The Trailblazing Journey of Fur’s Founders: Creating a New Beauty Category with Trust and Persistence

Laura Schubert and Lillian Tung, childhood friends, launched their New York–based brand, Fur, in 2015. The beauty brand transformed a neglected personal care category into a multimillion-dollar business with just a $10,000 investment. They focused on pubic hair and skin care, using natural ingredients and attention to grooming to elevate their products. Despite being self-funded, Fur is now featured in major retailers like Ulta Beauty.

Fur maintains a luxurious look to its brand and products, taking a serious approach to a taboo category. Their journey offers valuable lessons for entrepreneurs looking to launch products in stigmatized categories.

Build trust through quality and expertise
When entering a new product category, establishing trust is crucial. Fur’s founders invested heavily in product development and testing before launch, emphasizing quality and excellence. They partnered with a chemist who recognized the opportunity and invested in high-quality ingredients and testing. This diligence in product development built credibility with consumers and retailers.

Create an elevated brand experience
Laura and Lillian spent time perfecting their packaging and brand identity, resisting pressure to make their packaging more conventional. By staying true to their mission and brand image, Fur established a strong presence in the market.

Invest strategically in early marketing
With their initial investment, Fur focused on product development, testing, and public relations. They targeted beauty editors to establish credibility in the industry, rather than spreading resources across various marketing channels.

Find your true brand advocates
Fur discovered that their biggest advocates were professional estheticians who understood the importance of their products. They leaned into these early adopters and supported the community that showed up for them, rather than focusing on preconceived notions of their target audience.

Stay polite and persistent
Fur’s founders balanced persistence with strategic thinking, remaining passionate about their mission while evaluating progress with clear metrics. This combination of conviction and flexibility has allowed them to grow from a taboo concept to a respected beauty brand.

FAQs:
1. What sets Fur apart from other beauty brands?
Fur focuses on pubic hair and skin care, transforming a stigmatized category into a successful business with natural ingredients and attention to grooming.

2. How did Fur establish trust with consumers and retailers?
By investing in product development, high-quality ingredients, and testing, Fur built credibility in the industry and gained trust from both consumers and retailers.

3. How did Fur approach marketing in the early stages?
Fur targeted beauty editors specifically for PR, focusing on establishing credibility rather than spreading resources across different marketing channels.

4. Who were Fur’s unexpected brand advocates?
Professional estheticians became Fur’s biggest advocates, recommending their products to clients and amplifying the brand’s message.

5. What is the key lesson entrepreneurs can learn from Fur’s success?
Entrepreneurs can pioneer new product categories by combining passion and strategic thinking, staying true to their mission, and persisting in the face of challenges.