If you want to talk about putting in the work to make your dreams happen, you have to talk to my friend, Jamie Kern Lima. You might be wearing one of her products from IT Cosmetics right now… But before the billion dollar brand was even a thing, she was a TV news anchor struggling with sensitive skin who could never find a product that worked for her.
She created a cosmetics brand that would go on to be more than just products, but an inspired community of millions of women who share their stories of overcoming their struggles with confidence and self-worth.
Jamie is a powerhouse business woman, an inspiring speaker, and warm spirit who is on the Goal Digger Podcast to talk all about how she built her brand from the ground up. I can’t wait for you to hear the scrappy moves she pulled in her early days, all the way to the biggest lesson she learned when her vision was challenged.
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GOAL DIGGER INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/goaldiggerpodcast/
GOAL DIGGER SHOWNOTES: https://jennakutcherblog.com/itcosmetics/
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This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
I would rather risk at all and stand for something they leg style of rapporteur product an engine for nothing and not do anything that matters. It's one thing to decide. That is another thing, though, when it's like everything's on allied a mighty
JANET culture, and I am obsessed with all things: business marketing numbers and helping you to navigate both domestic and the magical seasons. Of this thing called life of a small town Lama who took a three hundred dollar camera grew a successful photo bays and now
from home and run a seven figure online business. I teach you the tried and true secrets to building a career. You a door shy away from the real talk, no way money, hardship, broke, blossom. Marketing are all topics we discuss here. Think of this as your one stop shop for happy hour with a gallop. How mix with business school, pull up a seat make sure you're cosy?
and get ready to be challenged and encouraged. While you learn this is the gold digger podcast? If you wanted to
about putting in the work to make your dreams happen. You have to talk to my friend Jamie Current Lemme, you
be wearing one of her products from it, cosmetics right now, but both
or the billion dollar brand was even a thing. Yes billion. She was
tv news, anger, struggling with sensitive skin who can never find a product that actually worked for her. She created cosmetics brand that would go on
and be more than just products, but it inspired.
Community of millions of women who share their stories of overcoming their struggles with confidence and self worth. Can you tell why a lover
Amy is a total powerhouse businesswoman and inspiring
speaker in a warm spirit who is on the gold digger podcast today to share the real story behind the billion dollar brand. I'm so
excited to talk to her about staying true to your. Why and navigate
the seasons when you don't know fuel, actually survive and
why she was ashamed of the word richest. Are you ready for my
and Jamie Colonel Lemme, I'm so excited to introduce you to her. If you don't know her already lads dime on in
Thanks to his story worth for supporting the gold digger pod gassed, give your mind those meaningful gift this year and get started right away without the need for shipping. By going to story worth dotcom, slash, gold, digger to get
ten dollars off your first purchase thanks to Gus,
for supporting the gold. Digger podcast guy still offers me
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me when I closed my eyes, I literally can feel my hand just reaching over to you as we sat at the table and the sun was shining on our backs in Puerto Rico, and so today, I'm in a closed my eyes as we chat and imagine that we are poolside again welcome to this show Senate. Thank you so mouse, oh my gosh. I remember the moment sitting down
a year- and you know there is an incredible
and being that there is sometimes a new meat than we like all through different than I
and I remember the first time I met
You I was like, oh, my goodness.
She is even more incredible than I kind of imagined I am just yeah, I'm excited
he'll, be here with you and with your communities that thank you for having me. Ok,
so I'm actually really excited to hear your story. It so funny nowadays, because I feel like when we sit down, I tables and there's so many people. It's like you catch blips, unlike snippets and
I want to know who
is Jamie, and how did you build what you ve built, because if anyone Google's you they're gonna see some words in there and they're gonna. Think away, so tell me the story behind the journey, the story by a third
yeah. I mean that's. What's so funny about Google right or even sometimes suffer me there, you can see them
the headlines and- and I think
now. For me, I spent the last decade
as I literally started, with nothing in it
living rail and had the most difficult first, three years, building my business and thought it was just gonna work and thought
things and
I mean I founded a company called cosmetics sold it in the largest.
You have acquisition in lorries history over a billion dollars and all these things are the headlines, but the real story can behind,
story. As you know, I grew up in Washington State and better my parents,
and a college in a maid Zagreb that factory job and had rotating sets like checking glassware defects, and I always just kind of had this lake feeling deepened
like I was meant to do more and in another, my family, you gonna college or anything, but- and I strongly just working
a lot growing at. I would think it was an entrepreneur, early age, and I don't know you did this early on but like I would make her games and then try to sell them at school,
we're looking lemonade stands on a road in rural Minnesota, a hundred percent like little lists of my Easter candy thinking like if I keep. As I recall, it was like tat, but he always worked really hard.
I remember as a teenager in wanting a car and make sure it's when you get me one. So I have a bunch of jobs, a bad groceries at a grocery store, called safe way and pushed him acquired from the parking lot and stop popcorn swap Meetin codes to NASA from just tried to live and work as much as I heard she got my first comment,
which was a three cylinder GEO Metro and it would not go the hills in Seattle and the rain had have to back when we pass on earth? It was a stick shifted, a scary but work in and they ended up
they're, going to college in working now. What does the Danny's waitress in college got fired from that job actually for talking sweets and they had a crucial issues at that? Any further pancakes will come out fast weapon. It were taken out and will be upset, and anyway I would talk to customers and try to get them
to be happy and getting fired from Danny's, but also worked in Delhi. Slicing Delhi, meat and dallied she's in college and unjust always can have had these big dreams. I mean, I wasn't sure I didn't know exactly what they would be and I went off to graduate school and
and everyone was doing in a big business, internships and graduate school, and I started writing for the school paper and found my with other people stories and make
doing interviews, and I start out. I want to do this for my career and so when I
Perhaps you will. I took the lowest paying job, probably in the history of my business school age, a good job
Then she doesn't want here is especially for a good job for twenty three.
Thousands five hundred a year as a television news anchor and reporter and journalists in, and that's what I thought I was gonna do my whole career and I did
for a few years, and then I hardly
this moment that a lot of entrepreneurs- hardware like something becomes a huge price.
But I'm in your life any realise, there's no solution for it. Had that light bulbs
minutes away. I think I'm stress and do something about this and businesses,
That way you know our ideas are created that way and for me Jenna it was asking condition: cod rose they shop, which is bright.
Had all over my cheeks a lot of times, it stand like texture and its hereditary, so there is no cure for it.
I be giving the news- and I would here in my ear,
your that, if the where, when you're lying on television and the producer,
we'll talk through my ear, people be doing right, breaking news or whenever a b- and they would be talking my ears thing, there's something on your face. There's something on your face, and I knew it was it there wasn't. It was the make up was breaking them
still under those hot each delights in a bright redness was coming through in this problem,
he's got worse and worse, and that's when I had this moment where I can I became obsessed with, will try to find
pollution and spending my paycheck on every table
make about their like the most expensive in that department stores in the least expensive in the drugstore, and nothing would work without looking like a thick mask
or just like not covering at all, and that was why
kind of my whole life changed, because I had the feeling that there must be other people out there that there are frustrated with make up a given it. I can't find anything that works. Are there
with confidence or skin issues. In other way I was- and that was when I just became obsessed
figuring out. What can I do about this and that's when the idea
were it. Cosmetics was born and are now part of the agenda,
but I was Zuganov's day. Ok, so you have the idea, turn it into a billion dollar company. But what happens and stooping allowance still mad.
That you are so honest about every
You talk about your closet with boxes. Each have because, like I just I
because I like, when we share alike, are real stories like that, how we know
Sometimes when we see it are here, that's all that's how we know it's possible for us, and you know I remember at the time when I you know,
to do this, so it was the most.
I'm glamorous journey and you know it.
The women and men in your community that in our business owners, have ideas I want to start. Companies are have dreams. Like I love you,
sure the real stuff- and so I'm gonna do that to you, because I am on with genetic adrift on past and
Show me the real it's the like super hard. I just thought: ok, I'm an appeal.
You know all my savings, my husband, I we got married on our honeymoon flight to South Africa. He wrote this business plan for cosmetics. I thought, okay, you know we're just gonna take it,
savings. We have I'm in a port orange you in a product develop
It's our indeed to an advisory board and I'm in a creative product that you works, and I thought whence I do like were goal that right
to help me. I ain't! Never, why didn't? We, though? We did an omen, and I quit my job and television news, and I didn't know anybody in the beauty, industry or even in the industries.
I would need to create a private company,
though I hired the guy who works at my tv news station. He does like that
Wrap, makes that go on the news where they say, like murder happened here, like the map is never designed packaging or anything else edge.
He came to my living room every morning for thirty in the morning before has full time job, and we just sat there with his desktop computer that he would take out of the trap of his car and
Sat there on the floor and design differs packaging, and I would like Google
you know like after completion
yeah regulatory compliance. Labeling like I would just crazy
the honest it either. I did everything right
the beginning and just did the best. I could you know we couldn't
before the higher anyone yeah, but I saw out once this product is down in his prototypes samples wake.
Retailers are gonna, love it because it's gonna change, lives and help. So many people are so that's what I thought so that many samples I too,
were an ulcer beauty and Kubi C, and all the department stores and every single one of them
is that now everything away
I don't even know in most cases the dash try that once it was just like I neither here nothing or I will get
you know an email thanking me for submitting the thing: it's not right for them at this time and it certainly
really real, really fast big has. I can't have realised, oh my gosh. Ok, I can't afford to advertise none
retailers carry my product and its like. If people don't equal rights in the world, but if people dont know it exists in its it sucks
and so I thought like. Ok, our website is gonna save the day and you know we're gonna go live and work in it solvents than in other retails or hear about it.
Yes, isn't my husband bought that book? Html Alfred's,
these designer first website for anybody with me who works with a partner or a friend or a family member you'll understand this back. Our website were alive and I was so excited about was freaking out. I thought this is gonna, be
and the day it went live we link innocent
order
and then the next day, no orders the next day no borders and I finally said
to him and like it's broken,
You did wrong like candy several more days,
and finally we got our first order.
They running around screamers so excited, and he said to me that was me because I please
the priority to you not broken, and I also think this went on at which
We finally got to one order a day, sometimes two or three on a really great day, but it became
When I didn't know agenda as okay, I poured out my money into product that an aim
believed in our products. So much but then
I was in this situation where it ended up being three years before we can pay ourselves
and we got down two hundred thousand dollars and our bank, a cow which is like our company baby calendar personal? When I was using my middle name, MRS agree, I should promote best for anyone out there can afford to hire people yeah like I was like how do I get publicity? What do I do
I used. My middle name is Marie some Marie Cosmetic, that comes from our own email address and she was like had of customer service and had a pr and would like really you really AIDS and marine puts like all the beauty auditors, as they are founders available for an interview, and I thought it was a harsh
It was really hard and just kind of like you do what,
gotta do and you figure out like hell
are you gonna stay alive and that
super and- and I guess the biggest ring guy, you know
I looked back on. Is you know,
Why were all in these retailers thing now is because we were doing some
that was really different at the time? So when we launched this, you know it was before there were influencers that were in a doing makeup, tutorials or
anything and so at the time, and it wasn't that many years ago, at the time, are you start
there were these kind of like photoshopped airbrush model.
In these, make up ads where you Geneva,
now that we are in the product, let alone, if Mary, that's what they look like, and that's really all that you signed apart
Stories are anywhere, and you know I created this product than this idea.
Where I wanted to show you know an air breast, some real Rina, women.
Aren't photoshopped, and I wanted to show my own region
you shall go. Look how this product works, air
You know I wanted to show women of all ages and skin issues can types and skins homes and whenever I would present these ideas and this marking packaging to Department Store
retailers they would always say it's not right. It's not gonna work.
Yeah and it was really tough because they all said no, and I think that one of the biggest things like I would save myself so many nights. I myself to sleep
I knew then
well, I know now, which is like if you're gonna do anything. That's actually
novel or new or innovative Dufresne warships culture or makes it
in perhaps like. If your idea hasn't been done before, then it's like, of course, all of these retailers,
they're, not gonna, get it they're, not gonna. Go oh yeah! That's like it because there's nothing! That's ever happen. That sort of like proves to them.
Give them social proven their mind that it's gonna work has never been done before, and you know it's like, because I was
doing something. Different positioning of product super deferents it
a long time for anybody
It's you say yes to ass bad because we start
our guns and didn't change everything what they would always gonna be my finally started getting retailer meetings. They would say
you know, I'm a member and meeting Jenna Ass A and I was like
I thought. Maybe I was gonna change and I could barely afford the aeroplanes had yet to San Francisco, and I went there in the big
rise building, and I remember feeling
I wasn't that movie, like devil where's products. Will you like? Is my man hath away my when she said sweeping that's? Why
mainly like going up to their Florence.
The super high floor in this building and I was like looking around and I was like: oh my gosh, I you know trying to pray and competent it when I felt so out of place just because I wasn't raised around things like that, and you know such beauty
officers and anyhow, I knew my product was good and- and I went into that meeting- and I put my
How can I stop because it was like? I need a drink
a yes or I didn't know we're gonna stay in business and I gotta go
and I got a lot of feedback on how we need to change our packaging, to make it more exclusive and use different models and they caught him at the time had said it. You're gonna keep this like, showing you no real skin.
This use on real women, you might wanna, go to the stores and I'm like you were
we'll women want real good products
railways have many women. What things work like we're, we're all real win and nights. You don't mean that I feel like Wanna, see someone who looks like
It was just half and it was an entirely
a single moment, happened. Three
years, until our business thank ye, see, there's like one of the biggest moments in my life actually had to either go as my guy or
like going where experts are saying when everything was on the line. That was the biggest moment and biggest lesson in my whole journey was like this.
I made when we launched on pvc that changed everything, but until at last
everyone had just said now and it was stupor tough, let's play
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talk about what happens in x. Like you can't just leave off there, I'm not letting this stories pause. It's just my gosh. I still allow
you are. You yourself are shifting culture in such an impact away for women, and it's like whenever,
I see another woman. Doing less aid gets so excited because
for me. It's like you. No one talks about your wife
what is your life for your business, your wife, everything and it saying
you know from more time, came out down to that and what
and by that, as you are reading her no for three years from everybody, I went to a beauty trade shell, where there is about six thousand women in New York, city or maybe
answer: there are demonstrating their products that wants that you're hoping to an award. Pvc had a big birthday and it's a long story that the barometer
super short, but they had been saying now, four years and as a hook, heinous is made shots to meet them in person like just go up to the buyer. Their interest introduce myself and just kind of like
you know just kind and have you know
honesty, big boss, I dunno. What is the right move like me
You know I was
That may be three for table where you can demonstrate your product and in its every big brand there and then I'm their thick cosmetics, which no one had ever heard of and and I was hoping that Libya a reach, will, I would start by China product or simply meanwhile, you're not supposed to leave your three foot booth
and I don't wanna, get kicked out, but, as you gotta keep you see, I have to meet them and I kept thinking away from my birth and everything. I would do that. The buyer was busy and like a crowd around her, I finally
slunk away. I went up to her introduce myself. I was shaking. Have you ever talk to someone you're, so nervous, sweats running down your body? An early, though, does I think I was the reaching of praying for the right words to say because it wasn't just like.
Oh I want to be a key. We see it was like. I dont know how many companies gonna stay alive and I just felt like humorously could be the perfect partner because there live another lies plague
show it Zactly you can cause. It's like your products could prove live right now is my whole dream, and my dream was also to show all the types of women on their aspiration
and you ve never been to anyone. I should he see before, and so we have to the buyer. Had this,
conversations super nice gaming, her card, so let's have a meeting, but like then I went back to my table, not knowing. If she really meant to rehearse anyhow, you go bring your had tasting the right. Things would have all that
while I was doing all by a curiously show, has came up to me and apparently I had talked to her ear but didn't even realize it. I wasn't my presence. I was just focused on trying to get away under the booze. She came up to me and said you know I
try to conceal earlier, and I love it, I think are accused,
gas needed at home, and I just want you to know. I went to the buyer. I told her that she needs to have you on, and I just looked at the shop.
How astronomers LISA Mason I looked at her and I started studying,
She then, I think I freaked out ass. You think I don't have any power I cant do you know I can't move my sword and guarantee we see as an Westchester Pennsylvania, so flew out. They're gonna, yes, which was our first yes, first big, yes and
Jenna, what it meant and why it became like the scariest,
Man in my entire business career was because pvc
in a give us one shot and it's a ten minute window, meaning you go
live on air for ten minutes and behind him
in homes? But beauty is
consignment until we see so the issue as
can we were selling wondered sheer. Maybe three orders the Deanna website. We had to manufacture a ship, get an acute food packaging. Pvc approved party labs everything, a thick thousand units of our can sealer too, fell in ten minutes to help their sales got more, not come back and wait.
There is a famous saying in business: never take a purchase order. You can't afford to lose, which you should know.
Were deal like now or not advising us, but you knew that deal right has meant her, so many women and I always tell them you have to plan.
But you can lose this. I knew how the okay with that, otherwise don't accept it don't accept, is purchased sorted. John, it's dont do confinement! Anyhow, it felt though after three,
and we were Johns and our thousand eyes right in a bank account just felt like it was. This were nothing because
everyone had said now, I'm so here's the hard part and the pivotal moment. We
We took our allowances, inner get. Six thousand UNICEF conceal her. I had ten minute
the salad, I not come back and the issue is, if you
live on air and in your clock, starts at ten minutes, but
say: you're a minute end and it's not doing well. They will caught your time live. So
a sudden? Yes, your clock, gotta four minutes or agenda two minutes, and you know it's not doing well and then anything that doesn't sell. You have to take back. She sees like if you try,
the sun, nothing South ITALY mean if you do anything, that's it
that I and yeah, and also, if possible,
and they know like you, have they got anticipated
If you go on there and you know and see anything other than what your product is
It's not gonna do well or if it does wild or ship out there it in any means Sonia. It was the most stressful thing
and the reason. Why is because we met
these consultants to help a lot of people like you,
Billy, while standing on tv and their often they hope so many people, and when
met with them. They all had said the same thing, which is ok, you're gonna, do if you have a chance, because most people fail at selling on tv, but there's no you're gonna have a chance.
To do while selling and beauty here's the formula
to follow- and here is because that's what
always and only ever worked witches, ok, you're getting
using a three to four models that are all you know. You know in their early twenties with perfect skin
you're gonna deal in enabling back. That's not why I created, as you know, and it's like I had to speak struggle
because I make listen. I want to show everyone watching what I want to show him my bright red river
make sure I'm alive how this works? Village? Ok, but if
we would argue about it and I can they want and as to when and all that had ever worked with what they were saying
We ve got it and it was very difficult to decide because really everything
being in our business, is on the line which it was leg. Oh my gosh, like the fate of our company, but also
just like a money like we have attacked.
That money from friends and family in the beginning, all of it, was on the line, and I just I flew out a week-
early- and I start by myself in this rental car in the parking lot of pvc for a week- and I just sat there and just say
try to envision how the hall in a cell was gonna, go, and
and like I just thought so much
pressure because I felt like ok, you know if I go with what the experts are, seeing, wake
this might do really? Well, we might seem business but on the flip side, its way, but then it's not way.
Treated, as you know, I mean it was it was so hard, and I would imagine you know- and I actually always do that to this day-
I would imagine, like
that woman and talking to you- and you know-
I have just ten minutes like when it came down to general was, I would even imagined, like ok. What is she is
a state of mind in Nebraska and she's in a falling
laundry and she looked up at her tv and sees me like what do I want her to see and it came down to like ok, first cell,
women for so many years for so many
generations. Women have forgotten them
to forgotten in matter they had never felt beautiful,
or not in a long time, and I was like I want her to work out and see on tv
my bright realization, I want her to see women of every age every size, every skin problem, skin tone, you name it
when I just I was the moment where I realize I would rather like risk at all and stand for something then leg style of rapporteur product an engine for nothing and do it.
We went out doing and not do anything that matters and it's like it's one thing to decide that
it's another thing now when it's like everything's I'm alive.
I remember it
Finally, the moment where and that the host that discovered ass, a beauty show. They tell me with her for ten minutes
It's amazing she'd, been there. Seventeen years
here. We see and then she retired right after first reading, but they tear me with her and I was like so nervous, unlike overly prettiest and Taipei, about like where I was gonna do in every second. They walked up to her.
Who run down. Could you get like a two minute meeting before your show? Is they meet with every person for the hours that there
and had a giant, but it's your producer meetings fast and as little. He used to work in an open with your this in an she's like cut me off super
fast and she's, a bank, you honey, but here's what we're gonna do you and she told me one hundred thousand across the link. I get that point. You just pray right.
I don't know she knows everything I'm alive but like at that point one.
You do, and I just like crazy and she's such a person.
Knew what she was doing and the clock started at that time. Minute marked, and I just went my face:
some were even more rather nor markets, and I wasn't nervous for television now, because I do not for my career. It was just that everyone
was on the line and I remember, like I showed every modern different ages in terms of an Mai, bright red bear face, came out
asked on television and I was like you know and got to show why I created
and I remember it was lay close to their nine minute mark and the house said: okay, the deep state is sold out. Ok
The medium and I was like three
now and then like right, a determinant marked the thought I find him.
Across the screen, I start crying, they had their crimes, they catch and I was just like my help,
hasn't came running in the studio and he's like we're not getting
in the green room, watching the show any comes running in the studio as like we're not going bankrupt and I've leg
and others like crying and Jackie.
Play number one are first, employee is still at the company runs to departments, she's woman, there, three women that going he be seen our she was crying like. It was crazy because we kind of like
with what really mattered then were ended up happening. Was that one airing letter,
I have that year and then a hundred when the next year and in the last eight years, events yearners fifty live shows a year created the largest speedy branding, QC history, which it is to this day right now and it's like money now got Yassin.
Also the fora
we were asked and it's like
oh my gosh like when you look back in its like now,
all of the retailers, the department stores, everybody uses, images that show real different ages, indifferent,
Skin challenges in Rio and airbrush and photo shocks. You know women and I am so grateful you know for whatever per I helped play in that, but it's like, oh, my god
because I didn't listen to everyone saying changeless change that use these, have the models changes
packaging, make it way higher and it's too like accessible inclusive, because in it-
Change me right. We actually robot. I build something that really right.
The needed another, and then we go
grill and grilling grill became a second life.
Actually make up company in the country and then lorry ya, a memorial in its meaning and a lot of work,
now. I don't even know there's so much gesture, but a lot of burn out in between on. I just you know,
hiring carouse and making a million mistakes and all that gets draft
something that I think is so amazing about your story. Is your conviction, tear? Why and I think a lot
at times when people create something they start
looking men tours and they look at the strategies in the step by step process is then they think. Ok, this is how I
to do that and when I was closing my eyes and listening to you and thinking about
Hey, there's is expert that has done this a million times in their telling me. This is how it needs to be done, but I don't believe that our I don't agree with it. How did you
stay. So, like folks,
in on your. Why? Because I think it be so easy for people to be like
hey. This person knows if they're doing I'm in a drop. What I think, I'm just going to trust them and
could really have. It could have changed everything
for me so tempting right, especially because everyone has an appeal,
now on social media. Just looks like everyone's doing well, and so they must know what they're doing and and half the time he never had the two real story for me. I think when
really go back the layers and on what your wise for your dream or your business like it to be so powerful that, like nothing, can shifted and other people's opinions consistent and it's not
a powerful and why I remember you know early, I we
the inner when we're gonna thousand dollars. We had an interest from a potential investor that private equity company and in a we got,
We fire along in the meetings- and I was so desperate and hopeful. They wouldn't ask because
I didn't know how gonna stay alive and we
how'd, you know I had all these meetings brought lawyers on board and diligence and then they ended up saying no and I'll never forget. I stood next to the investor. He was like three four
for me and my husband was on the other side and we're on the sidewalk and they had invested in terms of really great consumer product companies and- and I thought they were gonna say yes and he said we ve decided to pass on the investment, and I said: ok, you know, can you give feedback him here
well, if you want me to be honest, I'm just not sure women with thy make up from someone who looks like you with your body and your weight, and he was being so on
Yes, but I remember that moment, of course, that her, of course, you know
But I remember just having this knowing deep down
inside wake, she's wrong
I mean. I had weak moments after that, where I went in a Google or the people. There are my in a mentors and heroes and all that never be like you know it's operas way enough. Was she lost wait? What her show get better ratings, now flick, flagrant known as can't be right. Look it didn't stick while in my God and it's like people like him, it's a curse.
You know gone in this crazy diet to try and get an investor. It goes
wants to my, why does my? Why was to shift culture and beauty city?
Let's way more inclusive that shifts the image.
Is that women see of what's being Cobb aspiration, and you know that shifts
formula is around products that work and in that kind of why
so strong and honestly like if you
Why isn't strong enough? That's one of the things. I would really focus on figuring out. Please
the layers on because
even when we started getting all the success on pvc, its strategy
really hard and if it works for me
Why and what I mean by that. As you know, I shouldn't
hundred I weeks and I
a hundred I weeks for ten years, which I probably like. If I could look back it's one of the things that I pray every day that Jennifer
my house, you know, I don't know, I just pray that it didn't, but you know my husband, I mean
I was doing like IVF infertility and nobody knew and we weren't getting pregnant and we're having a lot of struggles.
Meanwhile, I was just like all
hundred. I weeks trying to build this business and then doing two hundred fifty
I've says here myself until we, while hiring when we heard over a thousand employees and across the country and finally running the business,
from the green roofs and married beaten.
He's gonna, where, like I had I shouldn't they had you. I got the blessing of being able to go on pvc for these. In a thirty six, our streets today, special values where you walk in the building
and you go on- lie that midnight, but for twenty four hours, but your there. Many hours in advance for meetings and preparation, but you know you don't leave
thirty six hours and you had the seals pressure
millions of dollars on your shoulders that J, knowing if it doesn't go you might get.
And pulled off air and ask it back to you- and you know that pressure and I was so burnt out for several years and the only thing that got me through it was my wife
Like I would sit there in the green with stocks of letters and in a messages emails
hands from customers,
from where women all over that,
sure they're real stories about how enone so beautiful so the first time of the first
in a long time, and if not the make up its more just the master Jean, as you know that they are an end that date,
seven thousand Brandon like that's how I got through all that
because money is I enough to get you you no harm
crimes and burn out. I think it's not a big enough. Motivator should not go back and said
May I think your why you know has to be super strong and I think you know
again, as someone has really really figured out that wife
were the best strong enough to not get bad debts
like something really worth investing time and for sure why things out
so apparent in every step indecision you made, and I want a pivot slightly, because I remember when I first met you
did what everyone else does insert stocking, and I remember when I landed on your post with the Forbes cover with the title:
riches self made women and your photographs on it. And our-
member reading your caption time. You met how you hid it and he didn't want anyone to know and
were just felt a key to you. Can you just talk to me about whites
being on both ends of the spectrum, not knowing. If you're gonna survive to all of a sudden, meaning one of this self made richest women. What was that
like because you did,
change by.
Lie in your world did yeah, that was
really crazy experience like I grew up thinking these things happen
their people. You know I mean I would be in there in a grocery check, outline and see these magazines and think, like you, I am of course knowledge.
About an hour you now imagine but like deep down inside. I think I always thought. Oh, that happens. Vienna to other people are people who are qualify.
I come from a certain family or whatever it is,
had money. You know whenever it is so
Ah you know we were super burnt out after how this works. Thing happened as it had been
in ten years of Henry I weeks and- and I thought oh came in- maybe we'll go past-
cause we're getting pretty large family as a company. But if you go public, you still run the business and you're still
even now, at the mercy of quarterly earnings cause an investor elegance, even more stress and I thought o K. I love our message and rebuilding, but like we started launching another country's inter doing it out of our own office,
and I realize oh, my goodness, it is so much work- is everything
a country around the world has different
jar lies and regulatory compliance lies we're trying. It is now the gate it off, and I realize you know if we do it ourselves. It's gonna go, alas, slower. If we ve been a partner,
with someone like lorry or a huge beauty company. They already had people
the ground and inner over a hundred countries, and they can instantly in a scale not just your business but also
your message in your impact they are having, and in our case on girls and women everywhere, which was my passion and long story short. We start a meeting with lorry I'll three years before they bought us
They actually initially wanted us to change our packaging and all those things as well, and it's like wow. You know they occur
are they entered buying a company three years ago as their lot?
Just? U S acquisition in history? They paid one point two billion dollars cash which they made me. Their first be master,
yeah and a hundred plus your history.
Member at the time when it happened. Thinking like wow had
the even listen to them early on about changing. We would
doing whatever else is doing and they play when it never buy your company. You know what I mean so frightened doesn't matter thing about sticking to it, but when that deal happened I had an obvious
they we were going to share. You know the partnership with employees and but like we were planning on the deal terms ever being public and
night before the acquisition we got a phone call in a lorry ass, a public
bunny and they had decided made the decision to announce the purchase price, and I was like no no, because
no. I had heard all these stories about. You know if you especially,
if you're someone that you know doesn't come from a situation like that that it can.
Cause a lot of trauma of friends and family and relationships, and everyone comes out of the woodwork and thinks you're an atm machine and thinks you must have one point: two billion dollars cash in your pocket right now
like the plague. You know what I mean and I was ass. It was really a crazy twenty four hours. But
DE the acquisition, lorry I'll announced the purchase price and after that, what happened
one of the things that happened was Forbes calls are pr team
it cosmetics and they also wrote an email, and they said you know here,
or estimating Jamie's network is to be and we're going to publish this and article about this. Sixty reaches a woman, and I like what?
First of all, there is no way they could know anything because they don't. You know it wasn't made public, how many investors we have our who and what shares or anything right so like they can't know and an inner. I had my team respond back to them that I wasn't interested in the article are united to thank them for their time and then Forbes replied and said what,
I believe in the integrity of their list, and otherwise it's not a true less, so they publish their estimates, no matter what, whether you talk to them.
Not and they have enough supporting day
he'll published the number they're gonna published an I've read out late, freaked out about it and innovate. They ask you know like
you know what part of that just Jamie own versus her husband with all these questions which, to this day, I've never
never a common and many were attacked them that many and so when they said they were going to publish the article you know I had
It appears that share with them. Well, you know if you
What's a share our story and get him
messaging out there. That would be great, but Jim, not going talk about money and the monstrous shortly publish
willingly article there, a partner with some who were carriage, never touch.
That many are anything but their lists came out, and I think there's like this. I realise there is this weird thing about.
Women and money, and the funny thing that the rapporteur said to me as waking she's trying to
and why I didn't want to comment on many, and she says you know
all of the women on our list in a most all of em, don't wanna, be part of the list and she led him
all of the man. All they do is key.
And see the number needs to be higher. Aren't you
the that about role anyway.
What happened was so awake
the time. Anyone who ask about it or the PR team cosmetics, which you know do an introduction,
or whatever any time. That's the webs is rash. Rinsed like
even change the name of that and how he reference debts you most accessible women self me women, like I had the word richest, I was like an there asked. I thought I was just
a model for this realization just this year, where I thought. Oh, my gosh, like what
I've been doing like meaning. You know me
Hiding my success like that
being ashamed of it or minimizing jamming. My own life, like all that does, is act as a disservice to other
girls and other women, because, like stolen
times in our life, we have to see someone else's story or see what's possible for us to believe it for ourselves and I'm like hiding
and it and how many women out there or girls out there that are
me and don't come French? You know, you know families that have had a lot of success or they don't feel qualified or they don't steal enough way.
I'm in what's possible from man, and I just have this huge
aha moment where you know like it was just the same.
Here I'm not, I'm not gonna hide it anymore, because I dont want to take that away from other people who have big dreams and sure when you have stuff out there,
get theaters and whatever, but like a minute, just deal with that, because I just think
meant with Demmed our own lie. You know to be quiet and polite and gracious and good
fall and minimize our successes and all that guy's is wrong.
Their women at stories and what's possible for them and examples and insight
no, I'm sure so many running your community right now, let's see what's possible because he D.
What General John and, how John of doing it- and it's like you know so,
Many times in my life. Like I looked to O Brien, I see what possible and other women
you and so many, my friends in its eye. If we actually had our stories, that makes no sense, they had a big epiphany. Am I
let us stop them in my life. You know because it's really again not about me right. It's about you know just if it helps other people, see let's possible other people who ve dollar
like being told there not enough where there were body, isn't right or their idea isn't
a work origin, or maybe it's just there under estimating themselves, which we all use in time, I'm not in it
m that anymore for them last night,
or the jewish eyes I feel I got- is a mighty could drop moment Jamie. Thank you so much for just sharing your story, workin everybody. It find out about you and learn more about the amazing woman that I've fallen in love. With I mean I am on my own instagram law for a lot of years. It was a cosmetic and a big team that Instagram with me kindly Emma that as well
in active? So that is the best place?
right now and I am in love with you Jenna, I'm so, just as an
they are women and I speak for many.
And the women out there but like I'm so in
fired by you can't just problem.
How'd. You know
who you are and what you're doing of higher shutting culture?
so many ways around women being financially free around. You know confidence, and I just got here
Thank you so much for coming on the pod. Guess I'm so excited for people to listen in here. Your story, all inky general! I don't know about you.
But I was literally on the edge of my see during the entire interview wondering what's going to happen next,
you gonna get a yes
you gonna sell out? Are they going to survive in how the heck did they turn
This dream that started in her living room into a billion dollar business. I love Jamie's, pointed
the end that we as women need not shy away from success, because when we step into our power we elevate one
other and show what is truly possible
I am so grateful that I get to interview women like Jamie Kern lemme on this file, guessing call it a job
thank you so much for turning into another episode of the gold digger podcast get out.
And show the world what possible, when you believe in something so much that you will not waver until next time. Gold diggers keep on digging your biggest cause. I'll talk to you soon, I'm over here, giving you a virtual high five, because you just finished another episode of the gold digger podcast today
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Transcript generated on 2020-08-03.