Tell Us Who You Are!

Hey there 👋🏻. I’m Amy Kapolnek, the Founder and Fractional CMO of FWRD Group, a consulting firm that does marketing for startups and fast-growing small businesses in beauty, wellness, and medical aesthetics. (And ICYMI: a Fractional CMO is a part-time chief marketing officer.) 

I’m behind the launches of (your favorite!) products. (Like Gucci Beauty and Burberry Perfume, to name a couple…) I also helped revamp timeless brands like Olay and ideated new products for Pantene, developed the brand strategy for Our Tone Band-Aid with Johnson and Johnson, and helped expand AIREM Aesthetic Spa. 

Basically, I do a bit of it all! And of course, I’m also committed to championing women by mentoring other female entrepreneurs and early-stage companies. For my everyday happenings and inspirations, follow me on IG and LinkedIn! 

7:30 AM - 8:15 AM  → Get Outta Bed (At Snail’s Pace!) 🐌

I am not a morning person! Do not look at me! Do not talk to me! Do not wake me up! I do not want to go to the gym! 

My husband leaves for work at 7:30 AM, so I wake up, give him a kiss goodbye, then roll over again in bed until about 8:15 AM. 

8:20 AM - 9:00 AM → Lightening Coffee & Skincare ⚡

After I brush my teeth (in order to become a human) I make the largest cup of coffee on earth with a splash of MALK almond milk. 

Then I lightning-speed get ready: I shower, do my hair, apply makeup, and get dressed in under 30 minutes. (I keep my hair short because then it blowdries in three minutes!)

TBH, I don’t wear makeup every day, but I’m loyal to my skincare routine. I love the Touradin Hyaluronic Acid Serum (holy grail product!) and AIREM Vitamin C Serum. I’m also obsessed with the Bubble SPF (it’s so affordable) and the BABOR Hyaluronic Cleansing Balm.

9:00 AM - 11:00 PM → Move FWRD 💪🏼

At the start of the day, I prefer to focus my work on all things FWRD Group. I’ll answer emails, follow ups, and address our calendar before I dive into meetings.

11:00 - 4:00 PM → Meetings, Meetings, Meetings 🧑🏼‍💻

After I get in two hours of focused work, I have meetings all day. That said, 4:00 is my cutoff! I never schedule any after then, because I’m exhausted. From there, I start winding down the day. My brain will legit not work anymore. 

4:00 - 8:30 PM → Wrap Up, Go Out 🎉

I wrap up work, then I start getting ready for events I’m attending. That said, all of my clients have my personal number and some work on PST, so I’m always available to answer any questions at any time of day. (TBH, I sometimes take calls late at night! That’s just the founder's life!) 

Usually, my post-work afternoons consist of attending brand events or meeting people for dinner. (Brittany and I are obsessed with the restaurant Planta Queen!) Then, I head home and get ready for a looong slumber. Gotta recharge to tackle tomorrow!

Wait so… What exactly is a Fractional CMO? (Lol.)

A Fractional CMO is a part-time Chief Marketing Officer. A lot of indie brands or emerging brands can’t afford a very hefty salary to bring on a C-suite employee right away. So, one solution is to hire a part-time CMO, who is not going to take up all of your expenses, but can still help you with business strategy. Honestly, a Fractional CMO should be one of every new beauty brand’s first hires!

And while we’re here… let’s talk about beauty treatments! Your skin looks amazing. 

I do Botox three times a year and a little bit of filler. Every six weeks, I do an intense (but sooo worth it!) process of what’s called “skin treatment stacking.” First, I do radio frequency microneedling, and then I also get lasers for resurfacing, brightening, and toning. After that, I do an exosome skin booster. I’m 40 years old, but it makes my skin look so tight and fresh. (People say I look 32!)

Any must-have advice for emerging brands and small businesses?  

First, stop trying to rush into retail! It’s too risky and hard to see the ROI. Instead, I always ask: Do you know your customer? Not just their age and where they live. But what are their unmet needs? What keeps them up at night? You need to find that out. Their behaviors, their tendencies, their preferences, how often they go to the grocery store, what they’re buying there. Everything! The more data you have, the easier it is to market to your customer without having to spend all kinds of money to do so.

My go-to advice is…

If you’re feeling down, take a day to cry! Sometimes you just need to cry in the corner! Then, move on with it. It’s okay to take a minute for yourself before you get back out there.

ALTERNATIVE QUESTION/ANSWER 

Because you’re the expert: What brand trends will we see in 2025?

Consumers have ad fatigue. They do not want to be hit with ads every time they open up Instagram. It’s too saturated! Steer away from ads and paid media. Instead, be innovative. Focus on IRL activations, brand partnerships, and ambassadorships. Gifting (albeit, mindfully!) is actually making a comeback—you don’t necessarily need to pay influencers to post. Focus on your most loyal customers and see if they’ll work with you, too.