Missy MacKintosh is ready to face the Dragons.
In 2019, the Salmon Arm entrepreneur won over Shuswap Launch-a-preneur judges, and the grand prize, with her pitch for her MissMack Clean Cosmetics product line. Since then she’s been building her brand and a following, and earning accolades in the process. However, despite urging from others, she was reluctant to begin the application process to appear on CBC’s Dragon’s Den. That has since changed.
“I submitted an application last Tuesday and I received an email back within 48 hours,” said MacKintosh on Thursday, Feb. 4 – the day she took the next step of speaking with the show’s producers.
Asked what changed, MacKintosh said it was the result of lessons learned and changes made during the pandemic.
“I thought when Covid hit, because we were so new and relied closely on our retailers that we might not have a future,” said MacKintosh. Instead, MacKintosh adapted more of a web-based approach.
“We are thriving because of our education and doing Zoom consultations and doing online lessons,” said MacKintosh. we can reach anywhere in the world in person, so it’s a new way of marketing and connecting with and building our audience and brand loyalty.”
Read more: Salmon Arm’s MisMacK cosmetics hits top 100 in women’s entrepreneur program
Read more: Shuswap youth excited to launch inspiring virtual event
MisMack Clean Cosmetics, named for its ethically sourced, green, Canadian-made, cruelty free, vegan and sustainable products, has since reached new loyal fans in California and Maryland in the U.S., as well as Kitchener, Ontario.
MacKintosh is optimistic she’ll have an opportunity to make some new fans back east through an appearance on Dragon’s Den. She hopes to ask the Dragons for support for her MisMack Makeup Artistry online education program.
“I’ve been teaching privately for the past five years but not through MisMack, not with any marketing or anything, it’s all been through word of mouth,” said MacKintosh. “And once we’re able to do that virtually, it will be amazing because we can empower so many other next generation makeup artists as well as other makeup artists looking to update their skills, and our retail family so they’re able to train confidently and maybe offer make artistry service using MisMack.”
MacKintosh was enthusiastic about her call with the show’s producers and, though she was asked questions she didn’t expect, she still had answers for all their questions, including how she might be able to enter the Dragon’s Den in an entertaining way.
“I did sort of state that my son has given me a superhero name, Glitter girl, because I’m saving the world one glitter at a time. And they were like, we can make it rain glitter!” said MacKintosh.
MacKintosh expects to hear back from the Dragon’s Den in March. In the meantime, she’s looking for the public’s support for her nominations in the 2021 BC Small Business Awards. MacKintosh is nominated in four categories: Best Community Impact, Best Innovation, Best Solopreneur and Best Youth Entrepreneur. Voting can be done online at smallbusinessbc.ca/awards/nominee/2021/mismack-clean-cosmetics-2/.
For more information, visit mismack.com.
