Foundr Magazine Podcast | Learn From Successful Founders & Proven Entrepreneurs, The Ultimate Startup Podcast For Business

Joey Shamah built e.l.f. Cosmetics into a billion-dollar beauty brand by doing the exact opposite of every competitor in the industry. In this interview, the e.l.f. co-founder breaks down how he turned a radical $1 makeup idea—laughed at by investors and retailers—into a global powerhouse that went public on the New York Stock Exchange. From bootstrapping his business out of his father’s warehouse to selling 192,000 orders overnight after a viral Bloomingdale’s rumor, Joey shares the full story behind disrupting an entire industry, mastering retail relationships, and scaling a household name without big marketing budgets or celebrity backing. What you’ll learn from this interview: • How Joey built e.l.f. Cosmetics into a billion-dollar brand from scratch • The marketing strategy that turned rejection into virality • How a fake rumor led to 192,000 orders and changed everything • Lessons from raising margins, expanding retail, and going public • Why the $1 price point was his biggest advantage • How to ide