Where Brains Meet Beauty

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 Potentia, 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

Sometimes a career finds you and not the other way around. That’s what happened for Eloise Cheung, a hairstylist who has clocked in over two decades of editorial, advertising, and red carpet jobs. In college, she majored in engineering for a year before dropping out; that move led to a series of fortuitous breaks which would eventually cumulate into the job she loves now. Hear how she went from Chinatown shampoo girl to apprentice at John Freida to a sought-after freelance stylist, along with advice on managing a freelance career and how to break into the world of hair circa 2019.   #wherebrainsmeetbeauty @wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast wherebrainsmeetbeauty.com

Back in 1992, Laura Slatkin and her husband Harry both had lucrative Wall Street careers on the rise. But their entrepreneurial spirits got the better of them, and that year they left the safety of a steady paycheck to open a home-fragrance shop. This eventually lead to Laura founding NEST Fragrances. In this episode, she recalls the challenges of creating what’s essentially today’s home fragrance industry, why she did it, and how she holds her high-octane life together. Recorded live as part of our Podcast in Residence series with Saks Fifth Avenue. #wherebrainsmeetbeauty @wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast wherebrainsmeetbeauty.com

If you’ve ever looked into the perfume-making process, you probably know there’s someone called a “nose” involved… as in a job title, not a body part. Andrea Bifulco is herself familiar with these mystical wizards of scent, having stumbled on a career in fragrance development thanks to a fateful temp job at Estée Lauder. Now currently the founder of Nose University, an educational olfactive program aimed at kids, she lets us in on the often mysterious process of fragrance creation, the secret language of scent and how vital smell can be to living a mindful, perceptive life. #wherebrainsmeetbeauty @wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast wherebrainsmeetbeauty.com

If you have a vagina or know someone who does, then this episode is for you. Meet Rachel Braun Scherl, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of SPARK Solutions for Growth and author of Orgasmic Leadership: Profiting from the Coming Surge in Women’s Sexual Health and Wellness. Or as she likes to call herself, a “vagipreneur®” (Yes, she registered the term). As a business consultant focused on women’s health, she’s been influential disrupting the feminine care industry, calling out double standards that exist in marketing women’s reproductive products vs men’s and creating better solutions for periods, pregnancies and personal pleasure. Hear how she found herself at the intersection of commerce, health and female agency and why she wrote a book on it. #wherebrainsmeetbeauty @wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast wherebrainsmeetbeauty.com

Don’t have a clear career path? At a crossroads? Then take Kimberly Soane’s lead. The veteran makeup artist and Executive Director of Artistry at Bobbi Brown has a career she loves, and gets clear about what motivated her. She went from psych major to beauty counter manager, to traveling the world with legendary makeup artist Bobbi Brown. Hear her full story in this episode. #wherebrainsmeetbeauty @wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast wherebrainsmeetbeauty.com

This episode welcomes Natalie and Sue Ismiel of Nad’s to their first podcast recording. The former is the inspiration behind the brand, the latter its creator. This daughter-mother duo takes us back 30 years to the creation of Nad’s, the “green goo” made for hair removal, and its metamorphosis into a global beauty hit thanks to its efficacy and Sue’s charismatic infomercials. Hear how they’ve kept the brand family owned for 3 decades and 3 generations through the power of adaptability, expansion, and gratitude. And if you’ve ever wondered what “Nad’s” means, well, they’ll tell you that, too. #wherebrainsmeetbeauty @wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast wherebrainsmeetbeauty.com

For every entrepreneur you hear of, disrupting their industry of choice, there’s usually a corporate counterpart you don’t hear of, quietly team building and evolving their careers more than revolutionizing it. Michael Marquis has certainly been the latter, putting in a solid 22 years Johnson & Johnson and working his way up to his current role as President of recently acquired Vogue International. In this episode, hear the pros of getting into a long-term relationship with a single company, with side-helping of advice on handling work relocation for yourself and when there’s a family involved.   #wherebrainsmeetbeauty @wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast wherebrainsmeetbeauty.com

Taryn Toomey is the founder of The Class, a mind-body fitness experience so unlike anything else, it simply was known as “the class”. In this episode, hear how she traded a career in fashion for one in fitness and mindfulness, how an experience with grief created the beginnings of this unexplainable workout and the steps you can take right now to live more mindfully and authentically. This is the first of our monthly live recording events as Podcast in Residence at Saks Fifth Avenue New York City. #wherebrainsmeetbeauty @wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast wherebrainsmeetbeauty.com

Lisa Goodman, Founder of GoodSkin™ Clinics, set out to create a laid-back lifestyle for herself when she opened her business. Instead, word spread like crazy and her business mushroomed into a multi-location operation. Along the way, she went through a divorce, unexpectedly fell in love with a French guy, moved to Paris, and now lives between LA, New York, and Paris. In this episode, hear how she pulls off life in three time zones, what motivated her to take on more than she meant to, and why her clients started calling her aesthetic method “The Untouched Look™”. #wherebrainsmeetbeauty @wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-them

Courtney and Tye Caldwell started as partners in life and are now partners in ShearShare, the first mobile app that lets stylists rent space on demand. From marriage, parenthood and startup life, the pair share the key lessons they’ve learned on collaboration and partnership in the decades since they met. You’ll also hear how they’re responding to the changing needs of the hair industry, and why they both think you’re clicks away from making your dreams come true. #wherebrainsmeetbeauty @wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} p.MsoN

Brian “Gibs” Long, CEO and Founder of GIBS Grooming, is truly an entrepreneur's entrepreneur. When attempting to secure a loan for his first business, “I got 10 nos before I got a yes,” he remembers. “That’s the difference between a normal person and an entrepreneur.” From selling veggie burritos at Grateful Dead shows to creating a bagel store chain to forging an entirely new grooming category, he’s been able to achieve success across a variety of industries thanks to one key difference: A win-win attitude. That in turn, has attracted him the right talent and key contacts. “The bagel was more than a round piece of bread,” he says of his former bagel store chain. “It was a cultural brand. It was a movement that the town rallied around.” And just like the bagels, Gibs has made GIBs grooming about more than a bottle of beard oil. Turns out what can truly change the trajectory of your business can be something that can’t be quantified on paper. #wherebrainsmeetbeauty @wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast <!-- /* St

Erika Wasser, Founder and CEO of Glam & Go, didn’t mean to be a beauty entrepreneur. She was a working actor and comedian who just needed a really fast blowout. On that premise alone, she started with a single seat in a fancy gym locker room and the goodwill of her favorite hairstylist. Turns out she wasn’t the only one with a desire for amazing hair in 15 minutes - breakout success unexpectedly ensued, with demand growing faster than a chance to write a business plan. Or buy insurance, a website and everything else that comes with a brand. Hear how she created a profitable, multi-location venture by responding to growth as it came. #wherebrainsmeetbeauty @wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fare

In beauty, it’s always about what’s new, what’s next, what’s the latest brand to have. But only a few make it past the 5-year mark, and even fewer celebrate double-digit anniversaries. In this episode, Lisa Price, Founder of Carol’s Daughter, tells us how she kept her brand alive, relevant and privately owned for a solid 25 years before selling to L’Oreal. It’s a candid look at life before and after the big acquisition many dream of. #wherebrainsmeetbeauty @wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} p.MsoNoteLevel1, li.MsoNoteLevel1, di

Meet the duo behind The Sparkle Bar, Arizona’s first full-service makeup studio, Alexandra Bradberry and Leiah Scheibel. They’ve thrown away the rule book and created a space that’s inclusive, pressure-free and most of all fun. But before they could even start, they had one big hurdle to clear: An archaic state law that essentially made their dream business illegal. In this episode, hear how they resisted and why it’s important a place like theirs exists.#wherebrainsmeetbeauty@wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcastwherebrainsmeetbeauty.com

One of Jodi’s best networking channels hasn’t been a coworking space, professional association or trade show - it’s been her gym. So, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, meet Delon Nelson, founder of said gym, D&I Fitness. Through his people-first attitude, he’s managed to create more than just a place to sweat, but a true sense of connection between himself, his clients and the town in which he lives and works. Listen and learn from his unique path to entrepreneurship in this special episode on giving thanks. #wherebrainsmeetbeauty @wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Ro

Kathy Van Ness, COO of Golden Door Properties, exudes the serene calm of someone who knows she can have it all. . . but, she says, “not all at the same time.” With candid honesty, this seasoned exec recalls choosing work at the expense of missed PTA meetings and bake sales with a refreshing lack of mommy-guilt. “Whether you want to work or have to work, none of that has to do with love,” she concludes. In this episode, hear the backstory behind this radically real attitude, from a first job in retail to the top ranks of fashion and finally, head of America’s most storied spa resort. #wherebrainsmeetbeauty @wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Camb

Would you rather have a full head of hair or a healthy sex drive? Sounds like the lead up to a game of “Would You Rather. . . ” but this was the real-life scenario Giorgos Tsetis, Co-Founder and CEO of Nutrafol®, was facing in his early 20s. With a thriving modeling career at stake, he had to make the impossible choice of taking a hair-growth drug that would keep him employed, but in turn, cause him sexual dysfunction. Eventually the trade-off became too great, which led him to found Nutrafol®, a supplement that promotes hair growth. In promoting his new business, he was forced to open up, get vulnerable, and share his story. In this episode, hear how that experience opened up a new level of honesty and acceptance within himself and men and women he has helped. #wherebrainsmeetbeauty @wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"

There are those who prefer the scrappiness of startup life and those who thrive in traditional corporate settings. Then there’s Danya Klein, VP of Brand Relations at Preen.Me, who has successfully adapted to both scenarios. “Startups know how to think, innovate and be creative, but when they need to package and market their own product, it can be difficult. I think that’s where there’s a strong opportunity for marketers who have worked in corporate settings to add a lot of value.” In this episode, she tells us how she went from marketing establishment beauty to the wild west of influencer marketing, and how majoring in Mandarin was her improbably random entry into the beauty world. @wherebrainsmeetbeautypodcast wherebrainsmeetbeauty.com