The Foundr Podcast with Nathan Chan 581: How to Build a $100M Brand Without Raising a Dollar | Peach & Lily
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Aug 22, 2025 Alicia Yoon, founder and CEO of Peach & Lily, transformed her skin struggles into a triumph by pioneering Korean skincare in the U.S. She discusses the slow, principled approach that built trust in a saturated market. Alicia shares the story behind key products like snail mucin and the glass skin trend, revealing the research and education involved. She emphasizes navigating market insights to succeed and balancing the tension between viral success and brand integrity, all while prioritizing transparency and community in her mission.
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From Eczema To Skin Detective
- Alicia Yoon started studying skin after severe childhood eczema and became a meticulous "skin detective" keeping journals and ingredient notes.
- Years of personal experiments let her predict flare-ups and empowered her to help others and build Peach & Lily.
Early Startup Costly Lessons
- Alicia spent her savings (~$30,000) on a Korea-to-US fashion showroom startup during business school and learned costly lessons about vendors and processing fees.
- That early startup failed to scale but taught her practical entrepreneurship and persistence.
Bootstrapping A Curated K‑Beauty Store
- Peach & Lily began as a curated e-commerce destination for Korean beauty brands after many brands initially refused to work with Alicia.
- She lived frugally, worked late nights, and launched Shopify while often not paying herself.