About this episode

Nisha Karna discusses the complexities of scaling brands internationally and her career journey from consulting to entrepreneurship.

In this episode, Sanjay sits down with Nisha Karna to explore what it really takes to scale brands across markets.​ From her early career at BCG to roles in global beauty like Frank Body and Estee Lauder, Amazon-first businesses and now as co-founder of GLOWPATH, Nisha has seen firsthand why international expansion requires more than replicating what worked at home. The conversation also covers Nisha’s career journey from consulting to operating, what she learned building brands in the US, the role of Amazon in reshaping retail, how AI is changing the brand playbook, and how she is navigating entrepreneurship and family life. Topics covered: Differences between the Australian and US markets The importance of understanding local customers, channels and operating models Why founders need to be clear on the problem they are solving before pursuing growth offshore. Chapter markers: 00:00 — Introducing Nisha Karna​ 01:28 — Early lessons in retail, pricing and customers​ 04:34 — Finding her way into BCG​ 06:52 — Moving to New York and joining global beauty​ 11:02 — From business school plans to a startup opportunity​ 12:22 — Why international expansion is not copy-paste​ 15:40 —…

People in this episode

Host: Sanjay

Guest: Nisha Karna

Topics covered

• international expansion
• brand building
• retail challenges
• local market understanding
• entrepreneurship
• AI in branding

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: BCG, GLOWPATH, Frank Body, Estee Lauder, Amazon

More episodes of Business & Beyond

• You Don’t Need to Understand Everything About AI - Here’s What Matters | Rohin Wood (BCG X ANZ Lead, and Managing Director & Partner BCG) · March 22, 2026 · 40 min
• What Great CEOs Do Differently Today | Rich Lesser (Global Chair, BCG)​ · March 2, 2026 · 28 min
• A Tale of Four Davos: Insights From a Week With World Leaders | Rich Lesser (Global Chairman, BCG) · February 5, 2026 · 46 min
• Leadership Lessons That Only Experience Teaches | John Gualtieri (Managing Director, Officeworks Australia) · January 19, 2026 · 42 min
• Convenience Redefined | Fiona Hayes (CEO & MD, 7-Eleven Australia) · December 11, 2025 · 1h 2m
• Leading Under Pressure | Grant McCabe (Managing Partner, BCG Australia & New Zealand) · November 27, 2025 · 54 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Business & Beyond podcast page.