Ambition for Breakfast

Christina Krasch, better known as Stina, makes doing it all and handling grace under pressure look so easy! To those who know her beauty brand StinaFace, Stina is all about making beauty accessible to everyone and helping others realize that beauty starts from within. Stina is a beauty disruptor who is making waves in the industry for being a safe, positive space for her audience. As a mom building her beauty empire, she wants to get rid of the term "girl boss" for good, take the stigma away from being a working mom, and epitomizes what it's like to be a strong, independent, and go-getting women in the industry today.

Today, Stina shares how she used her experience as a professional makeup artist and hairstylist and created an honest community that shares their life experiences to help others realize that beauty isn’t all about looking good, but feeling good. Don’t miss today’s conversation to know how Stina does it. Plus, feel good knowing her products are vegan, cruelty free, and formulated with you in mind!

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Where have you been if you've never seen one of Leila Shams’s viral sculpting swimwear on TikTok? A plethora of celebrities and influencers have posted about their body transformations online. This is all thanks to this viral social media sensation’s TA3 SWIM swimwear which she started 14 months ago. Now, Leila is experiencing her fair share of growing pains as an entrepreneur. Join your hosts Breanna & Karen as they talk to Leila about her entrepreneurial journey. Learn how she started on Instagram and only blew up in TikTok. Learn why you don't need the best production to go viral. Learn all about the pros and cons of social media. And discover the challenges of being an entrepreneur especially in today's environment.

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Luxie Beauty is a luxury cosmetics company specializing in high-end, vegan, cruelty-free brushes. Breanna and Karen’s guest today is Conor Riley, the CEO of Luxie Beauty. Conor took his financial expertise spent as an investment banker and applied his business-building skills to putting Luxie Beauty on the map. In this episode, he opens up about the challenges he faced transitioning from finance to managing a business. Conor’s past entrepreneurial mistakes provided learning opportunities, especially when it comes to relating to people. Learn about how he put the right people in place to allow Luxie to flourish and how he got these high-end brushes into major retailers like Macy's, Nordstrom, and Anthropologie by fostering the right relationships.

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When a start-up or indie beauty brand makes legal mistakes, they may get into trouble that's pretty hard to recover. Luckily, we have two experts and friends here to help with this very informative episode! We are joined by brand-building expert Melody Bockelman, founder of Private Label Insider, and Attorney Raven Willis, owner of the New Millennia Legal Resources. Combining their expertise, they discuss how the trademarking process can save you way more money than you could imagine. They also discuss how to avoid presenting unsubstantiated product claims - as well as FDA's watchful eye. Melody and Raven even talk about the two main errors emerging brands commit: releasing products without insurance and neglecting the importance of contracts piece. If you're a business owner, this legal advice is for you!

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Who says you can't do it all? Lara Eurdolian certainly proves that wrong! Lara is the Founder of Pretty Connected, the original mask chain which launched over a decade ago that is now a hugely successful multi-platform brand that encompasses an accessory line and a beauty donation program. Lara is also an editor, blogger, and marketing consultant in the beauty space. When the pandemic hit, her must-have straps and chains became a new fashion accessory everyone needed, bringing the fashion into masks. What went from 5% of her business now is over 90% of her business as sales and demand skyrocketed. Join your hosts, Breanna and Karen, in this lovely conversation with Lara about the beauty industry and how the pandemic affected her business as an entrepreneur, both positively and negatively. There was no shortage of topics to talk about, and we can't wait for you to learn from this savvy entrepreneur and philanthropist with a heart.

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Visit @ambitionforbreakfast on Instagram and editour.us!

The beauty industry has changed a lot these past years. With the rise of social media, the introduction of influencers, and the recent pandemic, digital marketing has never been this important and crucial for your beauty brand. Don’t worry because joining Breanna and Karen today are beauty industry veterans and friends, Anya Kay and Nicolina Borelli. Anya is the Social Marketing Director of the renowned brand, BH Cosmetics. She has crafted her expertise and built long-standing relationships with influencers throughout her impressive career. Anya knows exactly what to look for amongst a crowd of up-and-coming influencers. Nicolina, on the other hand, burst into the beauty scene the other way around. She is a master influencer in the world of social media, with over 500k followers on Instagram and 150k on TikTok. Nicolina knows how to get videos that go viral, how to build an audience, and how to get high-profile collaborations and partnerships. Join them as they share their take on how the beauty industry is embracing this huge shift towards social media. Learn all about mental health, industry forecasts, and the future of social media from both an influencer and brand perspective.

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Cheryl Lindberg has built a successful career by establishing meaningful relationships with brand owners and influencers. After graduating from Orange Coast College with her associate's degree in Fashion Design, Cheryl worked for the acclaimed Paul Frank Industries, Harveys and Hurley, creating on-trend designs. When influencer marketing became pivotal to a beauty brand's success, Cheryl switched gears and entered the beauty industry, working for Too Faced as their Director of Social Media Influencer Relations. 

Today, Cheryl is the Head of Consumer Engagement at REN Clean Skincare. In this episode, she talks with Breanna and Karen about the importance of influencer marketing, consumer skincare trends and where she predicts the industry is going in the future. There's so much to learn from this industry vet! It's a must-listen for anyone in the beauty industry, whether you work for or own a brand yourself or are an influencer that wants to collaborate with brands.

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If you've been to a beauty industry trade show, the Beauty Boss Daniela Ciocan was most likely behind what made that show so magical. The founder and CEO of Access Beauty Insiders, Daniela's specialty is working with direct-to-consumer brands looking to scale quickly and putting on award-winning events. What is the key behind her enormous success? Daniela explains that relationships are everything. You need to groom your relationships and stay in touch with your people. You need to be genuine and sincerely bring value and help people without expecting anything in return. This attitude will generate respect, and your network will respond accordingly. If you want more juicy bits of wisdom on how Daniela succeeded in the beauty industry, and if you’re excited to know what surprises to expect in the upcoming months, then you’re in for a treat!

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Getting into the beauty industry was the result of being in the right place at the right time for Liam Ben-David; but building a multi-million dollar parent company with several hair tool brands under its fold was no act of luck. Ben-David is the founder, president and CEO of Sutra Beauty and the iBeauty Brands corporation. What makes the LA-based Sutra Beauty so special is its innovative, game-changing infrared hairstyling tools for stylists and consumers alike. Liam has been using his sales and product-development savvy to bring to market one-of-a-kind tools for Sutra Beauty for over a decade. He's learned what works along the way, and when to bring in the right team members to consult in order to continuously grow his business—even in a pandemic. A four-year veteran of the Israeli Air Force, Liam credits his service time for his unmatched work ethic, his propensity for leadership and his ability to embrace change and be a disruptor in a highly volatile industry. But how did this former Israeli Air Force soldier get into the industry and how did he form a successful company with investors? This is one entrepreneur's story you don't want to miss!

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Alexandrea Villareal lives her life in bold, beautiful color! She specializes in making her clients' gorgeous manes stand out in a crowd. After quickly gaining recognition on Instagram after doing the hair of a high-profile celebrity client, Alexandrea built a following on her social media channels rooted in two things: authenticity and relatability. She's personable, a girl's girl, and someone you'll instantly fall in love with! When COVID-19 caused all salons to close for more than six months, Alexandrea's salon took a hit that she's still trying to recover from. And then tragedy struck, and she lost all of her personal possessions. Despite many hardships, Alexandrea stays amazingly positive and says she's better off now for it. You'll love her warm spirit and amazing heart. Plus, this makeup queen even provides her drugstore makeup recommendations for the beauty guru on a budget. Grab your breakfast, get comfy and enjoy!

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Visit @ambitionforbreakfast on Instagram and editour.us!