Week 2 & 3 May: Feeling Frantic

When The Overwhelm of "The Juggle" Hits

This is a 2-in-1 as we took a last-minute holiday to Mallorca with the kids. Bliss. But the business wheels don’t stop turning. The calendar planning took a nosedive and diaries were rearranged, meetings re-scheduled, events cancelled. But let’s take a look to see what was actually achieved.

IN THE BUSINESS

Act+Acre Brunch

Act+Acre is a beautiful scalp-care brand that has taken the international haircare world by storm. Founded by Irish entrepreneurs (and real-life partners) Helen Reavy and Colin Macken in 2019, the company ethos is “skincare for your scalp”. It’s been on my radar for years because the brand world is so thoroughly considered that I’ve referenced it many times when working with beauty and wellness clients. It launched into the market with a clear USP, mission, beautiful brand identity and a considered NPD roadmap. National B are the Irish distributors and co-hosted an event with Brown Thomas and the Act+Acre team in Wren Urban Nest. Couple of observations on a brand event (done beautifully):

• The location was sublime. Wren is an environmentally-conscious hotel; light, airy, nestled away on Andrews Lane. The rustic oak tables and lush foliage provided the perfect backdrop to showcase the product

• The National B Team were on-hand at all times, facilitating drink requests and explaining the product ranges

• Helen was interviewed by renowned Irish trichologist Sarah Cummins, so rather than simply announcing a new product, we had an expert conversation around the journey of the business and the shifts in hair-care trends

• Colm Corrigan - a renowned creative consultant (and previously of “Off The Rails” fame) is a partner in the brand - which provided a great opportunity to catch up and hear his own journey (from Dublin to London, New York to Andorra)

• I was sat beside journalist Ruth O’Connor; a great pal of mine - and Bianca Luykx, editor of VIP magazine and we covered everything from the VIP awards to perimenopause and menopause, Substack, the freelance economy and managing grey hair.

Act + Acre