Interview with Myra Roldan, finalist from "Oprah's Search for the Next Big Idea"

Recently, I had the pleasure of interviewing Myra Roldan. I initially came across her on a business network we both belong to, and when I saw her name, I knew I’d heard of and seen her before. After checking her business profile, it clicked- I’d seen her last year on “Oprah’s Search for the Next Big Idea” (I made sure to watch that particular episode because Paula Deen was on there- I’m a huge Paula Deen fan).

Many of my clients and the business owners I speak to want to get on Oprah. Seriously, just about every inquiry from a potential client has something to the effect of “I’m looking for someone that can get me on Oprah”. I admit that I want to get someone on Oprah just to say I did it. But it’s not all roses and sunshine- you’ve got to be ready for the personal and business changes an Oprah appearance can bring. Below, Myra has shared her experience getting on Oprah, and the lasting effect it had on her life and her business.

What date did you appear on Oprah?: May 3, 2007

How did Oprah come to notice you?: I had to work hard to get on O. I actually set a goal to get on O on January 1, 2007 with no clue how I was going to do it. I own a mineral makeup company and have lots of great innovative products. At the time I had been sitting on a product (it was not in production) that I had partnered with a company in Australia. In Feb 2007, I was bummed over a deal that fell through with a Shopping Network. I couldn't sleep one night and decided to see what it would take to be a vendor for QVC. I went to their site and saw a little banner that said, "Oprah's Search for the Next Big Idea". Oprah had partnered with QVC for this event.

8 finalists would be selected from thousands of submissions. The first step was to complete the application and pick a tradeshow date. My date was in March; I didn't know what to expect. I had a huge poster board printed at Kinkos that showed how to use my product, I purchased a medium size Chinese box that looked like a treasure chest, and an easel. I took my best friend with me. We drove 3 hours to King of Prussia, PA for the tradeshow at QVC studio (the location I had selected - it was either there, Chicago, or California).

When we arrived there were a couple thousand people there. My appointment was for 2 pm but a couple hundred other people had the same appointment time. I knew before I got there I was a shoe in - it was instinct. My product was unique in the market, it had demonstrativeness power, instant results and just all around awesome. The trade show was a definite cattle call. At my appointment time, I got in line with my completed paperwork and we were herded from one lane to another to fill out more forms, view a short video, and then wait in line for a table. We were told we had 10 minutes to present, and after our presentation we had to leave the building immediately.

When it was my turn, I setup quickly and placed my folder on the edge of my table. I was surrounded by elaborate presentations- I just had my box, poster, easel and my friend for support (she was also my model). A judge came to the table, I did little talking - just did my 60 second elevator pitch followed with a demonstration. I had the judge eating out of my hand. We had to do the presentation 5 times for about 5 other people. When I thought we were done, I was starting to pack up and all of a sudden...............LIGHTS, CAMERA AND A MICROPHONE being shoved in my face. It was one of Oprah's people- apparently there was ton of buzz over my product. They filmed us, I did my 60 second pitch with a demo, and they took video of the product. It was amazing.

Right then and there I knew I was going to be on Oprah. On April 24th, my birthday, I received a call from HARPO Studios telling me I was a finalist and was going to be flown out the following week.

How many samples did you have to send in?: I had to offer one sample at the tradeshow and then overnight a 6 box samples to her show.

Did you get a huge surge of business after your appearance?: The product was not in production in the US. I was not the winner but received a huge amount of emails regarding my appearance and people wanting to purchase product. Along with that came some threats- I guess from some people who where hostile that they were not chosen.

One woman created a huge mess claiming I had stolen her idea. She called HARPO Studios, and I had to provide all my documentation over again. I was slapped with a cease and desist from some woman with a 20 year old patent. I almost walked away from my business; at this point it stopped being fun.

Also, there was a fine line of print: I could not use the picture of Oprah and I on my website, nor could I reference that my product had been on the show. In other words, I couldn't say "As Seen on Oprah".

Was it hard keeping up with the demand after your appearance?: No because the product was not in production. I did get a lot of mineral makeup wholesale orders, as that is how I operated my business at that point, strictly Business-to-Business.

Do you feel that your business would be at the stage it is now had you NOT appeared on Oprah?: I know it would not be at the point it is today. The experience made me grow personally and professionally. I almost walked away from my business because of the craziness. I was not alone- I have spoken to the other women who were finalists, and many have gone through the same. One woman lost her job because of it. We were not ready for this and we were left to our own devices after the show.

After seriously considering walking way (literally) from my business, I decided to try a different approach. In March 2008, I launched a direct sales opportunity which is free to join with no kits to purchase or inventory to keep. All Reps get a free website, training, and more. Had I not appeared on O, I would still be dealing in B2B only. Today, I have over 800 Reps since we started the home business opportunity in March 2008.

If you could do it all over again, is there anything you would have done differently before your appearance? After?: I would have prepared the my business better and would have attorneyed up. I didn't have the money to fight patent challenge suits nor did I have a good attorney to guide me. My attorney at the time was mediocre. If I could do it over, I would have made sure I had a product that was in production here in the US.

Is there anything else you can share with business owners who aspire to make an appearance on Oprah?: Think hard and long about your reasons for wanting to be on her show. Just getting on the show is not a guarantee that she will endorse your products. All the finalists were banned from using the quote: "As Seen on Oprah" or any reference of the same. We could not use our pictures with her nor could we contact the media. We could only talk to media they arranged for us. But, if you do want to get on her show, I can tell you that you can have a mediocre product but you MUST SELL YOURSELF. What's your story? What has been your struggle? What have you sacrificed to keep your business going? What makes you stand out and how authentic are you?

About Myra

Myra Roldan is a mom to three beautiful girls, Founder/Owner of Beautiful Diva (http://www.beautifuldiva.com), and an Accidental Blogger (http://chickylounge.blogspot.com). After working for several commercial cosmetic lines, she noticed the cosmetic selection offered to women of ethnic backgrounds, women with skin conditions, and to those undergoing medical treatment was scarce. She made it her mission to create a mineral makeup line that would be safe for all women with skin sensitivities, especially those undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy. She wanted a product that was safe for her own daughters when they became old enough to use makeup.

In May 2007, Myra Roldan had the unique opportunity of being selected as one of 8 finalists in “Oprah’s Search for the Next Big Idea”. She embraced the opportunity and offered a flawless presentation. This experience has given Myra, a stronger sense of purpose and dedication. She will go the extra mile for her family, friends, and her clients. Now Myra offers workshops and lectures to help women start their own small business. Myra can be reached via email myra @ beautifuldiva.com

30th Anniversary "An Evening of Stars"

I'm excited to announce that we will be providing our Swag Bags for the talent, celebrities, and special guests at the UNCF 30th Anniversary "An Evening of Stars" celebration! If you're interested in being a vendor for this gifting event, email me (rmbunton @ gmail.com).

See more about the event by clicking here.

We will be producing 125 gift bags for this event, so many vendor spots are currently open. The UNCF is an organization that I have supported for a number of years, so it's a special honor for Lush & Luxe to contribute to this event. Even if you're not going to be a vendor, consider donating to this wonderful organization by going to their website.

Speaking of vendor spots, all the ones for Jarvis Green's party are taken- and what an impressive variety of vendors we have! Seriously, I wish I was one of the guys at the party, I'm sure they're going to love all the great products that have been gifted to them. See the whole list of vendors by clicking here.

Article on Womenpreneurs

I recently had the pleasure of writing an article for Womenpreneur about social media entitled Integrating Social Media into your PR Plan. Click here to check out the full article.