How Cooki Haircare Grew from 4 Sales a Day to $3M with Jaimee Vilela (episode 531)
Jaimee Vilela is the Managing Director and Owner at Cooki Haircare. A D2C solid shampoo bar brand selling via their Shopify store and Wholesale. Founded in 2020 they grew 10x in 2024 from $170k to $1.1million, and are now on track to make 2025 their first $3million year.
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Dive in:
[03:40] From journalism to eCommerce entrepreneur.
[06:47] Seamless eco-friendly haircare transformation.
[11:56] “Betting on Rebrand Success”.
[15:03] Successful rebranding strategy insights.
[18:31] Embracing gray: rebrand shift success.
[23:20] Bootstrapped growth through teamwork.
[27:09] Embrace opportunistic decision-making.
[28:52] Listen to Jaimee’s Top Tips!
Nail Your Brand’s Product-Market Fit Early
A great product is not enough—you need to ensure it resonates with the right audience. Jaimee focused on understanding her ideal customers and tailored her branding and messaging accordingly. She tested different marketing angles to see what clicked, ultimately finding strong traction with women over 40 embracing gray hair. Instead of trying to force a broad appeal, she leaned into what worked. This laser focus helped Cooki scale rapidly without wasting resources.
Meta Ads Are a Game-Changer for Growth
For small brands, Meta ads can be the fastest way to gain traction. Jaimee prioritized testing different ad creatives and messaging to find what performed best. She used UGC ads that looked authentic and spoke directly to her audience. Once she found winning ads, she doubled down and scaled them. This strategic approach helped turn a struggling brand into a thriving eCommerce success.
Rebranding Can Unlock Massive Growth
A strong product alone won’t drive sales if the brand doesn’t connect with customers. Jaimee recognized early that Cooki needed a rebrand to expand beyond its niche audience. She revamped the packaging, messaging, and aesthetic to appeal to a broader market while staying true to existing customers. This change made the brand more recognizable, memorable, and appealing. The rebrand played a key role in scaling the business to 7 figures.
A Lean Team Can Still Drive Big Results
Jaimee ran the business alone for the first year, with minimal support. Instead of hiring a big team too early, she focused on what moved the needle—marketing, product improvements, and customer experience. When she did bring on help, she hired strategically: a customer service VA and an eCommerce assistant for key tasks. Her husband’s expertise in inventory and financial forecasting also played a crucial role. This lean and efficient approach kept costs low while allowing rapid growth.
Sustainability is No Longer a Selling Point—Great Products Are
Consumers care about eco-friendly choices, but they won’t sacrifice quality for sustainability. Jaimee understood that her customers wanted high-performing shampoo bars first. Instead of leading with an eco-message, she focused on product benefits like ultra-foaming formulas and salon-quality results. The sustainability aspect became an added bonus, not the main selling point. This mindset shift helped her stand out in a crowded market.
eCommerce Book Top Tip
eCommerce Traffic Top Tip
- Mastering Meta ads is crucial for driving traffic, especially for brands starting out or scaling up. Also, finding what works for your brand within the Meta platform is key.
Tool Top Tip
- ChatGPT
Carbon Top Tip
- Scrutinize and push for improvements in your packaging supply chain. Avoid the easy plastic solutions and work with suppliers and 3PLs to find more eco-friendly alternatives, even if it’s difficult and time-consuming.
Interview links
Related Episodes
- Taking a Sustainable Products brand to 2million+ customers with Jennie Perry from Grove Collaborative (episode 377)
- High Growth Success for a D2C Brand with Mark Rushmore, SURI (episode 460)
- How Priory Direct is Changing B2B eCommerce with Sustainable Packaging (episode 482)
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