Sheena Zadeh gathered up her love for makeup and combined it with her background in science to create Kosas Cosmetics, a brand that proudly calls itself “makeup for skincare freaks.” Sheena’s journey is a lesson in self-trust, letting go of ego, and building a business around what you do best. In this episode, she and Nancy dive into a transparent and empowering conversation about stepping back from the CEO role to focus on creative vision, building a high-performing team, trusting retail strategy over hype, and the importance of self-awareness as a founder.

Since launching Kosas in 2015, Sheena has reshaped the clean beauty category by prioritizing clinically proven, skincare-forward formulas that deliver real results. The brand’s viral products and commitment to transparent marketing have earned it cult status in the beauty space—with top sellers like Revealer Concealer becoming holy grail staples.

Originally aired: 05/09/2024

Timestamps:
[00:00] Introduction
[00:36] Sheena’s early business approach and vision
[01:35] Hosting Clubhouse sessions with beauty founders
[02:27] How Sheena’s science background influences her brand
[04:06] Why Kosas remains exclusive to Sephora
[06:08] The discipline of strategic retail partnerships
[07:07] Why retail sales data matters more than revenue
[08:07] How Sheena balances her personal philosophy with consumer needs
[10:02] The role of team building in business growth
[11:29] The mistake of hiring outsiders in beauty
[12:40] Communicating a founder’s vision to the team
[13:45] The decision to step down as CEO
[15:35] Advice for founders reluctant to give up the CEO role
[16:29] Dealing with imposter syndrome as a first-time CEO
[18:33] Why learning on the job felt like a daily failure
[19:29] How Sheena nurtures both creative and analytical thinking
[20:18] The importance of in-house R&D for product innovation
[21:06] Why Sheena decided to stop managing large teams
[22:23] Health and wellness as part of entrepreneurial success
[24:02] Why self-awareness is key to business resilience
[25:28] Sheena’s motivation and creative drive
[27:02] The best advice Sheena would give her younger self
[28:26] Why there’s no substitute for time in building success

Resources Mentioned:
Kosas | https://kosas.com/
Sephora | https://www.sephora.com/
Ulta Beauty | https://www.ulta.com/
Briogeo | https://www.briogeohair.com/

More From Nancy:
https://www.instagram.com/nancytwine/
Website | http://www.nancytwine.com/

More From Makers Mindset:
https://www.instagram.com/makersmindsetspace/

@themakersmindset

Website | https://makersmindset.com/
Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify | https://bit.ly/makersmindset

source