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Although she thoroughly enjoyed her start-up experience in technology before and during the Internet boom in San Francisco, English graduate Meredith McGann ’95 knew that technology was not her passion.
Her decision to change careers has made an impact on the faces of celebrities and many other women. McGann is a cofounder of Passport Cosmetics, a successful company that has been featured in Cosmopolitan, Vogue, Glamour, Allure, Teen People, and more than a dozen other magazines.
“I’d always held a passion for and interest in the beauty industry,” she says. “It was a far-off dream of mine to someday run my own cosmetics company.”
To pursue that dream, she got together with longtime friend Erin Cotter, a fellow “entrepreneurial go-getter” and supporter of small business. They put their heads together to combine everything they loved into the ideal job – travel, fashion, design, and beauty. The end result was Passport, a San Francisco company that offers its own line of cosmetics in distinctive packaging.
The road to success has required tremendous work, including “staying up nights until 4 a.m. to research the cosmetics market and freezing because we couldn’t afford the heat, for starters,” says McGann. After writing a business plan, the partners brought in a small amount of investment capital, which allowed them to travel and meet with manufacturers and packaging design companies. Their research took them to locations such as London, Milan, Tokyo, and Los Angeles. They then focused on attracting more investment capital and getting their business started. Seeking out people in the industry and enlisting their support has proven to be one of the most enjoyable aspects of the job, says McGann.
The two friends are responsible for all aspects of Passport, including sales, designing and creating the merchandise, raising investment, public relations and marketing, and in-store appearances.
“Passport is fast, sexy, modern makeup,” says McGann. “We’ve designed a full range of color cosmetics that offers high-quality, unique products in sleek, streamlined packages. Passport complements the high-speed lifestyle by being easy-to-use makeup that allows a woman to be glamorous without all the fuss.”
Their products are designed without animal testing and contain beneficial ingredients, such as aloe and cucumber extracts in eye shadow and the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E in oil-free face products.
Seeing the products in a store for the first time gave McGann a sense of accomplishment.
“However, the true high points are talking to customers and discovering that they are already familiar with the products and are as thrilled with them as I am,” she says. “Also, talking with customers in the store and applying their makeup and watching their faces break into grins as they check themselves out in the mirror. I love it when a woman walks away feeling pretty and sexy.”
“I firmly believe that the Lafayette community is one of the strongest, most supportive groups out there,” adds McGann. “While I loved and treasured my college experience, I have grown to love it more due to the wonderful people I have met or reconnected with who were part of the Lafayette experience.”