Some say cult-favorite beauty brand Tower 28 is an “overnight success”— but founder Amy Liu is here to share how the brand’s success was years in the making.

Today, Sammi and Amy dive into the real story behind Tower 28’s rise: from Amy’s scrappy Sephora pitch and pandemic launch to lessons from her friends and family fundraising round. Amy also gives her take on the perfect morning routine and the importance of picking the right partners— in business and in life.

This episode was taped 4.23.25. 

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00:00 Amy Liu’s Social Currency 

01:33 The Myth of Overnight Success 

01:57 From Employee to Founder 

04:21 Learning from Experience 

05:57 The Role of Beauty in Confidence 

09:15 Lessons Learned from Early Ventures

12:00 Raising Funds from Friends and Family 

15:08 The Iconic Sephora Pitch 

21:12 Launching During a Pandemic 

25:14 Discovering the Power of Skincare 

26:23 Building a Family Business 

28:54 The Importance of Choosing the Right Partner 

30:10 Creating a Strong Team Culture 

34:26 Engaging with the Community 

39:44 Morning Routines and Personal Systems 

41:18 Creating Original Content 

44:10 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs 

46:54 How to Show Social Currency Some Love

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