Earning The Right To Brag

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ICYMI ⋆˚✿˖°

We’ve earned the right to brag, Angels. Brands are now requesting to be part of HSR meetups, asking to have their jobs listed in Consumer News (the section I gossip about most), and reaching out to explore ways to work together. I couldn’t stop thinking about what I said at Duke: “The vision has never changed.” But the way we do things has — as has the team we’re growing, and it’s quite satisfying to see so many of the early non-believers circle back, the ones who once didn’t see the vision. It’s why I recommend every single founder, creator, or aspiring entrepreneur read Simon Sinek’s Start With Why. It’s the message you need to carry you through all the no’s and speed bumps along the way.

I’ve also made a few upgrades over the past few weeks… and I hate to report the findings, because they’re not cheap.

The iPhone 17 Pro is, without a doubt, the best thing I’ve spent money on this month. The camera quality (especially the front-facing one) and battery life alone are reason enough to upgrade. The only downside will be when I need to return my iPhone 14 Pro later this week, and all of my TikTok drafts will disappear. Prepare to be spammed until it’s time to part ways.

I also hate to report that the new Therabody red light mask is worth it, and worth keeping your eye on for Black Friday. Mostly because I can actually see out of my eyes during the 15-minute session. For a busy girl, it’s a dream come true.

And lastly, the outfit I wore to Duke. If they have your size, I just found the capris on sale at Bloomingdale’s for under $100 from $218 on revolve BUT the blazer is for sale on Revolve in every size.

♡ ShopMy raised $70M at a $1.5B valuation. It’s third funding round in under two years.

♡ Indie and mass-market beauty brands are about to feel the squeeze in the market if they don’t build a cult-like community, prove profitability, and sharpen their story to go up against conglomerate marketing budgets after the landmark Kering-L’Oréal deal, as reported by Beauty Independent, and quoted by me!

♡ After getting laughed at by investors, Yuv just landed the biggest deal in Dragon’s Den history, and from none other than our favorite, Steven Bartlett. Founder Francisco Gimenez walked away with a combined investment of £500,000 (~$666K) for 2% equity from Bartlett and Sara Davies, valuing the smart-salon startup at £25M (~$33M). Yuv is basically a Keurig for custom hair color. Would you trust your colorist to use it?

♡ Is Rihanna losing or has she already lost her celebrity beauty brand crown? Rumor has it that LVMH is looking to dump its 50% stake in Rihanna-backed Fenty Beauty. Do you still buy Fenty Beauty?

♡ Raissa Gerona is now the founder and CEO of Grandist, a social network with no algorithm rumored to help creators monetize their content. The interesting thing after a lunch with one of the heads at Meta this past week was talking about how the traditional fashion OG creators have struggled with video adoption so I wonder how this will play out.

♡ I always wonder about the approval layers for ads at brands as large as Vuori, who just deleted a social media ad that was definitely inappropriate.

♡ Sometimes the best marketing costs nothing. ICYMI, you’re officially cool if you’re in Group 7 (or so the entire internet thinks). But what does it even mean? I had to ask Professor Sima’s 8-year-old to get “in” on the trend because — plot twist — it means literally nothing. It started as a social media experiment by musician Sophia James, who casually declared that users who saw the 7th video in her series first were now part of “Group 7” (aka the cool ones). Netflix even played along, creating a “Section 7” on the homepage featuring a curated group of films. I watched The Woman in Cabin 10 on Netflix’s list of Group 7 characters, which I thought was great, but the book was better.

♡ Arrae just launched nationwide at Target — and they’re not slowing down. To make sure their DTC channel stays the golden child, they’re hiring for what might be one of the hottest roles in wellness right now: E-commerce Product Specialist. Siff and Nish personally asked me to share this! They’re hoping their golden ticket is somewhere inside the HSR community so please feel free to mention you’re a part of HSR if you apply for special consideration when you apply here.

Last week’s episode featured Emma Kenney, who grew up on screen as Debbie Gallagher on Shameless and Harris on The Conners. Now 26, Emma reflects on the challenges of child stardom — from navigating Hollywood’s pay gap and public misconceptions to battling the constant pressure to stay relevant — and shares why she chose passion over profit by launching Yogi’s House, a dog rescue that has already saved nearly 400 animals. In this conversation, she opens up about fame, reinvention, and finding purpose beyond the spotlight.

♡ the brands, people, places, things that have captured my attention ♡

♡ Women’s Health & Beauty ♡

♡ Media, Entertainment & Creator ♡

♡ E-Commerce, Retail & Social ♡

♡ Tech, Business & Investing ♡

We’re officially in a consolidation era. The giants are getting bigger, the middle is shrinking, and the rest of us are figuring out how to keep building smart, profitable, emotionally resonant brands in a market that’s starting to feel a little crowded at the top.

L’Oréal buying Kering Beauté, which includes Creed, Gucci, Bottega Veneta, and Balenciaga, for €4 billion. Their biggest acquisition ever. And it’s not just a power move, it’s a reset.

But don’t panic. This is one of those “watch and learn” moments for founders. Especially if you’re in beauty, or planning your next move.