She Escaped Communism, Reinvented Nail Polish, and Sold for a Billion Dollars

Before OPI, nail color was just another product on the shelf. Suzi Weiss-Fischmann gave it personality and built a global brand in the process.

Suzi believed nail color could be personal, playful, and expressive. She pushed the entire industry forward with smarter formulas, bold branding, and shade names that became pop culture, from “I’m Not Really a Waitress” to “Lincoln Park After Dark.” In just six years after its founding, OPI became the number one professional nail brand in America.

In this episode of Big Shot, Harley and David sit down with Suzi to explore the instincts that fueled that rise. She talks about welcoming competition, using storytelling to make an emotional connection with customers, and expanding from salons into Walmart without losing trust or quality. Suzi also shares how her Jewish upbringing influenced her approach to business, from the drive that comes from starting with very little to the values of community and responsibility that guided every big decision.

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In This Episode We Cover:

(00:00) Intro

(03:23) Growing up in communist Hungary with two Holocaust-survivor parents

(05:54) How honoring faith brought Suzi’s mom back to Auschwitz

(07:32) Why Suzi’s family fled Hungary 

(12:40) Suzi’s family’s transitional time in Israel 

(15:50) Where Suzi’s work ethic came from 

(18:53) Suzi’s adolescence in New York

(23:27) Suzi’s move to Los Angeles 

(24:52) How a dental-supply store ended up experimenting with acrylic nails

(29:37) OPI’s first trade show 

(32:36) Why competition is good

(33:58) How Starbucks inspired Suzi to personalize nail polish 

(36:44) Why OPI named polishes after food and places and how the naming process worked

(42:46) The time Suzi presented to Barbara Broccoli 

(45:27) The perks and bonuses OPI gave to their employees

(48:19) How OPI fixed its lipstick mistake

(52:43) How success affected Suzi

(55:04) Entering Walmart and growing beyond the professional market

(58:15) How Suzi’s divorce impacted the family business 

(1:01:33) The emotional impact of selling OPI

(1:10:47) The Jewish work ethic

(1:14:25) How to raise resilient, hardworking children

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Where to find Suzi Weiss-Fischmann: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1stladyofcolors

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1stladyofcolors

• Website: https://1stladyofcolors.com

Where To Find Big Shot: 

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• Harley Finkelstein: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/harleyf⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

• David Segal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/tea_maverick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Production and Marketing: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://penname.co⁠