About this episode

Gregg Renfrew shares her journey of building Beautycounter, facing challenges, and rebuilding her identity after being fired from her own company.

Gregg Renfrew started a movement by making better-for-you cosmetics, then enlisted an army of women to build the business through direct sales. But after selling Beautycounter, she was pushed out of the company she created. Then she got to do something almost no founder gets to do:  She bought her company back. Then lost it again. Then took the risky step of rebuilding it into a new brand, now called Counter.   This is a story about ambition, humility, and second chances.   Gregg learned her first lessons by launching an early online wedding registry and selling it to Martha Stewart. She briefly led a clothing company and was summarily fired—by messenger. In this candid conversation, Gregg talks about the bold innovation she brought to the beauty industry, and the lessons she learned from working with difficult people—including, at times, herself.  What You’ll Learn: How to build a movement—not just a product The hidden risks of “growth at all costs” Why direct sales (done right) can outperform traditional DTC The emotional toll of being fired from your own company How to rebuild your identity after losing your business What it takes to come…

People in this episode

Host: Guy Raz

Guest: Gregg Renfrew

Topics covered

• cosmetics
• direct sales
• business challenges
• entrepreneurship
• identity rebuilding
• second chances

Keywords

• Beautycounter
• Gregg Renfrew
• direct sales
• entrepreneurship
• business lessons
• identity
• second chances
• Martha Stewart
• dot-com crash

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Beautycounter, Martha Stewart, Counter

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