1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:02,160 Speaker 1: Hi, sheep Pivots listeners. 2 00:00:02,240 --> 00:00:04,600 Speaker 2: I'm so excited to share with you that we've been 3 00:00:04,640 --> 00:00:08,080 Speaker 2: nominated for the second year in a row for Signal 4 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:13,039 Speaker 2: Awards Listener's choice for Most Inspirational Episode for this season's 5 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:17,480 Speaker 2: episode with Ukrainian refugee Tetiana Podle. But in order to win, 6 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 2: we need your vote. To vote for our episode, visit 7 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:24,600 Speaker 2: the link in our Instagram bio at sheep Pivots the Podcast, 8 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 2: or search for sheep Pivots when you go to vote 9 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:32,960 Speaker 2: dot Signal Award dot com. Tetiana story is truly incredible. 10 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 2: As a Ukrainian refugee, she's dedicated herself to volunteering in 11 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:40,159 Speaker 2: the war, and her story starts long before she was 12 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 2: even born as she recalls the experiences of her grandparents 13 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:47,879 Speaker 2: in a post Soviet Ukraine. She carries us through an 14 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:50,640 Speaker 2: emotional retelling of how she went back to her home 15 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:53,840 Speaker 2: country just weeks after the war, started to care for 16 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 2: her family and eventually leading a grassroots effort to transport 17 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:01,360 Speaker 2: supplies to her father's U unit on the front lines. 18 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:05,679 Speaker 2: It is truly an amazing episode, so please vote and 19 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:20,360 Speaker 2: share it with your friends. Welcome to she Pivots the Podcast. 20 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:23,200 Speaker 2: Where we talk with women who dared to pivot out 21 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 2: of one career and into something new and explore how 22 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 2: their personal lives impacted these decisions. 23 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 1: I'm your host, Emily Tish Sussman. 24 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 3: Today. 25 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 2: I'm thrilled to be sharing our live she Pivots recording. 26 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 2: We did this summer with the phenomenal Bobby Brown. You 27 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 2: know that Bobby Brown in full transparency. Bobby has been 28 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 2: a long time dream guest of mine. Okay, I know 29 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 2: I say that a lot, but her pivots always fascinated me. 30 00:01:56,040 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 2: From building a massive beauty empire to recently founding Joe 31 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 2: Road Beauty, I wanted to know if the pivot into 32 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 2: something smaller felt more fulfilling. 33 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 1: So a quick refresh before we hop into the episode. 34 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:13,520 Speaker 2: Bobby founded and built the now household beauty brand Bobby 35 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 2: Brown in the nineties and sold it to Estey Lauter 36 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:20,480 Speaker 2: shortly after and signed the infamous non compete clause that 37 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 2: prevented her from starting another beauty brand for twenty five years. 38 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 2: So she stayed on with the company for over twenty 39 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 2: years and built it into a billion dollar brand. Then, 40 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:35,320 Speaker 2: almost twenty five years to the day after she signed 41 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 2: her non compete. She launched her own brand again, Jones 42 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 2: Road Beauty. She also started a handful of other ventures 43 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 2: over the years, like Just Bobby dot com, a digital 44 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:50,240 Speaker 2: editorial content site, The George, a thirty one room boutique 45 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 2: hotel in Montclair, and two podcasts, The Important Things and 46 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:56,760 Speaker 2: Beyond the Beauty. I want to take a moment to 47 00:02:56,760 --> 00:02:59,440 Speaker 2: say thank you to the Church, our local center for 48 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 2: the arts, creativitying community, for hosting us. This was truly 49 00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 2: the perfect backdrop for a She Pivots live recording. 50 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 1: Let's jump right in. My name is Sherry Pasparella. 51 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 4: I am the executive director of the Church, on behalf 52 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 4: of myself and our lovely board and all of our 53 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:26,120 Speaker 4: team would like to welcome you warmly here today. I 54 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 4: was thinking a lot about the ways in which she 55 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:32,000 Speaker 4: Pivots and the idea of empowered and empowering women connects 56 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 4: with the spirit of creativity, which is what we do here. 57 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 4: And I think Emily and Bobby embody the notion of 58 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 4: a contemporary creative woman as somebody who's able to define 59 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 4: on their own terms how their voice and vision can 60 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 4: exist in the world. I'm very pleased to introduce you 61 00:03:52,880 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 4: guys all to the lovely and awesome Emily Tish Assessman. 62 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 2: So thank you so much for joining this live podcast 63 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 2: of she Pivots. I was just chatting with Bobby in 64 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 2: the back before. We've only done a handful of them. 65 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 2: So we've done. We've interviewed live on stage Stacy London 66 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:16,200 Speaker 2: from What Not to Where, Robin Arzon from Pelotony launched 67 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 2: her book, and Vice President Kamala Harris and today Bobby Brown. 68 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:24,599 Speaker 2: So I spent about fifteen years as a political strategist 69 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:28,320 Speaker 2: working in Washington on federal policy, and then I had 70 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:30,480 Speaker 2: three kids in three and a half years and went 71 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:31,719 Speaker 2: into a global pandemic. 72 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:33,280 Speaker 1: And you know what you can't do. 73 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 2: With three kids in three and a half years in 74 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:38,560 Speaker 2: a global pandemic anything at all, And you definitely can't 75 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:41,600 Speaker 2: work on an upcoming presidential campaign which will determine basically 76 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:44,799 Speaker 2: the next wave of your political future. So I saw 77 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 2: my career falling apart before me, and it. 78 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 1: Was out of my control. 79 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:51,280 Speaker 2: So when Cherry and I were chatting about we could 80 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:54,800 Speaker 2: potentially do together, she's so generous and said, well, who 81 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 2: were your dream guests? 82 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:56,839 Speaker 1: Maybe we can try to get them. 83 00:04:57,240 --> 00:04:59,480 Speaker 2: The next thing I said is that I've actually always 84 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 2: wanted to of you, Bobby Brown, because she exemplifies for 85 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:06,400 Speaker 2: me this idea that you can have a vision of success, 86 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:09,480 Speaker 2: of what looks like success having a big business, and 87 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 2: I'm going to assume a little bit here, but maybe 88 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 2: finding a different kind of happiness potentially more in changing 89 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:17,480 Speaker 2: your version of success with the business that she has 90 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 2: now in so many other ventures. So the church as 91 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:24,000 Speaker 2: a cultural center is the perfect place to have this conversation. 92 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:26,880 Speaker 2: I'm a full time resident here. Bobby is also a 93 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 2: part time resident here. This is the first place that 94 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 2: we have found community. This is the place that we 95 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 2: have chosen to raise our family. So it also feels 96 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:35,720 Speaker 2: a lot of pressure that we're actually in our own 97 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:36,440 Speaker 2: community here. 98 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:38,280 Speaker 1: We were just chatting that before. 99 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 2: But so I'm so excited to bring up the incredible 100 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 2: Bobby Brown. Bobby, your resume is long, extensive. We'll get 101 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:54,960 Speaker 2: to some great highlights. Why don't we just start every interview? 102 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 1: What is your name and what do you do? 103 00:05:57,240 --> 00:05:59,760 Speaker 3: My name is Bobby Brown. It's always a weird thing. 104 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:03,440 Speaker 3: I'm a makeup artist. That's what I think of myself. 105 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:07,600 Speaker 3: I'm a makeup artist. I'm a serial entrepreneur, I'm a wife, 106 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 3: I am a mother, and I am a grandmother. 107 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 2: So let's go back. Let's start from the beginning. We're 108 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:15,600 Speaker 2: going to do a little chronological here. Then we're going 109 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 2: to get more interesting. But I want to start back 110 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:20,000 Speaker 2: to when you were a teenager and you decided to 111 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:21,960 Speaker 2: go well, you didn't know that you were going into. 112 00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:24,240 Speaker 1: Makeup, but you loved it. What was it about makeup 113 00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:25,240 Speaker 1: that drew you in? 114 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 2: You know? 115 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:26,839 Speaker 4: I was. 116 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 3: I had gone to two colleges, didn't like either of them. 117 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 3: Told my mom I wanted to drop out. I thought 118 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:36,799 Speaker 3: it was really boring. It was really boring, it wasn't interesting. 119 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:39,159 Speaker 3: And she said, you can't. You have to go to school. 120 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:40,599 Speaker 3: And I said, but I don't know what I want 121 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:42,839 Speaker 3: to do. She said, forget what you want to do 122 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:45,000 Speaker 3: for a living. If today's your birthday, you could do anything. 123 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:47,039 Speaker 3: What would you want to do. I could have said 124 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:49,600 Speaker 3: go to Paris. I could have said, you know, eat brownies. 125 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 3: I said, I want to go to Marshall Fields and 126 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:54,039 Speaker 3: play with makeup. She said, why don't you be a 127 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:56,839 Speaker 3: makeup artist? And I said, all right, I'll find a 128 00:06:56,880 --> 00:06:59,479 Speaker 3: college that will allow me to do makeup. And I 129 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:02,599 Speaker 3: found em they didn't have makeup, but they had a 130 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:06,200 Speaker 3: degree called an interdisciplinary degree where you could make your 131 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 3: own major. I still don't know what inter interdisciplinary means, 132 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 3: but I made up my major and I figured I 133 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:14,080 Speaker 3: learned how to be an entrepreneur. 134 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 2: Well, you have said that when you were when you 135 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 2: were younger, when you were a teenager, that you thought 136 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:19,760 Speaker 2: you would always be. 137 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 1: A teacher and a mother. 138 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:24,360 Speaker 2: Do you feel like you continuously kept coming back to 139 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:26,960 Speaker 2: that throughout your career or do you feel like you 140 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 2: went on different paths. 141 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 3: I have been a teacher and a mother, and so 142 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:34,800 Speaker 3: I have accomplished that, and you know, and I also 143 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:39,200 Speaker 3: have accomplished way more than I ever dreamed or thought possible. 144 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:41,560 Speaker 3: I mean, never in a million years would I have 145 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 3: thought that I have experienced and accomplished what I have. 146 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 3: And if there was a crystal ball that said this 147 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:49,280 Speaker 3: is going to be your life, I would have said, no, 148 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:54,240 Speaker 3: thank you seriously. Yeah, it's a lot. I love it, 149 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:57,920 Speaker 3: but you know, my what really defines me is not 150 00:07:58,280 --> 00:08:01,120 Speaker 3: work and success, even though it's amazing what I've been 151 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 3: able to accomplish, but it's being a wife, a mother, 152 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 3: and a friend. Like my dear friends are here and like, honestly, 153 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:11,240 Speaker 3: like that makes me choke up, because that's what matters. 154 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:13,880 Speaker 2: What did you think your life was going to look like? 155 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 2: You say, you know, you weren't really sure, But what 156 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 2: did you think it was going to look like? 157 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:18,720 Speaker 3: I mean, I thought I would live in the suburbs 158 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:21,880 Speaker 3: and marry a Jewish guy. I did both of those things, 159 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:25,960 Speaker 3: you know, I thought I would I don't know, work 160 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 3: in a I don't know, a department store. I don't know. 161 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:31,240 Speaker 3: I never thought. I don't think about things before I 162 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:34,240 Speaker 3: do it. I know that sounds really weird. I'm just like, oh, 163 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:38,439 Speaker 3: that sounds interesting, that looks interesting, and I just dive. 164 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 1: In and dive in. 165 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:40,800 Speaker 3: She did. 166 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:43,560 Speaker 2: It was the nineties and Bobby saw a gap in 167 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 2: the makeup industry and decided to fill it by going 168 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 2: against the mainstream trends and releasing a makeup brand with 169 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:55,200 Speaker 2: neutral tones. It took off and became the household name 170 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:59,640 Speaker 2: for accessible and natural makeup. What did success look like 171 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:02,160 Speaker 2: to you at that point? Like, what were you trying 172 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 2: to get to? 173 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:05,480 Speaker 3: Well, I was trying to be able to pay my 174 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:08,400 Speaker 3: four hundred dollars rent. That was by far the number 175 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:11,760 Speaker 3: one thing, seriously, and you know, my father for a 176 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:15,360 Speaker 3: graduation from college, gave me my rent for a year, 177 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:18,120 Speaker 3: and I'll never forget. I called him up and he 178 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:19,760 Speaker 3: gave me a credit card. He said, you have two 179 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:21,880 Speaker 3: hundred and fifty dollars to spend on this credit card. 180 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:24,960 Speaker 3: And I said okay, and I could never ever do it. 181 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:27,199 Speaker 3: And then I kept getting like I kept owing money, 182 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:29,960 Speaker 3: and so the interest built up, and I called my dad. 183 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:33,080 Speaker 3: I said, Dad, I cannot figure out how to like 184 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:35,440 Speaker 3: figure out how to save money, how to pay this off. 185 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:38,040 Speaker 3: He said, stop, just go find a way to make 186 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:40,200 Speaker 3: more money. I said okay, and I hung up the 187 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:42,280 Speaker 3: phone and I put an ad in the village voice. 188 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:45,200 Speaker 3: Someone called me to do makeup. It was a guy. 189 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:49,000 Speaker 3: It's another story I'll say for another time. Remind me later. 190 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 3: It was quite something. 191 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:53,040 Speaker 2: You did an interview on one of your podcasts with 192 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 2: Mickey Drexler from the fashion industry, and you talked in 193 00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:00,440 Speaker 2: that interview a lot about work ethic and asking where 194 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:03,280 Speaker 2: you thought his came from. So I'm going to flip 195 00:10:03,360 --> 00:10:05,559 Speaker 2: that question to you. What do you think your work 196 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:07,679 Speaker 2: ethic looks like and where do you think it came from? 197 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 3: Well being from Chicago yay. Everybody like we're you know, 198 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:16,960 Speaker 3: we're Midwestern people, like we're solid people. I watched my grandparents' work. 199 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:19,880 Speaker 3: I watched my parents' work. Everybody worked hard to get 200 00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:22,640 Speaker 3: where they were, and I watched Papa Sam build all 201 00:10:22,679 --> 00:10:26,360 Speaker 3: his businesses, not realizing I was learning. Honestly, most of 202 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:28,960 Speaker 3: the things I learned about now I know it's called 203 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:32,319 Speaker 3: marketing and pr I learned from watching Papa Sam. How 204 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 3: he treated people, what were their businesses. I mean, his 205 00:10:35,559 --> 00:10:38,320 Speaker 3: last business was a car salesman. He was known as 206 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:41,559 Speaker 3: Cadillac Sam in Chicago, and he was on the side 207 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:44,200 Speaker 3: of buildings, and you know, he had a lot of 208 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:47,240 Speaker 3: famous people. He was five two I think. I don't 209 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 3: think he was five to five, Papa Sam. And you 210 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 3: know he sold cars to al Capone and Meyer Lansky 211 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 3: and you know, and the best story Papa Sam ever 212 00:10:57,960 --> 00:10:59,760 Speaker 3: told me is one day he was in his car 213 00:10:59,840 --> 00:11:03,120 Speaker 3: dealership and some guy walked in with an overcoat and 214 00:11:03,160 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 3: two bags. He looked like he was a homeless guy. 215 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:07,760 Speaker 3: No one would go wait on this guy. So Papa 216 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:10,000 Speaker 3: went over and said, hey, doc, how you doing. And 217 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:11,679 Speaker 3: the guy said, I want to buy a car. And 218 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:13,440 Speaker 3: Papa said, all right, let me show you. The guy 219 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:16,760 Speaker 3: had bags of cash and bought a car just like that. 220 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:20,760 Speaker 3: And so you never know what someone you know, what 221 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 3: their background is until you really, you know, give someone 222 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:26,920 Speaker 3: the time. I mean, honestly, some of the most successful 223 00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:30,120 Speaker 3: people you would never know they were that successful. And 224 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 3: you know, look, i was the one that would walk 225 00:11:32,040 --> 00:11:34,960 Speaker 3: around Barney's with a backpack and I'd be followed and 226 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:38,280 Speaker 3: I'm like, Okay, I'm wearing sneakers or clogs or whatever, 227 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 3: and it's like, yeah, I'm not going to steal anything, guys. 228 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:43,199 Speaker 1: So and now that look would be very chic. 229 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:48,640 Speaker 3: Now it's finally back. Yes, fanny packs and backpacks and clogs. 230 00:11:48,760 --> 00:11:51,120 Speaker 3: You know, I'm happy you led the way. I'm telling 231 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 3: him you definitely did. 232 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:55,200 Speaker 2: So. You started Bobby Brown Cosmetics because you were mixing 233 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:57,920 Speaker 2: your own on set. You found a partner at the 234 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:01,000 Speaker 2: beginning of that partnership. How even you started with the partner, 235 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:03,640 Speaker 2: How did you decide to launch the line under your name? 236 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:07,560 Speaker 3: Well, I didn't really decide to launch the line under 237 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:10,680 Speaker 3: my name. So I met a chemist and I asked 238 00:12:10,760 --> 00:12:13,400 Speaker 3: him what he did, and it was at Keel's Pharmacy 239 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:16,920 Speaker 3: and he told me he makes lipsticks on the side. 240 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:19,280 Speaker 3: I said, I've always wanted to make a lipstick that 241 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:22,760 Speaker 3: wasn't dry, wasn't grease. He didn't smell, it just looked 242 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:24,600 Speaker 3: like lips. He's like, I could do it for you. 243 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:27,840 Speaker 3: So he did and I after sending it back a 244 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 3: couple times with changes, we had a deal that we 245 00:12:30,679 --> 00:12:33,199 Speaker 3: would sell it and he would get seven fifty. I 246 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:35,839 Speaker 3: would get seven fifty. I would have to sell it, 247 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:37,880 Speaker 3: you know. He would give it to me, and I 248 00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:39,920 Speaker 3: thought it was the greatest thing. I thought, everyone's going 249 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:42,880 Speaker 3: to love this lipstick. Then I realize everyone has different 250 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:46,880 Speaker 3: color lips number one and some people like red, some 251 00:12:47,040 --> 00:12:50,560 Speaker 3: like pink, so I thought of ten colors. He said, okay, great. 252 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:53,040 Speaker 3: He would send me makeup, you know, the lipsticks. I 253 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:55,760 Speaker 3: would sell it. My husband would run it to the 254 00:12:55,880 --> 00:12:58,840 Speaker 3: store to mail it. And then it got really popular. 255 00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:00,840 Speaker 3: We had to get my sister in to do the 256 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:03,280 Speaker 3: books because I don't know how to do that stuff. 257 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:07,000 Speaker 3: And then we had a business, and then it got 258 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:11,960 Speaker 3: serious and we got into Bergdorf. Not because I pitched Burgdorf, 259 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:14,800 Speaker 3: because we were invited to a party at someone's house 260 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:16,720 Speaker 3: and I asked her what she did and she was 261 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:20,079 Speaker 3: a cosmetics buyer at Bergdorf and that's how we launched 262 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:23,080 Speaker 3: Bergdorf Goodman and then we had to get a real lab. 263 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:25,920 Speaker 3: The seven fifty seven fifty in business didn't really work. 264 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:27,720 Speaker 3: It didn't really work out anymore. 265 00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:30,640 Speaker 2: So at that point, did you decide this is my business, 266 00:13:30,679 --> 00:13:32,280 Speaker 2: I'm going out with it and he didn't fit into 267 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:35,400 Speaker 2: it anymore. I am very interested in the idea in 268 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:38,040 Speaker 2: kind of coming back to this question about putting yourself 269 00:13:38,080 --> 00:13:40,480 Speaker 2: on the brand, because right now people defining themselves as 270 00:13:40,520 --> 00:13:42,680 Speaker 2: brands is the name of the game, Like that's the. 271 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:44,280 Speaker 3: I didn't know what a brand was. 272 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:44,520 Speaker 4: To me. 273 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:47,000 Speaker 3: A brand was Kleenex. Okay, I mean it's like that's 274 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:49,240 Speaker 3: a brand, Like all of a sudden, I'm a brand. 275 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:52,199 Speaker 3: But no, I mean I remember at the time learning 276 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:55,240 Speaker 3: that you can't this is not a normal business model. 277 00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:58,679 Speaker 3: And this guy couldn't really understand that. So one day 278 00:13:58,679 --> 00:14:01,480 Speaker 3: in an elevator, I smiled someone and I said what 279 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 3: do you do? And she said, oh, I work at 280 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:05,719 Speaker 3: a cosmetics lab. I said, oh, I need someone to 281 00:14:05,800 --> 00:14:09,439 Speaker 3: have a card and man a cosmetics in Long Island 282 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 3: City and they made all the lipsticks. And that is 283 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:13,960 Speaker 3: the truth. Met him in an elevator. 284 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:16,080 Speaker 2: So the fact that you did launch it under your 285 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 2: own lim and you said, now this is my business. 286 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 2: How did your version of success? What was your version 287 00:14:19,840 --> 00:14:21,160 Speaker 2: of success? At that point? 288 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:25,960 Speaker 3: I paid the rent, you know, my husband, and I like, look, 289 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 3: I started this business not by myself. I couldn't have 290 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:31,560 Speaker 3: done it without him. He's sitting here and I don't 291 00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:34,760 Speaker 3: want to embarrass him, but I'm really smart. And this 292 00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:37,240 Speaker 3: is why I'm smart. I make sure I have someone 293 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:41,120 Speaker 3: around me that knows what I don't, and so, you know, besides, 294 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:44,560 Speaker 3: you know, he's just the smartest guy I know. He's 295 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:47,720 Speaker 3: also he always encouraged me and supported me and would 296 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:50,040 Speaker 3: tell me things like, don't worry, we can do this. 297 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:52,880 Speaker 3: Don't worry, we got this. You know where I come 298 00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:55,640 Speaker 3: home and be like, she's doing this. Okay, calm down. 299 00:14:55,800 --> 00:14:57,760 Speaker 3: We're not going to talk about this at ten o'clock 300 00:14:57,800 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 3: at night. Okay, calm down, you'll be better in the morning. 301 00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:04,040 Speaker 3: It's always important to have a partner. So we really 302 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 3: we did it. We've done everything together. 303 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 2: I think a key piece, whether someone's launching a business, 304 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 2: making a change, even staying the course, is really who 305 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:18,560 Speaker 2: their personal kitchen cabinet is has yours stayed the same 306 00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 2: or has it changed? 307 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:23,840 Speaker 3: Oh? It's completely changed, completely changed. I mean, I you know, 308 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 3: in this new brand, I don't have anyone from the 309 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:28,240 Speaker 3: old country. 310 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 1: But so you sold pretty quickly. 311 00:15:32,760 --> 00:15:34,880 Speaker 3: We sold I guess four and a half years after 312 00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:38,600 Speaker 3: we launched. Yeah, yeah, wow, was right. We were thirty 313 00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:41,120 Speaker 3: two years old. Thirty four years old. Again, I'm not 314 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:43,920 Speaker 3: good with numbers. I guess thirty four. But we had 315 00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:47,320 Speaker 3: two kids only at the time, and yeah, we sold. 316 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:50,160 Speaker 2: Now, I feel like there's so much like a big 317 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:55,000 Speaker 2: decision to go from founder to collaborator to of what 318 00:15:55,080 --> 00:15:56,480 Speaker 2: kind of investors you bring in? 319 00:15:56,600 --> 00:15:57,960 Speaker 1: What was the decision for you? 320 00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:02,680 Speaker 3: Well, there wasn't those words back then. The decision was 321 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:06,960 Speaker 3: Leonard Lotter called. And anyone that knows Leonard in this room, 322 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:10,680 Speaker 3: he's the most wonderful human being. And when he called 323 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 3: and said, you're beating us in the stores, because we 324 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:16,320 Speaker 3: were beating ste Latter in the department stores, he said, 325 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:19,240 Speaker 3: we can't beat you anymore, so we want to buy you. 326 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:23,320 Speaker 3: And you know, there was some issues with partners that 327 00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:26,360 Speaker 3: we had that we were not getting along with. That was, 328 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:28,760 Speaker 3: you know, a little rough and my husband and I 329 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 3: you know, it was more money than we could have imagined. 330 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:37,400 Speaker 3: And we said, yes, you know, And honestly, when Leonard said, 331 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:40,000 Speaker 3: I know, I know that you know you're so amazing 332 00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:41,280 Speaker 3: at what you do, but I know you don't want 333 00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:43,880 Speaker 3: to spend your life doing the things you don't want 334 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:45,840 Speaker 3: to do. What if I promised you that you could 335 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 3: do what you love and what you're good at, and 336 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:48,960 Speaker 3: I trusted him. 337 00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:51,280 Speaker 2: I want to hop in here to provide a little 338 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 2: context at this point. It was nineteen ninety five and 339 00:16:54,360 --> 00:16:56,960 Speaker 2: the language around business acquisition and non. 340 00:16:56,840 --> 00:16:59,320 Speaker 1: Compete clauses was new to Bobby. 341 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:02,520 Speaker 2: And quite honestly not part of the mainstream conversation as 342 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:03,120 Speaker 2: it is today. 343 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:04,720 Speaker 1: So did that. 344 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:06,560 Speaker 2: Feel like your version of success at that point that 345 00:17:06,600 --> 00:17:08,080 Speaker 2: you could focus on the part you liked and not 346 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:08,600 Speaker 2: the part you. 347 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:13,120 Speaker 3: Didn't absolutely yes, yes, oh yes, And you know, and 348 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:14,879 Speaker 3: to be able to do things that you could not 349 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:18,440 Speaker 3: have imagined, you know, I mean, we sent our nieces 350 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:20,520 Speaker 3: and nephews to college and a few other people, so 351 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:23,320 Speaker 3: you got to do things that you know, that matter. 352 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:27,119 Speaker 2: What was the core piece of the business that you 353 00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:31,200 Speaker 2: really wanted to maintain for yourself and what areas were 354 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:33,320 Speaker 2: you able to grow in because of this partnership. 355 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:37,159 Speaker 3: Well, I certainly am happy to never do hr, to 356 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:42,159 Speaker 3: never do finance, to never do operations, and you know, 357 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:44,560 Speaker 3: getting one thing to another place and where it goes. 358 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:47,400 Speaker 3: I don't care. I just I just like everything else. 359 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:50,000 Speaker 3: I like the product, I like the marketing, I like 360 00:17:50,040 --> 00:17:52,920 Speaker 3: the messaging and the creative part of it. I care 361 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:55,240 Speaker 3: about those other things and I want to know about them, 362 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:57,520 Speaker 3: but I want someone else to deal with them. 363 00:17:58,119 --> 00:18:00,640 Speaker 2: When you were entering that partnership, you end up staying 364 00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:02,000 Speaker 2: with the company. 365 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:02,760 Speaker 3: Twenty two years. 366 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:06,320 Speaker 1: That is really unheard of. 367 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:09,359 Speaker 3: Yeah, when I hear that's what I hear, it's a 368 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:10,040 Speaker 3: long time. 369 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:13,080 Speaker 2: At the time, when you entered into the partnership, did 370 00:18:13,119 --> 00:18:14,919 Speaker 2: you think that you would just say, Okay, great, this 371 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:16,680 Speaker 2: is it. I'll just stay with this forever or did 372 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:17,760 Speaker 2: you think what did you think? 373 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 3: No, I don't remember how long our first contract was 374 00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:24,760 Speaker 3: how many years, but four three, three years? So and 375 00:18:24,840 --> 00:18:28,800 Speaker 3: we kept signing three years, two years, and I just 376 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:31,720 Speaker 3: I didn't know. And you know, Steve would always ask me, 377 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 3: are you ready? And honestly, I went to work every 378 00:18:34,119 --> 00:18:38,320 Speaker 3: day thinking I own the company, and I realized at 379 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:42,840 Speaker 3: the very end. I didn't because things changed for them too. 380 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:47,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think that are better known parts of your story. 381 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:50,120 Speaker 1: And this was the non compete? Right and how long 382 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:50,439 Speaker 1: it was? 383 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:53,040 Speaker 3: Yes? We my husband, I'll never forget he called and 384 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:55,440 Speaker 3: he said, all right, we have a deal. He said, 385 00:18:55,440 --> 00:18:57,240 Speaker 3: there's only one thing. They want you to sign, a 386 00:18:57,280 --> 00:19:01,199 Speaker 3: twenty five year non compete. Okay. I counted on my 387 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:03,480 Speaker 3: fingers at the time because I was I thought I 388 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:05,280 Speaker 3: was thirty two. I looked thirty two, but I was 389 00:19:05,280 --> 00:19:07,480 Speaker 3: thirty five. I said, I'm not going to want to 390 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:09,959 Speaker 3: work on them in my sixties. Who cares? Let them 391 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 3: have it? So we signed and I didn't think I 392 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:16,720 Speaker 3: would want to work in my sixties. And I launched 393 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:19,080 Speaker 3: this new brand at sixty two? Was that the right 394 00:19:19,119 --> 00:19:20,080 Speaker 3: age you could do? 395 00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:26,160 Speaker 2: The math Jones Road launched the month her non compete ended. 396 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:29,159 Speaker 2: One had to wonder if she had been waiting for 397 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:33,840 Speaker 2: this moment. Was there something specific that where you said, Okay, 398 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:35,679 Speaker 2: I'm done, because I do think this is, you know, 399 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:37,320 Speaker 2: like your big pivot, Like was there something that said 400 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:38,840 Speaker 2: that I'm done here? 401 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:41,040 Speaker 1: Or it seemed like maybe it coincided at the end 402 00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:42,359 Speaker 1: of the of the non compete. 403 00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:44,159 Speaker 3: No no. When I left, I hit four and a 404 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:46,639 Speaker 3: half years left on the non compete, which I bought 405 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:49,560 Speaker 3: a charm with an ampersand on it with the date 406 00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:52,480 Speaker 3: ten dot twenty when my non compete would It was 407 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:54,439 Speaker 3: a really long four and a half years, let me 408 00:19:54,480 --> 00:19:58,560 Speaker 3: tell you. But I you know, that's kind of kept 409 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:02,080 Speaker 3: me going. So so, you know, I just I don't know. 410 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:04,800 Speaker 3: I just I stayed because I cared and it was 411 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:08,200 Speaker 3: time to leave, probably for four years before I left. 412 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:11,080 Speaker 3: And I didn't leave because I'm someone that thinks I 413 00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:13,399 Speaker 3: could make things better, I could fix things. I know 414 00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:16,680 Speaker 3: exactly what to do. But I guess I wasn't really 415 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:19,360 Speaker 3: able to do what I thought I would do. So 416 00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:22,000 Speaker 3: it really took my aunt Alice, who I believe was 417 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:25,639 Speaker 3: ninety at the time, maybe eighty eight. She's ninety one now, 418 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:29,159 Speaker 3: and she said, stop. All I do is hear you 419 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:32,640 Speaker 3: complain about things that are broken. I think you can't 420 00:20:32,680 --> 00:20:35,679 Speaker 3: fix it. I'm like, Aunt Alice, you're right. So it 421 00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:38,080 Speaker 3: took her to kind of say it's time. I was 422 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:41,679 Speaker 3: fifty nine point something years old when I left the 423 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:44,879 Speaker 3: brand and my kids were out of the house. You know, 424 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:47,320 Speaker 3: I think it's when Duke went to you know, college. 425 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:50,320 Speaker 3: But that's what I remember, like we had foreign exchange students, 426 00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:51,760 Speaker 3: we had nephews, we had and all of a sudden 427 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 3: everyone was gone and I wasn't working. Oh my god, 428 00:20:56,359 --> 00:20:58,520 Speaker 3: can you imagine what that was like? Where you wake 429 00:20:58,560 --> 00:21:01,439 Speaker 3: up at the morning and you're like and I wasn't 430 00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:04,480 Speaker 3: at Liberty to really talk about things until we had 431 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:06,840 Speaker 3: a you know, an exit agreement. So it was a 432 00:21:06,880 --> 00:21:09,800 Speaker 3: couple tough months. And if it wasn't for my friends 433 00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:12,800 Speaker 3: who are sitting here that came over with tequila, you know, 434 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:16,560 Speaker 3: the first couple days it was. It was an interesting time. 435 00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:20,199 Speaker 2: You define yourself at the beginning as an entrepreneur. This 436 00:21:20,320 --> 00:21:24,040 Speaker 2: is not your only venture, not by a long shot. 437 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:26,639 Speaker 3: And I think when I lived in corporate America, I 438 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:30,160 Speaker 3: became an entrepreneur because I you know, I started a blog. 439 00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:32,640 Speaker 3: I went to work at Yahoo to start a magazine. 440 00:21:32,760 --> 00:21:35,920 Speaker 3: I just I need things to keep busy. And you know, 441 00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:37,800 Speaker 3: you know, when you're on Instagram and you get to 442 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:40,399 Speaker 3: write like what you're feeling, sometimes I say I'm bored. 443 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:45,000 Speaker 3: Now I'm so busy, but I get bored. I'm just bored. 444 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:47,240 Speaker 2: So is that how you thought of all these different 445 00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:49,520 Speaker 2: ventures like does it come quickly and then you run 446 00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:50,040 Speaker 2: after it? 447 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:51,680 Speaker 1: Did you plan ahead? Like how did you think it? 448 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:54,119 Speaker 3: I just things happened. Well, you know when I called 449 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:57,359 Speaker 3: Stephen and said I just you know, I'm just I 450 00:21:57,440 --> 00:22:00,600 Speaker 3: left the company, he said, why don't we a hotel? 451 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:04,800 Speaker 3: I'm like, out of left field, Okay, I'm like, sounds 452 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:06,200 Speaker 3: like a good idea. 453 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:09,800 Speaker 2: Okay, And so the George Hotel was born, a fun 454 00:22:09,840 --> 00:22:13,280 Speaker 2: and unique adventure that allowed Bobby to explore her husband, 455 00:22:13,440 --> 00:22:15,840 Speaker 2: Stephen Plofker's world of real estate development. 456 00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:19,600 Speaker 3: It was a project, and it was the first real 457 00:22:19,720 --> 00:22:22,240 Speaker 3: development project that Stephen and I got to do together. 458 00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:24,679 Speaker 3: We had no plan, we had no budget, we had 459 00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:27,520 Speaker 3: no anything. It was you know, driving to home goods 460 00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:30,440 Speaker 3: to see what they had, going like I'm like going 461 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:34,000 Speaker 3: on wayfair like figuring it out, going on restoration hardware outlet. 462 00:22:34,280 --> 00:22:37,600 Speaker 3: And we furnished this hotel like really throwing stuff in 463 00:22:37,600 --> 00:22:39,760 Speaker 3: the back of a truck that Steven's guys would pick 464 00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:41,880 Speaker 3: up and we'd figure out where it goes. And it 465 00:22:41,920 --> 00:22:43,240 Speaker 3: was a really fun project. 466 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:46,000 Speaker 1: It has built up so much in Montclair. 467 00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:48,800 Speaker 2: You are a pillar in that community in so many ways, 468 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:52,640 Speaker 2: and the hotel has become a community. I mean sort 469 00:22:52,640 --> 00:22:54,480 Speaker 2: of like the church, like a place where people can build, 470 00:22:54,520 --> 00:22:56,320 Speaker 2: a place that is a part of a part of 471 00:22:56,359 --> 00:22:59,720 Speaker 2: the community. How much has that been a factor in 472 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:02,639 Speaker 2: your thinking about your time, your bandwidth, and your identity. 473 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:05,600 Speaker 3: Well, I mean Montclair is we moved to Montclair before 474 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:09,439 Speaker 3: we had kids. I love Montclair. It's the closest, you know, 475 00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:13,040 Speaker 3: cool place to live outside of New York City. We 476 00:23:13,160 --> 00:23:17,479 Speaker 3: also have a photo, TV and events studio called eighteen Label, 477 00:23:18,080 --> 00:23:20,879 Speaker 3: and Steven's got a soccer bubble there. So we have 478 00:23:20,920 --> 00:23:23,960 Speaker 3: a pretty big footprint in Montclair. And we're you know, 479 00:23:24,440 --> 00:23:26,639 Speaker 3: some a bunch of our Montclair friends are here. A 480 00:23:26,640 --> 00:23:30,520 Speaker 3: couple people left, but you know, we're still Montclair family. 481 00:23:30,880 --> 00:23:33,720 Speaker 3: It's just, you know, it's a wonderful community. And I'm 482 00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:37,880 Speaker 3: so it's like it's like being from Chicago. Seriously, right, 483 00:23:38,040 --> 00:23:42,639 Speaker 3: It's just really nice, down to earth, interesting, eclectic, mixed community. 484 00:23:43,040 --> 00:23:45,120 Speaker 1: You even moved your business there. 485 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:48,040 Speaker 3: Yes, Jones Road is there. Why would I want to 486 00:23:48,040 --> 00:23:52,000 Speaker 3: commute to New York City? But you know, I started 487 00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:55,440 Speaker 3: working Mondays and Fridays from home when I was part 488 00:23:55,480 --> 00:23:58,280 Speaker 3: of that big corporation. I didn't ask permission, it just 489 00:23:58,359 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 3: made sense for me. And then I get to do 490 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:03,159 Speaker 3: things like drop my kids off at school, pick them 491 00:24:03,240 --> 00:24:05,600 Speaker 3: up from school, go to the grocery store. I was 492 00:24:05,640 --> 00:24:08,040 Speaker 3: the woman in the grocery store with a kid in 493 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:11,240 Speaker 3: my arms, on the phone with an editor talking about 494 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:13,879 Speaker 3: how fabulous you know, the new whatever it is, and 495 00:24:14,080 --> 00:24:16,560 Speaker 3: you know, buying groceries at the same time. Like I 496 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:20,560 Speaker 3: was gonna say, micro tasking, multitasking, there's nothing micro tasking 497 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:21,000 Speaker 3: about me. 498 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:24,920 Speaker 2: Well, I feel like you were thinking and executing on 499 00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:28,040 Speaker 2: the way that people think about work now, but you 500 00:24:28,119 --> 00:24:30,560 Speaker 2: were doing it fifteen and twenty years ago. 501 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:33,639 Speaker 3: I'm telling yes, and it just makes sense because I 502 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:37,120 Speaker 3: would always make sure that I exercised because it made 503 00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:39,960 Speaker 3: me a better person. It gave me more energy, you know. So, 504 00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:43,240 Speaker 3: And honestly, even like I've always been someone that really 505 00:24:43,359 --> 00:24:46,879 Speaker 3: kind of underdresses for events, I'm kind of known as 506 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:49,159 Speaker 3: you know, like I wore jeans to the White House 507 00:24:49,480 --> 00:24:51,719 Speaker 3: with the blazer and nice jewelry. No one knew I 508 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:54,640 Speaker 3: was wearing jeans, and you know, once Obama did say 509 00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:55,520 Speaker 3: to me, nice kicks. 510 00:24:56,040 --> 00:25:01,120 Speaker 2: You know, when I think about going through new ventures 511 00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:03,200 Speaker 2: and talking with women as are thinking about them, I 512 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:05,679 Speaker 2: think the biggest value that I keep coming back to 513 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:10,280 Speaker 2: if it's a value, But evaluation is what do I 514 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:11,040 Speaker 2: want to keep? 515 00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:14,000 Speaker 1: Like, what am I driving towards? And what can I 516 00:25:14,040 --> 00:25:16,280 Speaker 1: get rid of? As you've gone. 517 00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:18,800 Speaker 2: Through all these chapters, especially as you came through you're 518 00:25:18,840 --> 00:25:21,440 Speaker 2: out of corporate, you're going through your four and a 519 00:25:21,440 --> 00:25:23,760 Speaker 2: half years of your non compete thinking about your new business. 520 00:25:24,040 --> 00:25:26,720 Speaker 2: What were those values that you were driving towards. What 521 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:28,160 Speaker 2: do I want to keep and what do I want 522 00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:28,719 Speaker 2: to get rid of? 523 00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:30,439 Speaker 3: Well, it's easy to say what I got rid of. 524 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:33,280 Speaker 3: I got rid of corporate meetings that you prepare six 525 00:25:33,359 --> 00:25:35,679 Speaker 3: or eight months and hire a lot of people to 526 00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:37,640 Speaker 3: come in and give you their opinion, and then after 527 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:39,560 Speaker 3: the meeting you realize it was a waste of time. 528 00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:42,080 Speaker 3: I don't do that, you know. I got rid of 529 00:25:42,440 --> 00:25:46,399 Speaker 3: fancy parties, you know, clicking our heels together, spending a 530 00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:49,720 Speaker 3: lot of money, and just started sending product to editors 531 00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:53,080 Speaker 3: asking if they wanted it. So, you know, things change, 532 00:25:53,560 --> 00:25:57,320 Speaker 3: things shifted. It's so much easier, and I get to 533 00:25:57,320 --> 00:26:00,439 Speaker 3: do all the fun stuff, you know. So it's not 534 00:26:00,640 --> 00:26:04,800 Speaker 3: all fun stuff. There's plenty of aggravation and plenty of 535 00:26:04,880 --> 00:26:07,800 Speaker 3: growing pains and you know, but it's like it's like 536 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:10,040 Speaker 3: night and day. But I'm so glad I had the 537 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:14,959 Speaker 3: first experience. It's like going to you know, grad school 538 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:18,240 Speaker 3: and makeup. Like I really got my master's in business 539 00:26:19,040 --> 00:26:19,480 Speaker 3: at s D. 540 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:23,119 Speaker 2: Latter when you were thinking about what your next chapter 541 00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:25,399 Speaker 2: was going to be, was it always beauty? 542 00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:27,639 Speaker 1: Like? Did it have to be beauty? Do you always 543 00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:28,320 Speaker 1: come back to that. 544 00:26:28,560 --> 00:26:30,240 Speaker 3: I did not think I was going to launch another 545 00:26:30,440 --> 00:26:33,560 Speaker 3: makeup company when I left. I really had no idea. 546 00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:37,200 Speaker 3: So I did the hotel, I worked on eighteen label, 547 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:40,320 Speaker 3: doing the marketing and social and then I had an 548 00:26:40,359 --> 00:26:45,679 Speaker 3: opportunity to open just Bobby Department at Lord and Taylor 549 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:49,000 Speaker 3: because I called my dear friend Richard, he owned Lord 550 00:26:49,040 --> 00:26:51,360 Speaker 3: and Taylor. He said, we need traffic in the store. 551 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:52,760 Speaker 3: Do you want to do this? I said, all right. 552 00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:56,359 Speaker 3: So I called my neighbor Lynette, who came and helped me. 553 00:26:56,480 --> 00:26:58,639 Speaker 3: Now you know, we still work together. She does all 554 00:26:58,680 --> 00:27:02,320 Speaker 3: my pr and we built a team, a creative team, 555 00:27:02,359 --> 00:27:04,240 Speaker 3: and it was really fun. Did it for a year 556 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:07,840 Speaker 3: and then we brought it in house digitally, then just 557 00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:10,159 Speaker 3: started adding and then I really didn't think I was 558 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:14,080 Speaker 3: going to go back to beauty. But I kind of 559 00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:19,000 Speaker 3: discovered this little teeny thing called miracle bomb and during 560 00:27:19,040 --> 00:27:21,640 Speaker 3: the pandemic I would call my girlfriends and I would 561 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:23,760 Speaker 3: give them a little bit and then a week or 562 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:26,760 Speaker 3: two later they'd say, I need more, Please, can I 563 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:30,639 Speaker 3: have more? So it kind of started Jones Road. 564 00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:32,840 Speaker 1: It's like in Harry Potter, the one shows you. 565 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:37,600 Speaker 3: Yeah exactly, you know, I'm like, wow, that worked, okay, 566 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:39,359 Speaker 3: and then you did the next one. I'm like, okay, 567 00:27:39,400 --> 00:27:42,639 Speaker 3: that worked. But you know, the interesting thing about Jones 568 00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:46,639 Speaker 3: Road is nothing is what you would think it should be. 569 00:27:47,800 --> 00:27:51,600 Speaker 3: It just it's different. I mean our CMO, who honestly, 570 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:55,199 Speaker 3: when he joined us, we quadrupled our business. He is 571 00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:58,159 Speaker 3: our second son and he used to be a strength 572 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:02,879 Speaker 3: and conditioning coach and just learned all this masterful marketing 573 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:06,919 Speaker 3: and he has done a great job. And his wife 574 00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:08,880 Speaker 3: is now our head of brand. She was our head 575 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:14,840 Speaker 3: of social. Really interesting, that's for another podcast working with family, 576 00:28:15,160 --> 00:28:16,280 Speaker 3: but amazing. 577 00:28:16,400 --> 00:28:18,920 Speaker 2: It could be there because you've had three podcasts so far. 578 00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:21,399 Speaker 2: But one of the things that I loved listening to 579 00:28:21,640 --> 00:28:23,639 Speaker 2: your episodes in a rows you have three different shows, 580 00:28:23,640 --> 00:28:26,960 Speaker 2: three different podcasts, and I loved listening to the way 581 00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:29,320 Speaker 2: you defined yourself at the beginning of each of them. 582 00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:33,080 Speaker 2: In the first show, you said, I'm a makeup artist 583 00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:35,120 Speaker 2: and I'm so many other things, Like you. 584 00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:37,440 Speaker 1: Were saying, like, don't define me that way. Your second 585 00:28:37,480 --> 00:28:39,240 Speaker 1: show is about beauty, You're like, all right, I'm a 586 00:28:39,320 --> 00:28:39,920 Speaker 1: makeup artist. 587 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:43,120 Speaker 2: And then you're a third show, You're like, Okay, I'm 588 00:28:43,160 --> 00:28:44,360 Speaker 2: a makeup artist, but what are. 589 00:28:44,240 --> 00:28:45,400 Speaker 1: The important things? 590 00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:46,040 Speaker 3: Yeah? 591 00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:48,680 Speaker 2: I kind of loved seeing your evolution over the last 592 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:49,440 Speaker 2: five years. 593 00:28:49,600 --> 00:28:50,880 Speaker 1: What do you think you've gotten out of them? 594 00:28:51,080 --> 00:28:52,760 Speaker 3: I don't like to do the same thing once I've 595 00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:54,880 Speaker 3: done it, I want to do something differently. But I 596 00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:57,480 Speaker 3: love people's stories because everyone is a story. Like not 597 00:28:57,640 --> 00:28:59,800 Speaker 3: everyone you meet someone and you think, oh, that's what 598 00:28:59,840 --> 00:29:03,440 Speaker 3: they are. Everybody comes from something, and everyone's got a story, 599 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:05,600 Speaker 3: and I find it really interesting. And the more you 600 00:29:05,640 --> 00:29:08,520 Speaker 3: get to share these stories, the more other women and 601 00:29:08,600 --> 00:29:11,440 Speaker 3: other people get to learn and say, ah, I never 602 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:14,200 Speaker 3: thought of that. Wow, I bet I could do that too. 603 00:29:14,520 --> 00:29:17,120 Speaker 1: How are you defining success now with Jones Road? Like? 604 00:29:17,240 --> 00:29:18,360 Speaker 1: Is it world domination? 605 00:29:18,680 --> 00:29:20,600 Speaker 2: I had to find for you before this thing that 606 00:29:20,640 --> 00:29:25,040 Speaker 2: I wanted to interview you because you had world domination 607 00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:27,840 Speaker 2: in beauty and now have a different brand. 608 00:29:28,160 --> 00:29:29,080 Speaker 1: Do you see it that way? 609 00:29:29,160 --> 00:29:31,120 Speaker 3: I don't need to even think about it that way. 610 00:29:31,400 --> 00:29:33,480 Speaker 3: Been there, done that. I've gotten some of the most 611 00:29:33,480 --> 00:29:37,000 Speaker 3: incredible awards, you know, it's amazing, and I keep thinking 612 00:29:37,360 --> 00:29:40,600 Speaker 3: there's nothing else, and something comes up. So I mean, 613 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:44,280 Speaker 3: what is success for me? Honestly, success is happiness, you know. 614 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:47,240 Speaker 3: And yes, I'm happy. I love what I'm doing. It's 615 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:50,080 Speaker 3: what I choose to do. I don't golf, I don't 616 00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:53,880 Speaker 3: play tennis, I don't garden. I find work in business 617 00:29:54,120 --> 00:29:57,360 Speaker 3: really interesting, especially if you could do it, you know, 618 00:29:57,760 --> 00:30:00,480 Speaker 3: in your way. And by the way, I don't work 619 00:30:00,680 --> 00:30:04,880 Speaker 3: like eight to seven, like I don't. I have a life, 620 00:30:05,160 --> 00:30:07,840 Speaker 3: you know. I meet my friends, I have lunch with 621 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:10,960 Speaker 3: my family. I you know, I call people, So I'm 622 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:13,840 Speaker 3: not I'm able to squish a lot of things in 623 00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:16,680 Speaker 3: and have a life. Yeah, and that's what happened to me, 624 00:30:16,760 --> 00:30:17,720 Speaker 3: that success. 625 00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:20,280 Speaker 1: So this has been so wonderful. 626 00:30:20,320 --> 00:30:24,080 Speaker 2: I could ask you one hundred more questions, but unfortunately 627 00:30:24,280 --> 00:30:26,120 Speaker 2: for me, we do have to end. So I have 628 00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:29,160 Speaker 2: one final question for you, which is what is something 629 00:30:29,240 --> 00:30:31,680 Speaker 2: that along the way, at the time you thought it 630 00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:34,360 Speaker 2: was such a negative alow. You thought, I'm never going 631 00:30:34,400 --> 00:30:37,360 Speaker 2: to get myself out of this, and now in retrospect, 632 00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:39,640 Speaker 2: you look back and you realize that it really launched you. 633 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:45,680 Speaker 3: I mean honestly, when I stopped working for S. D. 634 00:30:45,840 --> 00:30:48,280 Speaker 3: Lauter and Bobby Brown, I mean, that was a it 635 00:30:48,320 --> 00:30:50,640 Speaker 3: was a tough time. It was it was a loss, 636 00:30:50,800 --> 00:30:53,680 Speaker 3: and it was you know, I had a mourn this 637 00:30:53,760 --> 00:30:56,880 Speaker 3: company that I built, and you know it was hard. 638 00:30:57,000 --> 00:30:59,680 Speaker 3: You know, I didn't I couldn't speak to anyone for 639 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:02,560 Speaker 3: a couple months, and that was really hard. And I 640 00:31:02,600 --> 00:31:06,760 Speaker 3: had to deal with myself, right. I was so busy 641 00:31:06,840 --> 00:31:09,120 Speaker 3: with things and you know, I had things on my 642 00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:12,400 Speaker 3: calendar for years and all of a sudden I had nothing, 643 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:15,400 Speaker 3: and guess what, I had to deal with myself. So 644 00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:18,480 Speaker 3: it was a hard time, and you know, there was sadness. 645 00:31:18,520 --> 00:31:22,800 Speaker 3: And if I didn't have my doctor Jeff chiropractor that 646 00:31:22,960 --> 00:31:26,200 Speaker 3: helps get He helps get negative energy out of the body, 647 00:31:26,680 --> 00:31:28,880 Speaker 3: like I didn't go to a shrink because I didn't 648 00:31:28,880 --> 00:31:33,600 Speaker 3: want to talk about my mother, you know, but doctor 649 00:31:33,680 --> 00:31:38,120 Speaker 3: Jeff really helped. So yeah, But honestly, if that didn't happen, 650 00:31:38,360 --> 00:31:40,720 Speaker 3: could you imagine if I was still driving into the 651 00:31:40,760 --> 00:31:42,400 Speaker 3: city to go into meetings. 652 00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:45,720 Speaker 1: No, no, well do you think you'll pivot again? 653 00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:49,920 Speaker 3: I would surely think so. I mean, I don't know. 654 00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:52,800 Speaker 3: I mean I'm sixty six and I don't know what 655 00:31:52,840 --> 00:31:54,800 Speaker 3: I'm going to be doing when I'm eighty six or 656 00:31:54,920 --> 00:31:58,440 Speaker 3: ninety six. But I plan on always doing something interest, 657 00:31:58,520 --> 00:32:05,840 Speaker 3: something interesting. Whether I could do it and make money. Yeah, yeah, Bobby, Thank. 658 00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:07,239 Speaker 1: You so thank you for joining us. 659 00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:10,080 Speaker 3: Thank you to the church for hosting us. Thank thank 660 00:32:10,120 --> 00:32:11,120 Speaker 3: you so much. 661 00:32:12,080 --> 00:32:15,040 Speaker 2: Bobby still lives in Montclair, New Jersey, where Jones Road 662 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:18,040 Speaker 2: is headquartered. She doesn't seem to have any plans of 663 00:32:18,080 --> 00:32:21,760 Speaker 2: slowing down, and in fact opened another Jones Road brick 664 00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:24,800 Speaker 2: and mortar store in the Hamptons this summer. To learn 665 00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:27,840 Speaker 2: more about Bobby and Jones Road Beauty, you can find 666 00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:31,560 Speaker 2: her on Instagram at just Bobby Brown dot com and 667 00:32:31,680 --> 00:32:37,080 Speaker 2: on TikTok at just Bobby Brown. Thanks for listening. Thanks 668 00:32:37,080 --> 00:32:39,880 Speaker 2: for listening to this episode of She Pivots, where I 669 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:43,600 Speaker 2: talk with women about how their experiences and significant personal 670 00:32:43,600 --> 00:32:47,880 Speaker 2: events led to their pivot and eventually their success. Be 671 00:32:47,960 --> 00:32:51,160 Speaker 2: sure to follow us on Instagram at she Pivots the 672 00:32:51,200 --> 00:32:54,280 Speaker 2: podcast and leave a rating in comment if you enjoyed 673 00:32:54,280 --> 00:32:57,120 Speaker 2: this episode to help others learn about it. A special 674 00:32:57,160 --> 00:32:59,720 Speaker 2: thank you to our partner Marie Claire and the team 675 00:32:59,760 --> 00:33:01,360 Speaker 2: that this episode possible. 676 00:33:02,120 --> 00:33:05,640 Speaker 1: Talk to you next week. 677 00:33:07,880 --> 00:33:12,000 Speaker 2: She Pivots is hosted by me Emily Tish Sussman, produced 678 00:33:12,040 --> 00:33:15,880 Speaker 2: by Emily eda Veloshik, with sound editing and mixing from 679 00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:19,680 Speaker 2: Nina Pollock and research and planning from Christine Dickinson and 680 00:33:19,720 --> 00:33:20,600 Speaker 2: Hannah Cousins. 681 00:33:21,560 --> 00:33:23,760 Speaker 3: I endorse Che Pivots.