The Unofficial Shopify Podcast: Entrepreneur Tales

Zuly Matallana of Tiara (Dragon's Den Update)

Episode Summary

Zuly Matallana Re-invents Shower Caps

Episode Notes

For more than 15 years Zuly Matallana worked in large multinational companies to develop businesses by successfully leading teams to monetize market opportunities.

Now, Zuly is translating the skills she gained to become a successful entrepreneur. It started when Zuly recognized the need for a product to help busy women keep their hair dry while showering. Consequently, she found an opportunity to introduce a sustainable Shower Cap in a space traditionally dominated by single-use plastics.

The TIARA Shower Cap has not only been successful worldwide but has also gained a lot of media attention. Here are some highlights:

• Zuly “faced the fire” at Canada’s CBC TV Hit series Dragons’ Den securing a deal with Manjit and Jim.
• Gift Pick GMA 2019
• Spoke about her business to more than 3 million people on The View.
• In 2020, deemed a Must Have by Allure

TIARA’s newest haircare innovation, The Night Cap, sold out in less than 30 minutes. This gave Zuly the confidence to spearhead the brand. She is now innovating a line of functional products for women – with sustainability in mind.

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Episode Transcription

The Unofficial Shopify Podcast
7/20/2021

Zuly Matallana: Hopefully soon.

Kurt Elster: You know, it’s a journey. It’s building a house. It doesn’t happen overnight I think is what we’ve all learned. The idea of an overnight success really is like getting struck by lightning twice. It’s super rare.

Zuly Matallana: Yeah. I know. I know that is true. So, yeah, so I’m hopeful, and I decided to start this journey by my own needs, right? Like my own problems. So, I have lots of problems with beauty stuff, and starting with a shower cap, and so yeah, I think everything is making sense now for a lot of women, and also the fact that it’s reusable, that it’s something that actually lasts for a long time, so I’m actually making history, right? It’s a shower cap that lasts more than five years. Mine lasts more than five years, so that’s amazing.

Kurt Elster: Well, all right, so I’ve hit record. Let’s record the intro. Tell me if I get this right. Your name is Zuly Matallana. Did I get it?

Zuly Matallana: Yes, you did.

Kurt Elster: Okay. Excellent.

Zuly Matallana: Good job.

Kurt Elster: Okay. Today, on The Unofficial Shopify Podcast, we are talking about shower caps. No, I’m not kidding. We are talking about a good shower cap. An incredible story about sustainability, about starting your own business, and joining us for said story is Zuly Matallana from ShopMyTiara.com. We’re gonna see what she’s got going on here. Because wow, she has been around. She’s been on Canada’s Dragons’ Den. She was a gift pick on GMA two years ago. She talked to people on The View. That’s three million people. Oh my gosh. And was deemed a must have by Allure. That is quite… and their most recent product, the Night Cap, sold out in less than 30 minutes. And all of this is done with sustainability in mind.

Oh, I love sustainability. That’s one of my pet things, so I’m thrilled to have you here, Zuly. Okay, what the heck… What’s your website? ShopMyTiara.com. I assume this sells tiaras.

Zuly Matallana: Yes. So, basically, we sell tiaras, and tiaras are the shower caps that I created. I patented this product and like my shower caps are very unique. They have a completely different design. It doesn’t have elastic on the forehead, so it doesn’t mark the forehead. Me, I’m originally from Colombia, so we do care about beauty a lot, and I do my hair most of the time, so I have a very curly hair, and I do my hair, so I don’t want it to get wet. So, I need to keep my style and shower caps are my day-to-day thing, so I actually use shower caps every day. Mostly every day. When I don’t wash my hair, I use shower caps.
Kurt Elster: So, you were using shower caps, and thought, and then decided to make your own shower cap. What happened? Were you like, “Existing shower caps are just bad?”

Zuly Matallana: Oh my gosh. Yes. They were so bad. They were small. I was using a tennis band before putting the shower cap, because I was having a line in my forehead. I was getting like a red line and people at work were like, “What do you have?” I’m like, “No, it’s my shower cap.”

Kurt Elster: Were you in a car accident? What happened?

Zuly Matallana: Oh my God. Yeah. So, I was like, “Oh my God, this is really bad. I need to find a good shower cap.” And then I went to look for shower caps all over. I mean, I went to Europe. I mean a lot. I was looking a lot. And then I realized there’s no shower caps, there are not good shower caps anymore, or I don’t know, maybe there is no shower cap. So, I actually did research and found out that the opportunity was huge, because of course, this is a global opportunity. It’s not only U.S., it’s not only Canada, it’s around the globe.

So, I decided to create a new shower cap, a new design, where I actually designed it with a company here in Canada that does design for Nike, Reebok, and all these cool products, and they helped me design something that is very unique and very comfortable. So, we have a patent because it’s a… It has the towel inside and it has the big headband around your head, and it actually adjusts, so actually it doesn’t allow water to come in, so your style stays perfect. And so, I got the patent. I’m one of the 8% of women in the world that gets a patent, right? Like, go girls!

Yeah, and everything is possible, right? You start with an idea and then you meet people, and you get into places, and you decide that it’s not good to work with these people, and then you go and work with the other people, and you finally get to meet people that actually work and do this stuff, and you do it. And then you sign up and you wait, and then you get it, right? It’s a whole process.

Kurt Elster: It’s amazing how many of these entrepreneurial stories follow a similar journey in that it’s, “I had a pain or problem. Existing products did not meet it. Existing shower caps sucked. They weren’t good.” And then you said, “Well, you know, I could do better. Why not me?” And suddenly, you find yourself manufacturing a shower cap, and you’re on TV with it. Did you know anything about manufacturing a product prior to doing this?

Zuly Matallana: Well, no. Not at all. I actually got into a new journey in my life, like this kind of was like… So, I have another company that thankfully is helping me support my entrepreneurial stuff. And it’s very solid, thank God. But you know, the shower cap idea actually is more fulfilling, because it’s kind of a journey. So, I went to China. I actually went and trained and went to different factories and met people, and they were not the right people. Again, you meet people, you decide, “No, this is not the right people.” Then you meet the right people, then you know it’s the right people.

So, you actually sign contracts with them, and they you find out about fabric, so I have to go to fairs in China, which is kind of huge. It’s all huge. I felt like a little ant walking around this huge stage and huge expo place, and then I got to talk to people who actually make sustainable fabric. So, made of recycled plastic and made of recycled… It’s a fabric, actually. That’s why it lasts so long. It’s not plastic. It’s fabric made of recycled materials.

So, I was able to get that. It was more expensive, but I didn’t care. I have a seven-year-old son and I care about the environment. I care about what can we bring and what… Can it be something that lasts, right? Like something that really… It’s good. It’s good. So, people will know that what I’m working on, anything that I’m making is something that is good. So far, so good. So far, we created the product, so we got the patent, I found the factory, I found the manufacturer of the fabric, the terry cloth, everything aligned, and then going to the factory, got a prototype, and we got it.

Kurt Elster: So, when was this? How long have you been doing this? When were you able to start this?

Zuly Matallana: I started the company in 2016. That’s when we got the patent. And then established the company in 2017. And then started selling seriously on Amazon in 2018.

Kurt Elster: How hard is it to get a patent? I have not… I’ve never applied for a patent.

Zuly Matallana: So, you just need to apply. You know, there will be problems. They will say, “Okay, this is a patent. Somebody invented a hat, and somebody did this, did that. Your product really is doing the same thing as this one.” So, you actually fix it, you actually create a better way to actually not be similar to others, and then you get your patent. But it has to be a very unique idea, right? It has to be an idea that actually is good and is liable. So, my lawyers, they have experience with this. They’re in Ohio. And they told me this is a product that could be patented, so I was like, “Let’s go for it.”

Because otherwise, there are… I mean, now in the world shower caps, there are a lot of shower caps that are being copied, because they actually are trending to copy what I did, but they cannot copy me because I have that patent. And their investment is going to be lost.

Kurt Elster: Yeah. Yeah. It makes your product less attractive to rip-off artists.

Zuly Matallana: Exactly.

Kurt Elster: So, you were able to… You came up with the idea. You were able to patent it. You were able to get it manufactured. You find people you’re comfortable with. You worked with it sounds like a consulting firm to help you manage it. And from there, by 2017, you had launched this thing. What does that look like? Because getting those first sales, and at this point, when you manufacture… Manufacturing your own unique good, this has been quite expensive, I imagine, by this point. How do you launch it? How do you get the word out? That’s… I think coming up with the idea’s the easy part. Getting people to know about it is the tough part.

Zuly Matallana: So many things happened. So, first of all, I really believe in the power of the universe, Kurt. I think the universe helps you so much. You have to be positive, and you have to have your step very clear in your mind. So, the only thing I have very clear in my mind is that I wanted to have my product on TV. You know, like I have to have my product on TV. So, the first company that contacted me was As Seen on TV, and I was like, “Oh my God. This is perfect. They’re going to actually help me with everything.”

But actually, these companies are not good. And I have to tell people, you have to be very careful with companies that contact you, entrepreneurs, because the reason is they want your money. You know, you’re an entrepreneur, they know you want to launch your product, and they know that you have certain budgets that you need to spend, right? So, when they offer me to do a video, and professionally being done, I was like super excited and I signed for that, and they charged me a lot of money. Like a lot of money to do the first video we got. It was good. The video was good. I still have it. But it wasn’t… You know, like I shouldn’t have paid the amount of money they charged me. It was outrageous, really.

Kurt Elster: All right, how much is outrageous?

Zuly Matallana: $15,000.

Kurt Elster: Oh, my gosh! That’s painful.

Zuly Matallana: Very painful.

Kurt Elster: And judging by your face right now, you don’t… You’re not in love with this video.

Zuly Matallana: Well, you know, I got the contact with the producers now directly, and I’m pretty sure they charge a lot less. So, you know, I was like… It’s kind of a scam, kind of, so if you’re contacting-

Kurt Elster: Oh, so there’s like a finder’s fee that happened here.

Zuly Matallana: Yeah. And then there’s a lot of people who contact you and say, “Oh, we’re going to do the video.” Don’t trust these things if they charge you a lot. A lot of money for those videos. So, it’s kind of… You know, I have to go through it. I’m able to tell people like how much is a video, like depends on the video. Costs from $2,000 to $5,000. No more than that. So, at least you know now. Somebody who’s listening to me will actually understand the value of how much a video is.

I mean, and because I was not into entrepreneurial people, I didn’t know how to compare it. I was so excited, it was going to be on national TV, it’s going to be As Seen on TV, it’s… But it’s not. They just… They don’t compromise to anything legally. I couldn’t really go after them, so you know, and a lot of people are not happy with that. Other things that are like that are PR companies. They offer you a lot and they don’t do anything.

Kurt Elster: Yeah, I’ve heard that about PR companies, is you have to be careful with… They’re expensive and then getting results can be very random.

Zuly Matallana: So, I did spend a lot of money on PR and shower caps, but in the end, everything worked out for me. I had in my mind, again. Somebody used the shower cap and loved it and contacted me from GMA directly. I didn’t have to pay any PR. I didn’t have to pay anyone. I was like-

Kurt Elster: So, was that your first television experience, was GMA?

Zuly Matallana: Yes. Yes.

Kurt Elster: And so, you got-

Zuly Matallana: Well, actually no. Actually, it was at the same time I applied for Dragons’ Den, which is the Shark Tank of the States. I met Lori. I told her that. But you know, like the rules of the game are like that, so I actually went to Dragons’ Den, and it was good. I met a lot of… It was amazing. They gave me a lot of great feedback. They loved my product. I got a deal. But those deals are on TV and then you move on. So, it was a great exposure for my product, and I had a lot of fun. I still have the contacts. They’re amazing. But you know, I have to move on with my company.

Kurt Elster: So, you didn’t… Yeah, I’ve heard the Dragons, like they do the deal on the TV, and then you go into months of due diligence, and then maybe you finally actually finalize the details and secure the funding that people saw on television. Like I would imagine less than half of those actually get funded. Was that your experience?

Zuly Matallana: Like it’s 95% that don’t close.

Kurt Elster: Oh, really?

Zuly Matallana: Yes. Like a lot. So, actually, producers help you to get ready for that, so I was going to ask for $100,000, which is a normal amount, but she, the producer told me, “Don’t ask for $100,000. They will destroy you. Ask for $50,000 for 10% of your company.” So, I actually lowered my ask and then I was into it. I was playing the game. And then that’s it, like I did it for my company. I think it was successful. It got a lot of attention. I’m blessed that I met Tory Johnson’s team. Tory Johnson is an amazing lady who actually cares about entrepreneurs, and she cares about small business, and she’s a source of light. She really cares about… I think even she cares about me. You know, like she cares about the people who contact her, who are in contact with her, or the products that she promotes.

So, it’s such an amazing thing, to know that there are real people out there, right? And those are like… Maybe also [name 0:15:07.6] from Oprah Magazine and her team, too. I think they’re people who really care about entrepreneurs, and as long as you care about your product, as long as you wanna push it, I invite you to apply to those networks and see what you get, right? Believe.

Kurt Elster: Yeah. If you don’t try it, if you don’t ask, you don’t get. Whereas like you said to yourself, “I want to be on TV. That’s my dream.” And you applied to Dragons’ Den. Lo’ and behold, you get on the show, and then GMA reached out to you. You didn’t have to do anything. They reached out to you because they liked the product, and you became a gift pick. How did you end up on… Actually, let me go back to Dragons’ Den. What we’ve seen with our… We’ve now worked with several merchants who’ve been on Shark Tank, and every time that rerun runs, they get their huge traffic spike and then a subsequent sales spike that goes with it. Has that been your experience with Dragons’ Den?

Zuly Matallana: The same, but in Canada, the amount… I mean, Shark Tank is like millions of sales and here’s hundreds of sales, right? It’s not comparable, unfortunately. That’s why I want to apply for Shark Tank, because my product is super, super good, so I need to find a way to get there. But so far, it’s been kind of… But yes, I mean, every time the show runs, you get sales, but in Canada sales are very small compared to sales in the States.

Kurt Elster: Right. That makes sense. You’ve also managed to get yourself on The View. How did you manage that?

Zuly Matallana: So, basically there is a network that manages all the ABC shows, so it’s part of same network that was on GMA, so they actually helped me to get there. And yeah, I was part of the section for small business entrepreneurs, and I was presenting my product to more than three million women, like most of the people who watches the view are women. So, it was amazing. It was perfect for my product. And I really enjoyed the opportunity.

I also… You know, Kelly Ripa wore the shower cap. It’s on my website.

Kurt Elster: Actually, yeah, I caught that. So, it sounds like once you get one of these opportunities, more… By virtue of having one, some others will often show up.

Zuly Matallana: Yes.

Kurt Elster: Okay, so it’s a bit… It’s like a snowball. You get it rolling and started and things keep going.

Zuly Matallana: Now the snowball needs to roll, so now we’re developing new products because I have other problems. Not only was the shower cap, but I also have problems with the deodorant. The natural deodorants that I use never worked and I’m at the developing stages of the new natural deodorant for Tiara. So, this is one of the samples I got, and this is not the color or anything. Everything’s going to be pink, like my… This is just sample things from the lab, but I’m excited, like natural deodorant that works and that is natural. You know, I make sure that all the ingredients are there, that finally something that works, because I was smelly and I don’t want to use any other thing that is not natural, right? Like I don’t want to use… And all these natural products claim they work, and they don’t, so I keep talking to women and they were saying the same, and I’m like, “Hey, my aunt died of breast cancer. I blame the deodorant for that. I cannot have any other thing that is not natural, so I have to create something that is kind of natural.”

So, I actually contacted a lab in the States and they’re like amazing. They’re all natural. And you know, so we’re working on that, and I’m excited because I already have 50,000 women that are already using the shower cap. They know it’s pretty good, that it lasts, so I think I have a market, right? Because the shower caps are so good, they don’t have to buy it anymore. So, my company is kind of selling something that is a one-time thing.

Kurt Elster: Right. Yeah, that’s tough when you have a product that it’s one and done. They buy it and then that’s the end of it because the product’s good and it doesn’t have any natural accessory items that go with it. But you recently… You launched the Night Cap, one of your newer haircare innovation products, and that sold out in 30 minutes?

Zuly Matallana: Yes. Yes. Of course, I didn’t know. You go into the unknown area, right? You produce some and then you’re like, “Okay,” I made it really unique. It has a band. It’s a different type of sleeping cap, so basically it has a… It’s a very soft band that is cotton, and then it has the premium satin silk, so basically women can sleep with it and it’s not going to damage their forehead or it’s going to go away. So, they loved it. I have my clients. I guess I have people who follow me now and they loved it, and they just went ahead and bought it right away when we launched it on GMA.

So, we had that opportunity, and GMA was-

Kurt Elster: Oh, you launched it on GMA.

Zuly Matallana: Yeah. We launched it on GMA.

Kurt Elster: Wow. I was gonna say, like how do you do this? How do you launch a product and have it sell out in 30 minutes? And the answer is get on national television.

Zuly Matallana: There you go. There you go. Yeah.

Kurt Elster: It’s as simple as that. Let’s say you didn’t have access to PR, or let’s say you didn’t have access to the television audience.

Zuly Matallana: The PR that the universe brought to me. It’s not that anyone is working for me doing the PR. Just to clarify.

Kurt Elster: Good point. Yes. Yeah, important to clarify. What channels, what marketing activities, how do you think you’d be marketing this? For someone who’s saying like, “Look, I can’t be on TV.”

Zuly Matallana: So, basically right now we’re working on creating… I’m actually reaching out, if somebody wants to contact me, I want to work with a company that gets me into Target. I want to sell my products in Target. Definitely. I think it’s one of the companies that I trust and one of the companies I see my product in. I also want to sell my product in Whole Foods in the States and in Canada. I went to Chicago, actually. The headquarters are where you live, Kurt, if you have any connections there. But you know, it’s been a challenge, really. Normally, it works through brokers. In my dream, my dream would be working directly with the companies.

But if I need to work with a broker who knows how to do it, I will do it. You know, like now, but the thing is that for entrepreneurs, like these brokers charge you so much that actually you… Your return, you’re making products, your return comes into nothing. You’re making $1 out of your product, so it’s kind of… It’s not worth it for the company, right? So, sometimes you decide, “Maybe I will just continue selling online.” But the idea would be actually reaching bigger opportunities with Target, the Whole Foods, and getting into maybe magazines, right? I’m thinking about those catalogs that sell products. I think those catalogs are very good.

I actually landed a deal in Germany with a catalog. One of the biggest catalog businesses in Germany called [Name 0:22:46.1], and they’re helping me, like women love the shower cap, and they’re buying thousands of shower caps from me and selling into Germany, so that worked. That worked. And that, how did I land this deal is by going to a show. Actually, my product was nominated as one of the top innovations for ERA, which is the European Retailer Association. So, basically, they nominated my product, and I met them in Budapest, and I met a lot of people, and I met a person who worked with Germany, and she loved my product. I actually gave her a sample. You know, I didn’t expect anything from it. She loved it. She actually introduced it.

You know, the product speaks by itself. So, when something is good, people know it, and they just want to help.

Kurt Elster: Do you sell on any marketplaces?

Zuly Matallana: So, I used to go to mom’s shops, and I used to go to the women’s show and talk to women, and convince them to buy my product, but now my time is very limited, right? I need to increase my opportunities by selling it to bigger networks. So, I’m actually rebranding, so we’re actually… This was the old version of the box, but if you actually see the logo now on our website, it’s different. So, we’re rebranding and we’re kind of going into the next level, which is… The goal is to contact these big companies, work with them, and then sell more in retail.

Kurt Elster: Makes sense. And so, next step is improved packaging?

Zuly Matallana: Yeah, yeah. The packaging will be different. It has the new logo, the new branding, but we’re still selling the old… I mean, doesn’t really matter. The product’s the same. The packaging will be probably for a while, people who order from our website now will be receiving this packaging for now until we run out of these boxes. You know, like it’s very entrepreneurial and people understand it. They care about the product itself.

Kurt Elster: Early on, we talked a little bit about sustainability. Tell me about what sustainability means to you, how you’re contributing toward building sustainable products.

Zuly Matallana: So, there are three ways to make something sustainable. You reuse it, you reduce the consumption of materials, reuse, and recycle, right? So, basically, we’re actually making a product that is made of recycled materials, and then we’re reducing the consumption of disposable shower caps, and we’re reusing them. You know, this shower cap can go in the machine. Machine wash and dry. And then people, like if it smells, give it a wash and you will use it again. So, I’m actually making history with this shower cap, right?

Before, shower caps were disposable items, and now we’re actually having a shower cap that is completely reusable, and it’s a wonderful… It’s not only reusable, but it’s a wonderful product that women love, so I’m trying to connect with hotels. That’s the other path that we have-

Kurt Elster: Oh, smart.

Zuly Matallana: Because hotels-

Kurt Elster: Yeah. Increasingly, I think we’re… Sustainability, it’s going to be increasingly top of mind for people as we see this rise of conscious consumerism, of people saying, “Look, I’m gonna vote with…” Now, because of the internet, I’m spoiled for choice, and so I’m going to find the companies, brands, and products that align with my values and my beliefs, and that’s how I’m going to make my purchases. And so, it’s not everybody, but some people, like… Or if you just happen to stumble upon a brand where you’re like, “That’s a thing I happen to need. Also, their values align with mine.” I then become more likely to buy. And sustainability and just trying to reduce waste, that is such an easy thing to believe in, to buy into, and so in your case I think it’s very easy for people to vote with your dollars. Because oftentimes, sustainability translates to, “Hey, this is an innovative product. It’s a smarter product.” It’s a better made product. Shower caps just fell apart and were kind of annoying and then you came along and said, “Look, I made one that will not fall apart and it’s good.”

And what I think is really brilliant to demonstrate this idea, on your website you’ve got just a whole row of photos of customers wearing the shower cap. And below it, how long they’ve had it, and there’s people that have had the shower cap four years. Whereas previously, you know, I assume a shower cap probably didn’t make it a few months. And so, that’s just an incredibly clever way to demonstrate like, “Hey, we’ve made a really good, durable, strong product,” and then that translates to sustainability.

You know, it doesn’t have to be like… Not everything that’s sustainable is like solar panels, electric cars, and cardboard straws. It could be we just made a good product out of recycled materials and that’s the end of it. And that’s great.

Zuly Matallana: Exactly. We’re giving at least a piece of… We’re giving something to the world and we’re actually making it for women. And also, for hotels, the opportunity to offer something to women, too, because all the products for hotels are men oriented. So, you know, if we get into the opportunity with hotels, hotels will show, okay, well, we’re offering something new. You know, shower caps were there forever, and there was no innovation. We need to bring innovation to the world, and hotels also need to bring something to women there and actually maybe something reusable. What if you use your robe and your shower cap and then you wash it and dry it? It’s amazing.

Kurt Elster: I’m looking through your site right now. It’s so good. It’s so beautiful. It’s really cool.

Zuly Matallana: Thank you. Yeah, that’s the new branding. We’re still working on some details but we’re getting there.

Kurt Elster: On the site, are there any Shopify apps that you’re like, “I love these. These make my life easier. I could never get rid of this app. I wish I’d found this one sooner.”

Zuly Matallana: I’m learning. I’m learning about that. You know, like I’m part of S4S with Diana and the team-

Kurt Elster: Shopify for Startups.

Zuly Matallana: Yes.

Kurt Elster: S4S.

Zuly Matallana: Yes. And I’m learning. I’m learning all the possibilities. I’m going to be trying to launch some of the apps there. They’re lots. Lots of apps that… I’m not techy, so the team that is working on the website are recommending me stuff, and also through the meetings with Shopify S4S, we’re talking about things, and I’m trying to learn what is best. But nothing is right away, right? You have to actually process it and decide, “Okay, we need to get this. We need to get that.” So, so far, my site is kind of… I’m hoping that the site actually sells a lot. Most of my sales or now through Amazon, so now this is new to me. Shopify is new to me and I’m excited, like I think having a group of entrepreneurs like me following, and helping each other, and talking about their experiences, it’s amazing. So, as I said to you at the beginning, I’m not there. I’m just at the beginning of my journey. It’s like it takes longer.

Kurt Elster: I think you’re probably further along than you realize, but yeah, no, it’s the journey, not the destination. Since you’re a few years into this, what’s surprised you? I think people have all kinds of ill-conceived ideas about what entrepreneurship is like before they do it. Now that you’ve been doing this a while, what’s surprised you? What do you think someone new should know?

Zuly Matallana: You know, I have a different idea of entrepreneurship and help, and promote. Like for instance, I was able to connect Tory Johnson with the team at S4S, right? I’m not afraid of sharing. I’m not afraid of connecting people or helping their businesses to make them successful, because I believe that there is enough for everyone. I feel that the thing that bothers me the most, or that I found that is not right, is that people are very jealous or very… They take their space, and they don’t want to share. Like why?

If you have a connection with Target, why can you not share it with me, right? Why can you not introduce me directly? What is the pain? What will be… Why can people not open their heart and actually do something about other? That will help you feel better, like when I introduce Tory to others, I was like so happy that they’re going to be able to connect. My opportunity is not only for me. My opportunity could be for everyone, right?

You know, as long as it qualifies, right? Like I’m not giving you everything. You have to actually do it. You have to actually be able to pass the test in order to get into a promotion, right? But at least I’m giving you some information. Applying to their website. Getting there. People are lazy I find sometimes. You know, they want to do things, but they don’t do it, actually.

Kurt Elster: They don’t wanna. Yeah. I want it, but I don’t want to do the work to get it.

Zuly Matallana: If you want to go into a trip, you have to buy the ticket, you have to go on a plane, you have to be in the hotel. You know, all those things that you have to do in order to do that, so same thing when you apply to something. You have to… If you want something, do it. And what has stopped you? Nothing. So, it’s kind of sometimes…

Kurt Elster: Yeah, I think that what stops a lot of people in entrepreneurship, and I think a lot of the value in these interviews is permission. Permission setting or permission giving, where people suddenly realize like, “Oh, the only thing stopping me is me just not taking action.”

Zuly Matallana: Or believing their self.

Kurt Elster: Yeah. You gotta have the confidence to take the risk and then just do it, and then see what happens and take the next step, and the next step, and the next step, and then suddenly it’s two years later and you turn around and go, “Oh my gosh, I built a business. What?” It didn’t happen overnight. It just happened because you’re like, “Try this, and try this, and try this.”

Zuly Matallana: I’m trying to send a message here for other entrepreneurs that are probably further along to help others. You know, we need help. We need help. We need to have connections. If you know somebody who’s good, or who’s a broker with Target, that’s my dream. I want to get there. Help me. If you help me, I will definitely remember you and thank you, and be thankful with this person, or whoever comes up, and then you are going to be happy to see my products there, right? Like in the future. If I qualify, right? Doesn’t mean that by you doing the introduction I’m going to be there. So, that’s one thing.

Kurt Elster: There is tremendous value and good karma in helping people, introducing people, making connections, and that’s not hard. It really isn’t.

Zuly Matallana: Right. Yeah. Give and get. And then I totally believe that if you don’t give, you don’t get. So, I’m giving a lot, and you know, and I’m not waiting for something to come. I have to work, so I applied for Target accelerator program, and I’m hopeful that during this week I get an invitation. Who knows? Maybe I get an invitation because my company has been selected. But you know, I applied, so let’s see if I get it. If not, I will have to go through the normal path, and you know, like… But I always believe that somebody’s listening to this, and I always believed that of the power of the universe, and somehow, I am going to be there.

Kurt Elster: I’m right there with you. Where can people go to learn more about you? Where can we go get our own shower caps?

Zuly Matallana: Okay, so you guys can go to ShopMyTiara.com, and you can get your Tiara there. I mean, that’s my Shopify website that we just launched. And you’re going to be getting an amazing shower cap. Or you can go to Amazon if you have an account.

Kurt Elster: No! No! Oh my gosh! I don’t even know what Amazon is. Ama-what?

Zuly Matallana: I know. So, yeah, let’s go to the website, then. Let’s support Shopify. I think Shopify is doing an amazing thing. I believe… I also wrote to the CEO for Shopify, and it’s funny, like I was select… I was part of an accelerator and I end up being connected to this program, and who knows? Maybe in the future, they help me grow my business, the Shopify management. They’re here in Canada. And I always believe that somehow, I want to develop something with Shopify. I used to work in technology before and I think there is a lot to do. I’m an inventor. I have lots of ideas.

But you know, I started with a shower cap. That’s it. It would be fun to do something else and then say, “Hey, I started with a shower cap. That’s amazing.”

Kurt Elster: Absolutely. All right. Zuly Matallana, TiaraShowerCap.com, thank you for joining us.

Zuly Matallana: Well, thank you, Kurt, for your time. I’m excited. Good luck in Disneyland.