By definition Teledentistry is the use of information technology and telecommunications for dental care, consultation, education, and public awareness. And here in Hollywood, the biggest company is BYTE, whose made-to-order aligners are six times faster than braces and guaranteed for life! Behind the marketing for this great company is Sarah McDonald. After years of working at Fortune 500 companies (BD Medical, YouTube) Sarah took her talents to early stage start-ups in the Direct-to-Consumer marketplace such as byte. I sat down with Sarah to find out more about herself, why social media is important in today’s marketplace for companies, the ‘Don’t Tell Me To Smile‘ campaign that her brand has made gone viral, and all about byte and why celebrities are using the products of byte to look fabulous!
NICK NORTHSTAR: Let’s kick things off with a fun fashion question: How would you describe your own personal style – both while at home and while working?
SARAH MCDONALD: Typically I go for minimalist and timeless looks both at home and at the office. I try not to buy super trendy pieces that will only last a season but instead look for neutral colors I can wear throughout time that fit me well. When it comes to work, I choose my outfits based on comfort and ease. Vintage Levis, a white tee and gold jewelry is my go-to uniform!
NN: Why did you decide to leave your job working for big fortune 500 companies and concentrate more on start-ups in the direct-to-consumer marketplace? What’s your day-to-day like now?
SM: Working at fortune 500 companies was a great start to building my career foundation and of course was impressive on paper, but I hit a point where I realized I wasn’t truly passionate about what I was doing. It started to feel like I was just another number, and I wanted to make a larger impact when it came to my day to day. I was in my mid-20s and made the decision to change industries completely. This change was terrifying as I am a calculated risk persona and felt that I’d have to start over to do so. I figured if I was potentially going to take a couple of steps backwards, I wanted to grow as quickly as possible and thought a start-up would be my best bet. I figured I’d get the chance to take a lot on and gave myself one year to “just try it out.” I happened to land at a start up in the direct-to-consumer wine and tech industry and haven’t looked back at larger companies since. My day-to-day now is fast paced, exciting, and while it feels like it’s never-ending, is so worth it! As Head of Brand Marketing at byte, I wear dozens of hats, and I’ve had to master the skill of prioritizing. I typically start my week off identifying any deadlines and organizing my many to-dos in order of urgency. The week usually speeds by with meetings, brainstorms and content creation sessions. I have an amazing team that I work with every day and it’s been a very exciting experience so far.
NN: What makes byte stand out from other teledentistry companies?
SM: byte stand out in many ways! We’re able to straighten your teeth in half the time of any other invisible aligner company in the marketplace thanks to our exclusive accelerator device, the HyperByte. Not only can we get you done faster but we’re also a fraction of the cost and can be done without leaving home, which is major. Another way we stand out is our Smile Science technology, created by our co-founder Dr. Marashi, who is the celebrity dentist of every A-lister out there. We design a smile that is all your own by analyzing your selfie and considering the proportions of your face, unlike other brands that use generic software.
NN: What first attracted you to them (byte) to work for?
SM: I was attracted to the idea that I would be able to change lives through a product I believed in. I loved the thought of providing something meaningful to people who may have not previously been able to afford or access the tools to achieve a smile they were proud of. I joined byte pre-launch, and while the idea of starting a company was scary in some ways, I was eager to have a real say in how we would build an authentic and meaningful brand.
NN: How important is social media these days for beauty and lifestyle companies to get the word out?
SM: Social media is extremely important especially when it comes to beauty and lifestyle companies. A brand like ours that is altering the way you look and requires a lot of trust relies heavily on our customers to share their experience, and social media is where that takes place. Our product is something people spend lots of time researching before deciding to purchase so I always want to make sure that we have a one stop shop on social for them to get educated, see byte results, ask questions and feel inspired to go after the smile they’ve dreamed of with byte. It’s a great place to tell your brand story and reach new audiences.
NN: What has the feedback been from people who have used the various products byte offers?
SM: The feedback has been beyond amazing. Since day one, we’ve been obsessed with our customers’ experience and do everything we can to make sure that each and every person feels valued and gets the results we promised them. If you look at byte reviews, you’ll often see people calling out how much they love our customer service, are in awe of the HyperByte and love the brand itself in terms of design, look and feel. Our entire byte team takes great pride in what we do, and we love to celebrate our customers as they finish their treatment and achieve their new smiles.
NN: What is the process for those wanting that “perfect smile”?
SM: The process is all about convenience and ease. You start off by finding out if you’re a byte candidate by ordering our Impression Kit and taking molds of your teeth at home. An orthodontist reviews your smile and creates a custom treatment plan so you can see what your smile journey will look like. At this point, you’ll order your byte aligner system which comes with all of your aligners, teeth whitener and our exclusive HyperByte tool, and you’re on your way to a straighter, whiter smile. Our team is with you every step of the way, and we make it work with your budget whether that’s through our 100% credit approval financing that’s under $100 per month, using your insurance or utilizing your FSA/HSA benefits! byte takes an average of 3 months to give you the smile you’ve dreamt of!
NN: byte also recently launched the “Don’t Tell Me To Smile” campaign. Tell us more about this initiative and why it’s so important to you?
SM: This campaign is very important to me, and I’ve been in awe of the heartfelt response we’ve gotten since launch. I’ve always admired brands that are not afraid to use their voice and reach to get real messages across. It’s powerful when done right and allows a brand to stand for more than just their product. “Don’t Tell Me To Smile” campaign was all around empowering people to own their smiles. Unfortunately, most women can think of one if not dozens of times someone on the street, at a bar or even at work has told them they need to smile more, and we wanted to start a conversation around this. Smiling is great (and we’re clearly in the business of making smiles), but we also want to build the confidence around a beautiful smile and it being for you to show off when you so choose. Upon launch, we received thousands of shares and comments from women sharing their stories around being told to smile more and how much our video meant to them. We hoped that men would jump into the conversation as this was a learning moment for everyone to get something out of.
NN: As we ask everyone here, on a personal note, what is your definition of “Glam”?
SM: Glam is being the best version of yourself and finding the confidence to live in your truth. I love when I see people doing what makes them feel beautiful and fabulous.
NN: What can we expect from byte moving forward this year and next?
SM: 2020 is going to be a great one. We just entered into an exclusive partnership with FabFitFun, the #1 beauty and lifestyle subscription box and have other surprises in the works. We will continue to put our customers first and find ways to help people achieve smiles they’re proud of and confidence to get after their dreams.
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