Bobbi Brown: Beauty Industry Trailblazer

02/26/24 • 27 min

Legendary beauty industry mogul Bobbi Brown signed her life away for 25 years in a contract with Estée Lauder, after they bought her eponymous brand Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. She launched a new beauty brand, Jones Road, the very day her non-compete ended.

Brown stands out among our other "Obsessed" subjects as having a well-balanced life, being well-liked, having a clear direction, an unstinting passion for her field, and a compelling story inclusivity and innovation in the beauty industry. This episode shares her life story, her life philosophies, daily habits, and the role of luck and timing in her success.

00:00 Introduction: The Story of Bobbi Brown

02:33 Bobbi Brown's Early Life and Career

04:04 The Launch of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics

05:45 The Acquisition by Estée Lauder and Non-Compete Agreement

07:11 Bobbi Brown's Life Post-Estée Lauder

07:51 The Launch of Jones Road

10:03 Bobbi Brown's Philosophy and Approach to Success

11:32 The Role of Luck and Timing in Bobbi Brown's Success

16:03 Bobbi Brown's Life Philosophies and Themes

23:39 Bobbi Brown's Daily Habits and Work Environment

26:17 Conclusion

00:00 Introduction: The Story of Bobbi Brown

02:33 Bobbi Brown's Early Life and Career

04:04 The Launch of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics

05:45 The Acquisition by Estée Lauder and Non-Compete Agreement

07:11 Bobbi Brown's Life Post-Estée Lauder

07:51 The Launch of Jones Road

10:03 Bobbi Brown's Philosophy and Approach to Success

11:32 The Role of Luck and Timing in Bobbi Brown's Success

16:03 Bobbi Brown's Life Philosophies and Themes

23:39 Bobbi Brown's Daily Habits and Work Environment

26:17 Conclusion

Previous Episode

Kris Jenner, Part 3: How the Kardashian family dynasty was built

It's 2004. Kris Jenner has taken Caitlin Jenner from a has-been Olympian with $300K in debt, and turned her life around. They now live in a wealthy LA suburb, with their 6 children in fancy private schools, a bustling public career for Caitlin, and mingling with LA’s entertainment elite on the weekends.

But it’s not enough for Kris. She wants more for herself. And she’s not content for Caitlin to be the only star in the family.

In Part 3 of Kris Jenner’s life story, we’ll learn how Kris skyrockets her family to fame and fortune.

We’ll also learn about 9 key life philosophies that were instrumental in the success of the Kardashian-Jenner family. You’ll see how Kris’ obsession was a necessary ingredient for her success.

Love her or loathe her, Kris can teach all of us a lesson in persistence and reinvention.

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Link here to listen to the all previous Obsession podcast episodes (including part 1 & 2 of the Kris Jenner life story).

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Next Episode

Gina Rinehart: Australia's Richest Person

Gina Rinehart made her billions as a mining magnate in the remote region of Western Australia. She inherited this business from her late father Lang Hancock, but you'd be quickly scolded for calling her an heiress.

In fact, the Hancock mining empire was in very poor financial shape when Gina eventually claimed her spot at the helm. She turned the company around, expanding its choke on the mining value chain, and replenishing the coffers which had nearly been depleted - first by her spendthrift stepmother, Rose Hancock, and then from many years in and out of court battling Rose for ownership of the companies.

This is Gina's story - from Lang's discovery of vast deposits of iron ore in Western Australia, to Gina's forgotten childhood spent learning the business, to the many vicious legal skirmishes among members of the family and anyone else who came within firing range of Gina Rinehart.

Gina is far from a universally well-liked figure in Australian business. Her and her late father's political views are polarizing. Although she gives away untold amounts as part of her philanthropic efforts, her money is not welcome to everyone. And after making peace with her own father after many acrimonious years of warring, she is still locked in public battles with three of her four children.

Gina Rinehart was born with an iron spoon in her mouth. You'll hear how the weight of that fortune has left a bad taste for many.

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The biography I used as source material for this episode: Gina Rinehart: The Untold Story of the Richest Woman in the World by Adele Ferguson, 2012

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