CONGRATS on Laney's interview on HSR - that Saie x Knicks partnership was brilliant. Cannot wait to listen to the episode! - Forbes Editor
Most founders never get a behind-the-scenes look at how a beauty giant like Estée Lauder operates. Laney Crowell did. Then she took those lessons, and their secrets, and built a $100M+ beauty brand of her own, Saie.
In this week's episode, she shares the playbook most consumers never get to see: how beauty brands actually launch products, build retail relationships, create demand, and turn marketing into a growth engine. From becoming an early sponsor of the New York Knicks before their championship season to scaling one of Sephora's fastest-growing brands, Laney reveals how spotting overlooked opportunities can create outsized results.
What We Cover:
The beauty industry playbook most founders never get access to
The one reason she spotted the Knicks sponsorship that became a massive win for Saie
How to identify opportunities everyone else is missing
What actually drives growth for modern beauty brands
The biggest fundraising lessons Laney learned building Saie
The mindset shifts required to scale from startup to industry leader
Motherhood, ambition, and building a business on your own terms
Today’s Podcast Uniform
My podcast uniform today was this top (wear it all the time!), and old pair of ref jeans (these are similar), this necklace (that is under and you have been OBSESSED with).
Laney’s Top 10
her favourite products to live a hot, smart, rich life
01. The one thing that makes me excited to get out of bed.
02. A tiny packet that somehow makes me feel like a functioning human again.
03. Really cute sneakers bc I love to walk everyone.
04. My secret weapon for eight uninterrupted hours of sleep.
05. The fastest way to look expensive with zero effort.
06. The one piece that makes every outfit cooler.
07. The combination people ask me about every single time.
09. The product doing the most work while I sleep.
10. The reason I never have 1,000 unread emails.
Hot, Smart, Rich Tips
One of my favorite beauty tricks is priming your makeup brush before applying product. It helps everything blend more seamlessly, gives you a more natural finish, and makes your makeup look like it's part of your skin rather than sitting on top of it.
Download books to your phone and always have something you're reading ready to go. Whether you're waiting for a meeting, sitting at the airport, or have ten unexpected free minutes, those small pockets of time can add up to a lot of learning.
Have a very clear vision of where you're going. The most successful founders I know are incredibly intentional about what they're building and why they're building it. When you have clarity on the future you're creating, it becomes much easier to make decisions, stay focused, and ignore distractions along the way.
Favorite Part of the Conversation
My favorite part of the conversation was sharing the story behind our Knicks partnership. It wasn't some grand marketing strategy. It started with me sitting at Madison Square Garden, looking around and realizing that nearly half the audience was women, yet no one was speaking to them. That moment became a reminder that some of the biggest opportunities come from paying attention to what's right in front of you.
About The Guest
Laney Crowell - Founder and CEO of Saie
Laney Crowell is the Founder and CEO of Saie, a clean beauty brand that has become a leading force in redefining modern makeup through high-performing products, ingredient transparency, and sustainability. Before launching Saie in 2019, she built her career in beauty and communications, including roles at Estée Lauder, where she gained deep insight into the evolving needs of beauty consumers and the power of brand storytelling.
Under Laney’s leadership, Saie has grown into one of the most recognized names in clean beauty, earning a loyal community and widespread industry acclaim. Beyond building a successful business, she is a vocal advocate for sustainability, responsible entrepreneurship, and women's empowerment, making her a respected voice on innovation, purpose-driven leadership, and the future of consumer brands.
About The Host
Maggie Sellers Reum - Entrepreneur, Investor & Podcast Host
Maggie Sellers Reum is a cult-followed entrepreneur, investor, and media founder redefining how women build wealth, power, and ownership. She is the CEO co-founder of Hot Smart Rich (HSR), alongside Katie Sellers. HSR is a modern media platform at the intersection of business, culture, and money.
At the centre of HSR is its breakout podcast, one of the fastest-growing business shows in the U.S., surpassing 3 million downloads. In a category where only 7% of business podcasts are hosted by women, HSR has emerged as a cultural force reshaping conversations around money, investing, relationships, and modern female ownership, powered by a highly engaged global community known as 'HSR Angels.'
Beyond media, Maggie is also an active investor through HSR Ventures, backing companies driving better outcomes for women, including Bird&Be, Allara Health, and Locker. By pairing capital with storytelling and distribution, she helps founders unlock visibility, strategic partnerships, and investor demand.
In 2025, HSR secured a landmark seven-figure investment from FlightStory, the global media and investment company co-founded by Steven Bartlett, accelerating its mission to become the defining female ambition brand of the next decade.
