VB Cosmetics continues to grow sales thanks to its one-of-a-kind Dazzle Dry® nail lacquer system. President and Founder Dr. Vivian Valenty invented the nail lacquer system, the only fast-drying system free from harmful chemicals, animal by-products and animal testing.
Arizona MEP began working with VB Cosmetics six years ago when the company decided to expand to direct-to-consumer sales. Arizona MEP helped develop the organizational structure, financial reporting and KPI dashboard and improve manufacturing processes. Since then, the company has moved from a 12,500 sq. ft. facility to a 40,000+ sq. ft. facility, experiencing significant year-over-year sales growth over the past five years.
Disciplined Budgeting, Financial Analysis and Reporting Inform Key Business Decisions
As VB Cosmetics grew sales, it quickly ran out of manufacturing space. Arizona MEP’s financial expert analyzed rent vs. purchase decisions for a new building, developed a budget and approval process for equipment acquisitions and supported selling the former building. Additionally, Arizona MEP’s financial expert built out the accounting department, expanded the integration of the ERP system and achieved compliance with multi-state sales tax reporting due to growing direct-to-consumer sales. Other activities include:
- Improved operational reporting for sales, marketing and production activities
- Coordinated the PPP loan application and subsequent forgiveness, amounting to over $300,000 in net proceeds
- Engaged BDO to compute significant R&D tax credits annually, amounting to several $100,000’s in tax savings
Ongoing Manufacturing Support and Lean Training
VB Cosmetics requested ongoing support from Arizona MEP until a key production management position could be backfilled. Arizona MEP’s Senior Client Advisor is at the facility on a weekly basis, working with the production team on daily KPIs for production goals and supporting all production activities. He is also working to implement Lean practices to improve production workflow.
Developing a Culture of Excellence
Over the past five years, the company has added more than 35 new employees, including more than 15 over the past 18 months. Arizona MEP’s HR expert manages recruiting, hiring and onboarding senior employee positions. As the company has grown, the management team determined they needed to formalize the values that guide the company and employee performance. Arizona MEP’s HR expert is helping to facilitate the adoption of core values in job descriptions, performance reviews and everyday company culture.
- Community: what binds us together
- Competitive: we love winning
- Communication: mutual understanding
- Collaboration: help each other
- Competence: it is what we contribute
- Accountability: we do what we promise
- Change: it is how we excel
- Celebrate: a job well done
These eight values, or the eight Cs, guide the management team when addressing company and employee performance. Using the eight Cs, managers can objectively pinpoint areas of concern and provide guidance to employees.
Exemplifying Excellence
For decades Dr. Valenty, a bio-organic chemist, has formulated industry firsts that solve her customers’ problems. She recently accepted an award from her undergraduate school, Mapua University in Manila, Philippines, for Dazzle Dry and her other inventions that have had a global impact, including a coating used in the printing process for decorating ceramics which is considered the gold standard in the industry.
The company has been recognized nationally with a number of industry innovations and consumer awards. It has also been recognized locally as one of Chandler's top 100 companies by the Chandler Chamber of Commerce and has been featured in the Mayor’s Annual State of the City message.
Continuous Partnership with Arizona MEP Delivers Significant Positive Results
“Arizona MEP has experts in all of these fields—human resources, accounting, manufacturing— that have helped VB Cosmetics grow from an organization with just a few employees who wore many hats to a professionally run business,” said Dr. Valenty. VB Cosmetics illustrates how Arizona MEP’s hands-on approach and long-term support to its clients result in business growth and transformation.