Where Brains Meet Beauty

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Sneha Narahalli Head of Product at Sephora who shared her thoughts on effectively managing her time as well as her thoughts on the biases women face on their career journeys.Sneha revealed to us that she has trained her brain to think in the currency of time: “Why do we need to do this? Why now? And is it more important than other things that we're doing?”Sneha and I also dug into what more can be done to move the needle forward for women entering the tech world: “We should look at personalizing our own individual journeys, knowing that ‘I have done this, how can I share this with others so that people don't have to go through the same things that I have.’”To hear more of my chat with Sneha, including her advice for someone getting into the tech space, listen wherever you get your podcasts!

I recently had the opportunity to chat with former KPOP star and current CEO of Matter of Fact, Paul Baek about his inspiring career journey that has taken him from the Deep South to South Korea and beyond! In this episode, Paul tells us about the tenacity that took him from his childhood home in the South to an internship in Korea pursuing a music career in KPOP! “I was like a moth to the flame. I needed to get closer to this music that meant so much to me.”Talking to Paul it’s clear that his passion, whether it be music or skincare lies in the creating; “I love being in the lab making things. There’s a more lasting satisfaction that comes from creating things and being creative. The process of creating that can sometimes lead to success is much more satisfying in the long run.”To hear more about Paul’s fascinating career journey, listen to this episode on your favorite podcasting platform!

Milani Cosmetics CEO Mary Van Praag was born with an entrepreneurial spirit that has served her well. We chatted with Mary about everything from her journey “selling Avon on the locker block” to being a leader who listens. “Sales teaches you to find the win/win in most situations…when you get a no, how do you find the win in those situations?” Mary’s positive attitude about turning the dreaded “no” in sales into a teaching moment is a refreshing take. “I try to listen. How do you get that person to be on the same path as you?”Mary’s winning attitude may have led her to a leadership role, but she doesn’t let that get to her head. “My job is to get the best out of everybody, CEO happens to be what my title is.” “I’m one of those leaders who likes a good turnaround story. I thrive when I see other people’s success. I believe in building relationships and fostering this growth together.” What does Mary think of the #quietquitting trend? How does she see the upside when hearing “no'' during a sale? And should you

In this engaging episode of Where Brains Meet Beauty, I had the pleasure of interviewing Denis Asamoah, the Co-Founder of FORVR Mood, a luxury lifestyle brand he launched with his fiancée and influencer, Jackie Aina, in 2020. At FORVR Mood, Denis and his team strive to make self-care more accessible to consumers while emphasizing that quality products shouldn't come at a high cost. At the start of our conversation, we touched on Denis's childhood dream of becoming a soccer player and how he discovered his natural sales talent when he started selling sweets in school. We also delved into his early career journey, including his experience working in investment banking, which equipped him with valuable skills and knowledge that have helped shape his approach as a successful entrepreneur at FORVR Mood. It was intriguing to hear how each experience contributed to his overall leadership style, work ethic, and company culture. Our discussion covered various topics, including the significance of leadership and networ

In this episode of Where Brains Meet Beauty, I had the privilege of sitting down with Jill Scalamandre, a seasoned industry expert with over two decades of experience in leadership positions at renowned companies such as Revlon, Shiseido, Prada, Coty, Fekkai, and Bare Minerals. As the current CEO of Beekman 1802, the world's largest goat milk body-care brand, Jill shared her journey and insights on the beauty industry. During our conversation, she talked about how her passion for fashion evolved into a thriving career in the beauty sector, the importance of having a "champion" in the workplace who supports and provides growth opportunities, the benefits of pursuing your passion over just a job title, and more!

As a young girl living in Korea, Yanghee Paik dreamt of becoming a K-pop star. As time went on, she discovered she also had a love for business. Yanghee eventually found a job that fulfilled both aspirations as an entertainment executive at Disney. She enjoyed her position there, but it wasn’t until she had lunch with her now co-founder that she realized it was time to change her career path. The topic of discussion was how difficult it was to find natural and organic feminine care products. After much research, Yanghee and her co-founder realized that the feminine care industry was dominated by big brands that offered no options for high-quality, high-performing, sustainable feminine care products. And that is how her company Rael came to be! In this episode of Where Brains Meet Beauty, we discuss how Yanghee integrated South Korean technology to differentiate Rael from other brands, what she learned from working at Disney and how that has helped her, how Rael is expanding, and so much more!

In 2015, David Gaylord graduated with a degree in Digital Marketing from Fairleigh Dickinson University. During his early years in the marketing world, his dad insisted on him using his technical skills to help the family business (Gaylord Hardwood Flooring) and create a website. David decided that a smart move for his family business would be to become a Shopify merchant. This ended up being a great move for the family business and  eventually David started working for Shopify to learn more about e-commerce and marketing. It was a short while after when a co-worker of his, after his honeymoon, came to him with a fresh (literally and figuratively) idea! Natural products to treat your sensitive areas. With his digital marketing background and everything he learned at Shopify, David saw an opportunity and recognized a white space in the market for these products. Bushbalm was officially created. A skincare line specifically but not limited to targeting areas that are commonly ignored. In this episode of Where B

When asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, Echo Sandburg responded, “an astronaut.” Since she was a little girl, she knew her dreams involved traveling far and wide. While her career path didn’t steer her to space, it took her to places such as California, Hong Kong, Texas, and Arizona! Today Echo Sandburg is the Chief Brand Officer of Colgate-Palmolive Skin Health. She is a talented marketer and industry leader who guides growth efforts for EltaMD and two other well-known skincare brands (PCA Skincare, the leader in peels, and Filorga, an innovative luxury skincare brand from France). In this episode of Where Brains Meet Beauty, we discuss pushing yourself out of your comfort zone to get further in your career, the value of being adaptable and flexible, and the importance of embracing the present. We also get on a more personal note with Echo, discussing her goals, her passion for skin health, her family, and more!  

In this episode of Where Brains Meet Beauty, I talked with Dr. Rolanda Wilkerson, Senior Director at Procter and Gamble! She has worked with many notable brands, such as Olay, Secret, Pantene, Head and Shoulders, and My Black is Beautiful. Dr. Wilkerson is responsible for working behind the scenes with dermatologists, clinicians, and P&G beauty scientists to develop and report on the latest and emerging skin and hair technologies in the industry. As a young child, Dr. Wilkerson experienced the trials of not feeling positive about her own hair or skin. That is why today, she has such a passion for helping others with their hair and skin journey. While creating these products is her job, she reminds us that the people behind the scenes are consumers as well, therefore humanizing the industry. Please tune in to hear about her career journey, the importance of educating and being transparent regarding products, what she wants to see more of in the industry, and of course, her definition of success! 

In this episode of Where Brains Meet Beauty, we get into it with BioHack-HERS, Lauren Berlingeri and Katie Kaps, Co-Founders of HigherDOSE. Their company has cultivated the hottest at-home wellness tools using nature inspired technologies to release feel-good chemicals such as Dopamine, Serotonin, Endorphins and more! Originally they were put on the map for their infrared Sauna Blanket and celebrity favorite PEMP Mat. They also offer a collection of ingestibles and topicals that boost the benefits of their devices. Tune in as we discuss with these business partners and best friends their career journeys, new products, how they define success, how different treatments and technologies can push you to perform at a higher level, their favorite wellness procedures, and more! 

From a young age, Board Certified Dermatologist Dr. Michelle Henry knew she wanted to be a Physician. Her interest in the field was piqued when her mother, a nurse at the time, brought her to a "Take Your Daughter to Work" day. All it took was a little white coat and stethoscope for young Michelle, and that was it; her path was set. Today Dr. Michelle Henry is a Harvard-trained Mohs Surgeon and owns a practice, The Skin & Aesthetic Surgery of Manhattan. In this episode of Where Brains Meet Beauty, Dr. Michelle Henry and I discuss the theme of artistry regarding aesthetic medicine; How one millimeter can really change the way one walks through the world. She discusses the importance of recognizing that there isn't one type of beautiful only "your kind of beautiful." We also chat about her favorite treatments, the importance of learning to say "No", how she proactively schedules to make time for work and personal life, and of course, her definition and way of dealing with success. #wbmb #careerjourney #derm

Both being in the hair industry, it was inevitable that Chris Appleton, Celebrity Hairstylist/Global Creative Director of Color Wow, and Gail Federici, CEO of Federici Brands, would eventually cross paths. With his creativity/knowledge about products and her marketing vision/innovative thinking, there is no stopping them. Together they have created professional, quality products that have become the solution to many everyday hair care troubles. In this episode of Where Brains Meet Beauty, we discuss how they became power partners, their rise to the top, and how important it is to stay present, grounded, and grateful despite being in the limelight.  #wherebrainsmeetbeauty #colorwow #hairindustry

From Poland to New York City, Esthetician and Founder of her own skincare line, Joanna Czech has had quite the career journey. She has had over 35 years of experience in the industry and her treatments are a mix of timeless techniques and innovative technologies. To top it off, she has a very impressive list of notable celebrity clients. Tune in to hear how her athletic background and competitive nature in Poland helped her get to the top of her game here in the United States, how she personally defines success, and how she makes time for the things that are important to her outside of work. Her bubbly persona, wisdom of the industry, and motivation is something that you do not want to miss out on hearing!  #wherebrainsmeetbeauty #joannaczechskincare

Training and Education Manager Kim Bogash is comfortable being in the spotlight. Whether onstage singing or educating spectators for HydraFacial, she always brings the energy. She’s a highly accomplished and trained esthetician with over ten years of experience making skin glow. She started her journey into the beauty industry as a makeup artist and eventually found herself at a desk coordinating job in a dermatology office. It is there where she realized her love for skincare and immediately decided to go to esthetics school. Fast forward ten years later, with various jobs in between, Kim found herself at a HydraFacial on-the-road training program and knew that was where she wanted to be. Two years later, she applied for a job at the same company that hosted the training and got it! Tune in to hear more about her pitstops along the way to HydraFacial, how she deals with work/life balance, and more information about one of the most powerful, non-invasive skin resurfacing treatments available today. #wbmb #car

On this episode, we sit down and talk with CEO of GRIN, Brandon Brown! This episode is extra special because GRIN is our podcasts summer sponsor! GRIN is an all-in-one creator management platform meant to help e-commerce companies build more valuable brands. On this episode we discuss Brandon’s career journey, how one must always push forward even if it’s scary, the drive towards unlocking one’s full potential and the importance of separating self-identity and self-worth from work.

Due to serious changes in our government concerning body autonomy we felt it was urgent to bring someone onto Where Brains Meet Beauty who is on the forefront of providing safe and accessible reproductive and vaginal health products to women around the country. Jamie Norwood is the co-founder of Stix, a company that prides itself on supplying women with the products they need in a convenient, discreet, affordable and judgement-free way. In this chat we discuss Jamie’s journey to success, how her company's products and charitable efforts has helped women during vulnerable times and how a distinct, pivotal moment changed her life forever! Tune in to hear the rest!

Celebrity makeup artist, Spokesperson, Mother, Salesperson, Entrepreneur, soon to be Author, oh my! Mally Roncal has done it all! In this episode of Where Brains Meets Beauty, Mally discusses how she has fulfilled and juggled all of these various roles throughout her career journey. Her well known optimistic energy shines through as she talks about making it through hardships, trusting her journey,  learning from her mistakes and coming out a stronger version of herself because of it. Tune in to hear how her perseverance has turned every “you can’t” into “I can”

We were so excited to welcome Gina Kirschenheiter to our live recording and launch party for Facing the Seduction of Success, the recently released book inspired by our podcast. While the situations Gina faces on The Real Housewives of Orange County are obviously contrived, throughout her starring role on the show Gina has managed to face them in an open, vulnerable, and authentic way that clearly resonates with the show’s viewers. Now also a skincare entrepreneur with her CaraGala line, Gina generously shares the challenges of celebrity, single parenthood, hands-on entrepreneurship, and staying true to yourself. 

Join us as we welcome Rebecca Boston, chief marketing officer of True Botanicals, who shares reflections on her multifaceted journey. Themes touched on include leading by nurturing talent as a cheerleader rather than a critic, embracing opportunities whenever they’re presented, and giving 110% to any task, even If it’s just getting coffee. She also shares how, as the mother of three young sons, the work that takes her away from them every day must be meaningful and bring her joy. Listen to hear how she accomplishes all of the above.

It sounds simplistic to say we should all just do what we love. Well, duh! But it’s not that easy. Yet Lindsay McCormick was somehow able to shut out all the voices telling her to make money or seek security, and she just kept doing what she wanted to, changing focus and jobs a lot. To learn how one of those experiences became the springboard for her zero-waste personal care products company, make sure to tune in.WBMBers, podcast listeners, beauty junkies, and bookworms alike, I have some exciting news to share. My new book, Facing the Seduction of Success has just been released! It brings together poignant insights from many of my podcast guests, taken from over 200 episodes with beauty industry leaders. The focus is how we strive to find a healthy work-life balance that works for each of us. It’s comforting to share the struggle and realize that you have many fellow travelers on the road to success. Curious? Have a peek at: https://www.seductionofsuccessbook.com/Facing the Seduction of Success is available