20 Diverse Female Founders (2025): Lessons, Wins & How to Build Like Them

by Michael H.
October 23, 2025

TL;DR:
10-step playbook to grow with impact
as a business baddie

Fem-nomenal: Meet 20 Women Reshaping Beauty, Tech, Fashion, Media & More

No list gets it exactly right. Mine won’t either—and that’s the point. This isn’t a ranking or a coronation; it’s a living snapshot of momentum—with receipts. I set out to surface diverse women building badass businesses, representing cultures too often footnoted, and opening doors for other women—and for the girls watching.

You’ll meet founders across tech + beauty, food + fashion, healthcare + community retail, sports + media—some bootstrapped, others venture-backed. Each translates heritage and cultural fluency into products and policy. They first create value, then widen the circle through hiring, pay-it-forward programs, scholarships, accessible price points, or simply showing up as the kind of leader they didn’t see growing up.

The bar is high: traction (revenue/customers/distribution or meaningful community outcomes), durability (relevance beyond a single viral moment), lift-as-you-climb (mentorship, education, pipelines, platforms that outlast a drop). I prioritize ranges over sameness—geographies, stages, playbooks. Progress is a mosaic.

Did I miss someone extraordinary? Almost certainly. That’s why this list is designed to evolve. Consider it a map you can mark up: send me more names I should know—from communities overlooked and categories that deserve more daylight. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s active participation.

$https://www.tiktok.com/@hijadetumadrela/video/7269900318597565739$
Credit: Hija De Tu Madre
tiktok.com/@hijadetumadrela

Founders

$https://www.tiktok.com/@littlewordsproject/video/7278119531229220126$
Credit: Little Words Project
tiktok.com/@littlewordsproject

1. Adriana Carrig
Little Words Project

Caption

“It’s a pay-it-forward kindness movement. We believe that one kind word can change everything for the better. That’s why our bracelets are made to be worn and passed on—paying kindness forward one bracelet at a time.” — Adriana Carrig %[The Newsette]%

TL;DR

Adriana Carrig is the founder and CEO behind Little Words Project (LWP), the “wear and share” beaded-bracelet brand built on everyday affirmations and the idea that kindness travels. She started the company in 2013 after years of bullying, originally stringing bracelets for her sorority friends; today, the brand spans e-commerce, wholesale, and a fast-growing fleet of experiential retail stores. %[JCK]%

As a Latina founder raised in New Jersey (Mexican [Mom] and Italian [Dad] heritage), Adriana turned a dorm-room craft into a bona fide accessories label with a community flywheel. LWP surpassed a $20M annual run-rate during its growth spurt, landed major retail partners, launched collaborations (from Disney to Hello Kitty), opened 13 U.S. stores (as listed on LWP’s locator as of Oct 2025), and Adriana even authored a 2024 book, The Power of Little Words, about the movement. %[JCK]%

Cheat Sheet

10 fast facts and receipts for Adriana and Little Words Project.

  1. Origin Story — Adriana began LWP after being bullied, making bracelets with “little words” for her sorority sisters, and encouraging people to pass them on when someone else needed the message more. %[JCK]%

  2. “Wear & Share” Tech — Each bracelet includes a unique code that buyers can register to track where a word travels next—turning jewelry into a micro-community artifact. %[Modern Retail]%

  3. Revenue Milestone — LWP hit a >$20M annual run-rate as its DTC and wholesale channels scaled; Inc. also reported $20M revenue in 2022 with ~50 full-time employees. %[Retail Dive]%

  4. Retail Footprint — From its first NYC flagship on Bleecker Street to malls nationwide, LWP lists 13 store locations on its site (Bleecker Street, New York; Seaport Boulevard, Boston, MA; Mall of America, Bloomington, MN; The Mall at Short Hills, Short Hills, NJ; Palm Way, Austin, TX; Broadway Place, Nashville, TN; Disney Springs, Lake Buena Vista, FL; and more as of Oct 2025) %[Little Words Project Stores]%

  5. Experiential “Bead Bar” — In-store bracelet-making tables became a signature draw and a retention engine—customers create, gift, and come back with friends. %[Modern Retail]%

  6. Big-box Breakout — LWP entered Target stores nationwide during Holiday 2022—part of a larger acceleration across wholesale.

  7. Cultural Pop — At the 2023 MTV VMAs, *NSYNC’s Lance Bass handed Taylor Swift a stack of Little Words Project bracelets on stage—putting the brand in prime-time cultural conversation. %[People.com]%

  8. Retail & Activation Proof — Sephora Rouge ran a nationwide event offering a complimentary Little Words Project x Sephora bracelet to Rouge members (activation), while Rolling Stone ran multiple 2025 features on LWP—reinforcing pop-culture relevance. %[Instagram, Rolling Stone]%

  9. Cause Moments — The brand periodically ties products to causes (e.g., Breast Cancer Research Foundation tie-ins in 2025) and runs ongoing “Our Impact” programs. %[Little Words Project Big Impact]%

  10. Author Move — Adriana published The Power of Little Words (Rock Point/Quarto; Sep 2024), codifying the philosophy behind the bracelets. %[The Quarto Group]%

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What Adriana built and why Little Words Project sticks.

Why it sticks: Adriana didn’t just sell bracelets; she sold a behavior—pick a word, wear it when you need it, then pass it on—and then built infrastructure (unique codes + “Connect Your Word”) so the hand-off became part of the product. That makes LWP feel more like a community ritual than a commodity, and it explains why in-store bead bars and selfie-ready “love yourself” mirrors work: the product is the story. %[Modern Retail]%

Founder-led trust loop: Publicly sharing wins and the messy middle is Adriana’s brand of leadership (“show the underbelly”), which has paid off in loyal fans who root for the business. Add in accessible price points, regular collabs, and retail designed for groups, and you get a brand that’s remarkably shareable IRL—not just on social. %[Inc.com]%

Drop Strategy

How Adriana creates and captures demand.

Collabs + cultural timing. LWP rides cultural tentpoles more than flash-in-the-pan, one-and-done hype. Disney capsules, Hello Kitty partnerships, and timely word themes (“In My Era,” “TS12”) keep the catalog anchored to moments people care about—without abandoning the core affirmations. That’s why the VMAs moment landed: the brand was already native to the friendship-bracelet conversation.

Experiences that convert. Online, “new & trending” and “best sellers” act like evergreen drops; offline, bookings for the Bead Bar create mini-events with built-in UGC. The result: a predictable cadence of reasons to come back—new words, new collabs, and new occasions to make one for yourself and a friend.

How She’s Cookin’

How Adriana runs Little Words Project—her role(s) and day-to-day involvement, leadership qualities, etc.

Day-to-day focus: Adriana’s role is part chief storyteller, part community architect. In interviews, she doubles down on transparency to maintain trust and champions decisions that keep community front-and-center—even as LWP added Target and scaled to a $20M+ run-rate. %[Inc.com]%

Scaling ops without losing the feel. The company has formalized systems (e.g., adopting NetSuite to centralize data and speed decisions) even as it protects brand touchpoints like pricing, voice, and experiences. That balance—ops rigor + founder-led warmth—helps the team make faster, cleaner calls on merchandising and channel mix. %[PR Newswire]%

Proof She’s Built Different

Milestone moments that move(d) the needle for Adriana and Little Words Project.

  • 2013 — Adriana founds Little Words Project after college; the “wear, share, and register your word” concept is born. (JCK)

  • 2021 (Dec) — First NYC flagship opens on Bleecker Street in the West Village. %[Modern Luxury]%

  • 2022 — Company reaches $20M revenue and grows to ~50 full-time employees; transparency with the community becomes a hallmark. %[Inc.com]%

  • 2022 (Oct–Dec) — Target nationwide launch during holiday season; wholesale momentum continues.

  • 2023 (May) — Bleecker Street store crosses $1M+ in sales; retail fleet expansion accelerates. %[Modern Retail]%

  • 2023 (Sep) — VMAs pop-culture moment as *NSYNC’s Lance Bass gifts Little Words Project bracelets to Taylor Swift on stage. %[People.com]%

  • 2023 (Dec) — Mall of America store opens, signaling national mall potential. %[Retail Dive]%

  • 2024 (Jan) — Nine stores and multiple pop-ups reported early in the year; retail remains a growth lever. %[JCK]%

  • 2024 (Sep) — Adriana’s book The Power of Little Words publishes (Rock Point/Quarto).

  • 2025 (Feb–Oct) — LWP reports 13 U.S. stores; ongoing collabs keep the catalog fresh; NetSuite adoption signals data-driven scaling. %[CFO.com]%

What’s Poppin’

What’s on deck for Adriana and Little Words Project and some signals to watch.

More fine & demi-fine: Adriana has said that while she’ll always be a “beaded-bracelet girl at heart,” her dream is to grow into fine jewelry—LWP has already dipped into demi-fine (“Little Layers”), and a 14k line is on her mind. Keep an eye on higher-end offerings that preserve the brand’s pass-it-on DNA.

Community, everywhere: Expect experiential retail and collabs to stay center-stage. From Bead Bars and mirrored affirmations to strategic partnerships (e.g., Disney, Hello Kitty), the brand’s playbook is to meet fans where they already gather—and give them a reason to bring a friend.

Influence & Inclusion

How Adriana represents who she is and empowers others.

Adriana is explicit about where her ethos comes from: family, culture, and empathy. With a Mexican-immigrant mother and Italian father, she’s vocal about building a brand that centers kindness, sisterhood, and inclusion—and about modeling what a woman-led, Latina-founded company can look like at scale.

That shows up in the details: affirmations that speak to many identities, cause-based capsules, and stores designed for sharing (make one for you, make one to gift). For the next gen—girls who see a founder they can actually DM or meet at a bead bar—the message is simple and sticky: wear your word, then pass it on.

Link up

Next … Angel Gregorio: The Spice Suite / Black + Forth

$https://www.tiktok.com/@thespicesuite/video/7206457855526882606$
Credit: Angel Gregorio
tiktok.com/@thespicesuite

2. Angel Gregorio
The Spice Suite / Black + Forth

Caption

“I want the space and I want my business to be known for supporting Black people relentlessly [and] for creating spaces intentionally for Black people in a city that is always changing and intensely gentrifying.” — Angel Gregorio %[The Washington Post]%

TL;DR

Angel Gregorio is a Washington, D.C.–born entrepreneur and Howard University alum who turned a spur-of-the-moment idea into The Spice Suite, a community-centric spice boutique that became a launchpad for thousands of other small businesses. In 2021, she bought a 7,500-square-foot property and, by 2023, opened Black + Forth—a shipping-container strip mall and incubator that offers below-market storefronts, a free farmers’ market for Black growers, and a free Community Business School (CBS).

Today, The Spice Suite is a thriving specialty brand, and Black + Forth is a “lift-as-you-climb” ecosystem: thousands of free pop-ups hosted, bi-weekly markets, and hands-on classes—all designed to lower the cost (and fear) of getting started. %[Mastercard]%

Cheat Sheet

10 fast facts and receipts for Angel and The Spice Suite / Black + Forth.

  1. Origin Story — Angel founded The Spice Suite in August 2015 after spotting a “For Lease” sign and opening the shop four weeks later. %[Mastercard]%

  2. Roots & Education — She is a D.C. native and Howard University graduate (B.A. & M.A. in Psychology/Counseling Psychology).

  3. Pop-Up Engine — As of August 2024, The Spice Suite had hosted 3,000+ pop-ups by ~500 businesses—free retail space to test and sell. %[Mastercard]%

  4. Property Power Move — In December 2021, Angel bought a 7,500-sq-ft lot in NE D.C. for $1.1M, funded by store revenue plus a D.C. Commercial Property Acquisition Fund grant.%[Mastercard]%

  5. Campus Launch — Black + Forth opened in 2023: retrofitted shipping containers house her spice shop plus beauty and service businesses; rents are well below market. %[Mastercard]%

  6. Farmers’ Market Flywheel — Black + Forth runs a bi-weekly farmers’ market (Apr-Oct) featuring all-Black vendors and Mid-Atlantic farmers.

  7. Nonprofit Backbone — The nonprofit Dream Incubator, Inc. powers Black + Forth programming, including free Community Business School masterclasses.

  8. Revenue Receipt — The Spice Suite “now nets more than $1 million a year,” according to a 2024 Mastercard profile. %[Mastercard]%

  9. Home Base — Address for Black + Forth / The Spice Suite campus: 2201 Channing St NE, Washington, DC 20018.

  10. Drop Culture — Drops are part of the brand DNA—shoppers are told to watch social for “secret releases.”

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What Angel built and why The Spice Suite / Black + Forth sticks.

Angel’s “food is fashion” aesthetic shows up in both product and place. She blends spices like couture—original mixes, infused oils, and kitchen “wear”—then stages the experience in spaces that feel personal and welcoming. The storefront became a “dream incubator,” where emerging founders could plug into ready-made foot traffic and learn retail operations by literally running the shop for the day.

Black + Forth is the scale-up of that ethos. By converting a former auto lot into a Black-owned, below-market micro-mall, Angel engineered an on-ramp: free pop-ups → bi-weekly markets → affordable suites, plus free classes that demystify branding, accounting, data, and more. It’s community capital without the gatekeeping. %[Mastercard]%

Drop Strategy

How Angel creates and captures demand.

The Spice Suite doesn’t flood shelves—it drops. That means limited-run blends and curated boxes pushed via her owned channels, with fans trained to check Instagram/Facebook for “secret releases.” It’s scarcity with heart: controlled supply keeps quality and excitement high while rewarding loyal followers who stay tapped in.

Events are also “drops.” Free pop-ups and farmers’ markets create rhythmic spikes in demand—built-in discovery days that lift multiple vendors at once. The cadence (bi-weekly markets, rolling classes) builds habit and word-of-mouth; the no-fee vendor model removes friction, widening the top of the funnel for the next cohort of founders.

How She’s Cookin’

How Angel runs The Spice Suite / Black + Forth—her role(s) and day-to-day involvement, leadership qualities, etc..

Angel still operates like a builder, not a distant owner. She’s hands-on with brand curation and experience design at The Spice Suite and deeply involved in Black + Forth programming (class topics, guest mentors, and vendor mix), keeping the flywheel aligned with the “lift as you climb” mission. %[Mastercard]%

Structurally, she pairs a for-profit spice brand with a nonprofit engine (Dream Incubator, Inc.) to fund and measure impact: free masterclasses, mentorship, and data support backed by partners (e.g., Mastercard’s Center for Inclusive Growth). The result is a repeatable playbook for turning space into opportunity. %[Mastercard]%

Proof She’s Built Different

Milestone moments that move(d) the needle for Angel and The Spice Suite / Black + Forth.

  • 2015 — Opens The Spice Suite after a chance “For Lease” call; four weeks from idea to doors open. %[Mastercard]%

  • 2015–2021 — Pop-up engine spins up; hundreds of free retail pop-ups at the original Takoma location.

  • 2021 (Dec) — Acquires 7,500-sq-ft property (NE D.C.) for $1.1M; financing includes D.C.’s Commercial Property Acquisition Fund. %[Mastercard]%

  • 2023 (Jan) — Ribbon cutting for The Spice Suite’s new home at Black + Forth; five Black, woman-owned businesses anchor the block. %[Mayor's Office DC]%

  • 2023 — Black + Forth launches as a shipping-container strip mall with below-market rents; pop-ups and free classes continue. %[Mastercard]%

  • 2024 (Aug) — 3,000+ free pop-ups hosted by ~500 businesses; monthly Community Business School (bookkeeping, branding, marketing, mental Health + wellness, and more). %[Mastercard]%

What’s Poppin’

What’s on deck for Angel and The Spice Suite / Black + Forth and some signals to watch.

Short-term: Keep the cadence—bi-weekly farmers’ markets (seasonal), rotating pop-ups, and monthly Community Business School sessions that respond to what founders ask for (brand storytelling, bookkeeping, taxes, social).

On the horizon: Campus enhancements (the Washington Post reported expansion concepts such as a rooftop bar) and more formalized data tracking through Dream Incubator, Inc. to quantify outcomes (jobs, revenue, repeat vendors). Translation: the model is maturing from “powerful local story” to repeatable urban playbook. %[The Washington Post]%

Influence & Inclusion

How Angel represents who she is and empowers others.

Angel’s work centers access: free space to test, no profit-sharing, below-market rents, and free education—structural changes to how early-stage founders get a shot. She names the problem (expensive, scarce commercial space) and then reduces the cost of trying. %[Mastercard]%

She is explicit about who the space is for and why—Black entrepreneurs, especially women, in a gentrifying city—while anchoring the mission in community genius: “We have enough genius in our community to grow our community.” The signal to the next generation is clear: build together, learn together, and keep the doors open behind you. %[The Washington Post]%

Link up

Next … Ann McFerran: Glamnetic / Digi Beauty

$https://www.tiktok.com/@annmcferran/video/7511265612002512174$
Credit: Ann McFerran
tiktok.com/@annmcferran

3. Ann McFerran
Glamnetic / Digi Beauty

Caption

“I love making people feel good about themselves because I knew, I knew that feeling when I was younger and I felt self-conscious about myself with that feeling of like, wow, I'm actually beautiful, you know? So I was really happy to kind of give people that same feeling.” — Ann McFerran %[Female Startup Club]%

TL;DR

Thai-born, L.A.-raised founder Ann McFerran turned a personal beauty pain point into Glamnetic, a now multi-category beauty brand best known for its magnetic lashes, magnetic liner, and press-on nails. She launched in July 2019, bootstrapped from a tiny apartment, and scaled fast by doing everything herself at first—product development, content, customer education—before teaming up with co-founder/operator Kevin Gould. By 2020, the company reported $50M in revenue and kept shipping newness: licensed collections (Hello Kitty, Harry Potter), retail expansions (Ulta, Sephora, Target), and category extensions like nails and accessories. %[Shopify]%

In 2025, Glamnetic is leaning hard into collaboration-led “fan” moments (Harry Potter x Glamnetic, WinCraft by Fanatics x Glamnetic across NFL/MLB/NCAA) and spun up a sister brand, Digi Beauty, exclusive at 450 Ulta stores—aimed at Gen Z/Alpha with five-minute manis. Ann’s differentiation remains the same: solve for ease of use, show the “how,” and let drops + content do the demand generation.

Cheat Sheet

10 fast facts and receipts for Ann and Glamnetic / Digi Beauty.

  1. Founding — Glamnetic launched July 2019 in Los Angeles; Ann bootstrapped with ~$5,000, shot her own product photos, and sold $1,000+ on day one. %[Shopify]%

  2. Operator Pairing — She met Kevin Gould (Kombo Ventures) at a shoot; he became co-founder and manages day-to-day operations. %[Shopify]%

  3. Early Hypergrowth — Company reported growing from ~$1M to $50M revenue in 2020; team scaled from 1 to ~60 people in that period. %[Shopify]%

  4. Distribution — Products are available at Ulta (in-store/online) and Target; Sephora has stocked Glamnetic press-ons online.

  5. Killer Product Insight — Magnetic lashes + magnetic liner solved the classic glue-lash pain and stressed easy, repeatable application. %[Shopify]%

  6. Crypto First-mover — In June 2021, Glamnetic announced it would accept crypto via BitPay and hold it on the balance sheet. %[PR Newswire]%

  7. Licensing/IP — Current collabs include Harry Potter x Glamnetic (Back to Hogwarts 2025 return) across multiple house designs.

  8. Sports Fandom Play — WinCraft by Fanatics x Glamnetic launched Aug 2025 with 49 team-inspired press-on sets across NFL, MLB, NCAA. %[Women's Wear Daily]%

  9. Sister Brand — Digi Beauty (from the founders of Glamnetic) launched Jan 2025, exclusive at 450 Ulta Beauty stores, targeting Gen Z/Alpha with $10.99 sets. %[Global Cosmetic Industry]%

  10. Recognition — Ann is a Forbes 30 Under 30 (Retail & E-commerce, 2021) honoree. %[Forbes]%

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What Ann built and why Glamnetic / Digi Beauty sticks.

Ann’s edge is clarity: she builds products that are easier to use and then shows exactly how to use them. Early on, she front-loaded education with her own demo videos, breaking through the “this looks complicated” barrier that keeps casual consumers from trying new application methods. That same “show, don’t tell” ethos has carried through: on-face demos, quick tutorials, and social-native storytelling. %[Shopify]%

Second, she leans into cultural affinity. Glamnetic doesn’t just make nails; it makes fandom—Harry Potter “Back to Hogwarts” designs or licensed WinCraft by Fanatics team manis that let customers wear their identity. It’s a clean demand signal: when drops overlap with community passion (teams, houses, IP worlds), the “want” is already there.

Drop Strategy

How Ann creates and captures demand.

Glamnetic’s drops are specific, collectible, and social-ready. A Harry Potter return in fall 2025 rolled out as themed sets per house plus bundles—each SKU photographed and packaged for shareability (“Lumos,” “Salazar Slytherin,” etc.). The brand supports the drop with in-feed reels, giveaways, and a clear “newness” banner across its site nav so discovery is frictionless.

Sports is a fresh lane of evergreen seasonality. The WinCraft by Fanatics collab gives Glamnetic a calendar: pre-season hype, opening day, rivalry weeks, playoffs, bowls, and series. It’s 49 SKUs across NFL/MLB/NCAA using official colorways & logos—short-almond, glossy finishes tuned to game-day content. Expect this playbook (licensed IP + short-format demos + “tag your team”) to repeat around sports tentpoles. %[Women's Wear Daily]%

How She’s Cookin’

How Ann runs Glamnetic / Digi Beauty—her role(s) and day-to-day involvement, leadership qualities, etc.

KPIs & rigor. The founder/operator split is deliberate: Ann stays closest to product and brand storytelling while co-founder Kevin Gould runs day-to-day operations—freeing her to focus on high-leverage creative. The team aims to be first-purchase profitable and then leans on retention via its mobile app; per a Tapcart case study, Glamnetic reports ~2.6× higher conversion in-app vs. mobile web, ~92.7% in-app user retention, and ~126× ROI from the app channel, with push notifications reserved for launches and exclusives. %[Shopify, Tapcart]%

Merch discipline. The “fast-fashion for nails” cadence is data-fed and measured: near-monthly collections, ~95 designs and 1.5M+ press-ons sold (as of June 20, 2023), plus ~2,000 retail doors including Sephora and Ulta. The team uses top Google/Amazon search terms and customer feedback to decide themes, and actively sunsets low-performing SKUs to keep the line tight. %[Modern Retail]%

Proof She’s Built Different

Milestone moments that move(d) the needle for Ann and Glamnetic / Digi Beauty.

  • 2019 — Launched Glamnetic (magnetic lashes + magnetic liner) from a small L.A. apartment; self-shot product assets and crossed $1K day-one sales. %[Shopify]%

  • 2020 — Scaled from ~$1M to $50M revenue; team grew to ~60; frequent sell-outs in year one. %[Shopify]%

  • 2021 (Jan) — Expanded to Ulta stores nationwide. %[PR Newswire]%

  • 2021 (Jun) — Began accepting cryptocurrency via BitPay; stated intent to hold on balance sheet. %[PR Newswire]%

  • 2021 — Named Forbes 30 Under 30 (Retail & E-commerce). %[Forbes]%

  • 2022 — Sephora online added Glamnetic press-ons (assortment grew alongside category trend).

  • 2024–2025 — Licensed IP cadence: Hello Kitty and Friends (ongoing), Harry Potter x Glamnetic (2025 return), plus WinCraft by Fanatics x Glamnetic (49 team sets across NFL/MLB/NCAA).

  • 2025 (Jan) — Digi Beauty (from the founders of Glamnetic) launches exclusive at 450 Ulta Beauty stores; $10.99 sets targeting Gen Z/Alpha. %[Global Cosmetic Industry]%

What’s Poppin’

What’s on deck for Ann and Glamnetic / Digi Beauty and some signals to watch.

IP & sports fandom. The WinCraft by Fanatics partnership (49 sets) gives Glamnetic a durable, seasonal content cycle. Expect restocks/expansions to additional teams and playoff-driven pushes as consumers look for fast, on-theme nails. %[Women’s Wear Daily]%

Youth value tier (Digi Beauty). With Digi priced at $10.99 and situated in 450 Ulta stores, Ann now covers both premium press-ons and a faster, youth-skewing “grab-and-go” offering—expanding share of wallet without diluting the parent brand. %[Global Cosmetic Industry]%

Influence & Inclusion

How Ann represents who she is and empowers others.

Ann is a Thai immigrant who moved to the U.S. at age seven, often sharing how beauty helped her feel confident and belong—context that informs her “make it easy, make it wearable” product lens. She’s also visible as a 30 Under 30 honoree, offering representation for AAPI founders in beauty. %[Forbes]%

Her public interviews often elevate access and confidence—from simplifying tricky applications (magnetic liner + lash) to democratizing salon-level looks at home (press-ons). That narrative—practical inclusion via usability and price variety—shows in Glamnetic’s and Digi’s combined assortments. %[Shopify]%

Link up

Next … Cassey Ho: Blogilates / POPFLEX

$https://www.tiktok.com/@blogilates/video/7133620204168318250$
Credit: cassey
tiktok.com/@blogilates

4. Cassey Ho
Blogilates / POPFLEX

Caption

“We don’t have investors. I’m not pleasing them, I’m pleasing the customer. If the customer is happy, then we’re doing the right thing.” — Cassey Ho %[Business Insider]%

TL;DR

Cassey Ho is a Vietnamese- and Chinese-American founder, designer, and creator behind Blogilates (YouTube’s long-running Pilates channel) and POPFLEX, a design-led activewear label known for clever, ultra-feminine details (hello, Pirouette Skort). She started posting Pilates videos in 2009 and later turned her knack for solving workout-and-wardrobe pain points into a full product ecosystem: POPFLEX (DTC) + Blogilates gear and, most recently, Blogilates apparel at Target.

The past two years have been rocket fuel. On Dec 28, 2024, Blogilates apparel debuted front-of-store in all 1,800 Target stores; the collection quickly caught fire and sold roughly half the inventory across channels in <1 week, while POPFLEX site sales jumped 112% YoY after the Target launch. And in Apr 2024, a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo—Taylor Swift playing pickleball in POPFLEX’s Digital Lavender Pirouette Skort—triggered a sell-out and ~7,000 preorders.

Cheat Sheet

10 fast facts and receipts for Cassey and Blogilates / POPFLEX.

  1. Origin (2009) — Posted her first Pilates video to YouTube; this creator-to-company arc eventually led back to her childhood dream of fashion design.

  2. Method (Design First) — Designs from real problems (phone pockets, anti-camel-toe seams, adjustable waistbands), then “makes it cute.”

  3. Brand Launch (2016) — Founded POPFLEX as a design-driven activewear label; later expanded into bags, mats, and accessories. %[Modern Retail]%

  4. Retail (Target, 2020→) — Began with Blogilates home workout equipment in Dec 2020; apparel arrived Dec 28, 2024, staged at Target’s gateway/front-of-store nationwide (1,800 stores). %[Modern Retail]%

  5. Viral Moment (2024 Apr) — Taylor Swift wore the POPFLEX Pirouette Skort (Digital Lavender) in a YouTube Short; inventory wiped and ~7,000 preorders followed. %[Business Insider]%

  6. Protection (IP) — The Pirouette Skort is patented (US D1,010983 S); Ho has publicly documented takedowns and repeated dupe fights (SHEIN, Amazon, etc.).

  7. Testing (Fit Panel) — POPFLEX runs a formal Product Testing program across sizes before releases.

  8. Sizing — POPFLEX ranges broadly (e.g., skort available XXS–3X on site); Blogilates at Target offers lower-priced takes on signature silhouettes.

  9. Content Engine — Ho films on her phone and documents the journey, catalyzing huge earned reach; one launch video amassed 40M+ views across her channels. %[Modern Retail]%

  10. Momentum (2025) — After Target’s front-of-store test succeeded, Blogilates apparel returned for Summer 2025 (select stores + online).

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What Cassey built and why Blogilates / POPFLEX sticks.

Cassey’s superpower is functional romanticism. She starts with a specific pain point (e.g., waistbands that don’t dig, built-in shorts with pockets that actually hold a phone, a ruffle that twirls yet stays put), and won’t ship until the solution works and photographs beautifully. That philosophy shows up in everything from POPFLEX’s corset-seamed bras to the famously twirly (and now patented) Pirouette Skort.

She backs that aesthetic with process: a structured Product Testing program across sizes, iterative sampling, and a willingness to re-spec fabrics or delay to protect fit. (For Target, her team even re-dyed and air-shipped units on their dime when fabrics didn’t match tops vs. bottoms—because on the rack, it must match.) %[Modern Retail]%

Drop Strategy

How Cassey creates and captures demand.

Cassey plays the drop economy without the hype machine sheen. POPFLEX leans into tight, named Color Drops and limited restocks to keep freshness high and waste low, while Blogilates at Target serves a lower-price on-ramp to her signature shapes. Each drop is primed by weeks of build-up videos, fit-tests, and behind-the-scenes snippets—shot on her phone—so that launch day feels like the culmination of a journey followers already feel part of.

Crucially, she lets UGC do the talking: try-ons, “save vs. splurge” comparisons (POPFLEX vs. Blogilates-at-Target), and third-party hauls flood YouTube and TikTok during release windows—which pushes conversions on both ends of the ladder.

How She’s Cookin’

How Cassey runs Blogilates / POPFLEX—her role(s) and day-to-day involvement, leadership qualities, etc.

Formally, she’s CEO + Head Designer—and she runs it that way. Cassey’s “A note from our CEO & Head Designer” spells out how team culture and hand-on design keep the brand bar high. She still sketches, fits, and appears in content daily.

2024–2025 forced her to operate like a portfolio CEO—running two brands at once. She describes the Target build as “so many learning curves”: scaling production to national retail volumes, fixing a 57,000-yard fabric mismatch, air-shipping affected pieces, and deciding how to split her time so neither POPFLEX’s DTC nor Blogilates at Target cannibalizes the other. Marketing? Still mostly “me filming on my phone.” %[Modern Retail]%

Proof She’s Built Different

Milestone moments that move(d) the needle for Cassey and Blogilates / POPFLEX.

  • 2009 — First YouTube video. Posts a Pilates routine; unknowingly seeds a design-led fitness brand.

  • 2015 — POP Pilates in gyms. The method rolls out in 24 Hour Fitness programming and media. %[SELF]%

  • 2016 — POPFLEX launches. Cassey formalizes the design arm. %[Modern Retail]%

  • 2020 (Dec) — Blogilates x Target (equipment). Gear sells quickly, setting up future apparel talks. %[Modern Retail]%

  • 2023 (Feb) — IP progress. She announces a copyright registration for Pirouette Skort (prior to patent issuance), amid dupe takedowns.

  • 2023 (Jul) — Calls out SHEIN dupes. Multiple public posts document removals and back-and-forth.

  • 2024 (Apr) — Taylor Swift effect. Swift wears POPFLEX’s Pirouette Skort in a YouTube Short tied to “Fortnight”; inventory sells out, ~7,000 preorders follow. %[Business Insider]%

  • 2024 (Dec) — Blogilates apparel front-of-store at Target (1,800 stores). Six-week national test goes live.

  • 2025 (Jan) — Results & reach. Half the inventory sells in under a week; one reveal video tops 40M views across channels; POPFLEX sales up 112% YoY. %[Modern Retail]%

  • 2025 (Mar–Jul) — Defending originality. Cassey highlights the design patent and ongoing dupe fights across major retailers/marketplaces; industry press documents the challenge at scale. %[The Verge]%

What’s Poppin’

What’s on deck for Cassey and Blogilates / POPFLEX and some signals to watch.

Target Round 2. Blogilates returned to Target in Summer 2025 (active dresses, skorts, tanks, hoodies), available online and in select stores (now merchandised in the activewear section). Expect a similar “docu-drop” cadence: candid phone videos + orchestrated look-books + massive UGC momentum.

POPFLEX roadmap. Patent-backed hero pieces (Pirouette Skort, Crisscross Hourglass leggings) continue to anchor drops, with color refreshes and seasonal capsules. Cassey has also been unusually transparent about IP enforcement—so expect continued public education around “dupe culture” and design protection.

Influence & Inclusion

How Cassey represents who she is and empowers others.

Cassey speaks openly about growing up Vietnamese- and Chinese-American and the power of representation—especially designing hyper-feminine, size-inclusive workoutwear that still performs. Her own posts and speeches highlight that heritage; POPFLEX imagery and size runs reflect it in practice.

She’s also been a consistent voice against body shaming since the early Blogilates days, turning criticism into teachable moments and championing strength, joy, and self-expression through movement and design. %[TIME]%

Link up

Next … Christina Cacioppo: Vanta

$https://www.tiktok.com/@trustvanta/video/7537408614277926199$
Credit: Vanta
tiktok.com/@trustvanta

5. Christina Cacioppo
Vanta

Caption

“Most customers don’t care if you created the space—they care if you have the best product for them today.” — Christina Cacioppo %[Forbes]%

TL;DR

Christina Cacioppo is the cofounder and CEO of Vanta, the security and compliance automation company that is a leading trust management platform. A Midwesterner who studied economics and engineering at Stanford (BA in Economics and MS in Management Science & Engineering), she started her career as an analyst at Union Square Ventures, then jumped to product at Dropbox before founding Vanta in 2018. Today, Vanta helps companies prove—and improve—their security with automated monitoring, frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001, questionnaire automation, and a growing set of AI-powered tools. %[Masters of Scale]%

Under Christina, Vanta has scaled from an early SOC 2 wedge to a broad platform with thousands of customers, $100M+ ARR (2024), and a 2025 valuation of $4.15B following a Series D led by Wellington Management. The company employs 1,000+ across offices in Dublin, London, New York, San Francisco (HQ), and Sydney.

Cheat Sheet

10 fast facts and receipts for Christina and Vanta.

  1. Origin (2018) — Vanta began as an automation-first way to make SOC 2 achievable for startups after Christina experienced compliance pain firsthand while PM’ing Dropbox Paper.

  2. YC Roots — Vanta is a Y Combinator company (W2018), one of the earliest to turn “compliance” into a product-led wedge for startup growth.

  3. Early GTM — Christina famously delayed a “real” marketing site until hundreds of customers, leaning on word-of-mouth and operating at cash-flow break-even for years pre-Series A. %[First Round]%

  4. Series A (2021 May) — $50M led by Sequoia; >1,000 customers and >$10M ARR at the time—before institutional funding.

  5. Series B (2022 Jun) — $110M at a $1.6B valuation to expand beyond SOC 2 into ISO 27001/HIPAA and more. %[Bloomberg]%

  6. Scale (2024) — Surpassed $100M ARR and 8,000 customers; three-quarters of YC companies used Vanta as of mid-2024.

  7. Series C (2024 Jul) — $150M at $2.45B (led by Sequoia; Goldman Sachs & J.P. Morgan joined).

  8. AI Step-function (2025 Jun–Jul) — Launched the Vanta AI Agent to run end-to-end compliance workflows. %[Venturebeat]%

  9. Series D (Jul 2025) — $150M led by Wellington; valuation up to $4.15B. Plans include expanding AI offerings and U.S. government engagements. %[Reuters]%

  10. Global footprint (2025) — >1,000 employees; offices in SF, NY, London, Dublin, Sydney; AI agent claims up to 81% faster security reviews. %[Reuters]%

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What Christina built and why Vanta sticks..

Christina’s “why” is pragmatic: security builds trust, and trust drives revenue. Her core insight—first honed at Dropbox and reinforced by VC pattern-spotting at USV—was that companies wanted credit for doing security right, but old, manual audits made that credit too slow and expensive to earn. Vanta’s differentiation is that it both improves security (continuous monitoring, automated tests) and proves it (frameworks, trust centers, questionnaires) so sales cycles move faster. %[Sequoia Capital]%

The brand sticks because it reframes compliance from “fear and checklist” to “growth enabler.” That orientation shows up in product choices (Trust Centers, questionnaire automation), language (trust management vs. point-in-time audits), and now AI features that link internal controls to external proof without burying teams in paperwork.

Drop Strategy

How Christina creates and captures demand.

In the early years, Vanta under-marketed on purpose. Christina and team signed hundreds of customers before investing in a polished website or marketing headcount, using founder-led sales and customer intros to compound social proof. Operating at cash-flow break-even signaled discipline—and gave them time to deepen the product moat around SOC 2 before competitors recognized the category. %[First Round]%

As the category matured, they layered in scalable demand capture: auditor partnerships, a formal partner program (vCISOs/consultancies), trust centers prospective buyers can check themselves, and—more recently—AI that shortens reviews and evidence prep. The throughline: reduce buyer friction so security proof is both credible and convenient. %[First Round]%

How She’s Cookin’

How Christina runs Vanta—her role(s) and day-to-day involvement, leadership qualities, etc.

Day-to-day, Christina blends product depth with operating rigor. In the build-out phase, she literally audited her own calendar to decide the next hires—support and success before sales—then added sales once the patterns were stable. That practical sequencing is classic “product founder grows into CEO” DNA. %[First Round]%

Culturally, she runs the company with simple, repeated priorities (“say it until you hear it back”), and keeps Vanta mission-anchored as headcount scales—from 700+ (mid-2024/early-2025) toward 1,000+ by mid-2025. The north star hasn’t changed: use trust to accelerate revenue, not just avoid risk. %[Masters of Scale]%

Proof She’s Built Different

Milestone moments that move(d) the needle for Christina and Vanta.

  • 2018 — Completes YC (W2018); signs early lighthouse customers (Segment, Front, Lattice), leaning almost entirely on word-of-mouth. %[First Round]%

  • 2019 — Still “stealthy” commercial posture; the website was famously minimalist while inbound kept rising—signal of strong pull. %[First Round]%

  • 2021 (May) — Raises $50M Series A (Sequoia); already >1,000 customers and >$10M ARR without prior institutional funding.

  • 2022 (Jun) — $110M Series B at $1.6B to expand frameworks beyond SOC 2.

  • 2024 (Jul) — $150M Series C at $2.45B; >8,000 customers; crosses $100M ARR.

  • 2024 (Jul) — Vanta publicly described as a trust management platform in Series C coverage. %[TechCrunch, Business Wire]%

  • 2024 (Oct–Nov) — Vanta hosted its third annual user conference (VantaCon 2024: Beyond the Standard) alongside its State of Trust Report—reinforcing its trust-management focus.

  • 2025 (Jun–Jul) — Debuts Vanta AI Agent (Jun beta; Jul GA) to automate end-to-end compliance workflows. %[Venturebeat]%

  • 2025 (Jul) — $150M Series D (Wellington) at $4.15B; roadmap includes U.S. government engagements. %[Reuters]%

  • 2025 (Sep) — AI Agent update adds policy alignment and evidence quality checks; push toward “finish security reviews 81% faster.” %[Reuters]%

What’s Poppin’

What’s on deck for Christina and Vanta and some signals to watch.

The AI wedge is real: Vanta’s agent now handles policy mapping, detects mismatches between written policies and actual controls, and pre-screens evidence before audit. That’s the difference between “a faster SOC 2” and “a continuously improving security program”—and it’s where the category is heading. %[Venturebeat]%

On the business side, the July 2025 round gives headroom to pursue larger enterprises and public-sector work, while continuing international expansion (offices opened in London late-2024; network in EMEA/APAC). Watch for deeper “trust-as-revenue” features—trust centers, questionnaires, and AI-assisted security reviews that unblock deals. %[Reuters]%

Influence & Inclusion

How Christina represents who she is and empowers others.

Christina is notably transparent about building—sharing lessons on USV-era thinking, product-first go-to-market, and reframing compliance as a growth function in podcasts and long-form interviews. That openness has made her a reference point for founders (especially women) choosing technically thorny, “unsexy” categories and turning them into category leaders. %[Masters of Scale]%

Her path—Ohio to Stanford (BA Economics; MS Management Science & Engineering), to USV, to Dropbox, to founder—also offers a distinct model for next-gen builders: cultivate curiosity, learn how value is created (as an investor), then ship products that make the internet more trustworthy. %[Union Square Ventures]%

Link up

Next … Deepica Mutyala: Live Tinted

$https://www.tiktok.com/@deepica/video/7508775283810520351$
Credit: deepica mutyala
tiktok.com/@deepica

6. Deepica Mutyala
Live Tinted

Caption

“Since I was a little girl playing with makeup in search of a product that matched my skin, I knew I wanted to create a beauty brand where women would feel seen and represented for who they are.” — Deepica Mutyala %[Nasdaq]%

TL;DR

Deepica Mutyala is a Texas-raised, Indian American founder who built Live Tinted from a community conversation into a solutions-first makeup line centered on melanin-rich skin. The brand launched its hero Huestick in 2019 and has since expanded into complexion, SPF, and eye categories while keeping product development tightly looped to community needs (think: dark circles, hyperpigmentation, and sunscreens without white cast). %[Allure]%

Today, Live Tinted sells DTC and at major retailers including Ulta Beauty (the brand’s big brick-and-mortar breakout in 2021) and Sephora Canada—and in 2025 rolled out its first national TV commercial while expanding into all 1,400 Ulta doors. %[Glossy]%

Cheat Sheet

10 fast facts and receipts for Deepica and Live Tinted.

  1. Origin (2018) — Began as “Tinted,” an Instagram-led community discussing under-represented beauty topics like colorism; product line followed. %[Allure]%

  2. First Product (2019) — Huestick—a multi-use color-correcting stick for eyes/lips/cheeks—launched May 6, 2019. %[Allure]%

  3. Launch Reception (2019) — Early sellout + a 10,000-person waitlist. %[InStyle]%

  4. Retail Breakthrough (2021) — Entered Ulta through Sparked; first South Asian-owned makeup brand stocked at Ulta. %[Glossy]%

  5. Award (2022) — Allure Best of Beauty winner (Makeup, Multi-Use Stick) for Huestick. %[Allure]%

  6. Funding (2021–2023) — $3M seed (2021) followed by $10M Series A led by Monogram; $15M total raised as of Feb. 2023. %[Glossy]%

  7. Scale (as of 2023) — 1M+ units sold across the line. %[Global Cosmetic Industry]%

  8. SPF Without Compromise — Hueguard mineral SPF formulated to avoid white cast—developed directly from community feedback. %[Allure]%

  9. Canada Footprint — Available at Sephora Canada (Huestick, Hueguard, and more). %[Sephora]%

  10. National Moment (2025) — Debuted first-ever TV commercial, “It Feels Good To Be Seen,” as Live Tinted expanded to all 1,400 Ulta stores. %[Nasdaq]%

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What Deepica built and why Live Tinted sticks.

Community first, problems first. Deepica built Live Tinted around the very concerns her audience surfaced for years: dark circles, hyperpigmentation, and SPF that flatters deeper tones. That’s why the brand’s breakout SKUs are not just trendy; they’re functional fixes (Huestick for neutralizing discoloration; Hueguard for no-white-cast protection). %[Allure]%

Representation as strategy. Live Tinted’s mission—“every shade has a story”—shows up in product, casting, and distribution. That approach turned a single viral moment into durable brand equity, culminating in a 2025 mass-retail expansion and a national TV spot that centers everyday moments of being seen in beauty aisles. %[Allure]%

Drop Strategy

How Deepica creates and captures demand.

Launch where the love already is. Live Tinted seeds demand with community listening (IG to DMs to surveys) and then drops solutions that map straight back to those pain points. Earned media and creator word-of-mouth do a lot of the heavy lifting—Huestick’s early waitlist and repeated press wins didn’t happen by accident. %[Allure]%

Omnichannel, but focused. After pressure-testing DTC, Live Tinted used Ulta’s Sparked program for visibility and sampling moments, later layering in Sephora Canada and Ulta Beauty at Target distribution (while Ulta-Target wind-down is slated for 2026, products remain available there until then). The brand’s 2025 360° campaign (in-store assets, influencers/celebrity MUAs, PR, social) shows it knows how to convert attention into sell-through. %[Glossy]%

How She’s Cookin’

How Deepica runs Live Tinted—her role(s) and day-to-day involvement, leadership qualities, etc.

Deepica is Founder & CEO, but she’s also a chief problem solver. She’s explicit that her R&D roadmap flows from lived experience and community input—not top-down trend chasing. That’s why she says building the assortment “didn’t require much market research.” %[Allure]%

The company’s early team makeup (100% people of color in 2021) reflects the community it serves. That proximity—plus a bias for rapid testing via DTC and social—helps Live Tinted ship products that resonate far beyond a single demographic. %[Glossy]%

Proof She’s Built Different

Milestone moments that move(d) the needle for Deepica and Live Tinted.

  • 2015 — Deepica’s viral YouTube DIY tutorial showing red lipstick to color-correct dark under-eye circles goes viral (10M+ views).

  • 2018 — Launches the Live Tinted community to talk openly about colorism and unmet needs in beauty. %[Allure]%

  • 2019 — Huestick launches (multi-use + color corrector) and quickly sells out with a 10,000-person waitlist. %[Allure]%

  • 2021 — Breaks into Ulta via Sparked; first South Asian-owned makeup brand at the retailer. %[Glossy]%

  • 2022 — Allure Best of Beauty winner for Huestick (Makeup, Multi-Use Stick). %[Allure]%

  • 2022 — Partners with Mattel/Barbie on a first-ever South Asian CEO Barbie modeled after herself. %[TIME]%

  • 2023 — Closes $10M Series A (Monogram Capital); 1M+ units sold milestone. %[Global Cosmetic Industry]%

  • 2025 — Airs first-ever TV commercial, “It Feels Good To Be Seen,” and expands to all 1,400 Ulta doors nationwide. %[Nasdaq]%

What’s Poppin’

What’s on deck for Deepica and Live Tinted and some signals to watch.

Expect sustained marketing around the 2025 commercial (Warner Bros. Discovery streaming placements + in-store Ulta assets), plus in-line support for the Legacy eye lineup (mascara, liner, curler). %[Nasdaq]%

The Series A brief explicitly earmarked dollars for product innovation and category expansion—and the brand’s recent moves into complexion (Hueskin) and SPF (Hueguard, Skin Tint) suggest more shades/finishes and skin-care-meets-makeup hybrids ahead. %[Global Cosmetic Industry]%

Influence & Inclusion

How Deepica represents who she is and empowers others.

Deepica consistently centers representation: from building a brand around under-served skin tones to partnering with Barbie on a South Asian CEO doll that little girls can actually see themselves in. As she says, “whatever we can do to make people feel more seen.” %[TIME]%

Inside the company, that commitment shows up in hiring and in what gets made: products that reduce friction for melanin-rich shoppers (no more mixing three foundations; no more chalky SPF). The result is a blueprint for founders who want to start with community, then scale. %[Glossy]%

Link up

Next … Hailey Bieber: rhode

$https://www.tiktok.com/@rhode/video/7535604690801757470$
Credit: rhode
tiktok.com/@rhode

7. Hailey Bieber
rhode

Caption

“I don’t want to be a brand that's ever afraid to stand up for what’s right, what we believe in, what I believe in. I’m super passionate about encouraging my generation and young people to speak up and use their voice. I speak up a lot about the things that really matter to me - voting being one of them. I feel like it wouldn’t be authentic if I didn’t bring that over into Rhode.” — Hailey Bieber %[ELLE]%

TL;DR

Hailey Bieber is the founder, chief creative officer, and head of innovation at rhode, the minimalist, skin-first beauty brand she launched in 2022. In May 2025, e.l.f. Beauty announced it would acquire rhode for $1B; the deal closed Aug 5, 2025, and Hailey stayed on to steer creative and product — exactly how she wanted it. %[Elf Beauty Investor]%

What sets rhode apart: tight edits, “everyday essential” formulas that punch above their price, culture-shaping drops (think Krispy Kreme Strawberry Glaze), and arguably the most effective celebrity-founder playbook of the last three years. The receipts: $212M in net sales in the 12 months ended Mar. 31, 2025; No. 1 skincare brand by EMV in 2024; Sephora’s largest North American launch with 2M+ searches before debut. %[AP News]%

Cheat Sheet

10 fast facts and receipts for Hailey and rhode.

  1. Origin (2022) — rhode launched with three SKUs — Peptide Glazing Fluid, Barrier Restore Cream, Peptide Lip Treatment — and immediately built waitlists in the six figures. %[Dazed Digital]%

  2. Leadership — Hailey runs creative and product; Nick Vlahos (ex-Honest Co.) became CEO in Feb 2024; Lauren Ratner is president & chief brand officer. %[The Business of Fashion]%

  3. Trademark (2022→2024) — A judge denied a preliminary injunction request by clothing brand “Rhode” against rhode for trademark infringement in July 2022; the trademark suit was settled and dismissed in 2024. %[Vanity Fair]%

  4. Breakout Collab (2023 Aug) — Krispy Kreme x Strawberry Glaze lip treatment timed to the doughnut’s limited return; official drop Aug 28, 2023. %[Krispy Kreme Investors]%

  5. Sales & Scale (FY25) — $212M net sales (TTM to Mar 31, 2025). %[AP News]%

  6. Earned Media (2024) — $248M EMV, +366% YoY; #1 skincare brand by EMV per Tribe Dynamics/CreatorIQ. %[Vogue Business]%

  7. Awards — Allure Best of Beauty 2024 (Best Essence) for Glazing Milk; Allure Best of Beauty 2025 (Best Rich Moisturizer) for Barrier Butter. %[Allure]%

  8. Retail Expansion (2025 Sep) — Sephora online + all stores U.S./Canada, U.K. to follow; billed as largest North American launch in Sephora history with 2M+ unique searches leading up. %[Elf Beauty Investor]%

  9. Close of Deal (2025 Aug) — e.l.f. completed the acquisition; $600M cash + ~$200M stock at close, plus up to $200M earn-out. %[SEC]%

  10. Impact — 1% of rhodeskin.com sales go to the Rhode Futures Foundation; $1M donated to wildfire relief; packaging uses PCR plastics, and shipping reduces waste via BOOX reusable shippers. %[The Business of Fashion]%

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What Hailey built and why rhode sticks.

Hailey’s superpower is focus. Rather than chase a 50-SKU shelf, she designed a “one of everything, really good” wardrobe of basics — the way you’d build a perfect jeans-tee-leather-jacket uniform. She’s “super, super involved” in formula, texture, and imagery, and that obsessive edit is why drops routinely sell out and then stick. %[Dazed Digital]%

The brand is also culture-literate. Rhode’s “glazed” aesthetic made dense skincare ideas feel fun and wearable. Collaborations and cues (like Strawberry Glaze) meet consumers where they already are — then pull them deeper into rhode’s world. That’s why you see massive waitlists (200k → 400k) and a community that shows up IRL. %[Vogue Business]%

Drop Strategy

How Hailey creates and captures demand.

Rhode plays the micro-drop, macro-moment game. Limited flavors and shades (Vanilla, Passionfruit, Strawberry Glaze) build urgency, while waitlists capture demand you can re-activate on restock. Those drops are paired with editorial-level creative — think product textures, edible nostalgia, and set design that begs to be screenshotted. %[Glossy]%

Then comes distribution sequencing. For three years, rhode built DTC loyalty and velocity. Only after proving pull (EMV, awards, sell-outs) did the brand flip the retail switch — not just anywhere, but Sephora, at scale — landing with the retailer’s biggest North American launch and 2M+ pre-debut searches. That’s textbook pent-up demand. %[Elf Beauty Investor]%

How She’s Cookin’

How Hailey runs rhode—her role(s) and day-to-day involvement, leadership qualities, etc.

Day-to-day, Hailey is founder/CCO and head of innovation — which means the pipeline, the point of view, and the creative all ladder up to her. Interviews show she’s deep in product testing, ingredient nerdery, and brand imagery — the details you can feel in-hand. %[Dazed Digital]%

Operationally, she scaled with experienced operators. CEO Nick Vlahos (ex-Honest, ex-Clorox/Burt’s Bees) professionalized the engine; Co-Founder, President & Chief Brand Officer Lauren Ratner runs brand and community. The e.l.f. acquisition then added manufacturing, retail muscle, and global reach — while preserving Hailey’s creative control. %[The Business of Fashion]%

Proof She’s Built Different

Milestone moments that move(d) the needle for Hailey and rhode.

  • 2022 (Jun) — Launch: Three-product debut with a skin-first edit; waitlists surge. %[Dazed Digital]%

  • 2022 (Jul) — Legal Win: Court denies preliminary injunction; rhode keeps operating during the trademark case. %[Vanity Fair]%

  • 2023 (May) — U.K. Availability: Dazed covers Rhode’s U.K. launch and Hailey’s creative-first approach. %[Dazed Digital]%

  • 2023 (Aug) — Culture Crossover: Krispy Kreme x Strawberry Glaze lip treatment drops; becomes a signature pop-culture moment. %[Nylon]%

  • 2023 (Dec) — Leadership Build: Lauren Ratner named president & CBO. %[E! Online]%

  • 2024 (Feb) — CEO Named: Nick Vlahos joins as CEO (ex-Honest Co.). %[The Business of Fashion]%

  • 2024 — Awards Momentum: Glazing Milk nabs Allure Best of Beauty (Best Essence). %[Allure]%

  • 2024 (Jul) — Lawsuit Settled: Parties resolve trademark dispute; case dismissed. %[WWD]%

  • 2024 (Jun) — Make-up Expansion: Pocket Blush launches in six shades; sells through multiple restocks. %[Instagram]%

  • 2025 (May) — $1B Deal: e.l.f. announces acquisition; Hailey stays on as CCO & head of innovation. %[Elf Beauty Investor]%

  • 2025 (Jun) — Founder Thesis: At BoF’s Global Forum, Hailey stakes out “legacy brand” ambitions. %[The Business of Fashion]%

  • 2025 (Aug) — Deal Closes: e.l.f. completes the rhode acquisition (cash + stock + earn-out). %[SEC]%

  • 2025 (Sep) — Retail at Scale: Sephora launch goes live across U.S./Canada; U.K. roll-out slated for fall. %[Elf Beauty Investor]%

  • 2025 (Oct) — Eye Category: Peptide Eye Prep hydrogel patches land at Sephora.com; in stores soon after.

  • 2025 (Oct) — Awards Stack: Barrier Butter wins Allure Best of Beauty 2025 (Best Rich Moisturizer). %[Allure]%

What’s Poppin’

What’s on deck for Hailey and rhode and some signals to watch.

Retail expansion (Sephora U.K.), plus core-line permanence on fan-favorite lip shades (Strawberry Glaze, Salty Tan, Jelly Bean) now in the Sephora set. Expect eye (patches) and face-prep (mists/essences) to keep the skin-first halo strong. %[Elf Beauty Investor]%

With e.l.f.’s supply chain and global doors, rhode’s international push looks immediate. The brand has already proven it can translate virality into velocity; now it’s about omnichannel consistency and thoughtful category moves (more hybrid color, body — seeds Hailey planted in 2023). %[Dazed Digital]%

Influence & Inclusion

How Hailey represents who she is and empowers others.

Hailey’s stated north star is community over competition. As she said at launch: “There’s room for everyone to thrive; we don’t need to compare brands.” That tone — plus price-point accessibility and transparent impact — is a big part of why Gen Z and Millennial shoppers root for rhode. %[Forbes]%

The Rhode Futures Foundation bakes giving into the model (1% of DTC sales; targeted relief like the $1M wildfire donation), while packaging choices (PCR, BOOX re-use) show real-world sustainability pragmatism. It’s not performative — it’s designed into the operating system. %[The Business of Fashion]%

Link up

Next … Iman Abuzeid: Incredible Health

$https://www.tiktok.com/@incrediblehealth/video/7209419779084438826$
Credit: Incredible Health
tiktok.com/@incrediblehealth

8. Iman Abuzeid
Incredible Health

Caption

“Our model has met the moment and changed the paradigm for both nurses and healthcare providers in the most challenging time in U.S. healthcare. ” — Iman Abuzeid %[TechCrunch]%

TL;DR

Iman Abuzeid is the co-founder and CEO of Incredible Health, the AI-powered career marketplace where hospitals apply to nurses and (as of 2025) a growing set of allied health technicians. A Sudanese-American physician by training (UCL) with an MBA from Wharton, she’s built one of the very few female-founded, Black-led “unicorns” in health tech.

Under Iman, Incredible Health scaled to a community of 1M+ U.S. healthcare workers and 1,500+ employer locations, introduced generative-AI hiring features in December 2023, and in September 2025 launched two AI voice agents—Gale (for workers) and Lyn (for employers)—to make permanent healthcare hiring faster and more personalized. Employers on the platform fill roles in under 20 days vs. a national average near 86 days, with $5M+ average annual savings per facility and 15% higher retention for hires—outcomes the company attributes to its matching, pre-vetting, and now voice-agent workflows.

Cheat Sheet

10 fast facts and receipts for Iman and Incredible Health.

  1. Origin — Trained physician (University College London) who pivoted to tech after Wharton; co-founded Incredible Health in 2017 with MIT-trained engineer Rome Portlock.

  2. Flip-the-script Model — Employers apply to nurses—reversing the usual job board dynamic and compressing time-to-hire. %[Masters of Scale]%

  3. Scale (2024-2025) — Crossed 1M nurses and 1,500 hospital locations nationwide.

  4. Speed & Savings — Employers fill permanent roles in <20 days vs. U.S. average ~86 days, saving $5M+ per facility and retaining hires 15% longer. %[Business Wire]%

  5. Workforce Quality — Hires average 9 years of experience (company data shared with the 2025 AI-agents launch). %[Business Wire]%

  6. AI Lead — First healthcare career marketplace to implement generative-AI features (Dec 7, 2023); layered in resume automation and recruiter messaging, then voice agents (Gale & Lyn) in 2025.

  7. Technicians + Non-acute Expansion (2025) — Added permanent roles for technicians; expanded marketplace to ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and home health.

  8. Market Penetration — Used by one in four U.S. nurses and 75% of top-ranked hospitals (Jan 11, 2023). Earlier (Jun 10, 2021), 60% of U.S. News Best Hospitals were already partners.

  9. Access & Equity — 25% of partner hospitals operate in low-to-moderate-income (LMI) communities; 27% of nurses relocated to work permanently in those communities (2023). Nearly 40% of nurses relocated for permanent jobs overall by 2024.

  10. Recognition — Featured in TIME100 Next (2024), Forbes Self-Made Women (2024), and Forbes BLK 50 (2024).

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What Iman built and why Incredible Health sticks.

Iman’s signature product insight sounds simple but changed incentives: put nurses (and now technicians) in the driver’s seat and have employers apply to them. That one flip surfaces serious, pre-vetted talent to hiring teams and reduces calendar ping-pong—now amplified by Gale (a career copilot for workers) and Lyn (an interview/screening copilot for employers). %[Masters of Scale]%

That’s why the receipts land: under-20-day fills versus ~86-day U.S. averages; millions in reduced premium labor and overtime per facility; retention lift; mid-career experience levels among hires. When you hear her talk about the marketplace, it’s always in terms of speed, personalization, and reliability—now with voice agents trained on millions of actual hiring interactions. %[Business Wire]%

Drop Strategy

How Iman creates and captures demand.

Two growth engines stand out. First, institutional trust: getting adopted by brand-name systems early (e.g., Johns Hopkins, NewYork-Presbyterian, Baylor Scott & White, Sutter) and compounding social proof. Those relationships are explicitly referenced in Lyn’s rollout. Second, outcomes-forward marketing: every press or blog touch cites time-to-hire deltas, savings, and retention—practical metrics talent and TA leaders actually care about.

Then, owned data drives narrative gravity. The annual State of U.S. Nurses & Technicians reports (2025 is the sixth edition) feed headlines and sales decks alike—quantifying shortages, intent to stay, and skills/upskilling trends (including AI). That content cadence, paired with product launches (e.g., 2023 gen-AI features, 2025 voice agents), creates repeatable “drops” that generate earned media and pipeline.

How She’s Cookin’

How Iman runs Incredible Health—her role(s) and day-to-day involvement, leadership qualities, etc.

Listen to Abuzeid and you get her operating system in one breath: “We have a very clear set of values… They’re the operating system of the company,” and among them are commitment to learning, customer obsession (“Do whatever you can to delight customers”), and speed (“Move as quickly as humanly possible”). Those are her hiring filters and execution guardrails. %[Osmosis]%

Day-to-day, that translates into rigorous matching science and automation that take work off both sides of the marketplace. Post-2023, she’s layered responsible AI where it moves needle-metrics—resume creation and validation, personalized outreach, instant screening—and in 2025, voice interviewing and career coaching at scale. The through-line: apply tech only where it measurably improves speed, quality, or experience.

Proof She’s Built Different

Milestone moments that move(d) the needle for Iman and Incredible Health.

  • 2019 (Sep) — Raised $15M Series A led by Andreessen Horowitz to scale California/Texas traction. %[TechCrunch]%

  • 2020 (Mar) — Announced free nursing CEUs during the first COVID wave.

  • 2021 (Jun) — 60% of U.S. News Best Hospitals using Incredible Health; under-three-week hiring highlighted by Stanford HR.

  • 2022 (Aug) — $80M Series B led by Base10; valuation $1.65B (unicorn).

  • 2023 (Dec) — First healthcare career marketplace to implement generative-AI hiring features.

  • 2023 (Sep) — 25% of partner hospitals in LMI communities; 27% of nurses relocated to work there.

  • 2024 (Mar) — Crossed 1M nurses and 1,500 hospital locations; nearly 40% of nurses relocated for permanent roles.

  • 2024 (Jun) — CEU program moved to a partner-delivered model (free trial, then discounted $37.50; 100% of fee to CE partner).

  • 2025 (Feb) — Expanded marketplace to technicians, plus ASCs and home health.

  • 2025 (Sep) — Launched Gale (worker copilot) and Lyn (employer voice interviewer); reiterated <20 days vs 86 days and $5M+ savings per facility; hires average 9 years’ experience. %[Business Wire]%

What’s Poppin’

What’s on deck for Iman and Incredible Health and some signals to watch.

Signals to watch next: (1) Voice-agent adoption across large systems—Lyn interviews “hundreds of candidates in days” and generates structured interview summaries; its uptake (and measured conversion lift) will be a tell for category-wide workflow change. (2) Non-acute penetration—ASCs and home health add durable demand for permanent roles; tracking time-to-hire and retention in those settings will show whether IH’s playbook travels beyond hospitals.

Influence & Inclusion

How Iman represents who she is and empowers others.

Abuzeid often frames the mission through the lived experience of clinicians in her own family and co-founder’s—then scales solutions for the whole workforce. She’s one of very few Black female founders to lead a U.S. health-tech unicorn; the mainstream recognition mirrors the platform’s real-world impact for nurses and now technicians. %[Forbes]%

Link up

Next … Jenn Harper: Cheekbone Beauty

$https://www.tiktok.com/@jenncheekbonebeauty/video/7135618226322476294$
Credit: Jenn Harper
tiktok.com/@jenncheekbonebeauty

9. Jenn Harper
Cheekbone Beauty

Caption

“I believe Indigenous people, in particular… my people, the Anishinaabe, are really the OGs of sustainability.” — Jenn Harper %[The Zoe Report]%

TL;DR

Jenn Harper (Anishinaabe/Ojibwe) is the founder and CEO of Cheekbone Beauty, a B-Corp–certified color-cosmetics company based in St. Catharines, Ontario. She built the brand to make Indigenous people feel seen—and to prove prestige makeup can be made with an Indigenous lens on stewardship. Cheekbone first appeared on Sephora.ca in 2021 and, by June 2023, was on shelves in 52 Sephora Canada stores. In 2023 the brand launched in 609 JCPenney doors in the U.S.; after the retailer ended its Thirteen Lune partnership in 2025, Cheekbone negotiated to remain in 150 stores. %[Canadian Business, Export Development Canada, Beauty Independent]%

Her approach blends story and science. Harper speaks openly about rooting the business in teachings like “seven generations,” while investing in in-house formulation via Cheekbone’s Indigenous Innovation Lab—complete with a full-time cosmetic chemist. Cheekbone became a Certified B Corporation in March 2022 (current B Impact Score: 86.6). And the company’s give-back isn’t performative: by mid-2023 Cheekbone had donated $250,000+ to community causes, and in 2025 its For Future Generations Scholarship Fund supported 10 Indigenous students through an Indspire-matched program. %[Canada Post, B Corporation]%

Cheat Sheet

10 fast facts and receipts for Jenn and Cheekbone Beauty.

  1. Origin (2016) — Jenn launched Cheekbone Beauty from St. Catharines, Ontario to create space in beauty where Indigenous youth and women feel represented. %[Export Development Canada]%

  2. First at Sephora (2021) — Cheekbone became the first Indigenous-owned brand Sephora partnered with; it debuted on Sephora.ca and in nine stores that fall. %[Canadian Business]%

  3. Retail Footprint (2023) — By June 16, 2023, Cheekbone was sold online at Sephora and in 52 Sephora stores across Canada. %[Export Development Canada]%

  4. U.S. Expansion (2023 → 2025) — Launched in 609 JCPenney locations via Thirteen Lune in 2023; after JCPenney ended that partnership in 2025, Cheekbone negotiated to stay in 150 doors. %[Export Development Canada]%

  5. B-Corp Status — : Certified B Corporation (since Mar 2022); current B Impact Score of 86.6, with public scoring breakdown. %[B Corporation]%

  6. Innovation Lab — Cheekbone operates an Indigenous Innovation Lab and employs a full-time cosmetic chemist formulating with local and by-product ingredients. %[B Corporation]%

  7. Packaging Standards — The brand requires packaging to be plantable (seed paper), refillable and/or reusable; it is also a Canopy Pack4Good partner.

  8. Giving — Cheekbone had surpassed $250,000 in donations by mid-2023 to Indigenous and environmental causes. %[Export Development Canada]%

  9. Scholarships (2025) — Cheekbone and Indspire funded 10 Indigenous youth scholarships in 2025 through a matching program.

  10. Recognition (2025) — Jenn was named Retail Council of Canada’s Independent Retail Ambassador of the Year (presented June 3, 2025). %[Retail Council of Canada]%

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What Jenn built and why Cheekbone Beauty sticks.

Cheekbone sticks because it’s story first, lab-grade always. Jenn’s origin story is literal: a vivid dream of “three Native little girls—brown skin, rosy cheeks and covered in colorful lip gloss” became the spark to start a beauty company that made those girls feel seen. From there she built a brand that treats sustainability not as a marketing badge but as a cultural baseline. %[Good Housekeeping]%

Under the hood, Cheekbone runs like a modern indie lab. The company formulates in-house, publishes standards (its Biinad Beauty Standards) and aligns to third-party frameworks like B-Corp and Sephora’s Clean + Planet Positive. That combination—Indigenous values plus rigorous product development—creates products that feel intentional, not opportunistic.

Drop Strategy

How Jenn creates and captures demand.

Cheekbone pairs mission-led drops with education. Every year since 2021, the brand launches limited-edition “For Future Generations” products with 100% of profits directed to its Scholarship Fund; in 2025 the program funded 10 Indigenous students through Indspire matching. This isn’t one-and-done charity—customers can trace the product-to-impact pipeline.

On retail, Cheekbone proves nimble. The brand navigated a turbulent U.S. beauty landscape—JCPenney’s end of its Thirteen Lune partnership—by negotiating to stay in 150 doors and protecting its balance sheet when a return-to-vendor would have been catastrophic. Resilience is part of the playbook; the team builds demand through community, cause-linked launches and selective retailer partnerships. %[Beauty Independent]%

How She’s Cookin’

How Jenn runs Cheekbone Beauty—her role(s) and day-to-day involvement, leadership qualities, etc.

Jenn’s day-to-day is hands-on with product. RCC notes she remains “deeply involved in daily operations… particularly in product innovation,” while the B-Corp directory shows Cheekbone’s lab model with a full-time chemist. In short: a founder who still obsesses over formulas, not just forecasts. %[Retail Council of Canada]%

She also leads transparently. In interviews, Jenn explains how Cheekbone looks at sustainability through an Indigenous lens—“marrying ancient Indigenous wisdom with modern Western science”—and publishes what it can, from ingredient guardrails (Biinad) to sustainability updates. That clarity builds trust with shoppers and retailers alike. %[Good Housekeeping]%

Proof She’s Built Different

Milestone moments that move(d) the needle for Jenn and Cheekbone Beauty.

  • 2016 — Jenn launches Cheekbone Beauty from St. Catharines to center Indigenous representation in beauty. %[Export Development Canada]%

  • 2019 — Appears on CBC’s Dragons’ Den and turns down a $125,000 offer for 50% of the company—choosing mission over money. %[Canada Post]%

  • 2021 (Jun) — Signs vendor agreement with Sephora Canada; later that year Cheekbone debuts online and in nine stores. %[Canada Post]%

  • 2022 (Mar) — Earns B-Corp certification. %[B Corporation]%

  • 2023 (Jun) — Listed in 52 Sephora Canada stores; donations surpass $250,000. %[Export Development Canada]%

  • 2023 (Spring) — Rolls out to 609 JCPenney stores in the U.S. via Thirteen Lune. %[Export Development Canada]%

  • 2025 (Apr) — Jenn named RCC’s Independent Retail Ambassador of the Year (awarded Jun 3). %[Retail Council of Canada]%

  • 2025 (May) — After JCPenney ends Thirteen Lune, Cheekbone negotiates to remain in 150 stores and averts a return-to-vendor crisis. %[Beauty Independent]%

  • 2025 (Oct) — Scholarship Fund confirms 10 Indigenous student awards through Indspire matching.

What’s Poppin’

What’s on deck for Jenn and Cheekbone Beauty and some signals to watch.

Expect more packaging and materials leadership. Cheekbone is a Pack4Good brand partner with Canopy, committing to keep Ancient and Endangered Forests out of its paper packaging and to accelerate “Next Gen” circular solutions. Its public packaging policy already favors plantable seed-paper, refillable and reusable formats—signals that more refill systems and low-impact packs are coming. %[canopyplanet.org]%

On the brand side, Cheekbone continues weaving culture into commerce. Recent site updates highlight seasonal collabs (e.g., introducing 2025 Holiday Box artist Haley Putruq) and ongoing scholarship activations—content that keeps community engaged between hero launches.

Influence & Inclusion

How Jenn represents who she is and empowers others.

Jenn does more than represent—she operationalizes inclusion. She positions Cheekbone as a place where Indigenous youth see themselves reflected, and she’s explicit about blending teachings like the Seventh Generation Principle with lifecycle analysis and lab data. It’s why her quote—“Sustainability… is how our people have lived for thousands of years”—hits different; it’s a business thesis, not a tagline. %[Canada Post]%

That influence scales through receipts: B-Corp certification with a published scorecard; a lab employing Indigenous knowledge alongside cosmetic science; scholarships delivered in partnership with Indspire; and recognition from Canada’s retail establishment. When young founders ask how to build with purpose and profit, Harper’s path offers a blueprint that’s both culturally grounded and commercially sharp. %[B Corporation]%

Link up

Next … Melanie Perkins: Canva

$https://www.tiktok.com/@canva/video/7406135406720273671$
Credit: Canva
tiktok.com/@canva

10. Melanie Perkins
Canva

Caption

“If we’re not solving a problem, then why would we exist? If there was no problem to be solved, literally, why would you be a company?” — Melanie Perkins %[The Verge]%

TL;DR

Melanie Perkins is the Perth-born cofounder and CEO of Canva, the visual communication platform used by teams from classrooms to the Fortune 500. Before Canva, she and Cliff Obrecht started Fusion Books (a drag-and-drop yearbook tool) when she was 19; that niche proved the concept for making design simple for everyone. %[Business Insider]%

Under Melanie, Canva has expanded from social graphics into a broader “work OS” with documents, whiteboards, video, websites—and as of 2025, spreadsheets (Canva Sheets), an AI coding assistant (Canva Code), and a unified workspace refresh. The business claims adoption inside 95% of the Fortune 500, reported ~240M monthly active users and a $3.3B annualized revenue run-rate as of mid-2025, and priced a 2025 staff share sale that implied a $42B valuation. She and her cofounders pair that growth with philanthropy through their Two-Step Plan, including a $100M 2025 commitment to GiveDirectly. %[Reuters]%

Cheat Sheet

10 fast facts and receipts for Melanie and Canva.

  1. Origin (2007) — At 19, Melanie co-founded Fusion Books in Perth to make school yearbooks easy with drag-and-drop design—her proof point that complex design could be simplified for everyone. %[Business Insider]%

  2. Launch (2013) — Canva goes live; the company’s mission is to “empower the world to design.”

  3. Enterprise Footprint — Canva says it’s trusted by 95% of Fortune 500 companies—evidence of a deliberate move up-market.

  4. Users & Revenue (2025 Jun) — ~240M MAUs and $3.3B annualized revenue run-rate, per investor docs reported by global outlets. %[Financial Times]%

  5. Product Shift (2025 Apr) — Visual Suite 2.0 ships; Canva Sheets and Canva Code debut alongside an AI-forward, one-workspace redesign. %[The Verge]%

  6. Acquisitions (2024 Mar): Canva acquires Affinity (Serif Europe), bringing pro-grade creative tools into the suite and strengthening its enterprise play. %[Affinity]%

  7. AI expansion (2024 Jul) — Canva acquires Leonardo.ai to deepen generative imaging capabilities.

  8. Go-to-market (2025 May) — New LinkedIn Ads app lets marketers design in Canva and publish directly to LinkedIn Campaign Manager. %[LinkedIn]%

  9. Leadership (2024 Nov) — Former Zoom CFO Kelly Steckelberg joins as Canva CFO, adding public-markets experience. %[Bloomberg]%

  10. Force-for-good (2025 Oct) — Canva commits $100M to GiveDirectly; more than 800,000 nonprofit teams use Canva’s tools free. %[Canva]%

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What Melanie built and why Canva sticks.

Melanie’s superpower is focus: make the hard things feel effortless. Canva’s signature drag-and-drop editor abstracted away the pain of “learning the tool” so people could jump straight to creating. That same philosophy now extends to the workplace: Visual Suite 2.0 knits docs, decks, whiteboards, websites, video, spreadsheets, and AI into one collaborative canvas so teams can plan, produce, and publish without hopping across apps. %[The Verge]%

The second half of her playbook—Step Two—is about wiring impact into the business model. The company pledges a sizable slice of equity and profits toward philanthropy and product donations (e.g., nonprofits and education), culminating in a major 2025 expansion of its direct-cash partnership with GiveDirectly. The idea is simple and ambitious: as the company scales, so does its ability to do measurable good.

Drop Strategy

How Melanie creates and captures demand.

Canva generates demand by shipping platforms, not point features. The 2025 refresh bundled creation, collaboration, and AI into one “workspace”—a move tailored to win CIOs and standardize on Canva across departments. The company then closes the loop with distribution: native publishing (social, websites, video), brand controls, and now a LinkedIn Ads app that takes campaigns from concept to live with fewer steps. %[The Verge]%

It also leans into earned attention. Perkins has talked openly about campaigns that break out of typical B2B marketing—like a cheeky rap-style CIO spot that sparked conversation precisely because it didn’t feel like enterprise software. The result: a consumer-style brand in a work context, amplified by a huge community and regular tentpoles like Canva Create to announce capabilities and momentum. %[The Verge]%

How She’s Cookin’

How Melanie runs Canva—her role(s) and day-to-day involvement, leadership qualities, etc.

Melanie stays product-first and systems-level. 2024–2025’s moves—Affinity (pro tools), Leonardo.ai (gen-AI imaging), and a deep workspace redesign—signal a CEO who’s broadening the surface area of what “design” means at work, without losing the low-friction UX that made Canva mainstream.

On the finance/ops side, she’s coupled growth with disciplined liquidity (recurring staff share sales) and IPO-ready leadership (ex-Zoom CFO Kelly Steckelberg), while pointing out that listing timing will be based on what’s best for the business—not the news cycle. In August 2025, Canva ran an oversubscribed staff sale implying a $42B valuation, while keeping options open. %[Reuters]%

Proof She’s Built Different

Milestone moments that move(d) the needle for Melanie and Canva.

  • 2007 — Launches Fusion Books from Perth, letting schools co-create yearbooks online—her first big step toward democratizing design. %[Business Insider]%

  • 2013 — Canva launches publicly with a freemium model and a mission to “empower the world to design.”

  • 2021 — Melanie and Cliff sign The Giving Pledge, committing the majority of their wealth to philanthropy. %[Fortune]%

  • 2024 (Mar) — Canva acquires Affinity to serve pro designers alongside non-designers. %[Affinity]%

  • 2024 (Jul) — Canva acquires Leonardo.ai to accelerate AI design capabilities.

  • 2024 (Nov) — Kelly Steckelberg (ex-Zoom) becomes CFO. %[CFO.com]%

  • 2025 (Apr) — Visual Suite 2.0 debuts; Canva Sheets and Canva Code arrive. %[The Verge]%

  • 2025 (Jun) — Named to CNBC’s Disruptor 50 (2025 cohort).

  • 2025 (Aug) — Oversubscribed employee share sale at a $42B valuation; ~240M MAUs and $3.3B annualized revenue run-rate as of June 2025. %[Reuters]%

  • 2025 (Oct) — Canva commits $100M to GiveDirectly to expand district-scale cash programs.

What’s Poppin’

What’s on deck for Melanie and Canva and some signals to watch.

Enterprise lock-in. Expect deeper pushes into workflows that big companies care about (governance, analytics, data integrations), building on 95% F500 penetration and 2025’s launch of Sheets and the LinkedIn Ads app. Watch for more first-party integrations that collapse the “design → publish → measure” loop inside Canva.

Capital optionality. After August’s $42B staff sale, Canva has a playbook for employee liquidity without a fixed IPO date. The company continues to say timing will be deliberate; an eventual listing would likely focus on U.S. public markets, but no formal filing has been announced. %[Reuters]%

Influence & Inclusion

How Melanie represents who she is and empowers others.

Perkins’ Two-Step Plan is a blueprint for blending scale and service. Beyond the $100M GiveDirectly expansion in 2025, Canva’s long-running “Be a Force for Good” commitments include pledging a meaningful portion of equity/profits and providing free premium access to nonprofits—now 800,000+ nonprofit teams globally.

Inside the industry, that stance sets a bar: build a category-defining platform, then hard-wire impact so growth lifts more boats. With cofounders on the Giving Pledge (and Cameron Adams joining in 2025), Perkins’ playbook shows how a mainstream software company can mobilize product, profit, and philanthropy at the same time. %[Fortune]%

Link up

Next … Melissa Butler: The Lip Bar / thread

$https://www.tiktok.com/@melissarbutler/video/7468380972409703726$
Credit: Mel B
tiktok.com/@melissarbutler

11. Melissa Butler
The Lip Bar / thread

Caption

“If it doesn’t look good on deeper skin tones, we won't launch it, and that's not a claim too many other brands can make. Our customers are our community, and they are always top of mind for thread.” — Melissa Butler %[Beautymatter]%

TL;DR

Melissa Butler is a Detroit-born founder who left Wall Street (Barclays) to build a house of inclusive beauty brands: The Lip Bar (TLB) and thread beauty (thread). She’s candid about hard pivots, profits, and community—prioritizing real talk over hype. In 2025, TLB projects ~40% sales growth and doubling EBITDA thanks to channel diversification (Amazon, Walmart, CVS, TikTok Shop) and a big push to DTC. %[Endeavor U.S.]%

Launched in 2012 with kitchen-made lipsticks, TLB hit Target shelves in 2018 (initially 44 stores), moved into CVS and Walmart, and opened a flagship in downtown Detroit. In 2022, Butler launched thread beauty at Target to serve Gen-Z with $8 multi-use sticks in 24 complexion shades. Today, TLB is carried in ~2,000 U.S. doors across Target, CVS, and Walmart and sells on Amazon. %[Happi]%

Cheat Sheet

10 fast facts and receipts for Melissa and The Lip Bar / thread.

  1. Origin (2012) — Butler started TLB in her Brooklyn kitchen while working on Wall Street (Barclays). %[Endeavor U.S.]%

  2. Shark Tank (2015) — Rejected on national TV—Kevin O’Leary said competitors would “crush you like the colorful cockroaches you are.” Butler turned that moment into fuel. %[Detroit News]%

  3. First Big Retail (2018) — TLB launched at 44 Target stores; Target footprint deepened in 2023 (24 shelves vs 3 previously). %[Happi]%

  4. Funding — $2M seed (2018, New Voices Fund) and $6.7M round (2022, led by Pendulum; Fearless Fund & Endeavor participated).

  5. Flagship — Detroit store now at 1444 Woodward Ave, used as a learning lab and profitable channel. %[Allure]%

  6. Assortment Moves — “Fast Face” system (2019) expanded TLB beyond lips into face/eyes—built for quick, easy looks. %[Allure]%

  7. Awards — Allure Best of Beauty 2020 (Fresh Glow bronzer-blush duo).

  8. Distribution (2023–25) — Added 3,300 CVS doors (Sept 2023), bringing total to ~5,300 then; as of 2025, TLB cites ~2,000 doors across Target/CVS/Walmart and Amazon. %[Glossy]%

  9. 2025 Performance — TLB expects ~40% overall growth and doubling EBITDA; dot-com up ~150% YoY; Amazon is “crushing it.” %[Beauty Independent]%

  10. Team — 100% women, ~70% Black women. %[Beauty Independent]%

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What Melissa built and why The Lip Bar / thread sticks.

Melissa’s brands stick because they’re useful, inclusive, and priced for scale. TLB’s “Fast Face” framework demystifies beauty into a handful of steps and skews that actually get used—then pairs that with distribution where her customer already shops (Target, CVS, Walmart, Amazon). The product thesis: less fuss, more payoff. %[Allure]%

Representation isn’t a campaign; it’s baked in. Butler keeps her core community centered while building products that work across skin tones. Her point: lips don’t have races—great formulas and cultural relevance invite everyone in. %[Beauty Independent]%

Drop Strategy

How Melissa creates and captures demand.

The engine is content → curiosity → conversion. Butler says social relevance drives discovery; shoppers then search and buy where they want—Amazon, TikTok Shop, Target, or TLB.com. To capitalize, TLB ensures PDPs and retargeting are dialed in so discovery turns into orders. Meanwhile, DTC stays close to the story—and it’s up ~150% YoY. %[Beauty Independent]%

Channel hedging is deliberate. When mass retail softens (Target down for TLB in 2025), the brand leans into Amazon (a top beauty marketplace), CVS endcaps/doors, and DTC storytelling to keep growth comping positive. %[Beauty Independent]%

How She’s Cookin’

How Melissa runs The Lip Bar / thread—her role(s) and day-to-day involvement, leadership qualities, etc.

Melissa is unabashedly profit-minded. If a channel isn’t profitable, she cuts it; the Detroit flagship stays because it makes money and functions as an R&D lab for product and services (makeup lessons, brows, full looks). %[Beauty Independent]%

She leads with radical transparency—explaining tariffs, price moves, and operating trade-offs to her audience. And she builds teams that mirror her consumer: 100% women, ~70% Black women. That combo—clarity + representation—shows up in product decisions and in how the brand communicates. %[Beauty Independent]%

Proof She’s Built Different

Milestone moments that move(d) the needle for Melissa and The Lip Bar / thread.

  • 2012 — Launches The Lip Bar in Brooklyn while working at Barclays. %[Endeavor U.S.]%

  • 2015 — Shark Tank rejection; O’Leary’s “colorful cockroaches” line goes viral—Butler persists. %[Detroit News]%

  • 2018 — TLB lands in 44 Target stores (first national retail). %[Happi]%

  • 2018 — Raises $2M seed from New Voices Fund.

  • 2019 — Debuts Fast Face collection (foundation, palette, brows, liner, mascara). %[Allure]%

  • 2020 — Allure Best of Beauty (Fresh Glow); launches Bawse Voter with When We All Vote (500 units).

  • 2022 — Launches thread at Target (multi-use sticks, $8, 24 shades); raises $6.7M led by Pendulum.

  • 2023 — Expands to 3,300 CVS doors; Target shelf space expands ~700%. %[Glossy]%

  • 2023–24 — Moves flagship to 1444 Woodward Ave., Detroit; continues community services/events. %[Allure]%

  • 2025: Despite Target softness, TLB projects ~40% growth; EBITDA doubling; DTC +150% YoY; Amazon “crushing it.” %[Beauty Independent]%

What’s Poppin’

What’s on deck for Melissa and The Lip Bar / thread and some signals to watch.

Signals to watch: more weight behind Amazon and DTC (both cited by Butler), plus TikTok Shop activations that shorten the scroll-to-checkout gap. Expect continued assortment editing toward bestsellers (liquid matte lipstick, tinted moisturizer, mascara). %[Beauty Independent]%

Tariff watch: Butler says tariffs forced supplier negotiations and selective price increases (taken in Nov 2024 following election results). Translation: expect transparent pricing explanations to remain part of TLB’s comms playbook. %[Beauty Independent]%

Influence & Inclusion

How Melissa represents who she is and empowers others.

Melissa’s impact is two-fold: she built the largest Black-owned makeup brand in Target—and she publicly wrestles with how to serve Black women first and invite broader audiences in. That honesty educates founders and shoppers alike. %[Beauty Independent]%

Receipts meet role model: ESSENCE’s 2020 Beauty Boss of the Year; Inc. Female Founders 100 (2020); and a feed that shows the journey in real time. Current reach on Instagram (as of Oct 2025): @thelipbar ~433K, @threadbeauty ~38K, @melissarbutler ~85K. %[Essence]%

Link up

Next … Mikaila Ulmer: Me & the Bees

$https://www.tiktok.com/@herstory.network/video/7499147138312473887$
Credit: Herstory Network
tiktok.com/@herstory.network

12. Mikaila Ulmer
Me & the Bees

Caption

“It’s not just the product you sell but the story you tell!” — Mikaila Ulmer %[Canteen]%

TL;DR

Mikaila Ulmer is the founder and CEO behind Me & the Bees, the honey-sweetened lemonade brand that started at a kid’s stand in Austin in 2009 and grew into a national CPG with distribution in 6,000+ stores and all 50 states. Her point of difference: a purpose-built brand that weaves sustainability and pollinator protection into the product story—plus a flavor lineup that’s genuinely crushable (Classic, Prickly Pear, Black Cherry, Passion Fruit, Very Berry).

Today, she’s not just a founder; she’s also an Emory University Woodruff Scholar (economics + quantitative sciences), a published author (Bee Fearless, Putnam), and a youth entrepreneurship icon who once introduced President Obama at the White House United State of Women Summit. Her company’s nonprofit, the Healthy Hive Foundation, channels dollars and attention to research, education, and habitat initiatives that support pollinators. %[Emory News]%

Cheat Sheet

10 fast facts and receipts for Mikaila and Me & the Bees.

  1. Origin — Launched as BeeSweet Lemonade in Austin (2009) using Great-Granny Helen’s 1940s flaxseed recipe—then rebranded to Me & the Bees on May 2, 2016.

  2. The TV Moment — Pitched on Shark Tank (2015); offer of $60,000 from Daymond John (contingent on distribution). %[ABC News]%

  3. Retail Breakthrough — Whole Foods picked up the brand in 55 stores across 4 states (AR, TX, LA, OK) in 2016. %[TIME]%

  4. Funding Pop — In July 2017, a group of NFL players led by Arian Foster invested $810,000. %[BevNET]%

  5. Scale (2023–2025) — Me & the Bees reports it’s available in 6,000+ stores and all 50 states; BevNET also reported “more than 6,000 retailers.”

  6. Packaging Evolution — In Oct 2024, the line transitioned from glass to 100% recyclable 12-oz aluminum cans. %[PRWeb]%

  7. Flavors (Current) — Classic, Prickly Pear, Black Cherry, Passion Fruit, Very Berry. %[PRWeb]%

  8. Go-to-market Infra — Retail distribution via UNFI, KeHE, Ben E. Keith; foodservice via Delaware North, Sodexo, Foodbuy/Compass.

  9. Airports & OCS/Micro-markets — Airport placements (AUS Austin) and $250K+ donated to bee causes. %[Canteen]%

  10. Founder Now — Emory University Woodruff Scholar; Bee Fearless author (hardcover 2020; paperback 2021). %[Emory News]%

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What Mikaila built and why Me & the Bees sticks.

What Mikaila built is deceptively simple: real lemonade, sweetened with honey, wrapped in a story that actually means something—and backed up by consistent action. From day one, she funneled a portion of proceeds to bee health. In 2016, she formalized that commitment with the Healthy Hive Foundation (a 501(c)(3); EIN 85-2581926). That structure lets the brand scale impact in a credible way—funding research grants, delivering education, and supporting habitat projects.

The brand sticks because the product and purpose are integrated, not bolted on. The can transition wasn’t a vanity refresh; it aligned with Gen-Z sustainability preferences and supply-chain efficiency (lighter weight, more recyclable). And the flavor set evolved with it, adding Passion Fruit and Very Berry while keeping Prickly Pear and Black Cherry—a lineup that feels both familiar and fresh. %[PRWeb]%

Drop Strategy

How Mikaila creates and captures demand.

Me & the Bees is clever with where it shows up. The early Whole Foods placement created credibility; broader grocery and foodservice channels (C-stores, corporate dining, airports) put the brand directly into grab-and-go behavior. The airport nod is smart: high traffic, high trial, strong price tolerance. %[Canteen]%

Packaging was the 2024 “drop.” The aluminum can reveal doubled as a sustainability announcement and a flavor refresh—a launch moment that merchandises the mission. The company’s PR calls out the rationale (circular economy, recycle rates, lower shipping energy) and thanks national partners (Target, Whole Foods Market, The Fresh Market, H-E-B, World Market; UNFI/KeHE; Compass, Sodexo, Delaware North) for supporting the change. %[PRWeb]%

How She’s Cookin’

How Mikaila runs Me & the Bees—her role(s) and day-to-day involvement, leadership qualities, etc.

Operationally, this is a family-powered, process-minded business that learned to scale: UNFI/KeHE for retail distribution; Compass/Sodexo/Delaware North for foodservice; and contract manufacturing to support national demand. (The company FAQ lays out the channel partners plainly.)

As for the founder’s day-to-day: during the school year Mikaila keeps her head down on classes, leans on her team, and uses breaks for deeper company work. That’s a realistic founder-student cadence, and it matches the brand’s steady, compounding growth. %[Emory News]%

Proof She’s Built Different

Milestone moments that move(d) the needle for Mikaila and Me & the Bees.

  • 2009 — Launches BeeSweet Lemonade stand in Austin, TX. %[Emory News]%

  • 2014–2015 — Whole Foods partner/loan program; early retail distribution. %[Whole Foods Market Media]%

  • 2015 — Pitches on Shark Tank; offer of $60,000 from Daymond John (with distribution condition). %[ABC News]%

  • 2016 (Mar–May) — Expansion to 55 Whole Foods stores (4 states); rebrand to Me & the Bees (May 2). %[TIME]%

  • 2016 (Jun) — Introduces President Obama at the United State of Women Summit.

  • 2017 (Jul) — $810,000 NFL investors’ round led by Arian Foster. %[BevNET]%

  • 2020 — Publishes Bee Fearless (Putnam).

  • 2023 — Company update highlights scale (thousands of doors), foodservice, and airport expansion via Delaware North. %[PRWeb]%

  • 2024 (Oct) — Moves to 100% recyclable 12-oz cans; unveils refreshed five-flavor lineup. %[PRWeb]%

  • 2025 — Featured by Emory Magazine as a Woodruff Scholar and founder balancing school + scaling brand. %[Emory News]%

What’s Poppin’

What’s on deck for Mikaila and Me & the Bees and some signals to watch.

Cans create new placements. Expect further penetration in airports, corporate campuses, hospitals, and stadiums through foodservice partners (Compass/Sodexo/Delaware North) now that cans are a better operational fit than glass. Watch for incremental doors and seasonal rotations in micro-markets and OCS.

Mission flywheel. The Healthy Hive Foundation fuels education and advocacy (garden grants, roadshows, research funding). As that footprint grows, it gives the brand more storytelling opportunities (earned media, curriculum tie-ins) that tend to convert to trial when shoppers encounter the product IRL.

Influence & Inclusion

How Mikaila represents who she is and empowers others.

Mikaila’s path is a template for youth, women, and Black founders who want to anchor brand building in purpose without sacrificing commercial rigor. She’s been doing the “social enterprise” thing since elementary school—long before it was table stakes—and she’s done it in the very public arena of national retail. %[TIME]%

She also invests energy in next-gen empowerment—through her book (Bee Fearless), campus talks, and the Healthy Hive’s youth-oriented programming. Net effect: a founder who’s expanding the aperture of who gets seen as a CPG CEO and who’s bringing more girls into the conversation as builders and owners.

Link up

Next … Morgan DeBaun: Blavity Inc.

$https://www.tiktok.com/@morgandebaun/video/7436850053320281374$
Credit: Morgan | Entrepreneur
tiktok.com/@morgandebaun

13. Morgan DeBaun
Blavity Inc.

Caption

“If not me, then who? Who else would be building products for us? It’s on us to build products and solutions and I think that that’s really the case for any underrepresented group.” — Morgan DeBaun %[E! Online]%

TL;DR

St. Louis–born Morgan DeBaun is the founder and CEO of Blavity Inc., a company that builds media, experiences, and software for Black and multicultural audiences. She launched Blavity in 2014 with college friends after starting her career in Silicon Valley at Intuit, where she worked in product and business roles.

Today, Blavity operates a network of brands (Blavity News, AFROTECH, Travel Noire, Shadow and Act, 21Ninety, Home & Texture), an experiential arm (AFROTECH Conference and Blavity House Party), and a recruiting SaaS (Talent Infusion). The company says its media network reaches ~100 million people monthly, with 75 million combined social followers and 21.5 billion total video views. %[Blavity Media Group]%

Cheat Sheet

10 fast facts and receipts for Morgan and Blavity Inc.

  1. Origin — Founded Blavity in 2014 with classmates from Washington University in St. Louis to center Black culture online through news, lifestyle, and community. %[The Source]%

  2. First moves — Started career at Intuit in Silicon Valley before going full-time on Blavity. %[Nieman Lab]%

  3. Audience Footprint — Blavity Media Group reports ~100M average monthly reach, 75M social followers, and 21.5B lifetime video views.

  4. Portfolio — Brands include Blavity News, AFROTECH, Travel Noire, Shadow and Act, 21Ninety, Home & Texture, plus Blavity360° for partners.

  5. Strategic acquisitions — Bought Shadow and Act (Apr 2017) and Travel Noire (Sept 2017) to expand into entertainment and travel.

  6. Fuel for Growth — Closed a $6.5M Series A led by GV (Google Ventures) in 2018; GV’s John Lyman joined the board. %[TechCrunch]%

  7. Restructure for Scale — In 2023, split into Blavity Media Group (BMG) and DEI Solutions Group, and launched Talent Infusion to connect companies with diverse candidates.

  8. Lifestyle Expansion — Launched Home & Texture (Feb 2023), a home and design vertical for Black and multicultural consumers. %[GlobeNewswire]%

  9. Experiential — AFROTECH Conference drew ~25,000 attendees in 2023 (Austin) and ~37,000 in 2024 (Houston). 2025 returns to Houston Oct 27–31.

  10. Author — Released Rewrite Your Rules (Ballantine Books) on Apr 1, 2025. %[Penguin Random House]%

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What Morgan built and why Blavity Inc. sticks.

Morgan built Blavity around a simple insight she experienced at a PWI (predominantly white institution): the conversations, culture, and creativity among Black students had power—and deserved a platform at scale. That cafeteria-table dynamic became the blueprint for a modern media network anchored in trust and representation. %[The Source]%

What keeps the brand sticky is how those values translate into real products: brands that speak in an authentic voice, a recruiting engine (Talent Infusion) that helps companies hire, and experiences (AFROTECH, Blavity House Party) that feel like community—not just content. Blavity’s own materials quantify the effect: ~100M monthly reach and 75M followers amplifying culture across platforms.

Drop Strategy

How Morgan creates and captures demand.

Events as demand engines. AFROTECH functions as both a cultural summit and a massive recruiting marketplace. The conference’s steady growth—from tens of thousands in Austin to ~37,000 in Houston—creates recurring, high-intent touchpoints for brands and jobseekers. That demand then loops back into Blavity’s year-round digital and commerce funnels.

SaaS as capture. With Talent Infusion, Blavity productizes what it has uniquely: community trust and access. The platform streamlines diversity recruiting for employers and gives candidates a direct lane into inclusive teams—extending value long after a single campaign or event ends.

How She’s Cookin’

How Morgan runs Blavity Inc.—her role(s) and day-to-day involvement, leadership qualities, etc.

Morgan’s operator DNA shows up in the way she toggles between product, partnerships, and editorial judgment. Early on she managed news flow at dawn, synced with distributed teams, and moved quickly on audience signals—habits that set a high-tempo operating cadence the company still benefits from. %[The Cut]%

She also leans into purpose as a management principle—leading through change while keeping teams aligned on why the work matters. That combination of clarity and empathy has been a through-line as Blavity added new lines of business and weathered industry shifts. %[Asana]%

Proof She’s Built Different

Milestone moments that move(d) the needle for Morgan and Blavity Inc.

  • 2014 — Co-founds Blavity with fellow WashU alumni to center Black culture online. %[The Source]%

  • 2017 (Apr) — Acquires Shadow and Act, deepening coverage of film and TV from the African diaspora.

  • 2017 (Sep) — Acquires Travel Noire; founder Zim Ugochukwu joins Blavity leadership. %[TechCrunch]%

  • 2018 — Raises $6.5M Series A led by GV; expands engineering and data teams. %[TechCrunch]%

  • 2022–2024 — AFROTECH scales from Austin (25K in 2023) to Houston (37K in 2024).

  • 2023 (Jan-Mar) — Hires first CRO; restructures into two divisions; announces Talent Infusion. %[GlobeNewswire]%

  • 2023 (Feb) — Launches Home & Texture to serve Black and multicultural homeowners. %[GlobeNewswire]%

  • 2023–2024 — Acquires RNB House Party and rebrands it to Blavity House Party; debuts inaugural festival in 2024.

  • 2024 (Jul) — Marks 10 years; reiterates ~100M monthly reach across portfolio.

  • 2025 (Apr) — Publishes Rewrite Your Rules (Ballantine), extending her playbook to ambitious readers. %[Penguin Random House]%

What’s Poppin’

What’s on deck for Morgan and Blavity Inc. and some signals to watch.

AFROTECH 2025 is set for October 27–31, 2025, back in Houston—positioning the conference to build on last year’s 37K turnout and keep momentum with employers and candidates heading into 2026 planning cycles. %[Yahoo Tech]%

On the media side, expect continued integration between BMG’s editorial brands, Blavity360° partnerships, and Talent Infusion’s recruiting stack. The through-line is measurable outcomes for both audiences and advertisers—content that converts to career opportunities and brand results.

Influence & Inclusion

How Morgan represents who she is and empowers others.

Morgan’s background is central to the mission. A St. Louis native and WashU alum, she built Blavity to reflect conversations she and her peers wanted to see reflected in mainstream media—and then scaled it to national impact.

Her leadership also widens the path for others: as one of a small cohort of Black women who’ve raised seven-figure venture rounds (and later a GV-led Series A), she’s both modeling what’s possible and creating real pipelines—via AFROTECH and Talent Infusion—for the next wave of Black technologists, creatives, and founders. %[TechCrunch]%

Link up

Next … Noura Sakkijha: Mejuri

$https://www.tiktok.com/@mejuri/video/7515520791723658501$
Credit: Mejuri
tiktok.com/@mejuri

14. Noura Sakkijha
Mejuri

Caption

“It’s what I always tell my friends: When you’re working hard and making your own disposable income, buy yourself the damn diamond!” — Noura Sakkijha %[Goop]%

TL;DR

Noura Sakkijha is a Jordanian-born, third-generation jeweler and industrial engineer who moved to Canada and co-founded Mejuri in 2015 to flip fine jewelry’s oldest script: make great 14k gold and diamond pieces for women buying for themselves—not just gifts purchased by others. %[The Business of Fashion]%

Under her lead, Noura popularized weekly “new arrivals” and a direct-to-consumer model that pairs accessible pricing with thoughtful sourcing. The brand’s receipts are real: Series A in 2018, Series B in 2019, 29 stores by late 2023 on the way to broader global expansion, 2.4M customers since launch (2024), and a 2023 launch of SCS-certified lab-grown diamonds. It’s also moving sustainability from claims to verifiable targets (SBTi-validated in Feb 2025) and nature-positive sourcing (Salmon Gold). %[The Business of Fashion]%

Cheat Sheet

10 fast facts and receipts for Noura and Mejuri.

  1. Origin (2015) — Mejuri launched as a DTC fine-jewelry brand led by CEO Noura Sakkijha, a third-generation jeweler with an industrial-engineering background. %[The Business of Fashion]%

  2. Drop DNA — Weekly new arrivals underpin demand; Mejuri+ members even get free shipping every Monday to align with the cadence.

  3. Self-Purchase Reality — In 2019, ~75% of Mejuri customers were women buying for themselves; in 2021, ~70% of sales were self-purchase—proof the narrative shift is real. %[Hypebae]%

  4. Funding — $5M Series A (Felix Capital, 2018) and $23M Series B (NEA, 2019). (The Business of Fashion)

  5. Customers & Footprint — 2.4M customers since launch (FT, 2024) and 29 stores by Dec 2023, with an expansion push that has included Australia (Sydney). %[Financial Times]%

  6. Lab-Grown Diamonds — Debuted Dec 2023, sourced from SCS Global Services-certified suppliers; launched with Mejuri+ members-only access before wider roll-out. %[Glossy]%

  7. Recycled Metals — As of 2025 updates, 94.11% of gold and 94.75% of silver are from recycled sources.

  8. SBTi Validation: Near-term science-based targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in Feb 2025.

  9. Nature-Positive Sourcing — Founding partner of Regeneration; launched Salmon Gold collections (2024–2025), using 100% traceable, restoration-linked gold. %[Fast Company]%

  10. Empowerment Fund — Established 2020; $1M+ contributed to scholarships and advocacy (e.g., CARE’s She Soars; Indspire; UNCF), with continued reporting toward 2030 goals.

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What Noura built and why Mejuri sticks.

Noura’s differentiator wasn’t a trend; it was a customer truth: women want fine jewelry they can wear daily and buy for themselves. That “everyday luxury” lane—14k solid gold, diamonds, and sterling silver—lets Mejuri sit between legacy jewelers and costume jewelry, with weekly product rhythms and transparent sourcing that feel modern, not mysterious. %[Financial Times]%

She also engineered a retail playbook that complements DTC: stores drive higher lifetime value (per trade coverage), and experiences (piercing studios, styling) reinforce the brand’s self-expression POV. The strategy shows in the footprint’s growth and market entries like Sydney in 2025. %[JCK]%

Drop Strategy

How Noura creates and captures demand.

Mejuri’s “always something new” cadence builds habitual demand. New arrivals hit weekly; Mejuri+ members get early access/exclusive products and free Monday shipping—stacking mechanics that prime discovery and conversion.

The brand also plays culture-adjacent: Mejuri Play extends into tennis and sport-driven style storytelling (think Racquet Magazine partnership and US Open-timed activations), translating classic jewelry codes into everyday, movement-friendly pieces. %[NYCJW]%

How She’s Cookin’

How Noura runs Mejuri—her role(s) and day-to-day involvement, leadership qualities, etc.

As CEO, Noura blends process rigor (industrial-engineering roots) with consumer empathy, steering design, sourcing, and retail in lockstep. Her leadership mantra centers on self-purchase empowerment—codified in that now-iconic “buy yourself the damn diamond” line—and on building a team that mirrors the customer. %[DMZ]%

She’s also candid about scaling while parenting: Noura publicly shared how she closed the Series B while seven months pregnant with twins, using that experience to choose investors aligned with her values. %[Glamour]%

Proof She’s Built Different

Milestone moments that move(d) the needle for Noura and Mejuri.

  • 2015 — Launches Mejuri as a DTC fine-jewelry brand centered on women’s self-purchase. %[The Business of Fashion]%

  • 2018 — Raises $5M Series A (Felix Capital). %[The Business of Fashion]%

  • 2019 — Closes $23M Series B (NEA); Noura later writes about doing so while 7 months pregnant. %[TechCrunch]%

  • 2021 — Confirms ~70% of sales are self-purchase.

  • 2023 (Dec) — Sells SCS-certified lab-grown diamonds; initial Mejuri+ members-only access. %[Glossy]%

  • 2023 (Dec) — 29 stores; aims to accelerate retail expansion in 2024. %[JCK]%

  • 2024 (May-Jun) — 2.4M customers since launch (FT); Salmon Gold collection debuts via Regeneration partnership. %[Financial Times]%

  • 2025 (Feb) — SBTi validates Mejuri’s near-term climate targets.

  • 2025 — Opens Sydney (first Australia store). %[Jewellery World]%

What’s Poppin’

What’s on deck for Noura and Mejuri and some signals to watch.

Packaging revamp: Company reporting says redesigned packaging launches winter 2025, prioritizing recycled materials, eliminating plastic, and upping reuse/recyclability—while continuing an opt-in reduced-packaging option.

Nature-positive sourcing at scale: 2025 updates note a second Salmon Gold collection and continued investment in Regeneration, with site-tracked restoration outcomes (acres and stream meters restored) as sourcing expands.

Influence & Inclusion

How Noura represents who she is and empowers others.

Mejuri is women-led and majority women-employed: the company says ~78% of its team identifies as women, with Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) reporting also indicating a 51–80% range across the org. That internal mirror matters when the customer is also predominantly women.

Post-Dobbs, WEPs highlighted Mejuri’s expanded benefits—including travel reimbursement for healthcare and “no-questions-asked” time off—demonstrating policy-level support alongside public empowerment messaging. The Empowerment Fund complements that with $1M+ in scholarships and advocacy partnerships to widen access to education and upskilling. %[weps.org]%

Link up

Next … Olamide Olowe: Topicals / Cost Of Doing Business (CODB)

$https://www.tiktok.com/@olamideolowe/video/7176346703740800302$
Credit: Olamide Ayomikun Olowe
tiktok.com/@olamideolowe

15. Olamide Olowe
Topicals / Cost Of Doing Business (CODB)

Caption

“Sometimes, we have seen that the pendulum can swing from being extremely harsh and judgmental about what a woman should look like to being harsh and judgmental when a woman chooses to look a specific type of way. Again, our idea of skin neutrality and beauty neutrality is this idea that choice is queen.” — Olamide Olowe %[Glossy]%

TL;DR

Olamide Olowe is the Nigerian-American cofounder and CEO of Topicals, the Gen-Z skincare brand built around science for chronic skin conditions (think hyperpigmentation, eczema, ingrowns) and a very intentional tie-in to mental-health advocacy. She grew up in El Paso, Texas, ran track at UCLA, and launched Topicals in August 2020 with cofounder Claudia Teng. Within two years, Topicals disclosed it was the fastest-growing skincare brand at Sephora and said it was selling “one product every minute” in 2022. %[Beauty Independent]%

In 2025, Olowe broadened her scope with Cost Of Doing Business (CODB), a brand holding company she cofounded with Topicals president Sochi Mbadugha. CODB’s first move: acquiring Maeva Heim’s Bread Beauty Supply. Olowe says she even put in her own money to get the deal done—reflecting both her risk tolerance and her conviction about culturally connected brands. %[The Business of Fashion]%

Cheat Sheet

10 fast facts and receipts for Olamide and Topicals / CODB.

  1. Origin — Born and raised in Texas, Olowe ran sprints at UCLA; her high-school years were in El Paso (El Dorado HS). %[UCLA]%

  2. Early rep — In 2015, while still in college, she co-created SheaGIRL in partnership with SheaMoisture—Sundial Brands (SheaMoisture’s parent) later sold to Unilever in 2017. %[Glossy]%

  3. Launch — Topicals debuted Aug. 7, 2020 via Pop-In@Nordstrom and sold out online in as little as 24–48 hours (coverage varies by SKU/retailer timing). %[Vox]%

  4. Retail Growth — By 2022, Topicals said it was Sephora’s fastest-growing skincare brand and was moving a product “every minute.” %[PR Newswire]%

  5. Funding — Closed a $10M Series A (Nov. 10, 2022) led by CAVU Consumer Partners; total funding is “around $20M.” %[PR Newswire]%

  6. Platform Prowess — In September 2020, Olowe told Modern Retail that on one day Twitter drove 70% of sales; overall it was ~50% at the time. %[Modern Retail]%

  7. International — Entered Sephora UK in April 2024 with reformulated (UK-compliant) SKUs and IRL activations across London. %[Beauty Independent]%

  8. Assortment Hits — Faded Serum, Like Butter Moisturizer, Slather Body Serum, and High Roller ingrown-hair roll-on anchor the line; Faded Under Eye Masks are cited as Sephora’s #1 eye mask.

  9. Team + Channels — As of September 2025, the Topicals team is “40-plus,” with a deliberately balanced mix across Sephora, Amazon, and DTC. %[Beauty Independent]%

  10. Beyond Beauty — In April 2025, Olowe and Mbadugha launched CODB and acquired Bread Beauty Supply; Olowe says she funded the deal alongside a few small investors. %[The Business of Fashion]%

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What Olamide built and why Topicals / CODB sticks.

Olamide’s lens is deeply personal and rigorously scientific. Topicals’ products target chronic concerns with ingredient stacks like tranexamic acid, azelaic acid, kojic acid, and 1% colloidal oatmeal—while the brand tests and educates for every skin tone. She’s explicit that “marketing is psychology,” but the product efficacy has to lead.

The other differentiator is mission clarity. Topicals donates at least 1% of profits to mental-health orgs and documents that it has donated $150K since 2020; in 2025 it’s backing 15 organizations via a “100’s Goal” initiative tied to its Mental Health Fund. This identity (care and cause) makes the brand memorable to a Gen-Z audience that expects receipts.

Drop Strategy

How Olamide creates and captures demand.

From day one, Topicals has been brilliant at channel-fit storytelling. The team used X/Twitter as a discourse-driven education channel, which—per Olamide—could account for outsized sales spikes. Today, drops often fold in limited-edition colorways and bundles on DTC to create urgency while giving power users “more story per SKU.” %[Modern Retail]%

IRL is not dead here. For the UK launch, Topicals leaned heavily into experiences—afternoon tea with micro-creators and a London double-decker bus—plus a partnership with the girl group FLO. This complements its ongoing creator-trip playbook (Bermuda, Accra, Megève), which the brand uses to center creators of color and drive culture-first awareness. %[Beauty Independent]%

How She’s Cookin’

How Olamide runs Topicals / CODB—her role(s) and day-to-day involvement, leadership qualities, etc.

Day-to-day, Olamide splits time across product, creative, and brand, while president Sochi Mbadugha runs growth ops and sales. She underscores that being in retail is “very difficult because it is expensive,” so Topicals actively balances Sephora with Amazon and DTC to “control our destiny” and keep learning cycles fast. %[Beauty Independent]%

Her leadership style is calm-risk-on and community-anchored: build a few SKUs extremely well, tell culture-rich stories, and deliver measurable value (from sampling to esthetician access). The “Topicals Certified” program is an example—offering customers access to a skin-of-color-savvy esthetician (bundled with a starter kit) and building a trained expert community around the brand. %[Beauty Independent]%

Proof She’s Built Different

Milestone moments that move(d) the needle for Olamide and Topicals / CODB.

  • 2015–2017 — Co-creates SheaGIRL with SheaMoisture while at UCLA; Sundial (SheaMoisture’s parent) later sells to Unilever (2017). %[Glossy]%

  • 2020 (Aug) — Launches Topicals with Pop-In@Nordstrom; sells out online within 24–48 hours depending on SKU/retailer. %[Vox]%

  • 2020 (Sep) — Says Twitter drove 70% of sales on one day (and ~50% overall). %[Modern Retail]%

  • 2021 — Posts 3x revenue growth (YoY 2021), setting up the Series A. %[PR Newswire]%

  • 2022 (Nov) — Closes $10M Series A; discloses “fastest-growing skincare brand at Sephora” and “one product every minute” pace that year. %[PR Newswire]%

  • 2023 (Mar) — Continues high-visibility thought leadership; keeps message tight on purpose-led building. %[The Hollywood Reporter]%

  • 2024 (Apr) — Launches at Sephora UK with reformulated, UK-compliant SKUs and IRL activations. %[Beauty Independent]%

  • 2025 (Apr) — Launches CODB and acquires Bread Beauty Supply. %[The Business of Fashion]%

  • 2025 (Sep) — Confirms Topicals’ 40-plus team size; No. 1 eye mask at Sephora; announces Topicals Certified. %[Beauty Independent]%

What’s Poppin’

What’s on deck for Olamide and Topicals / CODB and some signals to watch.

Short term, expect Topicals to continue tightening the flywheel: limited drops and DTC bundles (especially around eye-mask color sets), more expert access via Topicals Certified, and a steady two-to-three-launches-per-year cadence. The team is also leaning into UK education (where ~60% of beauty purchases are online) to ensure awareness matches distribution. %[Beauty Independent]%

On the CODB side, Olamide’s hunting “culturally relevant” brands beyond beauty, with an eye on food/bev and even fintech over the long arc. She’s candid that turnarounds take “patient capital,” but the thesis is clear: audiences (not just economies of scale) are the real leverage. %[Beauty Independent]%

Influence & Inclusion

How Olamide represents who she is and empowers others.

Olamide doesn’t just market to diverse consumers—she designs with them. She’s explicit about testing and education across all skin tones and making chronic-condition care feel approachable and stigma-free. That’s why Topicals pairs clinical formulas with playful storytelling (and yes, even trips that reshape the visual language of beauty). %[Beauty Independent]%

The mental-health commitment isn’t window dressing. Topicals donates 1%+ of profits, has given $150K since 2020, and in 2025 is supporting 15 organizations via its Mental Health Fund’s “100’s Goal.” That’s real money and real programming directed at communities that historically get less support.

Link up

Next … Patty Delgado: Hija De Tu Madre (HDTM)

$https://www.tiktok.com/@hijadetumadrela/photo/7558731991579954463$
Credit: Hija De Tu Madre
tiktok.com/@hijadetumadrela

16. Patty Delgado
Hija De Tu Madre (HDTM)

Caption

“I wanted to create the Latina fashion brand I needed when I was a little girl.” — Patty Delgado %[Los Angeles Times]%

TL;DR

Patty Delgado is the Los Angeles–born daughter of Mexican immigrants who turned a single, hand-embellished denim jacket into Hija De Tu Madre (HDTM), a Latina lifestyle brand that centers bicultural identity with humor, heart, and receipts. She studied at UCLA (switching into religious studies) and launched HDTM in 2016 after sewing a sequined Virgen de Guadalupe appliqué onto her favorite jacket — the “lightbulb” moment that made her realize just how many women would see themselves in that mashup of cultures. %[Los Angeles Times]%

Today, Patty runs a self-funded company that sells apparel, jewelry, stationery, and games to customers in 30+ countries, builds community on Instagram (354K followers as of Oct 2025), and pairs cultural celebration with tangible give-back moments. Recent moves include a 2024 Angel City FC × Klarna capsule (“Del Alma”) that donated 10% of proceeds to CARECEN LA (matched by Klarna), a 2024 Verizon Mother’s Day “mercado bag” giveaway, and a 2025 “Nueva Vida” collaboration with Walmart. %[Patty Delgado : CEO & Designer]%

Cheat Sheet

10 fast facts and receipts for Patty and Hija De Tu Madre.

  1. Origin (2016) — Started HDTM with $500 from a freelancing gig; the first product was that now-famous Virgencita denim jacket. %[Los Angeles Times]%

  2. Mission — “Latinx-ify fashion” with pieces that make customers feel powerful — and do it authentically, not as a trend. %[Glamour]%

  3. Self-funded — No outside funding; today the company has sold to 30+ countries.

  4. Early Traction — In 2018 the brand did six-figure gross profit; the 2019 “Échale Ganas” planner sold out in 45 minutes (and the second batch sold out, too). %[Los Angeles Times]%

  5. Audience — @hijadetumadre on Instagram — ~354K followers as of Oct 2025.

  6. Product Mix — From “La Jefa” desk plates and planners to “Make Jefa Moves” socks and the bilingual Preguntas conversation card game.

  7. Angel City FC × Klarna (2024) — Four-piece “Del Alma” capsule; 10% of proceeds to CARECEN LA, matched by Klarna. %[FashionUnited]%

  8. Verizon (2024) — Limited-edition Mother’s Day mercado bag as a national gift-with-purchase in select stores. %[GlobeNewswire]%

    Walmart (2025) — “Nueva Vida” collection available on Walmart.com; Patty announced the partnership publicly.

  9. App — HDTM iOS app used for drops and “Appy Hour”; 4.9/5 rating on Apple’s App Store.

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What Patty built and why Hija De Tu Madre sticks.

Patty’s brand sticks because it was built to solve her identity puzzle — and it offers that feeling to others. The founding jacket literally stitched together two cultures; the larger proposition is letting customers wear their language, humor, and pride out loud. That’s why HDTM’s copy reads like a cousin hyping you up (“Make Jefa Moves,” “Sí se puede”), and why jacket, jewelry, and stationery lines span many Latin American countries by name. It’s representation you can hold. %[Glamour]%

She also codified “Jefa” energy into the calendar by founding National Jefa Day (March 31) to spotlight Latina entrepreneurs — a baton she’s continued to pass through bigger platforms like PepsiCo’s Juntos Crecemos “Jefa-Owned” campaign.

Drop Strategy

How Patty creates and captures demand.

HDTM leans into limited drops and occasion-based product storytelling. Onsite and in-app copy literally invites fans to “APPY HOUR” for drops, freebies, and more — rewarding the most tapped-in community members and creating a pulse for product news. The brand’s own mobile app simplifies fast checkout and push-notifies new collections.

Seasonal and partner capsules amplify demand. In 2024, HDTM designed Angel City FC’s Hispanic-Heritage–timed “Del Alma” collection with Klarna (benefitting CARECEN LA), and created a Mother’s Day Verizon “mercado bag” giveaway that put the brand in front of national retail foot traffic — both pairing cultural relevance with discoverability. %[FashionUnited]%

How She’s Cookin’

How Patty runs Hija De Tu Madre—her role(s) and day-to-day involvement, leadership qualities, etc.

Patty is a creative-first operator who’s stayed fully self-funded, which keeps the brand’s voice tight and decisions fast. In a March 30, 2025 Latina to Latina podcast episode, she talked about harnessing ADHD as a superpower, and why she’s chosen to keep HDTM independent — to protect exactly the kind of product and community she wanted as a first-gen kid. %[Apple Podcasts]%

The result is a hands-on design practice, a small, scrappy production mentality (rooted in those early days sewing patches on her parents’ couch), and a brand that prioritizes dialogue with its audience. That feedback loop shows up in product (e.g., planners, desk plates, and bilingual games born from community requests) and in the way new collabs get framed around shared values. %[Los Angeles Times]%

Proof She’s Built Different

Milestone moments that move(d) the needle for Patty and Hija De Tu Madre.

  • 2016 — Sews the first Virgencita denim jacket; launches Hija De Tu Madre that November. %[Los Angeles Times]%

  • 2018 — HDTM posts six-figure gross profit. %[Los Angeles Times]%

  • 2018 (Dec) — Releases “Échale Ganas” planner; sells out in 45 minutes (second batch sells out, too). %[Los Angeles Times]%

  • 2019 — Named a Tory Burch Foundation Fellow.

  • 2019 (Sep) — Featured by Glamour; delivers the now-iconic denim/Guadalupe line. %[Glamour]%

  • 2021 — Founds National Jefa Day (March 31).

  • 2022 (Mar) — PepsiCo launches Jefa-Owned, unveiling limited-edition merch in collaboration with Hija De Tu Madre at NASDAQ’s Opening Bell. %[NASDAQ]%

  • 2023 (Mar) — National Jefa Day activations with PepsiCo (free meals at Jefa-Owned restaurants in select cities). %[FSR Magazine]%

  • 2024 (May) — Verizon teams with HDTM for an exclusive Mother’s Day mercado bag GWP in select U.S. stores. %[GlobeNewswire]%

  • 2024 (Oct) — Angel City FC × Klarna × Hija De Tu Madre “Del Alma” capsule; 10% of proceeds go to CARECEN LA, matched by Klarna. %[FashionUnited]%

  • 2025 (Mar) — Latina to Latina episode drops; Patty previews FATHER, her Western-inspired leather heirlooms line. %[Apple Podcasts]%

  • 2025 — “Nueva Vida” collaboration with Walmart goes live on Walmart.com.

What’s Poppin’

What’s on deck for Patty and Hija De Tu Madre and some signals to watch.

FATHER (Patty’s next act) is emerging alongside HDTM. In her 2025 Latina to Latina podcast interview, she frames it as “Western-inspired leather heirlooms,” extending her design language into timeless, higher-craft pieces — a logical brand ladder from graphic tees to goods meant to last. Keep an eye on @leatherbyfather for product reveals.

On the HDTM side, two clear near-term focuses: (1) Mobile-led drops and app-exclusive perks (the “Appy Hour” call-outs are front and center on site), and (2) retail-partner capsules that pair culture with impact — a playbook proven with Angel City FC/Klarna and Verizon.

Influence & Inclusion

How Patty represents who she is and empowers others.

Patty’s core thesis is that Latinx consumers are mainstream — not a niche — and that authentic representation should be created by the community, for the community. That through-line shows up in everything from country-name jewelry to bilingual games and planners that slip Spanglish into your workday. In her Glamour interview, she underscores the importance of distinguishing what’s authentic from what’s appropriated. %[Glamour]%

She also built infrastructure to lift others: National Jefa Day (founded 2021) celebrates Latina entrepreneurs each March 31, and her collaborations route real dollars to community organizations (e.g., CARECEN LA via the 2024 Angel City FC × Klarna capsule). That’s representation that pays it forward.

Link up

Next … Rihanna: Fenty Beauty / Savage X Fenty

$https://www.tiktok.com/@fentybeauty/video/7552966191917174046$
Credit: Fenty Beauty
tiktok.com/@fentybeauty

17. Rihanna
Fenty Beauty / Savage X Fenty

Caption

“I wanted everyone to feel included. That’s the real reason I made this line.” — Rihanna %[LVMH]%

TL;DR

Rihanna is an artist, entrepreneur, and national hero of Barbados. She co-founded Fenty Beauty with LVMH’s Kendo and launched Savage X Fenty in 2018 (now chaired by Rihanna). Today, the Fenty universe spans makeup, skincare, fragrance, haircare, and lingerie—with a consistent thesis: inclusion at scale and drop-driven cultural moments that translate into measurable sales and media impact. %[PR Newswire]%

In 2025, Rihanna’s beauty-and-intimates empire is still setting the pace. Fenty Beauty just earned a spot in TIME’s new Best Inventions Hall of Fame for its category-shifting Pro Filt’r foundation, cementing the brand’s long-term cultural impact. She also pushed the business into fresh arenas this year: Fenty Beauty + Fenty Skin became the official beauty partners of the WNBA’s New York Liberty in May, and Fenty Beauty officially launched in India on August 7 across Sephora India and Tira. That “right now” energy—paired with 50-shade complexion strategies and viral product storytelling—keeps Fenty at the center of the conversation. %[TIME]%

Cheat Sheet

10 fast facts and receipts for Rihanna and Fenty Beauty / Savage X Fenty.

  1. Origin (2017) — Fenty Beauty launched in 1,600 stores across 17 countries in a single day, resetting shade-range standards from day one. %[PR Newswire]%

  2. Complexion Playbook — Pro Filt’r Soft Matte now comes in 50 shades, while 2024’s Soft’Lit foundation launched with 50 shades and a luminous, longwear finish.

  3. China (2024) — Fenty Beauty entered Mainland China via Sephora on April 1, 2024. %[Cosmetics Business]%

  4. India (2025) — Fenty Beauty + Fenty Skin launched in India on Aug 7, 2025, through Sephora India and Tira, expanding immediate physical access for millions.

  5. Hair (2024) — Rihanna debuted Fenty Hair on June 13, 2024 (later at Sephora on Sept. 3, 2024), widening Fenty’s “for all” promise beyond skin. %[PR Newswire]%

  6. Sports (2025) — Fenty Beauty + Fenty Skin partnered with WNBA champions the New York Liberty—Fenty’s first official team sponsorship. %[Allure]%

  7. Retail (Savage X Fenty) — Savage X Fenty opened its first stores in 2022 (Las Vegas followed by more cities) and later entered Nordstrom in 2024 to scale wholesale reach. %[Retail Dive]%

  8. Leadership Update — Rihanna became Executive Chair of Savage X Fenty in 2023; Hillary Super (now CEO of Victoria’s Secret & Co. as of Sep 2024) was appointed Savage X CEO in Jun 2023. %[Vogue Business]%

  9. Media Impact — A three-second Super Bowl LVII compact-blot moment generated $5.6M in Media Impact Value for Fenty Beauty. %[Vogue Business]%

  10. Recognition (2025) — TIME inducted Fenty Beauty into its Best Inventions Hall of Fame for long-term cultural influence. %[TIME]%

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What Rihanna built and why Fenty Beauty / Savage X Fenty sticks.

Rihanna’s moat is radical inclusion, delivered with product credibility. From the jump, Fenty Beauty refused to treat deep or very fair complexions as edge cases, launching at real scale—globally, on day one. That playbook—backed by her own method (“The Fenty Face”) and complexion-first drops—made foundation a cultural conversation. Soft’Lit’s 2024 debut doubled down on that promise with a 50-shade luminous formula to complement the matte icon that started it all. %[PR Newswire]%

She also keeps expanding the beauty ecosystem in authentic ways. Fenty Hair was a strategic category add: inclusive haircare (vegan, clinically tested) designed to repair across textures, which then moved into Sephora to scale discovery. Pair that with a fashion-to-fandom flywheel—Savage X Fenty as the body-positive, IRL playground—and you get a founder-led house that still feels personal while operating at enterprise scale. %[PR Newswire]%

Drop Strategy

How Rihanna creates and captures demand.

Fenty launches are cinematic and conversational. The brand choreographs newness across Rihanna’s channels, retail partners, and editorial placements, then lets the internet play—swatches, wear tests, routine remixes. The Soft’Lit rollout checked every box: a universally-flattering finish in 50 shades, rapid creator seeding, and immediate Sephora availability. It’s the same muscle Fenty flexed at the Super Bowl, where a blink-and-you-missed-it blot compact became the most valuable ad of the night for a beauty brand. %[Vogue Business]%

On the fashion side, Savage X Fenty moved from spectacle (Prime Video “Vol.” shows) to access (stores, wholesale). The brand still creates tentpole moments—Valentine’s, runway-film nostalgia—but its 2024 Nordstrom expansion signals a play for recurring revenue and broader try-on behavior, not just hype. %[GlobeNewswire]%

How She’s Cookin’

How Rihanna runs Fenty Beauty / Savage X Fenty—her role(s) and day-to-day involvement, leadership qualities, etc.

Rihanna is a hands-on creative operator with clear guardrails: she uses Executive Chair (Savage) and founder roles (Fenty Beauty / Fenty Skin / Fenty Hair) to steer concept, casting, and campaign direction while partnering with Kendo (LVMH) and seasoned execs for operational excellence. That balance lets her set the cultural brief and keep quality high without bottlenecking growth. %[Vogue Business]%

She also chooses smart leverage points—Sephora and Ulta for mass specialty reach, strategic geographies (Mainland China in 2024; India in 2025), and sports partnerships for fresh visibility. The New York Liberty deal is classic Fenty: values-aligned, high-energy, and inherently shareable on game day. %[PR Newswire]%

Proof She’s Built Different

Milestone moments that move(d) the needle for Rihanna and Fenty Beauty / Savage X Fenty.

  • 2017 (Sep) — Fenty Beauty launches in 1,600 stores / 17 countries in one day. %[PR Newswire]%

  • 2019–2022 — Annual Savage X Fenty Show films premiere on Amazon Prime Video, blending runway and music into shoppable spectacle.

  • 2022 (Jan-May) — Savage X Fenty opens first stores (Las Vegas first; more cities follow). %[Retail Dive]%

  • 2022 (Mar) — Fenty Beauty enters all Ulta Beauty stores nationwide. %[PR Newswire]%

  • 2024 (Apr) — Fenty Beauty launches in Mainland China via Sephora. %[Cosmetics Business]%

  • 2024 (Apr) — Soft’Lit foundation launches (50 shades).

  • 2024 (Jun) — Fenty Hair goes live; Sep 2024 expands to Sephora. %[PR Newswire]%

  • 2024 (Aug) — Hillary Super named CEO of Victoria’s Secret & Co., underscoring her industry stature (after serving as Savage X Fenty CEO in 2023). %[Victoria's Secret & Co.]%

  • 2025 (May) — Fenty Beauty + Fenty Skin partner with the New York Liberty—Fenty’s first official team sponsorship. %[Allure]%

  • 2025 (Oct) — TIME inducts Fenty Beauty into the Best Inventions Hall of Fame. %[TIME]%

What’s Poppin’

What’s on deck for Rihanna and Fenty Beauty / Savage X Fenty and some signals to watch.

India is the one to watch. With distribution through Sephora India and Tira across dozens of locations, the near-term signal is assortment depth and community-building (education on shade-matching + Soft’Lit vs. Pro Filt’r). Expect partnerships and city-specific activations through the holiday season to cement brand love.

In the U.S., look for sports x beauty experiments around the Liberty partnership—warm-up branding, in-arena activations, and “get your game face on” content that travels beyond core beauty audiences. Also watch Fenty Hair for new SKUs (repair + styling sets) and continued Sephora expansion. %[Allure]%

Influence & Inclusion

How Rihanna represents who she is and empowers others.

Rihanna’s inclusion ethos isn’t a marketing veneer; it’s baked into product counts, casting, and retail access. Launching Fenty Beauty at global scale—and keeping shade ranges at 50 for new complexion entries—modeled what baseline looks like. Soft’Lit’s 50 shades and Pro Filt’r’s enduring range are the receipts. On the fashion side, Savage X Fenty’s size range (up to 46DDD/42H bras and XS–4XL apparel) treats “every body.”

Her cultural imprint matters, too. As a Barbados native, Rihanna builds from Caribbean roots while rewriting what a modern, founder-led beauty house can be—globally resonant, locally respectful, and relentlessly future-facing. %[PBS]%

Link up

Next … Sarah Paiji Yoo: Blueland

$https://www.tiktok.com/@spaiji/video/7166315063580708139$
Credit: Sarah Paiji Yoo
tiktok.com/@spaiji

18. Sarah Paiji Yoo
Blueland

Caption

“From day one, our mission has been to make sustainable products more accessible to everyone.” — Sarah Paiji Yoo %[Business Wire]%

TL;DR

Korean-American founder Sarah Paiji Yoo is the co-founder and CEO of Blueland, the cleaning (and now personal care) brand known for plastic-free tablets and powders that dissolve in tap water. Launched on Earth Day 2019, Blueland’s pitch is simple: keep the clean home, lose the single-use plastic. The company’s growth has been unusually fast for a climate-first CPG: it has crossed $100 million in sales and claims 1+ billion single-use plastic bottles diverted from landfills and oceans. %[PR Newswire]%

Today, Blueland sells online and at major retailers. In May 2025 it entered 1,800+ Target stores with nine SKUs and exclusive scents; prior national rollouts include Whole Foods Market. The company is also a Certified B Corporation (score: 110), a 2023 and 2024 EPA Safer Choice Partner of the Year, and a TIME Best Inventions 2024 honoree for its Spring Bloom Laundry Detergent Tablets. %[Business Wire]%

Cheat Sheet

10 fast facts and receipts for Sarah and Blueland.

  1. Origin (2019) — Blueland launched on Earth Day (Apr 22, 2019) with its “Clean Up Kit” of refillable cleaners and dissolvable tablets. %[PR Newswire]%

  2. Flagship Idea — Remove water from formulas; ship dry tablets/powders that customers mix with tap water in reusable bottles—cutting plastic and freight. %[Business Wire]%

  3. Receipts — Passed $100M in sales within its first three years; claims 1B+ bottles diverted to date. %[PR Newswire]%

  4. Funding — Raised $20M Series B in 2022 to expand cleaning and enter new categories. %[PR Newswire]%

  5. Retail — National in Whole Foods (2024); expanded to Target (1,800+ doors) in 2025 with exclusive scents. %[Retail Dive]%

  6. Impact/Standards — B Corp certified (score 110). Multiple products Cradle to Cradle Certified (e.g., laundry detergent—Material Health Platinum, issued Feb 24, 2025). %[B Corporation]%

  7. Recognition — EPA Safer Choice Partner of the Year (2023, 2024); TIME Best Inventions 2024 (Spring Bloom Laundry Detergent Tablets).

  8. IP Moat — Dozens of patents issued to Blueland’s parent One Home Brands, Inc. (including U.S. 12,396,930 and 12,391,906 granted in 2025). %[Justia Patents]%

  9. Shark Tank Moment — Accepted $270,000 for 3% equity plus $0.50 royalty until $270k is repaid (Kevin O’Leary), then the royalty drops to $0.25 in perpetuity. %[StartMotionMedia]%

  10. Before Blueland — Co-founded Snapette (mobile fashion shopping); acquired by PriceGrabber in 2013. %[PR Newswire]%

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What Sarah built and why Blueland sticks.

Sarah’s “why” is very personal. As a new mom transitioning to formula, she dug into water quality and learned how pervasive microplastics are. That research—paired with the realization that almost everything in home care ships in single-use plastic—became her founding insight: make it effortless to choose better. %[ELLE]%

Blueland’s brand sticks because it solves a friction point most of us feel (constant restocking of heavy, plastic-packaged cleaners) while offering no-tradeoff performance and design-forward refills. That’s been core from day one; as Sarah puts it, the mission is accessibility at scale, not niche eco-virtue. %[Business Wire]%

Drop Strategy

How Sarah creates and captures demand.

Blueland’s go-to-market blends memorable category education (waterless formats, tablet demos) with retail moments that widen the top of funnel. The Target rollout is a textbook example: accessible price points ($6.99–$13.99), nine SKUs, and exclusive scents to generate discovery on shelf and online. %[Business Wire]%

Equally important: credential drops that build trust and conversion—B Corp certification (score 110), EPA Safer Choice recognition, Cradle to Cradle certifications, and TIME Best Inventions. Each is a receipt that the products are engineered for safety/performance, not just vibes. %[B Corporation]%

How She’s Cookin’

How Sarah runs Blueland—her role(s) and day-to-day involvement, leadership qualities, etc.

Day-to-day, Sarah operates as a hands-on product and brand CEO. You’ll see that in Blueland’s early partnership with Cradle to Cradle to hard-wire material health and circularity into the product creation process, and in the company’s willingness to take public stances on materials (e.g., pushing for better scrutiny of plastics in the home). %[ELLE]%

She’s also unusually candid about the realities of building a mission-first business—emphasizing that profitability is a tool to scale impact. Blueland reached profitability in 2023. That blend of discipline and purpose shows up in the brand’s steady expansion from DTC into national retail without diluting its standards. %[Business Wire]%

Proof She’s Built Different

Milestone moments that move(d) the needle for Sarah and Blueland.

  • 2019 (Apr) — Blueland launches on Earth Day with its first dissolvable cleaning tablets and reusable “Forever Bottles.” %[PR Newswire]%

  • 2019 (May) — Featured in The Wall Street Journal on waterless cleaning formats. %[The Wall Street Journal]%

  • 2019 (Oct) — Appears on Shark Tank Season 11; inks a deal with Kevin O’Leary. %[StartMotionMedia]%

  • 2022 (Feb) — Raises $20M Series B to scale innovation and retail expansion. %[PR Newswire]%

  • 2023-2024 — Named EPA Safer Choice Partner of the Year.

  • 2024 (Jan) — Announces Whole Foods national retail with refillable hand soap; reports $100M+ in sales in three years and 1B+ bottles diverted. %[PR Newswire]%

  • 2024 (Oct) — TIME Best Inventions lists Blueland’s Spring Bloom Laundry Detergent Tablets. %[TIME]%

  • 2025 (Feb) — Laundry detergent certified by Cradle to Cradle with Material Health Platinum. %[cdn.c2ccertified.org]%

  • 2025 (May) — Enters 1,800+ Target stores nationwide with nine SKUs and exclusive scents; confirms 2023 profitability. %[Business Wire]%

  • 2025 (Aug) — Additional U.S. patents (e.g., 12,396,930; 12,391,906) issued to parent One Home Brands for tablet/powder tech. %[Justia Patents]%

What’s Poppin’

What’s on deck for Sarah and Blueland and some signals to watch.

Retail flywheel. With Target added to Whole Foods and other accounts, watch for further door growth and SKU depth as tablets/powders migrate into more household use cases (dish, laundry, bathroom, hand soap—and beyond). The playbook: approachable price points, exclusive scents, and seasonal stories that keep the aisle fresh. %[Business Wire]%

Standards and IP. Expect more third-party certifications and patents to widen Blueland’s defensibility—especially as large incumbents push into concentrates. Recent Cradle to Cradle publications and new 2025 patents point to a steady cadence here. %[cdn.c2ccertified.org]%

Influence & Inclusion

How Sarah represents who she is and empowers others.

Sarah is vocal about representation and belonging, often crediting her Korean-American identity and early work recruiting underrepresented students for Harvard with shaping how she leads and who she builds for. That perspective shows up in product design (accessibility and price) and in the brand’s public advocacy around safer materials and reducing single-use culture. %[Yahoo]%

Her visibility matters beyond Blueland’s bottom line. From Shark Tank to national retail, she provides a widely-seen case study of a woman of color leading a climate-first brand to scale—without compromising on standards. The result: a growing community of younger founders who can point to a mainstream, profitable, mission-driven consumer brand and say, that path is real. %[StartMotionMedia]%

Link up

Next … Sarah Paiji Yoo: Blueland

$https://www.tiktok.com/@rarebeauty/video/7496237773293161774$
Credit: Rare Beauty
tiktok.com/@rarebeauty

19. Selena Gomez
Rare Beauty

Caption

“Beauty doesn’t have to be defined by a like or a comment, or your body. The whole time we were creating [Rare Beauty], we were always under the notion that this was going to be also about mental health and creating a safe place for people to connect.” — Selena Gomez %[Allure]%

TL;DR

Selena Gomez is a Mexican-American singer, actor, producer—and the founder of Rare Beauty. She has repeatedly framed Rare Beauty as a mission-driven brand designed to reduce unrealistic standards and make beauty easier to use—pairing inclusive products with the youth-focused Rare Impact Fund (1% of all sales committed). %[TIME]%

The brand’s rise is rarefied: Rare crossed $400M in net sales in the 12 months ending February 2024, per The Business of Beauty at BoF. In 2025, it expanded into fine fragrance with an accessibility-minded bottle (developed with hand therapists/occupational therapists) and partnered with Sephora to donate 100% of new Rare Beauty fine fragrance sales (Oct 10–12, 2025) to the Rare Impact Fund across dozens of markets. %[The Business of Fashion]%

Cheat Sheet

10 fast facts and receipts for Selena and Rare Beauty.

  1. Origin (2020) — Rare Beauty launched September 3, 2020, with a built-in commitment: 1% of all sales support the Rare Impact Fund for youth mental health. %[TIME]%

  2. Receipts (2024) — >$400M net sales (LTM to Feb 2024); Bloomberg reported the company explored strategic options at a ~$2B valuation. %[The Business of Fashion]%

  3. Founder’s Stance — Despite 2024 deal chatter, Selena said at TIME100 she isn’t selling: “I don’t think I’m going anywhere… I’m enjoying this a little too much.” %[TIME]%

  4. Category Dominance — In 2025, Rare Beauty ranked #1 blush brand at Sephora, responsible for >26% of Sephora’s blush sales. %[WWD]%

  5. Viral Hero — Bloomberg previously reported $70M/year from the Soft Pinch blush category alone (context for the brand’s momentum). %[Bloomberg]%

  6. Accessibility by Design — The Made Accessible initiative (with Casa Colina Research Institute) studies features that make products easier to open, hold, and apply; learnings informed 2025’s ergonomic fragrance bottle. %[casacolina.org]%

  7. Fragrance Debut (Aug 2025) — Rare Eau de Parfum launched with complementary Layering Balms; bottle designed for users with dexterity issues (Selena has lupus). MSRP $75 (50 mL). %[Harper's BAZAAR]%

  8. Direct-to-community — Rare Beauty launched a Substack newsletter (Apr 2025) to share behind-the-scenes product and impact stories—an owned channel beyond social feeds. %[Modern Retail]%

  9. Impact Math (as of Sep 2025) — The Rare Impact Fund has raised over $20M, supports 30 nonprofit partners across five continents, and reaches ~2M people annually. %[PR Newswire]%

  10. Annual Benefit (Oct 2025) — The third Rare Impact Fund Benefit in Los Angeles features host Jimmy Kimmel and a performance by The Marías. %[PR Newswire]%

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What Selena built and why Rare Beauty sticks.

Selena’s point of difference isn’t just celebrity. It’s purpose baked into product. Before launch, she pledged 1% of all sales—not profits—to youth mental health. That decision set the brand’s tone: products are priced and designed to feel approachable, while the brand continually funnels attention (and funds) to mental-health resources. %[TIME]%

Her influence shows up in usability as much as in storytelling. With Made Accessible, Rare partnered with Casa Colina’s clinicians to research real dexterity pain points; findings inform packaging (grippable spheres, twist-and-lock mechanisms) and 2025’s push-button fragrance bottle—proof that accessibility can be premium, not clinical. %[casacolina.org]%

Drop Strategy

How Selena creates and captures demand.

Rare’s playbook blends data-proven hero SKUs with cultural pulses. The Soft Pinch blush line built a durable base (not a one-and-done viral spike), culminating in the #1 Sephora blush share in 2025 (26%+). From there, the brand layered expansions (matte/luminous textures, minis) and limited/early access moments to keep demand spiking without fatiguing the core. %[WWD]%

On community channels, Rare has gone beyond TikTok/IG to Substack—a long-form, founder-voiced journal that humanizes the team and product process. Offline, the brand reimagines pop-ups as experience-first environments (not just selfie booths), a strategy Forbes called a reinvention of “formulaic” beauty pop-ups. %[Modern Retail]%

How She’s Cookin’

How Selena runs Rare Beauty—her role(s) and day-to-day involvement, leadership qualities, etc.

Selena is hands-on in product and storytelling. She worked closely with Chief Product Officer Joyce Kim (ex-NYX) on the 2025 fragrance—choosing notes and pushing for an easy-to-use atomizer (“I have dexterity problems from my lupus… sometimes it’s hard for me to open a bottle of water,” she told Bazaar). That detail clarifies Rare’s difference: accessibility is a founder mandate, not an afterthought. %[Harper's BAZAAR]%

She also curates the room around her. At Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit (Oct 2025), she cited Taylor Swift’s advice (most often attributed to Confucius)—“If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.” It’s how she’s staffed Rare: domain experts like Kim (product) and Elyse Cohen (impact), plus CEO Scott Friedman to operationalize growth. %[Business Insider]%

Proof She’s Built Different

Milestone moments that move(d) the needle for Selena and Rare Beauty.

  • 2020 (Jul) — Mission set: Pledges 1% of sales to the Rare Impact Fund before first product ships. %[TIME]%

  • 2020 (Sep) — Launch: Rare Beauty debuts.

  • 2023 (Jul) — Hero proves out: Bloomberg reports $70M/year from Soft Pinch blush. %[Bloomberg]%

  • 2024 (Mar) — Scale receipt: BoF reports >$400M net sales (LTM) as Rare explores strategic options around a ~$2B valuation window reported by Bloomberg. %[The Business of Fashion]%

  • 2024 (Apr) — Founder commitment: At TIME100, Gomez says she’s not selling and re-ups the mission focus. %[TIME]%

  • 2024 — Impact growth: Fund passes $13M raised (context to the $100M goal). %[TIME]%

  • 2025 (Jan) — Category crown: YipitData (via WWD) names Rare #1 blush brand at Sephora with >26% share. %[WWD]%

  • 2025 (Apr) — Owned media: Rare Beauty launches Substack (long-form, community-first updates). %[LS:N Global]%

  • 2025 (Aug) — New category: Rare Eau de Parfum launches with accessible, ergonomic design. %[Variety]%

  • 2025 (Oct) — Retail for impact: Sephora donates 100% of new Rare Beauty fine fragrance sales to the Rare Impact Fund across global markets. %[PR Newswire]%

  • 2025 (Oct) — Annual benefit: Third Rare Impact Fund Benefit in L.A., hosted by Jimmy Kimmel with The Marías performing. %[PR Newswire]%

What’s Poppin’

What’s on deck for Selena and Rare Beauty and some signals to watch.

Impact front: The Rare Impact Fund targets $100M mobilized for youth mental health. With >$20M raised to date and an expanding partner network, watch for broadened grantee support and program capacity (the 2025 Benefit amplifies this). %[PR Newswire]%

Product & channel front: Expect continued accessibility-first product design and fragrance ecosystem build-out (layering, sets, giftables), plus more owned-media storytelling via Substack and elevated retail campaigns with Sephora around mental-health moments. %[Fast Company]%

Influence & Inclusion

How Selena represents who she is and empowers others.

Selena identifies as a proud third-generation Mexican-American and has used her platform to advocate for immigrant families—context that informs Rare’s inclusive lens and mental-health stance. %[People.com]%

Through Rare, she’s funding youth mental-health access globally while normalizing conversations around care. On the product side, Rare is a case study in universal design—from grippy components to an OT-informed fragrance bottle—and shows how accessibility and desirability can (and should) coexist in prestige beauty. %[Retail Dive]%

Link up

Next … Trinity Mouzon Wofford: Golde

$https://www.tiktok.com/@hellogolde/video/7172239609861049643$
Credit: golde
tiktok.com/@hellogolde

20. Trinity Mouzon Wofford
Golde

Caption

“I wanted to create a brand that was not just, ‘Okay, wellness for Black women,’ but, like, wellness for everyone.” — Trinity Mouzon Wofford %[Harper's BAZAAR]%

TL;DR

Trinity Mouzon Wofford is the co-founder and CEO of Golde, the superfood-powered wellness brand she started in 2017 at age 23 with her partner (now husband), Issey Kobori. She grew up in New York’s Hudson Valley and studied pre-med at NYU, a path shaped by her mom’s experience with autoimmune illness and holistic care. That background informs Golde’s mission: make wellness feel accessible, joyful, and low-friction—from turmeric and matcha latte blends to just-add-water Super-Ades and minimalist skincare.

Since launch, Golde landed at Sephora in 2019—a debut that made Wofford the youngest Black woman to launch a brand at the retailer—then expanded into Target with 460 stores carrying its Super-Ades line in 2021. The company’s 2020 revenue was 5× 2019, with June 2020 sales surpassing all of 2019. In 2025, Wofford was named a Well+Good Changemaker, Golde “reintroduced” Pure Matcha with a “2025 Harvest” callout, and the brand’s site highlighted “Over 100,000 happy customers.” Her first book, Eating at Home (Ten Speed Press), is slated for April 14, 2026. %[Forbes]%

Cheat Sheet

10 fast facts and receipts for Trinity and Golde.

  1. Origin (2017)— Golde began in a one-bedroom Brooklyn apartment with one SKU—the Original Turmeric Latte Blend.

  2. Why It Exists: Wofford’s pre-med/holistic lens (inspired by her mom’s care) led her to build a more inclusive, affordable take on wellness. %[W Magazine]%

  3. Sephora (2019): Debuted on sephora.com; Wofford became the youngest Black woman to launch there. %[Beauty Independent]%

  4. Pandemic Surge (2020): 5× YoY growth; June 2020 topped all of 2019 sales. %[The Cut]%

  5. Target (2021): Rolled out Super-Ades to 460 Target locations nationwide (and online). %[Nylon]%

  6. Community Engine: Built a brand-ambassador program (100 members; ~1,000 on the waitlist, per Wofford). %[The Cut]%

  7. Capital Discipline: Publicly emphasized bootstrapping and turning down investors/major deals to grow pragmatically. %[Inc.com]%

  8. Assortment: Superfood lattes (turmeric, matcha), Super-Ades (calm/debloat/glow), and skincare (Clean Greens, Papaya Bright).

  9. 2025 Refresh: “Reintroducing Pure Matcha” with a “Shop the 2025 Harvest” banner; site touts 100,000+ customers.

  10. Next Up (Books): Eating at Home (Ten Speed Press) publishes April 14, 2026; preorders are live. %[Penguin Random House]%

Powered by ✨Her✨

What Trinity built and why Golde sticks.

Trinity built a feel-good-first brand. Golde’s formats are simple (scoops, stick packs), price-considerate, and ritual-friendly—habits you’ll actually keep. That POV comes straight from her roots: a pre-med foundation and a family story that reframed wellness as daily practice, not luxury. %[W Magazine]%

What makes Golde stick is the clarity between benefit and behavior. Sephora put the brand in front of beauty-curious shoppers in 2019; Target transformed discovery into weekly-shop accessibility in 2021. The result is a company that grows by meeting customers where they already are—and with Wofford’s candid, practical leadership (she calls their approach “extreme capital efficiency”), the brand feels trustworthy and human. %[Beauty Independent]%

Drop Strategy

How Trinity creates and captures demand.

Golde’s launches lower the barrier to trial and anchor around clear use-cases. Super-Ades debuted as just-add-water powders for destress, debloat, and skin hydration—an easy “yes” for first-time buyers and a repeatable routine for loyalists. Bundles like the Super-Ades Kit nudge sampling without friction. %[Nylon]%

On the content side, Golde riffs on recipes and rituals (think: latte/matcha moments) and leans into packaging designed for UGC-friendly photos. On the distribution side, it pairs DTC education with wholesale as a billboard—Sephora for prestige discovery, Target for national reach. The 2025 Pure Matcha refresh adds harvest storytelling (Uji, Japan; ceremonial grade) that compels both new and returning shoppers. %[Beauty Independent]%

How She’s Cookin’

How Trinity runs Golde—her role(s) and day-to-day involvement, leadership qualities, etc.

Trinity is a hands-on operator who wore every hat early—product development, content, even fulfillment—and then scaled deliberately into a lean team. She’s been public about the unglossy parts of entrepreneurship, including only starting to pay herself in 2020 (year three). %[Bon Appétit]%

Her leadership playbook: clarity, warmth, and discipline. She says no more than she says yes—to capital, to rushed retail rollouts—so Golde can keep focus on product-market fit and sustainable distribution. That stance is consistent from her 2017 apartment launch to turning down investors and “major deals” while the brand built momentum. %[Inc.com]%

Proof She’s Built Different

Milestone moments that move(d) the needle for Trinity and Golde.

  • 2017— Launches Golde in Brooklyn from a one-bedroom apartment; first SKU is Original Turmeric Latte Blend.

  • 2019 (Apr)— Sephora debut; Trinity becomes the youngest Black woman to launch there. %[Beauty Independent]%

  • 2020— Company posts 5× YoY revenue; June 2020 exceeds all of 2019. %[The Cut]%

  • 2021 (Jan)— Super-Ades launch in 460 Target stores and online. %[Nylon]%

  • 2025 (Mar)— Named a Well+Good 2025 Changemaker. %[Well+Good]%

  • 2025 (Aug)— Pure Matcha returns with a new look and 2025 harvest positioning.

  • 2026 (Apr) — Wofford’s cookbook Eating at Home publishes via Ten Speed Press. %[Penguin Random House]%

What’s Poppin’

What’s on deck for Trinity and Golde and some signals to watch.

Product pulse: Expect continued emphasis on hero SKUs and sourcing storytelling. Golde’s 2025 “Shop the 2025 Harvest” push for Pure Matcha (sourced from Uji, Japan; ceremonial grade) signals more education-meets-ritual content and potentially expanded formats (e.g., sticks vs. tins) to keep adoption easy.

Platform expansion: Trinity’s debut book, Eating at Home broadens her reach from wellness products to everyday cooking and home rituals—fertile ground for content that loops back to Golde’s latte/matcha ecosystem.

Influence & Inclusion

How Trinity represents who she is and empowers others.

Trinity has used Golde’s platform to de-gatekeep wellness—translating functional ingredients into friendly, low-friction habits and designing products that don’t require insider knowledge to use. She’s also been direct about representation and power: in 2021 she said, “I am the only Black woman at the helm of a major brand in the wellness space,” pushing for diverse leadership (not just diverse marketing) across the industry. %[The Cut]%

Her Well+Good 2025 Changemaker nod underscores the cultural impact: a founder who balances family, community, and company-building while showing a blueprint for capital-efficient growth. For the next gen of founders—especially women building outside traditional VC paths—that’s proof you can scale on your own terms. %[Well+Good]%

Link up

* TL;DR
10-Step “Business Baddie” Playbook

1. Lead with a sharp WHY

Define the problem you’re here to solve and say it plainly. Make the benefit a daily habit, not a luxury flex—this makes your brand feel necessary, not optional.

2. Build a behavior, not just a product

Engineer a ritual around your offer (pick it, use it, share it) and bake the hand-off into the product itself so community growth is automatic. The story becomes the usage, not just the marketing.

3. Design for access (price, usability, inclusion)

Win by making things easier to use and easier to afford—then prove it with thoughtful packaging and accessibility choices. Pair inclusivity with a concrete give-back mechanism to keep impact real.

4. Make “drops” a habit (cadence > chaos)

Train your audience to expect limited runs, timed reveals, and recurring IRL moments that spike discovery. Treat events and collabs as drops too—rhythm builds FOMO and word-of-mouth.

5. Show the HOW (education is conversion)

Front-load demos, quick tutorials, and social-native “watch me use it” content—education crushes hesitation. Document the journey and let one great video carry a launch.

6. Sequence distribution like a strategist

Use wholesale as a billboard and DTC for depth: prestige discovery first, mass access next, then youth/value lines to widen the wallet. Place hero moments front-of-store and expand where your audience already shops.

7. Guard margins & IP like a hawk

Be ruthless about channel profitability and trim what doesn’t pay. Protect your originals and keep the line tight—retire weak SKUs so bestsellers can breathe.

8. Operationalize trust (don’t just talk it)

Make transparency a leadership habit—share wins and the messy middle—and back claims with third-party standards or funds that ladder to your mission. Trust is a system, not a vibe.

9. Build community on-ramps

Create ladders from free/low-friction participation (pop-ups, bead bars, ambassadors) into deeper engagement and ownership. Design spaces and programs that multiply wins for you and your ecosystem.

10. Run the numbers & scale the ops

Put systems behind the magic—unify data, choose clear KPIs, and automate what should be automatic—so you can stay creative where it counts. Focus beats frenzy.

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Credits

* Content

Concept & editorial treatment — Michael H. • Research from cited sources — first draft generated by AI • Feedback & fact-checks: hi@newdaystudio.co.

* Illustration

Art direction & prompt — Michael H. • Image generated with Sora.

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