Jennifer Valoppi Podcast

Episode 11 | Laura Geller: From Makeup Artist to Half a Billion Dollar Beauty Empire | The Jennifer Valoppi Podcast

From running through Manhattan with shopping bags of makeup to building a half a billion dollar beauty empire, Laura Geller's story is a masterclass in resilience, vision, and what it really takes to build a business that lasts. In Episode 11, Jennifer Valoppi sits down with LAURA GELLER, founder of Laura Geller Beauty, Broadway artist, QVC icon, and one of the most respected pioneers in the modern beauty industry, for a deeply honest conversation about creating a brand from the ground up and fighting to protect it. Laura started her career as a makeup artist for television, film, and theater before realizing her true calling was empowering everyday women. In 1993, she launched her own line and built a destination on Manhattan's Upper East Side where women came to learn how to do their own makeup. As the business grew, so did the challenges. From investors whose missions did not align with hers, to a moment when new owners questioned whether she had "aged out" of her own brand, Laura refused to back down. Today, Laura Geller Beauty is a half a billion dollar company, and she has earned her reputation as the Steve Jobs of the cosmetic industry. What you'll learn in this episode: • How to turn passion and craft into a scalable business • Why empowering your customer changes everything • How to survive misaligned investors and protect your vision • What to do when others try to underestimate or push you out • Why asking for help is the lesson every founder learns too late • The mindset that carries you through humiliation, doubt, and setbacks A powerful, unfiltered look at what it takes to build a beauty empire and stay true to your own vision. ABOUT THE GUEST: Laura Geller is the founder of Laura Geller Beauty, a Broadway artist, a longtime QVC icon, and one of the most influential figures in the modern beauty industry. Her brand is celebrated for its inclusive philosophy and its dedication to empowering everyday women. The Jennifer Valoppi Podcast, where women learn from leaders. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. Follow Jennifer: @jennifervaloppipodcast Learn more: jennifervaloppi.com Support Women of Tomorrow: womenoftomorrow.org New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. 🎙️ The Jennifer Valoppi Podcast™ Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Presented by Murray Hill Press, LLC.

Episode 11 | Laura Geller: From Makeup Artist to Half a Billion Dollar Beauty Empire | The Jennifer Valoppi Podcast

From running through Manhattan with shopping bags of makeup to building a half a billion dollar beauty empire, Laura Geller's story is a masterclass in resilience, vision, and what it really takes to build a business that lasts. In Episode 11, Jennifer Valoppi sits down with LAURA GELLER, founder of Laura Geller Beauty, Broadway artist, QVC icon, and one of the most respected pioneers in the modern beauty industry, for a deeply honest conversation about creating a brand from the ground up and fighting to protect it. Laura started her career as a makeup artist for television, film, and theater before realizing her true calling was empowering everyday women. In 1993, she launched her own line and built a destination on Manhattan's Upper East Side where women came to learn how to do their own makeup. As the business grew, so did the challenges. From investors whose missions did not align with hers, to a moment when new owners questioned whether she had "aged out" of her own brand, Laura refused to back down. Today, Laura Geller Beauty is a half a billion dollar company, and she has earned her reputation as the Steve Jobs of the cosmetic industry. What you'll learn in this episode: • How to turn passion and craft into a scalable business • Why empowering your customer changes everything • How to survive misaligned investors and protect your vision • What to do when others try to underestimate or push you out • Why asking for help is the lesson every founder learns too late • The mindset that carries you through humiliation, doubt, and setbacks A powerful, unfiltered look at what it takes to build a beauty empire and stay true to your own vision. ABOUT THE GUEST: Laura Geller is the founder of Laura Geller Beauty, a Broadway artist, a longtime QVC icon, and one of the most influential figures in the modern beauty industry. Her brand is celebrated for its inclusive philosophy and its dedication to empowering everyday women. The Jennifer Valoppi Podcast, where women learn from leaders. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. Follow Jennifer: @jennifervaloppipodcast Learn more: jennifervaloppi.com Support Women of Tomorrow: womenoftomorrow.org New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. 🎙️ The Jennifer Valoppi Podcast™ Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Presented by Murray Hill Press, LLC.

Episode 10 | Amy Errett: Founder of Madison Reed on Entrepreneurship | The Jennifer Valoppi Podcast

What does it take to build a purpose-driven brand that disrupts an entire industry? In this episode of The Jennifer Valoppi Podcast™, Jennifer sits down with Amy Errett, Founder and CEO of Madison Reed, for a thoughtful and substantive conversation on entrepreneurship, leadership, resilience, and the future of building iconic consumer brands. A four-time entrepreneur with more than thirty years of business and operating expertise, Amy holds an MBA in Finance from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. from the University of Connecticut. She teaches at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and previously served as a General Partner at Maveron, the venture capital firm founded by Howard Schultz. Earlier in her career, she was CEO of Olivia, a member of the senior management team at E*TRADE, and Founder and CEO of The Spectrem Group. In this conversation, Amy offers an honest look at: • Founding Madison Reed and disrupting a category dominated by industry titans • What it takes to build a brand that is purpose-driven and mission-aligned • The importance of product integrity and the Smart 8 Free Formula • How machine learning and artificial intelligence shape modern consumer brands • Her transition from venture capitalist to operator and founder • What she learned from working with Howard Schultz at Maveron • Why investing in your team is the foundation of a sustainable business • Building a corporate culture grounded in trust, responsibility and joy • Resilience after public failure and the moment that redirected her career • Why following your intuition is one of the most underrated leadership traits • Advice for first-time founders, women in business, and emerging entrepreneurs A conversation suited for students of business, entrepreneurship, marketing, consumer products, and leadership, as well as emerging founders navigating the path from corporate roles into building their own companies. The Jennifer Valoppi Podcast™ features influential women shaping today's world and explores how we can support one another in pursuit of our goals. Host: Jennifer Valoppi, award-winning journalist, longtime television newscaster, author, and Founder of the Women of Tomorrow Mentor and Scholarship Program. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. Follow @jennifervaloppipodcast on Instagram and TikTok. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. 🎙️ The Jennifer Valoppi Podcast™ Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Presented by Murray Hill Press, LLC.

Episode 9 | Judge Bronwyn Miller: Justice, Leadership & the Future of Women in Law | The Jennifer Valoppi Podcast

What does it take to make decisions that shape the future of our legal system? In this episode of The Jennifer Valoppi Podcast™, Jennifer sits down with the Honorable Bronwyn C. Miller, Judge on Florida's Third District Court of Appeal, for a thoughtful and substantive conversation on justice, leadership, and the evolving role of women in law. A graduate of Barnard College at Columbia University and the University of Miami School of Law, Judge Miller began her career as a prosecutor in the Miami-Dade County State Attorney's Office, where she served as training director and division chief in the felony unit. She has been appointed to the bench by three Florida governors, most recently by Governor Rick Scott to the Third District Court of Appeal in 2018. She also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Miami School of Law. In this conversation, Judge Miller offers an honest look at: • The judicial appointment and election processes • The challenges and rewards of running for the bench • How artificial intelligence is shaping the practice of law • Deepfakes, digital evidence, and the courtroom of the future • Social media, cyberbullying, and protecting young people • The differences between trial and appellate courts • How political polarization and post COVID culture have impacted civil discourse • Mentorship, supportive partnerships, and balancing career and family • The legacy of Sandra Day O'Connor and women in positions of power • Advice for young women pursuing careers in the law A conversation suited for students of law, political science, government, gender studies, and journalism, as well as emerging professionals navigating the legal field. The Jennifer Valoppi Podcast™ features influential women shaping today's world and explores how we can support one another in pursuit of our goals. Host: Jennifer Valoppi, award-winning journalist, longtime television newscaster, author, and Founder of the Women of Tomorrow Mentor and Scholarship Program. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. Follow @jennifervaloppipodcast on Instagram and TikTok. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. 🎙️ The Jennifer Valoppi Podcast™ Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Presented by Murray Hill Press, LLC.

Episode 8 | Keri Selig: The Future of Women in the Film Industry | The Jennifer Valoppi Podcast

What does the future of women in the film industry actually look like  and what will it take to get there? In this episode of The Jennifer Valoppi Podcast™, Jennifer sits down with Keri Selig, Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Emmy-nominated producer, and Founder & President of Intuition Productions, for a thoughtful and substantive conversation about leadership, mentorship, and the long road to structural change in Hollywood. Keri spent over two decades inside the studio system as a senior executive at Warner Brothers, Bel Air Entertainment, Coppelson Entertainment at 20th Century Fox, and Court Madden at Paramount Pictures before founding her own production company. Her recent producing credits include Netflix's "The Six Triple Eight," directed by Tyler Perry and starring Kerry Washington, Susan Sarandon, and Oprah Winfrey — a film that earned multiple awards nominations, including an Academy Award nomination. In this conversation, Keri offers an honest look at: • The evolving role of women in executive and creative leadership • How streaming has shifted hiring practices industry-wide • What a producer actually does (and what it takes to sustain the work) • The decision to leave the studio system to build something of her own • The role of mentorship, both received and given • Working with major talent and managing the realities of production • The Vault, an informal network supporting women across industries • Imposter syndrome at the highest levels of leadership • Current statistics on women in film and what they reveal A conversation suited for students of film, media studies, business, journalism, and gender studies, as well as emerging professionals navigating the entertainment industry. The Jennifer Valoppi Podcast™ features influential women shaping today's world and explores how we can support one another in pursuit of our goals. Host: Jennifer Valoppi — award-winning journalist, longtime television newscaster, author, and Founder of the Women of Tomorrow Mentor & Scholarship Program. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. Follow @jennifervaloppipodcast on Instagram and TikTok. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. 🎙️ The Jennifer Valoppi Podcast™ Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Presented by Murray Hill Press, LLC.