Jen's sheet masks, so they bet on 30,000 sheet masks made in Korea and positioned the brand openly for men. They cover product development, the role of long-term PR, celebrity gifting that reached Nick Jonas, a Wall Street Journal mention about six months in, micro influencers, choosing a focused trade show, and working with a life partner. Sponsor: Shopify, which produces the show and is named in the description with a free trial offer. PARTIAL COVERAGE: this note is based on the opening, the PR and influencer sections, the trade show section and the closing advice on partnerships, and may not cover every point in the roughly 38 minute video. Business claims are the guests' own and not independently checked. Nothing here is medical or skincare treatment advice.
Key Takeaways
The light bulb
The guests say the idea came from Alex borrowing Jen's skincare and finding no men's brand with comparable quality.
Calling it for men
They say a pretty bold first decision was to call the brand out as being for men.
The 30,000 mask bet
They say they flew to Korea and produced 30,000 to 40,000 sheet masks for their first order, then needed a plan to sell them.
Celebrity gifting
They say Nick Jonas found the brand after receiving a gift and later named a mask in GQ.
Long-term PR
They say PR is a long-term commitment, not something that delivers magazine coverage in three months.
A press moment
They say a Wall Street Journal piece about men and sheet masks, about six months in, drove customers and retail interest.
Targeted events and partners
They say they chose a focused trade show in Los Angeles over a big one, and advise founder couples to get counselling to avoid partner conflict.
The Conversation Breakdown
The light bulb
⏱ Untimed topicThe guests say the idea came from Alex borrowing Jen's skincare and finding no men's brand with comparable quality.
Calling it for men
⏱ Untimed topicThey say a pretty bold first decision was to call the brand out as being for men.
The 30,000 mask bet
⏱ Untimed topicThey say they flew to Korea and produced 30,000 to 40,000 sheet masks for their first order, then needed a plan to sell them.
Celebrity gifting
⏱ Untimed topicThey say Nick Jonas found the brand after receiving a gift and later named a mask in GQ.
Long-term PR
⏱ Untimed topicThey say PR is a long-term commitment, not something that delivers magazine coverage in three months.
A press moment
⏱ Untimed topicThey say a Wall Street Journal piece about men and sheet masks, about six months in, drove customers and retail interest.
Targeted events and partners
⏱ Untimed topicThey say they chose a focused trade show in Los Angeles over a big one, and advise founder couples to get counselling to avoid partner conflict.
Core Frameworks & Ideas
Serious skincare that does not take itself too seriously - the guests' brand voice
Premium quality in an approachable tone.
Better than the women's category - the guests' product test
Do not launch unless it beats everything in the same category.
Targeted approach - the guests' event rule
Pick events that suit your stage, location and audience.
Actionable Next Steps
- ✓Check the guests' sales, press and celebrity claims against brand and press sources.
- ✓List where your product is the better-made choice for an underserved audience.
- ✓Decide whether PR fits your budget as a multi-month commitment.
- ✓Treat the partnership advice as the guests' experience, not a guarantee.
Notable Quotes
“We call it serious skincare that doesn't take itself too seriously”
“you need to be targeted in your approach”
“PR is not a thing where you can turn it on and in 3 months you're like in all these magazines”
The One Thing to Remember
The guests argue that a bold men-only position, a large first production bet and patient, targeted PR gave their skincare brand its early viral moment.