Second Life Rebecca Zhou: Co-Founder and CEO of Soft Services
Dec 2, 2024
Rebecca Zhou, co-founder and CEO of Soft Services, shares her journey in the DTC consumer goods industry. With past roles at Gin Lane Media and Glossier, she reveals how these experiences shaped her approach to entrepreneurship. Listeners will learn about navigating cultural expectations and her journey from finance to founding a body care brand. Zhou discusses the unique intersection of comfort and aesthetics in product design, along with the recent expansion into Sephora, showcasing her commitment to innovation and customer empowerment.
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Parental Influence on Education
- Rebecca Zhou's parents, first-generation Chinese immigrants, encouraged her to study STEM.
- She chose computer science at NYU, although her passion was graphic design.
Deutsche Bank Internship
- Rebecca Zhou interned at Deutsche Bank, gaining valuable professional etiquette experience.
- This early exposure taught her meeting conduct, email writing, and design skills.
Entrepreneurship Class at NYU
- An entrepreneurship class at NYU, taught by a VC, exposed Rebecca Zhou to the burgeoning New York startup scene.
- Her group's winning project, an app for saving and gifting, sent them to a Stanford conference.