❝Story03:30
The Licensed Technology That Became TBH Skincare
Rachel Wilde found a patented technology while working in medical-device marketing and saw a possible consumer-skincare application. She says the company behind it had conducted initial trials and that the product appeared different and gentle; these are her descriptions of the evidence, not independent medical conclusions from the episode.
- Wilde learned the distribution model through her medical-device role
- She read the patent and investigated the proposed acne application
- She saw an ecommerce and branding opportunity outside the supplier's hospital focus
- She and her mother successfully pitched for consumer licensing rights
“it was through that job that I came across a technology”
#licensing#skincare#technology#origin-story
❝Story09:30
Why TBH Raised Nearly $400,000 Before Launch
TBH was designed as a full business rather than a side hustle. Wilde says the founders invested their own money, raised about $250,000 from roughly 10 friends and family members, and added a $120,000 bank loan, with substantial early cash going into inventory.
- The founders warned friends and family that the money could be lost
- The business needed inventory and a complete launch setup
- The founders personally guaranteed the bank loan
- Product businesses can consume cash before demand is proven
“we had about 250,000 to start”
“it wasn't a side hustle ever for us”
#startup-funding#inventory#risk#ecommerce
❝Story13:30
An 800-Person Waitlist Built With Samples and Progress Updates
TBH's prelaunch relied on organic Instagram updates, a limited sample run, and public documentation of the build. Wilde estimates the brand reached roughly 1,000 followers and no more than about 800 waitlist subscribers before launch, then made around $4,000 on its first day, about half from supportive friends and family.
- Wilde shared setup milestones through her own and the brand's social accounts
- Around 20 samples were used to gather feedback and testimonials
- The waitlist was built over roughly three to four months
- First-day sales included substantial personal-network support
“we went through a very organic low spend low fire sort of process pre-launch”
#prelaunch#waitlist#instagram#samples
❝Story43:30
The Daily Cash View Behind TBH's Survival
Before the 2022 breakthrough, TBH repeatedly faced the possibility of running out of cash. Wilde describes maxed-out facilities, founder and family loans, monthly profit-and-loss meetings, and daily cash-flow projections managed by her mother, while personal guarantees and friends' money raised the stakes.
- Revenue growth did not remove liquidity pressure
- The team monitored incoming invoices and available cash daily
- Personal guarantees made failure materially consequential
- Accurate financial visibility did not eliminate stress, but it clarified decisions
“she managed cash flow daily”
“the runway was out”
#cash-flow#runway#startup-risk#finance
❝Story50:30
Why TBH Merged With Boost Lab Instead of Raising Cash Alone
TBH wanted capital paired with advice, networks, and operating experience. Wilde says Boost Lab brought retail relationships, supply-chain knowledge, and an experienced entrepreneur, while TBH's team contributed ecommerce, brand-building, and finance capabilities; the perceived complementarity drove the merger.
- TBH sought strategic capability as well as money
- A private-equity contact introduced the two businesses
- Each team appeared to hold capabilities the other lacked
- The founders viewed partner character as the merger's central risk
“we saw a huge opportunity to go way faster together”
“the real risk for us was who are the people”
#merger#capabilities#capital#due-diligence