We were lucky to catch up with Cherie Elliot recently and have shared our conversation below.

Cherie, appreciate you joining us today. It’s easy to look at a business or industry as an outsider and assume it’s super profitable – but we’ve seen over and over again in our conversation with folks that most industries have factors that make profitability a challenge. What’s biggest challenge to profitability in your industry?

Cangaroo Cosmetic Sharpener is a patented cosmetic tool. The biggest challenge I have found is getting exposure to the beauty industry, as an entrepreneur, with a product that is completely different from the norm.

I have had great success with Cangaroo Cosmetic Sharpener when I demonstrate it, directly to the consumer, at beauty trade shows and community events.

Social media has not worked as well, because images and videos on social media do not communicate the unique functionality and features of Cangaroo Cosmetic Sharpener.

As a sole proprietor with a unique, patented product, marketing is expensive, it needs repetitive exposure and the sales do not always cover the cost of the marketing.

I think Cangaroo Cosmetic Sharpener would be a perfect product to be licensed by a major cosmetic company.

The consumers that purchase Cangaroo Cosmetic Sharpener, love it and are still using it several years after their purchase. They would not consider purchasing any other cosmetic sharpener.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am from the Midwest and I have been in sales my entire career. I started out in the apparel industry, switched to the gift industry and I am now a sales consultant in the eyewear industry. I have moved around the country, from Kansas to Chicago, Southern and Northern California and I also lived in Texas. I have since come full circle and I have moved back to the midwest.

Cangaroo Cosmetic Sharpener was not a product I intended to invent. The idea came to me from my own frustration with sharpening cosmetic pencils. The options available always create a shavings mess. The first Cangaroo Cosmetic Sharpener was created, using kitchen items, to catch the shavings from the cosmetic sharpener. After using this simple, modified sharpener, it dawned on me that if it worked for me, other people might like to have it as well.

With that in mind, I needed to create a product that was functional and appealing. I searched and bought several different types of components to build the first marketable Cangaroo Cosmetic Sharpener. Since I was working on a very tight budget, I wanted to find components that existed and that I could repurpose. I was fortunate that I did find everything that I needed and that minimums were reasonable. Finding the exact type of component I needed was a treasure hunt. Half the time I didn’t know what the component I was looking for was actually called. I spent many hours on google! I didn’t buy everything at once. Each month I would budget to purchase one component at a time, until I had everything that I needed.

I created my own logo, tag line and a very basic website. (It’s Not About The Animal. It’s About The Pouch.) Initially, I did not pay anyone to do anything that I could do myself. We are very fortunate to have the online tools that are available, in order to create what we need. Website hosting services with easy templates, logo builders, social media tools, etc. A business can be built on a tight budget. I eventually hired a professional graphic artist and photographer. I also became a sole proprietor LLC, for liability and tax purposes.

Since Cangaroo Cosmetic Sharpener is a unique product, that did not exist, I wanted a patent for it. Applying for a patent can be expensive, but I was able to start the process myself, with a patent pending application. As the patent process progressed, I did need to hire a patent attorney. It was really too complicated and I didn’t want to make any mistakes.
Cangaroo Cosmetic Sharpener’s patent was issued in 2016.

I know that Cangaroo Cosmetic Sharpener could be the top selling cosmetic sharpener in the industry. I will keep trying to reach the beauty industry consumer in every way that I can. I think the most important lesson I have learned is that I was trying to go really big, really fast. That is not very realistic. I believe it was Daymond John that said to start your sales in your community, develop a following and grow from there. I have found that the best sales I have, are one at a time, to someone that has been searching for exactly what Cangaroo Cosmetic Sharpener is. The best cosmetic sharpener you can buy.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One of the mistakes that I made early on, was I thought that Cangaroo Cosmetic Sharpener would become an overnight sensation. I wanted it to go big, fast. After a couple of years of doing weekend community events, trade shows and Facebook postings, I decided to invest into an infomercial. I had just sold my home and I had a little extra money.

BIG MISTAKE. It was costly, and the infomercial was mostly played in the middle of the night or the early morning hours and very few people saw it.

From that point on, I decided that I needed to be very selective on how I marketed Cangaroo Cosmetic Sharpener.

My best sales to date, are direct-to-consumer demonstrations at community events and industry trade shows. People feel comfortable knowing they are buying from a local business/entrepreneur.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Cangaroo Cosmetic Sharpener was patented in 2016. Nine years later, I still believe Cangaroo Cosmetic Sharpener is the best cosmetic sharpener available. I will never stop believing that. Every year I try a different approach to selling and marketing Cangaroo Cosmetic Sharpener. Life does get in the way. I am a full-time sales consultant as well. However, my love of Cangaroo Cosmetic Sharpener is a constant. I use it myself, every day. My customers still claim it is the best cosmetic sharpener that they have ever purchased. Their testimonials reinforce that Cangaroo Cosmetic Sharpener does belong in the beauty industry.

I believe 2025 is the year that Cangaroo Cosmetic Sharpener gets the recognition it deserves.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cangaroosharpener.com/
• Instagram: cangaroosharpener