The Modern Retail Podcast How Gen Z builds brands, with CharCharms' Charlotte Trecartin
Nov 22, 2025
In this discussion, Charlotte Trecartin, the Gen Z founder and CEO of CharCharms, shares her insights on building brands from a public-facing perspective. She delves into the importance of balancing virality with long-term stability for sustainable growth. Charlotte discusses designing for Gen Alpha's craving for personalization, and the strategies behind launching her products in major retailers like Target. Plus, she explains her journey of using TikTok for audience engagement and the significance of legal protections in brand development.
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Spot Cultural Shifts Early
- Charlotte saw a cultural shift toward accessorizing during COVID and applied it to water bottles.
- She turned a niche trend into mass-market charms targeting Gen Alpha and their parents.
Use Social Signals — Not Just Virality
- Post frequently and test raw, authentic content to learn what resonates on TikTok.
- Use viral signals to refine your strategy but don't rely on virality as a sole channel.
Virality Isn't A Stable Business
- Virality drives sales but is unstable as a primary business model.
- Charlotte pivoted toward retail to create consistent scale beyond TikTok bursts.