Zuryna Livermore: Welcome back to
Operations Unfiltered, the podcast
that takes you behind the scenes of
influencer and talent management.
I'm your host and your favorite
marketing project manager, girly
Zaina, and today we're talking money
moves, political tea, and what this all
means for your favorite small business
and your upcoming influencer deals.
This week we're breaking down
the project management and
marketing impact of Terrace.
Yep, you heard me correctly.
We're talking tariffs, those
boring sounding taxes that will
seriously impact your shine cart,
your content creation calendar.
And those upcoming influencer deals.
Honestly, these tariffs are
impacting everybody's coins.
So without further ado, let's
get into this week's episode
of Operations Unfiltered.
You may have heard about the impact of
increased tariffs on Chinese imports,
but let's break down what that really
means, especially if you're in the
business of creating, curating, or
shipping content driven products.
I tune into the Skim The Today Show
every morning, and I've been hearing
retail giants like Shane or Sheen
and Temu have already announced
price hikes on everyday goods.
The reason why is the US is
rolling back the tariff exemption
on imported goods under $800.
So those budget friendly bulk orders and
low cost accessories that we all know and
love, they're about to get super taxed.
So what does that mean for
you, the everyday consumer, the
content creator, the influencer?
Well, if you are one of those people,
or even a small business owner who
sells physical products or even
just promotes them, this definitely
directly impacts your operations.
I'm talking lashes, tech equipment,
hair tools, wig caps, ring lights,
packaging, and even your branded merch.
If your vendor's costs go up due to
tariff, guess who eats that increase?
We do.
Or worse, the audience that you're
serving is forced to eat that cost.
Let's zoom out with the
project management lens.
I.
Number one, forecasting is gonna be key.
This is your sign to
reevaluate your supply chain.
Build in some financial cushion now
so you're not caught slipping later.
Also, if you're thinking about
launching something new, maybe take
a pause and check out those vendor
quotes because a tiny increase per unit
can truly snowball into a big margin
squeeze if you don't plan for it.
Think of people like Ja Nice, who a lot
of consumers complain about the cost of
her, , clothing and her cooking equipment.
However, they don't think about
the impact of taxes and tariffs.
So just think about that.
Honestly, what it boils down to is
this is the moment where preparation
meets protection because your
business really depends on it
marketing in this new tariff world
isn't just about rising costs.
It's truly about positioning.
And if you've been marketing luxury
at a bargain price, it might be
time to rethink that strategy.
For example, those $9 99 cent wig
installs or $20 tech halls from overseas,
they're about to cost a little bit more.
And so is the story you tell around them.
So back to that example.
Creators who built their brand on
affordable ES from platforms like
Sheen or AliExpress, they might
need to pivot their messaging
highlighting different types of values.
On the contrary, small business owners
who use drop shipping or overseas
vendors, you can expect delays, shipping
cost increases, or thinner margins.
But here's where you can adjust.
Transparency builds trust.
Let your audience in on what's going on.
A quick behind the scenes, real explaining
why your prices might shift or why
a favorite product is out of stock.
Doesn't make you look unprofessional.
It makes you look like a real person.
Some examples I can give you are
the owner of Ivory Paper Company.
I think her name is Elsa Stinson.
I'm so sorry if I mispronounce your
name, but I follow her and she's been
super open and honest with her audience.
She shares everything from
her budgeting, situation.
Why her products were still available
at Target amidst the DEI rollbacks.
So that kind of authenticity creates
loyalty amongst your customers.
Also, if you're not following Melissa
Butler, the genius behind the lip bar, you
should be her candid Conversations about
the supply chain delays and cost increases
are truly a masterclass in showing up as
a founder while educating your customers.
So you don't have to have all the
answers, but you do need to communicate
clearly and consistently because
honesty is the new influencer strategy.
Now if you're headed spinning with
all this information, with all
the constant news coverage, the
consistent reminders that we're
headed towards a recession, I get it.
Trust me, I'm hyperventilating
one day at a time as well.
But I love a good action item because
I feel like action items help us break
down these huge problems into bite-sized
sprints that we can accomplish.
So with that, I wanna leave you
with three action items that can
help you, whether you're managing
a full scale brand or you're just
building your personal platform.
Number one, audit your vendor list.
If you sell products, where
are your products coming from?
And have you researched
a US based alternative?
Number two, build a What if pricing
model map out how a 10% or even a
25% increase can affect your margins.
And a little 2.5.
Make sure you're monitoring the
cost of how much you're spending
on running your business.
I know for me, every quarter I look
through all of my expenses to see where
I'm spending too much, and then I adjust
going forward for the next quarter.
You could do that monthly or whatever
cadence aligns best with you.
And number three, make sure you
communicate openly and smartly.
Maybe you could come up with some canned
messaging and emails or social posts that
explain things like price adjustments.
In a human and clear way so
that people can understand you.
Nothing says being professional, like
being ready before the storm hits.
So proper preparation
prevents poor performance.
Keep that in mind.
I.
One of the reasons I love having a
podcast, or what I like to refer to
as my audio journal is the fact that
I get to unpack real life situations.
Another situation that I'll touch
on today is a question or a thought
that I typically bring up with
almost every guest that's ever
appeared on Operations Unfiltered.
It can be summarized by
the following statement.
I post brand collabs on Instagram and
TikTok, but I also do storytelling
content and trend recaps.
I don't know if I should call myself
a content creator or an influencer.
Is there even a difference?
Honestly, this one comes
up so much on my timeline.
You wouldn't believe it.
I don't know if my algorithm is
set to just show me these type of
responses or discourse, but in my
honest opinion, I do think that
there's a difference, but it's nuanced.
Here's how I break it down.
In my view, a content creator
means you're focused on creating
high value content that educates,
entertains or inspires someone.
Think of things like tutorials, vlogs, get
ready with me Day in the life commentary,
or simply just like aesthetics,
video, and these are done, whether
or not there's a brand deal attached.
Now, an influencer on the other hand,
that means you influence decisions.
Your audience buys the mascara
books, the trip, or tries the new
restaurant because you said so.
They trust you to guide them.
So honestly, the light bulb moment
here is you can be either both or
somewhere in between, but being clear
on which one you lead with helps
shape your brand identity, your pitch
strategy, and of course, the thing we
all love, it informs your rate sheet.
You don't have to fit perfectly in a box.
But it helps to know which
box you're building from.
As always, I truly appreciate
you joining me for this episode
of Operations Unfiltered.
Whether we're talking tariffs, timelines,
or tiktoks, you deserve to feel empowered
behind the scenes of your brand, and
I hope that I helped you with that
this episode made you think, laugh, or
open a new spreadsheet, do me a favor,
please share it, rate it, and tag me
on the operations unfiltered Instagram.
That's at Operations Unfiltered,
and until next time, remember
to make it a great day or not.
The choice is always yours.