‘Beauty and the Brand,’ is the ultimate podcast for beauty, health, and wellness entrepreneurs! Hosted by Aggie Burnett, a seasoned beauty industry expert, former Glamour Beauty Editor, and founder of a successful indie fragrance brand, this podcast is your go-to resource for launching, growing, and scaling legacy brands that stand the test of time.
Join Aggie as she shares her wealth of knowledge from over 15 years in the industry, offering actionable strategies and deep dives into the latest industry trends, alongside insights from a diverse range of guests, including top advisors, marketing experts, successful beauty founders, and product development specialists. Each episode provides practical, step-by-step advice for building a thriving beauty brand, insights into industry shifts and new strategies that are working today, and inspiring stories from successful founders who started just like you!
"Beauty and the Brand" is more than just a podcast; it's a movement to inspire women to live a chainless life, embrace expansive thinking, and achieve their wildest dreams. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned business owner, you'll walk away with pages of notes, ready to take action and transform your business.
This podcast is brought to you by AB Creative, a consultancy firm and educational platform dedicated to helping beauty brands succeed. For more resources, workshops, and personalized guidance, visit AB Creative NYC.
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VC Isn't the Only Way: Building Your Million-Dollar Brand with Dominique Gagnon
Episode 55
Saturday, September 13, 2025 • Duration 39:45
In this episode of Beauty and the Brand, host Aggie Burnett sits down with Dominique Gagnon—brand builder and award-winning innovator and growth strategist, Dominique helped found category-creating health & wellness brands like DEINDE, Caldera + Lab, and isbel&co. Dominique shares her insider perspective on what it takes to secure funding in today’s beauty and wellness landscape. From understanding the critical role of Sephora contracts and retail distribution in valuations to demystifying metrics like CAC to LTV, Dominique reveals how founders can prepare for Series A and beyond. She also dives into the “dating game” of venture capital, highlighting why investor relationships must start before you need cash. For entrepreneurs weighing bootstrapping vs. VC funding, this conversation unpacks the trade-offs, common mistakes, and alternative financing paths. Whether you’re building a lifestyle business or chasing a high-stakes exit, Dominique offers practical, results-driven advice to help founders refine their growth strategy and position their brand for long-term success
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Welcome to Beauty and the Brand Podcast
00:01:06 - Meet Dominique
00:02:14 - Bootstrapping vs. Venture Capital
00:03:10 - How Retail Presence Impacts Funding and Acquisition
00:04:09 - Why Investors Prioritize Retail: The Pathway to Exit
00:07:52 - Identifying the Main Players in Beauty Investment
00:09:30 - The Difference Between Family Funds and Traditional VCs
00:11:03 - Key Advice: Why Finding Investors is Like Dating
00:13:53 - Explaining "Lead Round" vs. "Follow Round" Investors
00:15:00 - The Average Timeframe for Closing a Funding Round
00:15:59 - The Best and Worst Times of Year to Fundraise
00:17:00 - Key Metrics Investors Look for in a Bootstrapped Brand
00:20:15 - How the Founder's Story and Commitment Influence Investment
00:22:16 - The Biggest Pitching Mistake: Brand Story vs. Business Metrics
00:23:30 - How to Determine How Much Capital to Raise
00:26:32 - The Minimum Sales Needed to Attract Venture Capital
00:26:58 - What Happens if a Retail Deal Falls Through Post-Investment
00:28:32 - Investor Expectations: The 18-Month Runway
00:30:16 - Common Strategies of Successfully Exited Brands (Medik8, Rhode, Aesop)
00:34:10 - Case Study: Tatcha's Path to Success and the QVC Strategy
00:35:39 - Alternative Financing Options Beyond Traditional VC
00:37:43 - Start Networking with Investors from Day One
00:38:10 - Where to Find and Work with Dominique Online
Links and Resources:
👉Take our 5 Days to Growing Your Iconic Beauty Brand Challenge for only $17! -
How Sudz Cauldron Uses Email as Its #1 Marketing Conversion Driver (And How You Can Use It Too)
Episode 54
Friday, September 5, 2025 • Duration 34:23
In this episode of Beauty and the Brand, host Aggie Burnett sits down with Olivia Sanchez, founder of Sudz Cauldron, to unpack how a self-funded Latina entrepreneur transformed her haircare business by leaning into her “why,” optimizing SEO, and choosing the right marketing channel. Olivia reveals how she stopped mirroring other brands, built retail partnerships, and found that email marketing—not Instagram likes—was her real conversion driver. From navigating Squarespace to Shopify, setting up UTM links, and balancing blog content with social media, Olivia shares the raw challenges and big wins behind growing a cult-status brand that celebrates curls, sustainability, and authenticity.
Chapters:
00:00:00: Welcome to the Beauty and the Brand podcast.
00:01:24: Meet Olivia.
00:02:56: Early struggles: mirroring other brands and lacking a clear foundation.
00:05:55: Choosing a marketing focus: SEO vs. Instagram.
00:07:29: Explanation of the marketing funnel for new brands.
00:09:33: SEO framed as a "set it and move on" strategy.
00:11:37: A strategy for turning blog posts into social content.
00:12:40: The market shift from volume content to quality and trust.
00:16:17: Using UTM links to track the source of every sale.
00:19:25: Different content preferences for email vs. Instagram audiences.
00:22:00: Course outcome: a defined customer, brand 'why,' and revamped website.
00:25:22: Linking a strong brand 'why' to SEO authority (E-A-T).
00:26:50: Business results: more retail partners and better email conversions.
00:29:34: Details of best-selling shampoo and conditioner bars.
00:31:45: Product sustainability: one bar equals three liquid bottles.
00:32:59: How to Connect with Olivia
Links and Resources:
👉Take our 5 Days to Growing Your Iconic Beauty Brand Challenge for only $17! -
How C2C Helped Becky Reach a Six-Figure Annual Run Rate in Just 60 Days | with Becky Williams
Episode 53
Friday, August 29, 2025 • Duration 49:47
When Becky Williams first launched her skincare brand, mil USOS, she marketed broadly to “active people.” The result? Silence. Everything changed after joining C2C. By focusing entirely on her own community—jiu-jitsu athletes with sensitive skin—Becky found the clarity she needed. Each time she narrowed her focus, her conversions doubled, and then doubled again. Within just 60 days of committing to this new positioning, mil USOS reached a six-figure annual run rate.
In this episode of Beauty and the Brand, host Aggie Burnett and Becky unpack the lessons behind this transformation: how niching down can turn insecurity into strength, why polarizing opinions help build movements, and what it takes to pivot from “crickets at launch” to a brand that truly resonates. If you’re a beauty founder debating whether to go broader or narrower with your positioning, this conversation reveals why specificity is the ultimate growth strategy.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Welcome to the Beauty and the Brand podcast.
00:01:08 - Meet Becky Williams, founder of mil USOS.
00:01:25 - Becky's Background: The story of a Jujitsu Purple Belt creating skincare for athletes.
00:02:29 - Origin Story: How a traumatic domestic violence experience led Becky to Jujitsu.
00:04:45 - The Power of Jujitsu: How the martial art builds confidence and eliminates panic.
00:06:01 - A Proud Moment: Becky's return to training after a two-year hiatus and rediscovering her skill.
00:07:33 - The Problem: Common skin issues for Jujitsu athletes, including infections like staph and ringworm.
00:09:54 - The "Aha!" Moment: Combining a desire for economic independence with a passion for skincare ingredients.
00:11:25 - Identifying a Market Gap: Calling out the low-quality "Jujitsu bro" soaps dominating the space.
00:13:54 - Crafting the Formula: Becky explains her choice of high-end, sustainable, and effective ingredients.
00:16:55 - The Science of the Balm: Detailing the powerful antimicrobial extracts used in the products.
00:18:50 - The Initial Launch: Launching to "crickets" and the stress of not seeing results.
00:20:36 - Seeking Help: How a lack of sales led Becky to join the C2C coaching program.
How Hayven by Leah Reached a 1.95% Conversion Rate in Just 90 Days Leah Hacker
Episode 52
Saturday, August 23, 2025 • Duration 41:36
In this episode of The Beauty and the Brand Podcast, licensed aesthetician and founder Leah Hacker shares how she built Hayven by Leah, a clean beauty brand designed for sensitive skin and busy women. Working just 10 hours a week while raising two young children, Leah has grown her business with a conversion rate of 1.95%, an average order value between $64–$70, and an email list with over 50% open rates. Together with Aggie, she unpacks how survey insights revealed that word-of-mouth referrals and Facebook traffic drive her brand’s growth, and they brainstorm practical strategies like referral campaigns, quarterly promotions, and creative activation events to scale Hayven further. Listeners will walk away inspired by Leah’s scrappy, authentic approach to building a beauty brand from the ground up — proving that even with limited time, founders can create meaningful traction by focusing on the right marketing levers.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Kicking Off: Meet Leah and Her Brand Journey
00:01:45 - From Confused Messaging to a Crystal-Clear Website
00:02:30 - Juggling Mom Life and Building a Brand
00:03:27 - What a 1.95% Conversion Rate Really Means
00:04:25 - Turning Email Into a Revenue Machine
00:05:34 - The Referral Program Hiding in Plain Sight
00:09:11 - Stop Random Sales: Plan These Instead
00:16:49 - The Power of Word-of-Mouth—Done Right
00:21:01 - The Real Cost Behind Gifting Campaigns
00:21:27 - Why Warm Leads > Cold Traffic (Always)
00:22:47 - The Lead Gen Strategy You Can Start Tomorrow
00:23:01 - Easy Ways to Promote Campaigns with Email + Social
00:24:01 - This Teacher Appreciation Idea Is Pure Gold
00:26:27 - Instagram or Facebook? The Answer May Surprise You
00:31:23 - Quarterly Activations: Map Your Momentum
00:33:46 - Free Consults + Freebies That Actually Convert
00:37:19 - Final Action Plan for Busy Founders
Links and Resources:
👉Take our 5 Days to Growing Your Iconic Beauty Brand Challenge for only $17! -
The $5 Million Question: How to Create Beauty Products That Set the Standard with Holly Moore
Episode 51
Tuesday, August 12, 2025 • Duration 46:19
In this episode of Beauty and the Brand, award-winning product developer and founder of The Ingredientist, Holly Moore, shares what she would create if handed $5 million to launch her dream beauty brand. Known for her “ingredient nerd” roots and a career shaping some of the industry’s most innovative launches, Holly reveals how she’d blend science-backed claims, category-defining textures, and sustainable actives into a future-proof product pipeline. She explains why founder-led vision is essential, how to avoid fear-based marketing, and why hormones are “the language the skin speaks” when developing formulas. Whether you’re a beauty founder building your first hero product or refining a multi-year pipeline, Holly’s candid, values-driven approach will inspire you to think beyond trends and set the standard in beauty innovation.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Kicking Off: The Realities of Product Development
Not Every Founder Wants to Scale Big: Kathryn Paves on Building a Healthy $5M Beauty Business
Episode 50
Tuesday, August 5, 2025 • Duration 47:54
What does it really take to grow a beauty brand from the ground up into a $20M+ global powerhouse? In this episode, Aggie Burnett sits down with Kathryn Paves—co-founder of Areum Ventures, brand strategist, multi-time founder, and the driving force behind TOCCA’s meteoric growth—to unpack the raw truths behind building mission-driven consumer brands. Kathryn shares how she scaled a scrappy startup into a globally recognized beauty icon, the pinch-me moment of seeing her work in Sephora and 40+ freestanding stores across Japan, and the intentional decisions that shaped TOCCA’s long-term success. From strategic fundraising that took another brand from $1.5M to $10M, to helping early-stage founders clarify whether they want a $5M lifestyle business or a sellable powerhouse, this episode is a goldmine of clarity and insight. Expect tactical gems on brand architecture, emotional storytelling, and why beauty is truly a category of its own.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Cold Email to Sephora: The Bold Pitch at 25
The Sephora-Ready Checklist Every Beauty Founder Needs with Jennifer Ritter
Episode 49
Tuesday, July 29, 2025 • Duration 52:59
Jennifer Ritter, Founder of JSRANDCOINC pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to develop standout products and scale a beauty brand built for longevity—not just virality. From clean reformulations that became best sellers to the nine must-have elements before pitching a major retailer like Sephora, Jennifer shares hard-earned insights that blend strategic storytelling, airtight operations, and results-driven product development. You’ll learn why over-indexing on TikTok trends can backfire, what makes a true hero SKU, and how indie founders can create systems that layer, convert, and grow. If you’re navigating early-stage product ideation, brand turnarounds, or preparing for retail expansion, this conversation is your blueprint for building beauty products that actually sell.
00:01:41 - From Estée Lauder to Indie Powerhouse: Jennifer’s Industry Origin Story
00:02:18 - Launching JSRANDCOINC: Where Brand Visions Become Reality
00:05:59 - What Is a Turnaround Brand—and Why It Matters
00:09:18 - The Costly Mistakes Beauty Brands Keep Making
00:14:17 - Trend vs. Timeless: Building for Longevity
00:17:39 - How Smart Brands Evolve with the Market
00:25:01 - Designing Products That Speak to Real People
00:28:19 - Innovation Is Everywhere—If You Know Where to Look
00:28:59 - From Street Culture to Shelf Appeal: Tracking Trends
00:30:01 - Why a Strong Brand Story Beats a Viral Formula
00:30:41 - The Secret to a Sellable Product Line
00:31:11 - Marketing That Connects—Without the Fluff
00:32:04 - What Buyers Want to Hear in a Pitch
00:33:29 - Want Sephora? Here’s What They’ll Ask First
00:39:32 - Building a Beauty Brand from Scratch (Without Guesswork)
00:42:43 - How Vendor Relationships Can Make or Break Your Launch
00:44:28 - Owning Your Formula: What Founders Need to Know
00:48:01 - Final Favorites: What Jennifer’s Loving Right Now
Links and Resources:
The $6M Clean Beauty Exit That Nearly Broke Me: Trina Felber’s Story
Episode 48
Tuesday, July 22, 2025 • Duration 38:15
What happens when a nurse anesthetist turns personal tragedy into a $6M clean beauty movement? In this powerful episode, Trina Felber, founder of Primal Life Organics, shares how a miscarriage sparked her mission to reimagine beauty through the lens of paleo principles—and how she went from formulating olive oil blends in her kitchen to building a 7-figure brand. You’ll hear how a niche rebrand into paleo skincare helped her dominate Google search, why education-first marketing became her biggest growth lever, and what she learned after selling 45% of her company. Trina opens up about the importance of staying aligned to your mission, even when the pressure to scale feels overwhelming. If you’ve ever wondered how to turn personal pain into purposeful growth—or how to build a clean beauty brand that breaks through the noise—this episode is packed with wisdom you won’t want to miss.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - From Personal Tragedy to Business Triumph
00:10:21 - Reinventing Herself as Primal Life Organics
00:13:51 - How Paleo Skincare Became Her Superpower
00:16:54 - Turning Confused Customers into Raving Fans
00:19:11 - The Cavity That Changed Everything
00:20:42 - What Weston A. Price Taught Her About Teeth
00:21:13 - Creating a Tooth Powder Empire
00:22:28 - Lessons from the Frontlines of Foundership
00:23:03 - Scaling Smart: Profit Without Outside Pressure
00:24:29 - Winning Early with Story-Driven Marketing
00:26:44 - Retail Dreams, Funding Realities
00:30:53 - The Big Decision: Selling Part of the Brand
00:33:42 - What Came Next (and What She'd Change)
00:34:44 - Vision, Values, and Building Again
00:37:49 - 800 Chemicals a Day?!
00:41:15 - Where to Learn More from Trina
00:41:59 - One Last Truth for Founders
Links and Resources:
👉Take our 5 Days to Growing Your Iconic Beauty Brand Challenge for only $17! -
From 2% to 6%: The Positioning Shift That Transformed Miss Organics with Anna Gecheva
Episode 47
Tuesday, July 15, 2025 • Duration 44:08
What happens when “clean beauty” isn’t enough? In this episode, Aggie sits down with Anna Gecheva, founder of Miss Organics, to unpack how a single positioning shift turned a generic brand into a clear standout — tripling their conversion rate from 2% to 6%. Anna shares how listening to her audience through a simple survey, testing a bold “Clean doesn’t always mean safe” message, and running a $10/day Meta ad test unlocked overnight sales and new growth. If you’re tired of blending in, this story will show you exactly how to claim your own blue ocean and scale smarter.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Welcome to Beauty and the Brand
00:00:52 - Meet Anna: The Force Behind Miss Organics
00:01:47 - From Corporate Finance to Clean Beauty
00:02:25 - Why “Clean” Isn’t a Differentiator Anymore
00:04:02 - The Survey That Changed Everything
00:04:55 - One Message, One Test, Triple Conversions
00:14:42 - $10 Ads, Bold Hooks, Big Results
00:26:10 - The Truth About Skincare Quizzes and Misleading Ads
00:27:23 - Before & After: The Visuals That Sell
00:28:21 - Precision Targeting: Where the Real ROI Lives
00:29:43 - Retargeting 101: What Actually Works
00:31:00 - Simplifying Your Campaigns Without Losing Impact
00:34:12 - Daily Habits That Drive Sales
00:35:43 - Sending Traffic to the Right Product Pages
00:43:02 - Why Conversion Rate is Your Brand’s Pulse
00:44:54 - Final Thoughts, Takeaways & Where to Find Anna
Links and Resources:
👉Take our 5 Days to Growing Your Iconic Beauty Brand Challenge for only $17! -
(Replay) Track These 3 Numbers to Grow Smarter and Avoid Inventory Nightmares with Danielle Monogue
Episode 46
Tuesday, July 8, 2025 • Duration 38:43
What if I told you that selling fewer units could actually make you more money?
In this episode of Beauty and the Brand, I’m joined by Danielle Monogue—former corporate retail exec and now founder of The RetailOI—who helps Indie Beauty Brands like yours get crystal clear on inventory strategy, margins, and retail readiness. And trust me, she drops some serious truth bombs.
Danielle breaks down a real pricing scenario where one shift led to 5x profit—yep, with fewer units sold. We also get into the messy side of inventory planning, hidden costs in your packaging decisions, scrappy forecasting tips, and what big retailers expect that most founders don’t realize until it’s too late.
If you’ve been chasing more sales but feeling the squeeze in your cash flow, this episode is going to flip the script. Let’s talk about making your inventory work smarter, not harder.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - The Truth About Sales vs. Profit
00:02:26 - Inventory Mistakes That Could Kill Your Margins
00:05:50 - Run Lean, Scale Smart: Inventory Hacks That Work
00:10:46 - Beating Tariffs & Rethinking Your Supply Chain
00:15:04 - Forecast Like a Pro (Even Without Data)
00:23:46 - Ready for Retail? What Founders Need to Know
00:29:09 - Tools That Make Inventory Less Painful
00:34:10 - Final Takeaways That Could Save You Thousands
Links and Resources:
👉Take our 5 Days to Growing Your Iconic Beauty Brand Challenge for only $17! -
Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Beauty and the Brand? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!
00:21:58 - The First Pivot: Realizing the "skincare for active people" brand identity was too broad.
00:24:31 - The Turning Point: Overcoming fear and imposter syndrome to niche down exclusively to Jujitsu.
00:26:50 - The Impact of Niching: Achieving six-figure annual numbers within 60 days of committing to the Jujitsu community.
00:27:51 - Hyper-Niching for Success: Targeting Jujitsu athletes with sensitive skin, which doubled conversion rates.
00:32:36 - Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: Discussing the feeling of not being a black belt in the sport.
00:34:35 - Turning a Weakness into a Strength: Using her "perpetual purple belt" status to be more relatable.
00:40:41 - Who is C2C For?: Advice for founders who are teachable and willing to work on foundational brand strategy.
00:44:14 - Dream Sponsorship: Why she wants to sponsor a high-end male athlete.
00:45:32 - What's Next for Mil Usos: Announcing new products, including belt-rank-themed lip balms.
00:46:55 - Future Brand Plans: Expanding into haircare and hosting branded Jujitsu seminars.
00:48:06 - Where to Find Becky Online
Links and Resources:
👉Take our 5 Days to Growing Your Iconic Beauty Brand Challenge for only $17! -
Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Beauty and the Brand? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!
Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Beauty and the Brand? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!
Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Beauty and the Brand? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!
Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Beauty and the Brand? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!
Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Beauty and the Brand? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!
Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Beauty and the Brand? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!
Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Beauty and the Brand? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!
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