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Fast Growth Minus Sales Tax Headaches: How Doe Scaled Rapidly with Numeral

About Doe Beauty

After sensing a market need, Jason launched Doe Lashes in August 2018 with $500 in seed money. His goal was simple—create lightweight, comfortable lashes women could wear daily without irritation.

Industry: 
Beauty & Cosmetics
Migrating from:
TaxJar

Jason Wong never imagined starting a cosmetics company. But in 2018, he noticed an intriguing pattern among the women in his life. Despite disliking traditional false eyelashes, they felt compelled to wear them for special occasions and nights out.

Jason recalled, “I was talking to friends and people I was dating—it seemed like they all wear lashes even though they hated them. They wanted a comfortable alternative."

Sensing a market need, Jason launched Doe Lashes in August 2018. His goal was simple—create lightweight, comfortable lashes women could wear daily without irritation.

"It's like wearing heels," Jason explained. "Women wear them temporarily for events, but can’t wait to take them off. I wanted lashes you could wear all day and forget about."

With just $500 in seed funding, Jason produced an initial 200 pairs of lashes. He turned to nano-influencers on Instagram and emerging platforms like TikTok to organically promote his novel product.

"We went after small influencers with no brand sponsors yet. They were excited to work with us. We blew up together," Jason said.

The strategy paid off—Doe Lashes resonated with women desiring comfortable, beautiful lashes. Traction was also boosted by minimal competition in the niche and affordable social media marketing costs.

Within months, Doe Lashes was gaining momentum. But as a solo entrepreneur, Jason struggled to stay on top of the business's operational demands, especially sales tax, while pursuing aggressive growth. 

Challenge: Lack of sales tax focus hindered fast growth

As Doe Lashes experienced rapid growth, Jason was laser-focused on marketing and product development. But he failed to pay enough attention to sales tax compliance.

Initially, Jason only collected sales tax in his home state. But as ecommerce sales expanded nationwide, he unknowingly reached nexus in multiple states. Without a system in place, Doe Lashes underpaid sales tax in multiple states.

"Much later than I should have. It's just never been a top-of-mind thing for me. When we started, the only sales tax we had to worry about was the state we had existed in," Jason said.

When the bill came due for uncollected sales tax, it was a rude awakening. Jason knew he needed help, but implementing a solution seemed complicated.

Jason first turned to TaxJar, hoping their automated software would solve his sales tax woes. However, the implementation proved challenging, customer support was lacking, and the errors led to multiple penalties.

"We weren't getting the support we wanted for how much we paid them. You expect someone to be there to help," Jason explained.

After a costly sales tax mistake that cost thousands, Jason knew he had to make a change. He needed knowledgeable sales tax experts to manage the process and guarantee accuracy fully.

Solution: Numeral's white glove support and automation simplified sales tax

Jason met Numeral CEO Sam Ross at an event happy hour. They immediately hit it off.

"Sam was so knowledgeable about the sales tax issues ecommerce brands face. He clearly understood the pain points I was experiencing firsthand," recalled Jason.

After recounting his compliance struggles, Jason realized Numeral offered precisely what he needed:

1. End-to-end sales tax management

Numeral goes far beyond software, acting as a fully outsourced sales tax department. The company:

  • Automatically calculates precise tax amounts on all transactions
  • Provides pre-populated returns for easy filing in every jurisdiction
  • Remits payments on time
  • Continuously monitors regulation changes

2. White-glove support with tailored solutions

Numeral's tax experts provide ongoing consultations to identify areas for optimization and cost savings. They tailor solutions to each client's specific needs.

Jason said, “Numeral tailors its solution to each client’s needs. Everything is customized. And I loved that I could talk to sales tax experts in person. That personal touch matters so much.”

Clients have direct access to a dedicated account manager for questions and issues. Support is proactive, not just reactive.

3. Accuracy guarantee

If any errors occur, Numeral assumes full financial responsibility. They guarantee 100% compliance.

“Numeral guarantees no compliance mistakes will happen. Nobody else was willing to make that promise.”

After discussing Doe Lashes' unique situation, Jason felt confident Numeral could streamline the company's sales tax processes and eliminate any compliance risks. 

“Outsourcing this function just made sense. I wanted to focus on growing my business, not sales tax minutiae.”

For Jason, the decision became clear—Numeral’s white-glove service represented a true partnership, not just a software subscription.

“I knew immediately that Numeral was the right fit for Doe Lashes. The proof would be in the results,” he said.

Impact: Fast growth without sales tax headaches

Partnering with Numeral has allowed Jason to take sales tax off his plate and focus on Doe Lashes' core business priorities. 

After the implementation, Numeral seamlessly handled Doe Lashes’ end-to-end sales tax needs—calculations, reporting, filing, and payments.

"It was like magic. The tax headache I had battled for years just vanished," recalled Jason.

He no longer worries about changing regulations or complex filing obligations across jurisdictions.

"I've been able to fully let go of thinking about sales tax. The Numeral team has just taken over completely, and it's been incredibly stress-free. I don't lose any sleep over sales tax anymore. " said Jason.

With Numeral's 100% accuracy guarantee, Jason has the assurance that Doe Lashes' sales tax compliance is fully handled.

By automating tax calculations and filings, Numeral has saved Doe Lashes significant overhead costs. Jason's small team no longer has to track exemptions or file monthly returns manually.

"We could expand faster without worrying about compliance. That flexibility was huge for us," explained Jason.

Most importantly, outsourcing to sales tax experts has given Jason invaluable peace of mind as Doe Lashes focuses on rapid growth. Doe Lashes continues enjoying exponential growth, unburdened by manual sales tax processes. 

Also, Numeral proactively consults with Jason to identify additional areas for optimization.

"They proactively approach me with ideas to improve our tax processes. The guidance has been so valuable as we've grown," he said.

Most importantly, Numeral lifted the mental burden of sales tax compliance off Jason's shoulders entirely.

By the numbers

Today, Doe Lashes' soaring success is partly facilitated by Numeral's sales tax assurance and bandwidth. A few metrics illustrate the immense growth and impact:

  • 95% reduction in time spent on sales tax management
  • $0 tax liability from sales tax mistakes since switching from DIY filing
  • Effortless national expansion without worrying about tax compliance

For Jason, the most rewarding result is freedom. Freedom to pursue Doe Lashes' unlimited potential without sales tax burdens restricting vision and creativity.

"I can imagine the possibilities for my business without limits now. It's an amazing feeling," he said.

By fully automating compliance, Numeral empowered Doe Lashes to reach new heights. Jason highly recommends Numeral to any ecommerce brand struggling under the weight of sales tax.

"I tell everyone - you need to be focused on growing your company, not sales tax minutiae. Let the experts at Numeral handle that totally for you," he mentioned.

Jason's story showcases the power Numeral provides ecommerce leaders to turn tax liabilities into strategic assets. Compliance assurance unlocks capacity, confidence, and new horizons.

Numeral empowers you to focus on business expansion, not tax headaches. Discover how our tailored solutions and white-glove support can help your company achieve new heights.

Numeral is the most comprehensive sales tax compliance solution for ecommerce brands. Top brands like Obvi, Muddy Bites, Crossnet, and Graza spend less than five minutes a month on sales tax. Can we do the same for you? 

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