Love it so much! P.S. Want to hear Maggie’s laugh in full volume! - HSR Angel
Tezza Barton joins Maggie Sellers Reum on Hot Smart Rich to talk about building the Tezza app, Instagram photo editing, creator culture, and turning a launch she nearly deleted into a $2.5M first year win!
Before Tezza became the app every cool girl, creator and brand had on their phone, she was selling Lightroom presets, building failed businesses with her husband, and trying to move out of their 250-square-foot apartment…
Tezza tells Maggie about the brutal app launch, the reviews that made her want to delete it all, and the pivot that turned the backlash into a real business.
They also get into Tezza’s rules for the perfect Instagram photo, what makes a photo dump actually work, and how her obsession with taste turned the Tezza app into something bigger than her personal brand. Plus, working with Rare Beauty, 818, Bumble and Summer Fridays, Selena Gomez approving her work, and why the future of tech needs more feeling, not less.
What We Cover:
Tezza Barton’s journey as a creator and entrepreneur
How she developed her creative style and curated inspiration online
Her approach to building an online community without chasing algorithms
The story behind building the TEZZA app and navigating public backlash
Her thoughts on creativity in the AI era, failed ideas, and monetizing content
How she bootstrapped the TEZZA brand while building a business with her husband
Her perspective on brand partnerships, creator deals, and growing a lasting personal brand
Today’s Podcast Uniform
This top was a splurge on my honeymoon. Celine has a similar style for spring/summer here but this one is also perfect (and under $100). My jeans are EB jeans from Revolve and don’t know the specific style but these are very similar. Shoes were very simple slip on white sandals like these.
Tezza’s Top 10
01. The Creative Reset
This book completely changed the way I think about creativity and life in general. I honestly love it even more as an audiobook. My husband and I split headphones and listen to it together on our morning walks.
02. The Camera
The best point-and-shoot ever. The flash makes everyone look iconic and somehow every photo instantly feels cooler.
03. The Secret Ingredient
I put this on everything from salads to fish and people literally think I’m a chef because of it.
04. The Bag Essential
You’ll always find this in my bag. It’s the quickest way to look put together when I’m running around all day.
05. The Home Ritual
This smells so incredible and instantly brings me peace of mind. One of my favorite ways to reset my space and mood.
06. The Hot Girl Product
I use this every night and honestly… it just makes me feel hotter.
07. The Zoom Hack
A thick clear frame always makes me feel instantly polished, especially when I don’t want to wear makeup but have meetings all day.
08. The Sleep Upgrade
These completely changed my sleep. I have genuinely never been cozier in my life.
09. The Signature Scent
This smells sooooo good. It’s one of those fragrances people ask about every single time.
10. The Lip Combo
I genuinely never leave the house without this on. It’s my forever lip product.
Hot, Smart, Rich Tips
Waking up early is my biggest hack because it’s the only way I can fit in the things that make me feel like me before the world starts asking for something. I love being there the second my kids wake up, so if I want time to work out, journal, or drink my coffee in peace, that happens early. I swear I get more done in those first few quiet hours than the rest of the day combined.
Build a network of people you trust and admire. One of the biggest lessons in business is realizing you do not need to have every answer yourself. The fastest way through obstacles is often a phone call to someone who has been there before. Ask questions. Stay curious. People are often far more generous with their knowledge than you think. Intelligence is not knowing everything, it’s knowing how to learn quickly and who to learn from.
Everyone wants to go broad too fast. I think there’s real wealth in obsession. Own something specific. Be unmistakable. Some of the most successful founders I know didn’t chase every opportunity, they became known for one thing first and built from there. To me, rich is creating something that’s distinctly yours and building enough momentum around it that opportunities start finding you. That’s where the magic is.
Favorite Part of the Conversation
I loved getting into the creative side of entrepreneurship and the evolution of creativity on the internet, how instinct, taste, and vision are just as valuable in building a company as strategy. I think people often separate creativity and business, but for me they’ve always gone hand in hand.
About The Guest
Tezza Barton - Artist, Entrepreneur and Co-Founder of TEZZA
Tezza Barton is a multi-talented creator, artist, entrepreneur, and mother. She has spent over a decade as a commercial photographer, honing her vision for storytelling with brands and amassing a loyal following of over 1.2 million on Instagram. In 2018, she founded TEZZA, a photo and video editing app with a mantra of “The Art of Life,” which now serves over 2.5 million monthly active users.
Known for her signature editorial aesthetic and inspiring approach to creativity, Tezza has collaborated with major fashion and lifestyle brands including Dior Beauty, Michael Kors, and Tommy Hilfiger. Beyond photography and entrepreneurship, Barton is also a musician and has been recognized on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list.
Today, Tezza continues to inspire a global community through her work as a founder, artist, and storyteller, encouraging others to find beauty in everyday life and embrace creativity in all forms. She currently resides in California with her husband and TEZZA co-founder, Cole Herrmann, and their children.
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.
