WHERE BRAINS MEET BEAUTY

Essence Grant, Beauty Director at BuzzFeed, didn’t have a specific dream job in mind back when she was in college. She just knew somewhere at the intersection of beauty, media and entertainment, she’d be okay. So when an opportunity to write about New York’s Fashion Week came her way, she went for it. (Though it did involve skipping class.) With pluck and grit, that first job led to another and to BuzzFeed, one the internet’s most highly trafficked sites. If you want to break into media, then this episode is a must-listen.

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With a nod to Mother’s Day, this week’s episode features Lauren and Rachel Piskin, the mother-daughter team behind ChaiseFitness. Lauren, a former competitive ice skater and Rachel, a former professional ballet dancer, developed their own fitness method combining pilates and resistance equipment as a response to health issues Rachel sustained as a dancer. The two describe the dynamics of mixing family with business and how their generational difference have been a boon to biz.

 

#wherebrainsmeetbeauty

@wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast

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When Tina Hedges, Founder of LOLI Beauty, began the process of raising money for her company, she had already ticked off a lot of boxes. Proof of concept. Glowing press. Years of experience in the beauty industry. So she didn’t expect the response she got from the prominent venture capitalists she pitched: You’re over 40, therefore too old. You’re not pitching tech, so we’re not interested. And by the way. . . you’re too experienced. Demoralizing words for any entrepreneur to hear, but she wasn’t about to let this be the end of her – or her brand’s – story. In this episode, hear how she turned the tide to become one of the few chosen by an elite start-up incubator that’s helping to propel her brand to the next level.

 

#wherebrainsmeetbeauty

@wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast

wherebrainsmeetbeauty.com

When Tina Hedges, Founder of LOLI Beauty, began the process of raising money for her company, she had already ticked off a lot of boxes. Proof of concept. Glowing press. Years of experience in the beauty industry. So she didn’t expect the response she got from the prominent venture capitalists she pitched: You’re over 40, therefore too old. You’re not pitching tech, so we’re not interested. And by the way. . . you’re too experienced. Demoralizing words for any entrepreneur to hear, but she wasn’t about to let this be the end of her – or her brand’s – story. In this episode, hear how she turned the tide to become one of the few chosen by an elite start-up incubator that’s helping to propel her brand to the next level.

 

#wherebrainsmeetbeauty

@wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast

wherebrainsmeetbeauty.com

 

Nancy McKay spent the bulk of her career faithful to one company, but the experiences that made her successful didn’t all come directly on the job. During her 28 years as an Estee Lauder executive, she used lessons gleaned from her life outside of beauty: Her college debate team, an earlier aspiration towards politics, and a chance encounter with tennis great Andre Agassi. As the current CEO of Barefoot Scientist, Nancy tells us how a life filled with varied experiences can serve your well where you’d least expect it.

 

#wherebrainsmeetbeauty

@wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast

wherebrainsmeetbeauty.com

Nancy McKay spent the bulk of her career faithful to one company, but the experiences that made her successful didn’t all come directly on the job. During her 28 years as an Estee Lauder executive, she used lessons gleaned from her life outside of beauty: Her college debate team, an earlier aspiration towards politics, and a chance encounter with tennis great Andre Agassi. As the current CEO of Barefoot Scientist, Nancy tells us how a life filled with varied experiences can serve your well where you’d least expect it.

 

#wherebrainsmeetbeauty

@wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast

wherebrainsmeetbeauty.com

 

Rachel Roff always knew she wanted to be an esthetician. So four days after graduating from college, she was back in the classroom, but this time at esthetic school. During her time there, she noticed how limited treatment options were for people of color. Her efforts to change what she saw as outright prejudice led her to found Urban Skin Solutions Med Spa and later Urban Skin Rx Skincare, both focused on serving a clientele of diverse skin tones. In this episode, hear how recognizing a need for inclusivity allowed her business to grow from a single location med spa to an insider destination with a skincare brand now available at retail powerhouses like Target and Ulta.

#wherebrainsmeetbeauty

@wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast

wherebrainsmeetbeauty.com

When Blair James, Owner and Co-Founder of Bondi Sands, was a kid, he wanted to be a basketball player, Formula One race car driver, or a brand creator. While the first two didn’t quite pan out, his instinctual understanding of how people connect with brands has paid off. Bondi Sands is not only a self-tanning brand with global distribution, but the market leader on social media. In this episode, hear how the brand evolved and grew from a single tanning salon and glean key insights on the importance of truly knowing your customer.

 

#wherebrainsmeetbeauty

@wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast

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Rita Hazan, a celebrity colorist, product innovator and salon owner, has been in business for 20 years strong. Hear how she’s managed to keep innovating and stay relevant even as trends and fads cycle faster and faster through the consumer experience. Consider this episode a masterclass in career longevity.

 

#wherebrainsmeetbeauty

@wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast

wherebrainsmeetbeauty.com

 

This week’s guest, Beth Russell, Founder of House of Potenia, sits down to talk about her mission to encourage personal change through perfumery. With a background in pyschology, she created House of Potenia with the idea of “olafactive induction”, or as she says, “Using scent as an agent of change and a reminder of how you want to feel.” Get a deeper look inside her brand and its purpose, and get to know her other life as an alpaca farmer and advocate for adoption.

 

#wherebrainsmeetbeauty

@wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast

wherebrainsmeetbeauty.com