2021 Year end review

As 2021 was coming to an end I started the goal setting for 2022.  While doing this I started reflecting through the ups and downs of the year.  When I started writing down what worked, what did not and what I learned, I realized that 2021 kicked ass in many ways for Zingari Man.

I try to set goals every year and give structure to what I want to achieve.  I focused 2021 on growth and improving our scents.  Looking back, I think we hit all our goals! Here is a look back at what Zingari Man was able to accomplish in a single year.

We updated and released a vegan base. We released 5 new custom scents.  Some designed by Shawn Maher of Maher Olfactive and Chatillon Lux, and some designed by yours truly.  This would include by order of release, The Rambler, The Merchant, Barrel Proof, The Gent, The Traditionalist.  We released two collaborations with perfuming house Rirana. This would include Coconut Nanas and Blackwood.

After the collaboration with the BBS live gents, Mel and Nate for Barrel proof, I formed a relationship with Raza Durrani and switched over to all custom illustrations for the label designs.  He is incredibly talented and such an awesome pleasure to work with.

Starting in the spring we partnered up with a distributor in Europe and UK and certified several of the shave soap and recovery splash.  This expanded our market tremendously and gave customers access to the products without prohibitive shipping costs.  Zingari Man is now retailed across Europe thanks to this partnership.

In the fall of 2019, we purchased a new facility.  After lots of renovation, in late January 2021 we moved into the workshop.  Between the two building we now have 4000 sq ft of workspace, storage, and office! We could not have been more excited for this expansion!  We can now upscale as needed without worry of space.

In May I took the leap and left the hospital laboratory where I was still working part time.  I have been in the lab for almost 20 years so this was a huge leap!  I became a full-time artisan and 100% self-employed.  Incredibly exciting and tremendously scary at the same time. But this move helped to balance out my work and life balance.  It also gave me the gift of flexibility for family time during the holidays and for that I am forever grateful!

We attended our first official trade show in Las Vegas. This was such a learning experience for us!  It was awesome to be able to talk face to face with people and encourage them to try wet shaving.

In October we hired a team to help set up Amazon.  This is a full-time job to set up almost 90 SKUs that we carry.  And I am proud to say that after months of their work, we are now on Amazon Prime!  I am incredibly excited for this achievement as it could be huge way for an artisan brand to grow and expand the wets having community.

Finally, in December we started a You tube channel for Zingari Man.  We will start adding content to this very soon!  Here is our first video https://youtu.be/50MDOPtS6CU

I want to thank you for the fantastic year that we had.  Without you none of this would have been possible.  We have been big plans for 2022 so watch out!

Thank you for the support in 2021

Heather