Rebecca Zhou, co-founder and CEO of Soft Services, shares her journey in the DTC consumer goods industry. With past roles at Gin Lane Media and Glossier, she reveals how these experiences shaped her approach to entrepreneurship. Listeners will learn about navigating cultural expectations and her journey from finance to founding a body care brand. Zhou discusses the unique intersection of comfort and aesthetics in product design, along with the recent expansion into Sephora, showcasing her commitment to innovation and customer empowerment.
Rebecca Zhou's extensive experience in the DTC sector, from Gin Lane to Glossier, shaped her strategic vision for Soft Services.
The inception of Soft Services arose from a personal struggle with body acne, highlighting the brand's commitment to addressing skincare stigma.
Zhou's leadership philosophy is grounded in continual learning and a growth mindset, fostering innovation while ensuring consumer emotional connection.
Deep dives
Rebecca Jo's Journey in D2C
Rebecca Jo's career began in the D2C sector, providing a unique perspective on product strategy. She worked as a strategist at Gin Lane, an agency known for investing in successful brands like Quip and Harry's, where she learned the intricacies of digital product development. Jo further expanded her experience as employee number three at Glossier, focusing on creating a customer-centric digital experience. Her breadth of experience culminated in the launch of her body care brand, Soft Services, showcasing the application of her knowledge in a new venture.
Educational Background and Early Aspirations
Rebecca initially pursued computer science and economics at NYU, influenced by her traditional family background that prioritized stable career paths. While she once aspired to be a doctor, her realization that she could not handle blood led her to embrace tech-focused studies. Internships at institutions like Deutsche Bank offered her early insights into professional environments and workplace etiquette, shaping her understanding of business dynamics. This foundation enabled her to transition into more creative and entrepreneurial roles throughout her career.
The Birth of Soft Services
The concept of Soft Services emerged from a conversation among friends recognizing a gap in the body care market. Jo, who had struggled with body acne leading up to her wedding, identified the lack of sustainable and aesthetically pleasing body care products. This realization sparked the idea for a brand that not only addressed common skin issues but also presented them without stigma or embarrassment. By focusing on the body care sector with a fresh perspective, Soft Services has become a brand that empowers consumers to embrace their skin with confidence.
Launching Successfully Amidst Challenges
Despite launching Soft Services during the pandemic, Jo and her team used the time to refine product development and market strategy. The brand's launch was met with enthusiastic feedback, reinforcing their approach of offering a product line engineered for common body care issues, such as keratosis pilaris. They hit the ground running with effective communication and education as part of their marketing strategy, which continued to resonate with their audience. The successful launch paved the way for the brand's expansion into major retail channels, including Sephora, generating further accessibility and visibility for body care.
Mindset for Future Growth
Jo emphasizes maintaining a growth mindset as the cornerstone of her leadership philosophy for Soft Services. She identifies the importance of understanding personal strengths and weaknesses, encouraging continual learning and curiosity. Emphasizing approachable, customer-centric innovation, Jo aims to push boundaries while ensuring products resonate emotionally with consumers. As they plan for future collaborations and product lines, the focus remains on balancing bold initiatives with meaningful engagement, supporting the belief that everything can be different.
Rebecca Zhou is the co-founder and CEO of the bodycare brand Soft Services. Zhou has been at the forefront of the DTC consumer goods industry for over a decade. She began her career as a strategist at Gin Lane Media, an early investor in trendsetting brands like Harry's, Quip, Sweetgreen, and Reformation. She then moved over to Glossier as the third-ever employee and head of digital product. After that, she consulted for five years, bringing her expertise and keen design eye to places such as Khaite, Peach & Lily, and DVF. In 2017, she co-founded a luxury housecoat business with her husband called OffHours. That project sparked her desire to return to building a company from the ground up, so in 2019, she co-founded Soft Services, an innovative bodycare brand that creates sumptuous products that provide effective solutions for skin issues like keratosis pilaris and body acne. Earlier this year, Soft Services launched at Sephora online and in 300 stores across the country.
