In this episode, Kyle Leahy, CEO of Glossier, shares insights into the brand's rapid growth strategy, the importance of their female executive team, and their approach to engaging with creators on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. We also learn about Glossier's transition to retail, the significance of speed and focus in business, and the blend of art and science for brand success.
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insights INSIGHT
Growth Fueled By Brand And Channels
Glossier's rapid growth rests on brand, community, products, and omni-channel distribution.
They expanded digitally, opened stores, and launched in Sephora to meet customers where they are.
insights INSIGHT
Diversity Of Backgrounds Multiplies Impact
Diverse executive backgrounds multiply creative problem solving and innovation.
Kyle assembled leaders from editorial, L'Oreal, Stripe, Snap, Chanel to create a complementary leadership mosaic.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Anchor Strategy To Your Superpower
Identify your brand's superpower and align strategy and resources around it.
Use that clarity to decide what you are and are not, and center execution on it.
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In Ep. 119 of Earned, Conor sits down with Kyle Leahy, CEO of Glossier—the skin first, makeup second, multi-generational brand that generated nearly $300M in retail sales last year. To start, we dive into Kyle's philosophy to "work hard and be nice to people," which has guided her through not only her professional career, but her personal life as well. With Glossier's impressive revenue in 2023, we learn about the strategy behind the rapid growth that has led to the brand's massive comeback success. Next, we explore how Kyle works with Emily Weiss (Glossier's founder) to propel the company forward, chasing their 100-year trajectory of becoming a "generation-defining" brand. Kyle speaks to Glossier's entirely female executive team, and how proud she is to work with such accomplished and driven women with notable experiences at companies such as Conde Nast, L'Oreal, Stripe, Snapped, and Chanel. We discuss what makes Glossier uniquely Glossier, and Kyle shares that the idea of continuity for the brand is what excites her the most. By keeping strategy at the forefront of everything they do, Kyle describes the brand's employees as a "mosaic of talent" who are empowered to "run in the same direction, to the same north star." We learn about how Glossier has worked to genuinely meet their community where they're at, generating immense success with creators. Between growing up on Instagram, their 2.7 billion mentions of "#glossier," and viral moments on TikTok, Kyle walks us through how Glossier built the muscle to react and respond, organically. Kyle then lets us in on Glossier's intentions behind the brand's recent entrance to beauty retail giant Sephora. To close the show, Kyle shares how, as a mom, unique experiences fill her cup while she works to build a world that her little ones will enjoy.
In this episode, you will learn:
The art of balancing creativity with analytical thinking to foster brand authenticity and community-driven success.
The pivotal role of intentional influencer partnerships in creating viral brand moments and genuine audience engagement on platforms like TikTok.
The significance of customer-driven decisions in retail expansion and how it can lead to a halo effect on a brand's own channels.
Earned: Unlocking the Power of the Creator Economy