What does it take to create an entirely new product category—and convince customers to change habits they've had for decades? In this episode of Mission Critical, Lance sits down with Jayme Jenkins, co-founder of Everist, the Canadian beauty brand behind the world's first shampoo, conditioner, and body wash concentrates. What started as a mission to reduce waste in the beauty industry evolved into a masterclass in innovation, customer education, brand storytelling, and sustainable growth. In their discussion, Jayme shares the realities of building a category-defining company, from developing a product that manufacturers said couldn't be made to learning how to simplify messaging, earn customer trust, and scale without sacrificing the brand's purpose. She also offers practical insights on customer feedback, retail expansion, founder wellness, team building, and why today's most successful brands win by solving real problems—not just telling compelling stories. Whether you're launching a startup, growing a consumer brand, or navigating the challenges of scaling a business in a rapidly changing market, this conversation is packed with actionable lessons on building a company designed to last. Key Takeaways Lead with the customer problem, not your mission: One of Everist's biggest breakthroughs came when they stopped leading with sustainability and started leading with performance. Customers care about the problem you're solving first; your mission becomes a powerful differentiator once you've earned their attention. Innovation only matters if people understand it: Creating a breakthrough product was difficult—but explaining it was even harder. Jayme shares how simplifying Everist's messaging and making the unfamiliar feel familiar became critical to scaling the business. Customer feedback is a competitive advantage: Every review, comment, and customer email is analyzed by the team. Everist's growth has been fueled by an obsessive commitment to listening, iterating, and improving based on real customer experiences. Sustainable growth beats growth at all costs: The era of chasing unicorn valuations has given way to a more durable approach. Jayme discusses why building intentionally, profitably, and for the long term creates stronger companies and healthier founders. Differentiation is worth the pain: Many of Everist's biggest challenges stemmed from doing something completely new. But that same uniqueness is what made the brand memorable, defensible, and capable of creating an entirely new category in beauty. About the Guest Jayme Jenkins is the co-founder of Everist, an award-winning Canadian beauty brand reinventing the hair, skin, and scalp care industry through concentrated, waterless products. Alongside co-founder Jessica Stevenson, Jayme launched Everist in 2021 after spending years in the beauty industry with global companies including Procter & Gamble and L'Oréal. Driven by a desire to reduce waste in personal care without compromising performance, Jayme helped create the world's first shampoo, conditioner, and body wash concentrates—an innovation that has positioned Everist as one of Canada's most exciting emerging beauty brands. Today, Everist is recognized for its category-defining products, sustainability-first approach, and growing community of loyal customers. Jayme is passionate about innovation, conscious consumption, customer-centric brand building, and helping the next generation of founders navigate the realities of entrepreneurship.
