03.06.2024
Episode 251: Erica Metzger, Founder and Editor of The Beauty Loop Newsletter and Virtual Beauty Closet
Summary
We were so excited to sit down with Founder and Editor of The Beauty Loop Newsletter and Virtual Beauty Closet, Erica Metzger! With over 19 years experience in print and digital media as the Beauty Director at Ladies’ Home Journal and Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, Erica wanted to create something of her own. The Beauty Loop was born as an online newsletter to help facilitate community between PR execs and beauty journalists in our ever-changing community.
From starting off in the beauty industry as an intern at W Magazine to editor of her own newsletter, Erica Metzger’s career journey is proof-positive that we are the only ones in charge of our own career journeys.
To hear more of Erica’s career journey, listen to this episode wherever you get your podcasts!
I just felt that rather than focus on everybody else who was shining, let me put that energy to figure something out for myself. And that was really a light bulb moment for me, honestly.
Erica Metzger
Transcript
| Announcer | Welcome to WHERE BRAINS MEET BEAUTY™ hosted by Jodi Katz, Founder and Creative Director of Base Beauty Creative Agency. |
| Aleni Mackarey | Hi, Jodi, how are you? |
| Jodi Katz | Hello, Aleni. I'm so excited to see you today we have so much to talk about. |
| Aleni Mackarey | We do we do what's on your mind? |
| Jodi Katz | Well, I love our many years long partnership with casaco research. They put on so many events that we've attended and participated in through the years they've been incredible partner to our podcasts and our agency. And there's another event coming up in just a few weeks. So that dermatological beauty connect in Miami. |
| Aleni Mackarey | That's so exciting. I love the casaco team and the events they put together, they really do an incredible job of very thoughtfully bringing experts on super relevant, unique new topics together in one room. And it really makes for a very educational and invaluable time on site together, I've presented at a few beauty connects and healthy aging and nutrition events in LA in New York. So I'm excited for you tell us more about the event. |
| Jodi Katz | Well, the event will be in Miami on March 21, and 22nd. And I'm thrilled that the panel I'm moderating is the first session of the first day, which means I get to help wake everybody up. And it's going to be really fun discussion about the expansion of dermatology into retail. So I'm joined by Amy Schachter, she's she has been on our podcast, actually when she was at glamsquad. Now she's the CEO of everbody. And Penny Coy and Selena Cox. They're both from retailers, Alta and CVS. So our topic is the rapidly emerging consumer channels that are driving change in skincare. And we're going to talk about trends and crystal balls and really understand where physicians dispense medical grade skincare connects with those that are readily available at mass |
| Aleni Mackarey | That is so interesting. I'm sure lots of people will have questions on this topic. Hopefully you have a very engaged audience. And we always love to talk to people on LinkedIn, and Instagram as well. And I hear there might be a promo code for anyone interesting and joining. |
| Jodi Katz | Yeah, so if you're interested in attending the event, it's really incredible event if you are C suite at a brand that's looking to grow and meet new relationships in the investing world. So private equity, venture m&a, retail, it's an incredible place to be there's small events, so you really get to meet people and spend time with people. So that promo code is big 10 SPE a K 10. And you can go to the website, get 10% off your event ticket. And if you are attending, please message me on LinkedIn because I'd love to see you there. |
| Aleni Mackarey | Right. Amazing. Okay, so Derma beauty connects.com for 10% off, and I can't wait to hear about this after your Miami trip. We're also throughout the season, we're going to be adding in guests from the beauty connect series with casaco. And I'm really excited to learn more about their career journeys. |
| Jodi Katz | And I just want to give a shout out to Emma Richardson. She is Erica Sacco. She runs programming for all these events that we participate in. I don't know how she has the time to do it. But she plans out every single event to make the content really robust, find great speakers brief all these speakers in a beautiful way and create a really beautiful moment on site at these events. So I am very impressed with Emma. |
| Aleni Mackarey | We love working with her love the team. Thank you, Emma. |
| Jodi Katz | So this is a really lovely episode. It's with Erica Metzker. She's the creator and founder of the beauty loop which is a essential like totally essential newsletter if you're in marketing and PR. And we're so happy that our own Director of Media Relations Arlene Benza connected us with Erica so that we can get Erica on the show and she can share her story |
| Aleni Mackarey | amazing every time Arlene shares an insight from the beauty loop newsletter it really helps us think about our events from the side of those attending like your exact so beauty journalists and how we can make improvements for everyone. |
| Jodi Katz | So it's such a great valuable source for networking and information sharing and Erica is so vulnerable and honest and breaks everything down for us in this episode. So let's get to it. This is episode 251 with Erica Metzger. Welcome to WHERE BRAINS MEET BEAUTY™. We are a career journey podcast talking about what it's like to define success and reach for it in the beauty and wellness industries. Today we are continuing our C suite wisdom quarter with Erica Metzger, founder and editor of the beauty loop a valuable source for community and networking within our industry. With over 19 years of experience in print and digital media is previous beauty director at Ladies Home Journal and Better Homes and Gardens magazine. Her new venture the beauty loop helps facilitate engagement and community between PR execs and beauty journalists providing valuable Intel to help both communities adapt and thrive in our dynamic industry. I'm excited to dive into the conversation about her career journey from magazines to community builder all on episode 200 In 51 Hi, Erica. Welcome to WHERE BRAINS MEET BEAUTY™. |
| Erica Metzger | Hi, wow, what an intro. Thank you so much. I'm so excited to be here. |
| Jodi Katz | I'm so thrilled that we could do this. We've been working on this for a while. So I'm really happy that you're able to join for this quarter. And this theme is C suite wisdom and you you're doing it like I love the beauty loop. I'm not even a publicist. But like I love reading it. I learned so much. It's such an incredible window into very complicated world that we work in. But before we dive into any of that, I want to just note that you are typically on the question asking side of interviews, correct? Yeah. So what are you feeling right now, |
| Erica Metzger | I'm a little nervous. And I'm hoping I don't run out, I tend to like be a little, I can go off in a lot of different directions. So just keep writing me in. Because that's just the way my brain works. I'm like a spiderweb with things. But I'm just I'm saying this is really cool. I'm very flattered to be here, and I'm excited to talk to you about my career, |
| Jodi Katz | You're gonna do great. You have such a fascinating career, and you've really tried to carve out something so special and unique. And not only did you try to do it, but you actually did it. And there's a big difference between people with ideas and people who actually build the idea. So we're gonna have a lot of fun today. Okay, let's go to where we love to start with conversations. This is a career journey show. And I know when I was a little girl, I wanted to own a store, be an archaeologist have had a whole bunch of aspirations. I wanted to own a jewelry store. Oh, wow. Wow. Okay, so think about your childhood, like your 11 year old self. 11 year old Erica, what do you want to be when you grow up? |
| Erica Metzger | I was always into art, and writing. So I was I just loved creative writing. I would like make little stories and illustrate them. So that was sort of like my area where I sort of kind of stood out in school and I got a lot of affirmation. And so yeah, that was that was 10 year old Erica's dream. |
| Jodi Katz | So people recognize your art is they noticed it? |
| Erica Metzger | Yeah, in high school, I was a class artist. |
| Jodi Katz | What does that mean? |
| Erica Metzger | I don't know, in senior superlatives. I just like, you know, I just I did well, in art class, I thought I was going to be like an illustrator actually. But I loved writing too. And I'm like, a very practical person. So I just, you know, the, I think the things I thought I could do with that would be like, you know, being a writer, writing for magazines that seemed to be like, somewhere to kind of like, take those those skills and be able to earn a living because I just really wanted to be able to, like provide for myself, that was something that felt very important to me from like a young age. |
| Jodi Katz | So your workout notice, and it felt good. Yeah. Right. And I feel like that's such an important thing for a teen right to get recognized for doing something. Well, it's taking me back I know I'm gonna go on a tangent here. But I love below deck this show on Bravo. Have you ever watched it? |
| Erica Metzger | No, I watch other Bravo shows. So but that one I have not been swept up in. |
| Jodi Katz | So you know, all these people are working on this yacht. And it's a hard grueling job. And this one woman on her first day in the whole season, starts breaking down in tears and tells her boss that she's upset because no one's going to be able to see or recognize her work. And I thought that was so fascinating that like, that was what was getting her not being like overworked or tired, or, you know, the title, the physical demands of it, that people weren't noticing, right. And that just made me think about how important it is when we're young. She's young for to get recognized for something. Otherwise, you're just sort of like floating in space. |
| Erica Metzger | Yeah, I think that's like, I mean, I guess I lucked out with like, my teachers, and even like, at home, I think, like we used to do like art contests. I mean, it was kind of like, the sounds a little weird and competitive. My mom was like, into art and creative. And I think that, you know, it just felt like very natural to be like drawing. And, you know, we didn't have all the same distractions that kids grew up with now, too. I think we were bored also. So it would like, there's just less stuff to keep you entertained. So you had to kind of create things to keep yourself amused. I think that probably I benefited from the time that I grew up, you know, |
| Jodi Katz | so when you were tween and a teen there were physical magazines to read. Yeah. What were some of your favorites. |
| Erica Metzger | I remember really liking J magazine. 17 I think I was into Marie Claire. I remember taking like Glamour magazine. I remember like, you know, taking pictures and getting like Drew Barrymore I had that really short hair cut and I like took it to try to get the haircut did not look the same. But like, you know, you know, magazines were like my guiding light for sure. I just I love them. And I didn't really understand like, the how the career aspect totally, but I kind of understood, you know, you could write and this was something that came up regularly, it seemed like a much easier path than you know, trying to write a novel or something like you know, I kind of was putting that together in my brain of like possible things that I could meet. |
| Jodi Katz | You're taking me down memory lane and I'm thinking about like my teen years, like the tiger be at all. |
| Erica Metzger | Oh my god, we're going back early. Okay, well I was sorry let me admit I had Christian Slater on my wall I had Charlie Sheen. I don't who was like some with Leo Leo was on there. Yes, I definitely have that period of like the boys. The boy crush I think |
| Jodi Katz | for me was New Kids on the Block the first the boy bands yeah before in singing before Backstreet Boys yeah so I so my cohort it was all about New Kids on the Block I didn't hang posters on the world but he's definitely like was super into it and Duran Duran, |
| Erica Metzger | Oh, okay. Okay. You like the musicians? Okay. |
| Jodi Katz | I didn't think I knew, like, team culture to know that, like, people hang things on our walls, you know, I guess like, I don't know, you just don't know that these things happen. They happen in the movies like if they didn't happen in my real life. But yeah, I just remember like getting those magazines my mom would buy them for me. Like when I was home sick, you know, and like, for something to do, it was a really special time for magazines. |
| Erica Metzger | It wasn't like you go from a highlights magazine to like the teenybopper one. It's kind of funny to transition right? Love highlights. |
| Jodi Katz | Yeah, we got it. My daughter gets it. It's amazing. She loves the picture inside the picture. I love that. Yeah. Okay, so let's talk about this. You got recognized in the artists you wanted to communicate creatively? Writing seemed like a way to do that. Did you have any, like role models in your, like, the world you were living in that actually made a living out of writing? |
| Erica Metzger | No, no, I like It's kind of insane that I'm here. And this, I made it into this industry. But I mean, I would say you know, I was not a glam girl. But I really got into makeup. My mom and I would like bond over like going to like we would I grew up in central New Jersey, we would drive up to like the Short Hills Mall, we would go to New York would have Bergdorf, the makeup counters. And like, that was sort of our you know, the way she could like splurge a little bit. And I would spend my like money that I had, like I did, I had so many part time jobs. I would like save up to buy makeup, right? It was like our special time. And when I was at those counters, I kind of got a little bit of exposure until like this. There's this world outside, like jobs that you can do people doing interesting things. I didn't quite put together those pieces, though of like, I'm going to be right. Like it seems like a big dream. You know, I didn't know anyone doing that. And I was clueless. |
| Jodi Katz | Why do you think your mom chose beauty as her like happy splurge place it could have been something else? Certainly. Right? Like what about beauty call to her? |
| Erica Metzger | Well, my mom is a very creative person and be like, beautiful. She's just like a beautiful woman. And I think you know, left fascinate, there was like a fascination with just cool stuff. And like looking stylish, and I think her mom was like, stylish. And, you know, and I think that was with within her means, right? Like, she couldn't like buy a dress at Bergdorf Goodman. But we could go to the counter or we could go to like NARS and get a lipstick or go to Bobby Brown and having that like and having somebody like just seeing how how the magic of like interacting when somebody's like, helping you feel beautiful. That's like a really special unique gift. Which I feel like I felt it in a lot of my jobs actually just like reading, writing content and thinking about, you know, the audience you're writing for, and just giving them really good information to help them feel good. Like, there is like a magical aspect of beauty where it just, it's special. It makes you feel like connected to another person. It's like beyond the surface stuff. There's something like very emotional about it that I think I just like was I saw something there. I was like happy. It was like a happy moment, you know? |
| Jodi Katz | So let's talk about your entry into this world. Right? So this is these are highly competitive jobs, not easy to get kind of insider only. |
| Erica Metzger | Yeah, |
| Jodi Katz | what was your first role in magazine publishing? |
| Erica Metzger | So my first role in magazine published publishing was an internship at W magazine. And that sounds so like amazing and stuff. But can I just I just want to like paint the picture because I was so green. I was so clueless. I actually was about to get an internship at like a book publishing company in New Jersey, and I was going to work like a landscaping company on the side. Like I had this plan and then a friend of mine who's a different college sent me this like casting call thing for Fairchild publications. And I like I just was like, oh, yeah, let me go see, I mean, I just it was such a whim I went, I interviewed with a bunch of different editors who are there. And I thought I was you're gonna laugh at me. I thought I was interviewing for Jane magazine because at the time, Jane, Lark really was a beauty director there. I mean, this whole like clueless I was I just so and honestly, like, I still to this day, I'm like, I don't know why she picked me because I was so I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb. But But I had a really good work ethic and I was very polite and professional, I think. I was like a very earnest not jaded person. So I think that probably I benefited From my my greenness it worked for that internship but that yeah, that's how I got my foot in the door, which it was a miracle. |
| Jodi Katz | Back then, after you left the interview is that when they told you you got the job, or did you have to wait a long time? |
| Erica Metzger | I, I feel like I heard like, probably the next week they called and, and said it and it was kind of like, then you just go, you know, that's that kind of stuff to blurt. When you're young, you can kind of do you just do things so quickly. But I don't think I mean, now I know nowadays, it's like, you're going on millions of interview is so so so different. I think they needed to and this was a free internship, you know, like, I had to call my book pub, the book publisher and be like, turned down a paying internship and be like, I'm going to New York. |
| Jodi Katz | so when did you realize that you was not J magazine that you weren't gonna get the job? |
| Erica Metzger | Well, so I had gotten a an associate's degree in fashion merchandising, with the plan of going to fit for their cosmetics. I don't even remember what the program was called. But it was sort of like the two year plan. It was kind of the budget plan to like, get get to fit. And I think we had I had heard about W they're like I so I kind of knew, but once I was in, like, once I was there, I was just, it was such a culture shock. It was just like, everybody was so cool. Everybody was so thin and like stylish and like busy. And just, I remember it was just, I just was really trying not to like stand out really trying to learn what I could and not not be annoying. I felt like, you know, that was kind of the sense of it. But it was such a cool atmosphere because it was just an open kind of newsroom setting. So you saw a lot. You saw a lot of personalities. And yeah, that was that was really cool. It was a cool, cool and scary moment. |
| Jodi Katz | It's the movie with Jennifer Garner. 13 going on 30 Do you remember this movie? Oh, yeah. I kid who doesn't like know anything about this world and then get thrust into it. Okay, so Jane, Lark worthy, by the way was a guest on our show many many years ago. So I hope she's listening. She's a legend. |
| Erica Metzger | She's a legend. |
| Jodi Katz | Do you still have that friend who sent you this job posting? |
| Erica Metzger | We're like, you know, I just she's on social media. No, I we lost touch. But she was I mean, she was an amazing, you know, amazing person. And it really like I do I owe her I really should reach out just send her a box of beauty products. |
| Jodi Katz | Yeah, yeah, I think it's a really nice moment to like these people in our lives. And we don't know why. And these you know, interactions happen and we don't always know why. But I love this idea of you just saying hi. Yeah. To her. That'd be probably make her die. Okay. So from internship to a career, it's a big, big leap. Right. So a lot of people on probably have internships and they don't even last in the internship, you made this career. Why do you think you had what it takes to keep advancing and this really competitive space? |
| Erica Metzger | So I, I you just meet people, right? And I think if the guy was I didn't do anything super excellent there to be honest with you that like I stood around a lot at some times, I didn't even have a desk. So it was not my performance or writing I think, but I tried whatever I was given like organizing that I just tried really hard. I just tried so hard to like be helpful. And not be annoying. Like that was kind of my my people pleaser instinct was kind of like telling me like, don't be annoying and like, so I think there was one thing that kind of definitely led to my first job. There was mail from Patricia for Patricia Reynoso, who had worked for Jane and she had moved on to a job at Ladies Home Journal, and we had gotten her mail one day accidentally or you know, it was I had afford it. So I had to find that. So I sent it to her. And then I ended up getting an internship. Jessica Matlin, another like, amazing person in this industry, helped me get an internship at Harper's Bazaar. I was there for like one month and I saw this job opening at Ladies Home Journal. And I saw that Patricia Reynoso was there and I was just like, Oh, I remember that name, does she you know, and so I asked, it was Carrie diamond was there. It was, like all these really iconic people. And you know, I think Jane put it into Word for me with Patricia, I think Carrie knew my editor in chief. And I tried, you know, and I think Jessica helped me with my editor. I mean, I really got a lot of help because I did not understand how any of this work like I just it's you know, you take it for granted now knowing how all the little the little things that are really important to do. And just one little one thing that I learned later that my Patricia had told my boss, she was like you got one of the reasons I got that job is because I wrote in my thank you note to the editor in chief I wrote Dear Miss Zelda tour, and I think everyone else wrote Dear Diane and it was something that I guess I just was not as casual. I know things are so different now. So again, don't do what I did. But I think that that just was some kind of a it pushed me over in some weird way. There's all these weird things that kind of push you over in a job for a job that you can't plan and that was one of those little magic things that helped me |
| Jodi Katz | So Jess Matlin has been on the show, too. So Hi Jess hope you're listening. Hi, Jess. So let's I want to go into this topic because it's something that we talk a lot about my day job would be speedy. And it sounds like it was really important in the beginning your career, which is people teaching you not just how to do the job, but to how to have a job, right how to navigate, how to spend your time, effectively how to communicate, I think this is really hard for young people in these careers that in the world that we're in, because people back when you and I started, had no choice but to take time and sit down with us and actually show us how to do things, right. And like invite us to meetings so that we can just sit and listen and learn and watch. That doesn't really happen anymore. The speed at which work happened and work works is so much faster. And nobody has time. There's no like, extra room in the day to like, sit and show somebody how to do something and like keep watching them evolve in it. So I'm curious, as you've evolved in your career, have you noticed that there's less time to teach the younger cohort, not just how to do the job, but how to have a job? |
| Erica Metzger | I think it depends on personalities, honestly, and I think depends again, on like bandwidth and deliver of responsibility. But I know I've had editors who who are super busy who've had these like super generous moments of education and who like take time to do that for their team. And then I've seen people who expect you to figure it out and look at you like you're a moron because you just didn't know something. And I know for me, I'm I've always been the person who probably gives you advice you, I always give you advice you didn't ask for. Because I just remember feeling. It feels a little traumatic, you know, when you you want to do a good job, you're trying so hard. And there's just like these things that you just, you don't have the experience and you don't know. And some people will give you that, you know, that breathing room to learn. And some people expect you to go quack, quack, quack. And it's, you know, sometimes it's just like, you might fail a little bit. And then you learn from that. And I mean, I've always I've always learned like, the more you can anticipate what your manager your editor needs, the more you can solve. You're always problem solving, and trying to think how do you make? How do you? How do you figure things out versus bring problems? I always feel like that has been a very helpful tool to have, like, if you you might have a question maybe, but maybe you have you exhausted everything that you know how to do before you kind of ask for things that maybe you've you might be able to figure out yourself. But it's hard to you have to ask questions, too, if you don't know, you have to you have to ask questions to learn. |
| Jodi Katz | So I love this idea of exhausting all options. But then, you know, having the comfort and confidence and hopefully respect of the person, you're asking this of that they sit down with you, we didn't we've done a lot of talking at my team about like going back to like high school sort of thinking, like if I need extra help and math, I go after school, and the teacher sits down with me and shows me how to do one problem, right? And then watches me do another one. And then says like, oh, wait, you forgot to carry the one, right? But then after I get that one and figure it out, she'll say, Okay, here's five, I'm gonna go do something on another table us work on five, and then let me know when you're done. And we'll look at it together. Like, work requires that sort of tutoring, you know, for people learning how to do their jobs, and we really have to make time for it. Because otherwise no one's going to be able to speed off and do the work if they don't, they don't have a foundation. |
| Erica Metzger | Yeah, and I think that comes down to like, I don't know, sometimes people become like managers, and they don't know how to how to train. I think like, sometimes you just, you get promoted, and you don't, you don't learn and that's sometimes you learn by not being a great manager, and then realizing, you know how to fix that. I know, that was like my experience, like sometimes you just don't know how to teach someone else it takes. It takes experience, honestly, and a certain temperament. But I think you know, if you're lucky to like, if you find a role where you are working for someone who's willing to teach and like student like that is that's an amazing gift, like somebody who can train you basically. And even I found that I've had bosses who sometimes you don't even realize they're training you in other ways, even if they're just talking about things. If you're just really listening to what they're saying, you can just like pick up so much from just your like everyday conversation of what, what what's working, what people need. I just think like being really attuned is is is a helpful like skill to have really pay attention to what's being said, body language, all of that is it's really important, right? |
| Jodi Katz | So the manager has a responsibility to you know, teach but then the other sample has responsibility to really listen and pay attention. |
| Erica Metzger | Listen, pay attention learn and and I do think for this industry it is the expectations are really high to be a quick learner. I think You do get a little bit of a grace period. And then after that, it's sort of like, you know, people start becoming impatient with you. |
| Jodi Katz | So let's talk about the beauty loop because I said at the beginning of the show, I love it. Thank you. And I'm so proud of you for making this happen. So how many years has it been that the beauty loops existed? |
| Erica Metzger | Um, so, um, five years, it'll be six years in August, which it's kind of amazing. I, I monetized it in after two years. So it's been like a really cool evolution, I, it's kind of wild to me. It's really fun to work on something that's just your own thing, you know, after working so hard, and dedicating yourself like, for the brands you work for, and you put so much like passion and like, energy and all your creative stuff in you. And then, you know, I've learned, you know, through my career, like, those jobs are temporary, you know, you're not there forever. And so it feels so good to work on something that, you know, I started, it's a cool thing. I still am like, how did I, how did this happen? Why is everyone into this, but I'm so like, grateful to that it's gotten this far. |
| Jodi Katz | So take me back to that moment of inspiration, where you're like, hey, there's a white space here for me. And I think you're the one to fill it. |
| Erica Metzger | So when I was at Better Homes and Gardens, and I really thought I'd only be in that job for like, two years, because it was a print job. And I'm like, you know, the industry has changed so so so much. And I just started feeling like, I noticed two things happening. Other beauty directors like my cohorts and colleagues, some of them the ones who are really kind of like killing it, were creating a brand for themselves vert, and it wasn't it was sort of like the, their companies saw that as an asset versus like a liability, because it wasn't always like that. But now it was like if you were like a micro influencer, or whatever you call the medium influence, whatever, editor influencer, that was, like really special and cool. If you started a podcast like jazz and Jen, like, that was amazing. So the bar was just getting like, higher, you know, and I felt like I was beauty director, but I felt like I just was I was feeling these feelings of like, jealousy, to be totally honest with you like, well, well, I don't you know, your first year kind of like, well, wait, that's not what this I'm doing my job. You know, what, why is everybody so into them and pulled up? And like, I kind of just did not like that energy. I just felt like, rather than focus on everybody else who was like, shining, I thought, let me put that energy to figure out how do I kind of figure out something for myself. And that was a really like, lightbulb moment for me, honestly. And then the other thing that was happening the same time. So that was I was thinking about, like, how do I figure out a brand for myself. And then at the same time, like, everything got big, like there were more brands, more agencies, more editors, just like the our little like, ecosystem got felt like it was exploding. I felt like every week was there was like whiplash trying to keep track of like events who, who's repping who. And you know, you're a beauty expert, and like, your job is to feel like you know what's going on. And honestly, like, I felt I like it was going so fast. And I couldn't keep track of everything. So that was sort of like the birth of this idea of like, I thought I know, my personal brand. I feel like I'm sort of a I don't want to say boring. I feel like I'm a very reliable, professional, friendly, kind of like a helper kind of personally, I like to help people. And I thought that's kind of my brand. And I was also very inspired by my really good PR friend, Jamie Mazur has had a newsletter forever mediate Intel. And she was doing this thing where she was like, basically posting whenever an editor would go to another magazine or website, it was like really quick. And that was her, that's still her newsletter, which everybody should subscribe to that too. And I thought, well, what if I kind of did an editor version to solve those kinds of issues that I saw were going on? And so that's kind of like how the beauty loop kind of started that was the idea now getting everyone convinced to kind of like, Come aboard. That was like, took a little bit of time. But yeah, and now it's sort of like it's, it's really taken off and I feel like people really use it, they rely on it. And it kind of keeps evolving as as the needs change in our industry because you know, it's just like, there's never a dull moment and beauty. |
| Jodi Katz | I am so grateful that you were so vulnerable just a moment ago to say like you looked around at your peers and your your peers are investing in their personal brand and winning and sometimes when you watch that happen, you're not part of it. It makes you like boil inside a little bit, right like why not me? Right? |
| Erica Metzger | Yeah, not even I wouldn't even say it was more like the feeling of like just I don't even know how I'm like it was almost like the rules change and you feel like Wait a min I'm doing every sick, like you feel a little helpless. And then focusing on like, yeah, it was like, I feel like it wasn't as like green envy. It was more like that. I wanted that so bad. And you know what I mean, and focusing on what other people were doing, because I feel like it sounds so negative, but it was it felt like a negative headspace for sure. Right? |
| Jodi Katz | Well, there is a saying compare and despair, right? So yeah, like looking at your career. And you're like, I did that. And they did this. And I did that. And they did this. And now look at where they are. And I totally understand that feeling of like, the rules changing. It's so dis regulating, right? You've been, you know, you had your head down, you've been doing everything you've been taught to do. And it's still not good enough, right? It's not enough. Yes. 100% It's very challenging. I'm right there with you too. Because like, I there's so much reluctance in me about like, influencing, so much so that I took an account on Instagram years ago, called The Reluctant influencer and never did anything with it, because like, that's how reluctant I am very on brand. And, like, to this day, I watch people in this world dedicate a lot of time and energy into doing this feeding this animal and creating a lot of success for themselves. And I still just don't want to do it. You know, it's just not right for me. So I had to find my own thing, right? Because yes, I have to create relevance. I want to grow my career. So I'm really happy to hear that there's I have appear in this like, reluctance side, |
| Erica Metzger | I struggle, I struggle. It's not it does not come naturally. I and I, honestly now I, I really, I'm really impressed. And I try to take inspiration from my friends who do it so well and make it like, so easy. Because it's like, cool that people it's cool when you can find your groove, right? |
| Jodi Katz | Yes. You know, what I realized is I spent a lot of my early years of my life, not keeping my head where my feet are. So like, so much multitasking, and so much kind of like thinking about the future, thinking about the past and not actually paying attention to the present. So now I'm in this phase in my life for like, I feel really connected to the present and being being here for whatever it is like something mundane or something exciting. And the challenge I have with this sort of influencing world is that it requires me to be like in this moment, but also thinking about the future and planning of the future. And that is not something I want to do. Right. I've done that. I didn't make it public, but I live my life that way. So I don't want to live my life that way anymore. So I'm not willing to take the time to pause a moment I'm having here to produce it for later. Yeah, yeah. So therefore, the reluctant influencer, |
| Erica Metzger | I get it, I get it. But uh, you know, it's cool. It's cool to have, it's, I feel like that's what makes when you have a different platform. And it's like, you know, a lot, a lot of this information, you could probably piece together on social, like, people post a lot of thing I'm speaking about the newsletter, you could probably piece together with screenshots, this information, you know, it's some of it, it's just like a different way to digest it, like you have this way that you're like a conversation, you're just digesting, you're learning in a different way, you're retaining in a different way. So it's nice that these platforms are super powerful social media is, but it's nice to have other options to kind of like, learn and, you know, take information from like, I feel like there's just there's value in an email, you know, a real good email that helps you do your job, there's a lot of value there, right. |
| Jodi Katz | So what you do is what, like social Cantlie social is chaotic and always moving. And what you're able to do is like press pause, and a moment in time and give me give me like an accurate picture of what's happening. Right. So that's the difference, right? Like, it's almost like being on socials walking through a hurricane site. And, like, your newsletter is like a sunny day at the beach. Like it's just, I love that. It's just calm, the sun's out, the birds are chirping, the water is moving at a normal pace. It's not attacking the world. So I just love that you've committed yourself to finding and advancing your career in a way that feels good and feels true to you. And not everybody can do that. And I'm really proud of you. And I think it's really important that your voice is heard, because a lot of people think they have to play a game that doesn't feel right for them. And they don't even find their own way. |
| Erica Metzger | Yeah. Oh, that Thank you. Thank you. That means a lot to me. And I, I feel like that's something especially as I've gotten older, and my career has evolved, and I've evolved and I'm in my 40s and even like you're in your foot like you start feeling like when you become like the oldest editor at a beauty event. There's a lot of questions where you're like, you know, do I still belong here and I think you know, it's really I still love beauty and I know there's people my age that love it and I know you know I still have a lot to offer and I I feel like it's really important. I feel like the way to tell those stories have changed. And the way to talk about what you can do and bring to the table has changed. You have to keep evolving all of that. But it feels really good to like find some footing and find a place in an industry where it does feel like Yong Yong Yong. Yong. Yong. nu nu nu, nu nu is like the most important thing, the end all be all. So thank you for that compliment. Appreciate it. |
| Jodi Katz | What a beautiful way to end the interview portion of our show. So, thank you, Erica, so much for sharing your vulnerability and your story and your background with our listeners today. Thank you. Okay, let's change, tone and get to some fan questions. We have a bunch here. But this is a really important question. How do I sign up for the beauty loop newsletter? |
| Erica Metzger | Oh, I love this question. Sounds like a plant. But thank you. Um, so I guess the easiest is on my social or at our Erica, our Metzker. It's in my Lincoln bio, or on my website is Erica Metzger. media.com. And there's a link to the beauty loop. |
| Jodi Katz | Great. So you heard it here. It is really such a great newsletter. Like I said, I'm not a publicist, but I get value out of it, you create so many insights for the category in terms of how to best get your message out. And these are the questions that everybody has everything I asked you in private, like, would you rather go to our breakfast or lunch, right, but like to be able to look at your research and you interview so many people doing these jobs at all levels, to be able to have that and be able to then share it with our clients. Like we're not making this up? You know, this is the this is the actual feedback. And this is what's happening today. And yeah, it's probably different than the insights and the point of view three months ago or six months ago, keeps changing |
| Erica Metzger | exchange, the best best practices is just, it's evolved. It is not something you can just like put a pin in and think it's like, okay, we know what it is for every year, the everyone's tastes and what they're able to. They're just their preferences, it just changes. So it's we're on that roller coaster together in the beauty loop. |
| Jodi Katz | So this is a really important question for someone just wanting to like enter like entry level and editorial in beauty. What is the job now? Right? So there's clicks, right? You need clicks and things. So like, how would you describe that entry level job? |
| Erica Metzger | I mean, like just how to get your foot in the door. Like for somebody even |
| Jodi Katz | doing like, you know, that romanticized idea of a beauty? Yeah, not be real. |
| Erica Metzger | Yeah. I think there's the there's, there's more opportunity for EECOM editors. So but still, you need to know what's you need to know market for that. But those, those are the stories that are like a lot of those round ups. I think, you know, those SEO stories where you have to hit those keywords, those gets those those are kind of like more entry level, I guess, in some ways. And I think I see a lot of like, new people who are kind of breaking in that I think is a cool way to break in is like they do those, like kind of first person, testimonial type, beauty. You know, like, I tried XYZ. And I feel like that's an opera like a good opportunity for new voices that we haven't heard or seen before. Like, I feel like I learned I see a lot of new editors and writers writing those kind of stories that catches my eye because you like you literally see their face like they show it. |
| Jodi Katz | So that's the next question like do for entry level people? Are people new to this world? Can they pitch the way people used to pitch articles is that even a thing style, |
| Erica Metzger | I think you need to, you know, you have to kind of get a you have to form some kind of a relationship with an editor or get on the radar somehow. And I think trying to trying to understand what kind of pitches they're they're looking for. And accepting is a time saver for the person who's trying to get their foot in the door and for the editor. So the more the, the more you can, you don't want to send like 20 pitches to someone without just blindly. You know, like, that doesn't really make a lot of sense. But you know, I think it's if you have kind of some you're kind of really intentional about if you really want to write somewhere you really know the content, you know, the stories, you have a story that could be greater, you have some ideas. I think those kinds of emails are more well received. And sometimes it takes some time to because editors inboxes are like just it's their inboxes are insane. So, you know, like I would just say also like, kind of don't give up i would say like, you know, you have to keep you have to keep emailing people not too much. Don't. Don't overdo it. Try. You know, there's a lot of opportunities. There's a lot of places to write though, also and people need content. So there's opportunity, but just be smart about it. |
| Jodi Katz | I love it. Well Erica, that takes us to the end of our time together. You have an amazing thank you for joining us for our 200 and 51st episode. |
| Erica Metzger | Thank you congratulations |
| Jodi Katz | Thank you. I was really fun to cross over to that 250 milestone. And for everyone listening, thank you for joining us, please rate and review our episodes. And as always make sure you're following us on your favorite podcast platform and Instagram to stay up to date on our upcoming episodes and all the fun we have along the way. And thank you so much Erica was really fun to spend this time with you. |
| Erica Metzger | Thank you. This was so fun, everybody. Thank you. |
| Announcer | Thanks for listening to WHERE BRAINS MEET BEAUTY™ with Jodi Katz. Tune in again for more authentic conversations with beauty leaders. |
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