Kristle Haynes describes herself as a Brand Designer & Digital Communications Creative, but let’s be real—she’s a straight up BOSS! Not only does she serve as Founder, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of her own publication, The 7th Magazine, but she also manages two other companies: Luxury Chapters and Sweet SXM Beauty. Both companies fall under the umbrella of The 7th Magazine, which is all visual. Luxury Chapters acts as the textual version, focusing on all things ‘pop culture’. And Sweet SXM Beauty is your go-to for the latest in beauty and glamour. When she’s not putting in the hours on her businesses, which is really never, she works freelance as a creative consultant, and handles all member and client relations for her ventures.
Haynes always wanted to be involved in media, but didn’t know which medium better suited her. So, instead of putting herself in one category, she decided to build on her strengths and grow from there. She started her entrepreneurial journey in 2013 while living in London, and maintains innovation as she continues to build her brand. Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Sint Maarten, Haynes uses her travels and consequent experiences as her inspiration. In our interview, she communicates her wants to “creatively compile luxury into 7 portals”. Since starting her brand, she has already tackled 2 of those 7 portals with Luxury Chapters and Sweet SXM Beauty.
Her publication is released bi-annually, following the fashion cycles Spring/Summer & Autumn/Winter. All editorials are QR-code embedded. The codes are continuously updated, so elite members always stay current. When I asked Haynes what sets her cosmetic line apart from the competition she said, “We are the world’s first floral cosmetic, striving to innovate the makeup industry through our branding.” Sweet SXM Beauty’s latest launch included the introduction of two new makeup palettes: the Rose Gold Palette and the Hibiscus Palette.
She personally knows the difficulties of building something from the ground up. It takes time, energy, patience and grit. Her advice to any aspiring business owner, “Be resilient.”
What is the ethos of your brand?
I’d like for the overall ethos of my company to follow luxury, nostalgia, & love! Luxury may be attained through many forms, however, I wanted to creatively compile luxury into 7 portals. My company is aimed to inspire creativity by providing an option to visit the very best in fashion, art, hospitality, & travel. The digital platform follows 7 luxuries: Art + Design, Creative Inspiration, Fashion + Style, Pop Culture, Beauty & Glamour, Cuisine, & Travel. The publications are released bi-annually, following the fashion cycles of Spring/Summer & Autumn/Winter. Elite members attain a hard-copy of our QR-code embedded editorials. The QR codes are consistently updated so that the magazine itself remains an always up-to-date & chic coffee-table book. The blog, Luxury Chapters, is the text version of the visionary visuals found on The 7th Magazine and acts as a more in-depth extension of the 7 portals of creativity. Covering insightful health tips, lifestyle trends, exclusive travel features in luxurious settings, & collaborative features with impressive contributors within the arts sectors. The 7th Magazine was founded in 2015 in Dubai, launched in 2017 in the USA, followed by another branch in Sint Maarten (SXM) in 2018. Via SXM, we released our Beauty & Glamour sector: Sweet SXM Beauty. The ethos behind the vegan/cruelty-free makeup line was the desire to encapsulate the beauty of the Caribbean with the world’s first floral cosmetic. Flowers give me a sense of nostalgia between the islands I frequented the most – Sint Maarten, Curacao, & St. Vincent.
Can you speak to the mission behind your businesses?
The mission is to innovate. I’d love to continue pioneering through the 7 portals behind The 7th Magazine brand. Thus far, we’ve launched Sweet SXM Beauty under the ‘Beauty & Glamour’ sector, as well as Luxury Chapters, under the ‘Pop Culture’ sector. I’d love to continue expanding this concept and venture into the 5 remaining portals of creativity.
What distinguishes Sweet SXM Cosmetics from the competition?
We are the world’s first floral cosmetic, striving to innovate the makeup industry through our branding. While the concept was something I’d been trying to get off the ground since 2015, we didn’t launch the product until 2018. Even before the launch though there was still a lot to prepare for, the floral packaging in itself is something I’ve diligently worked on since February 2018. I believe what distinguishes us the most is the relationship we have with our #SweetSupporters. The love that we receive through each purchase is beyond exhilarating. I’m sure the creative floral packaging helps stimulate such joy since it’s unmatched, but the reactions & reviews are what truly solidifies Sweet SXM Beauty as a beauty brand that’s here to stay.
What should one keep in mind when collaborating with other businesses and influencers?
Since branding is of such importance to me, I tend to stray away from “Free PR”. Of course, when we first launched the brand, I sent out some press packages to mostly influencers in Sint Maarten or who are of Caribbean descent. “Free PR”, however, doesn’t necessarily garner you a return on investment, and choosing not to take this route helps keep “fake love” away from my brand. Authenticity is key, so when someone purchases the Sweet SXM Beauty product & loves it – they genuinely love it. It’s not just something nice they needed to say because of the implication from their “Free PR”. In regard to collaborating with businesses, I’d love to continue formulating lucrative partnerships with makeup brands that follow our ethos. Currently, we have a partnership with a luxury eyelash company and indie makeup brand from the Caribbean island of Tortola. In the near future, I’d love to also work with bigger makeup companies & collaborate worldwide!
In your opinion, what makes a successful brand?
A successful brand is ‘growth’ – A company needs to evolve, whether it’s with technology or the environment, a company needs to grow in accordance to the market changes. Since The 7th Magazine is still a young company, I believe we will continue to adapt & grow.
Can you share one piece of advice you’d give anyone wanting to start a business?
One piece of advice I’d give is this – be resilient. Many obstacles will come your way in various forms of hardship & stressors, however you need to believe in yourself enough to pull through. I believe you need to be mentally prepared to take on a company, as it becomes more than just yourself; it becomes about standards & practices, team building, lead generation, accounting, relationship building for clientele, customer service, problem solving, & most importantly – innovating.
Where do you see your brand in the next year?
With The 7th Magazine specifically, we are launching the Exotic Issue on April 27th, 2019. I’d love to revamp our social media presence with cinemagraphs & break into the scene with the world’s first cinemagraph magazine. I think it will take the digital space by surprise within the publishing industry. With Luxury Chapters, I want to continue covering pop culture through extraordinary experiences, covering music festivals & art exhibitions on a global scale. With Sweet SXM Beauty, I plan to launch a beauty box through a monthly subscription service. I’ve been gathering market information for a few weeks now & intend to launch it by this Summer.
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Interview by Rahel Tekle