"I didn't go to college. I went to beauty school. Don't doubt the sweat equity you put in and the learnings you've had are worth an education that sometimes you can't get in college.”
In this episode of The Entreprenista Podcast, Laura Geller, founder of Laura Geller Beauty, shares the unfiltered story behind her journey from a single makeup chair in Hell’s Kitchen to a nationally recognized brand featured on QVC, Sephora, and Ulta. Laura opens up about the highs, the hard lessons, and the pivotal moments that forced her to trust her instincts, even when others in the room didn’t.
From selling handmade products door-to-door to navigating investor relationships that nearly cost her everything, Laura reveals how resilience, street smarts, and knowing your customer can outweigh any formal business training. She dives into the challenges of scaling, the realities of managing people, and why learning to ask for help is one of the most important skills an entrepreneur can develop.
What We Talked About:
Building a Brand From Scratch [7:09]
Navigating Challenges/Learning Lessons [13:52]
The Role of Investors and Partnerships [21:02]
Trusting Your Voice [27:55]
Marketing Strategies for Success [35:11]
Connect with Lauren:
@laurageller on Instagram
@lauragellerbeauty on Instagram
Laura Geller on LinkedIn
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Guests
Laura Geller
Hosts
Stephanie Cartin
Co-founder of Socialfly and Entreprenista.
Stephanie Cartin is the co-founder and CEO of Entreprenista, an all-in-one platform – which includes a private community & business membership called The Entreprenista League that's made up of over 2,000 women founders at all stages of business, a weekly newsletter received by 60,000 readers, two podcasts, in-person educational & networking events, and an award program – that women founders at all stages can turn to for everything they need to grow.
Stephanie is also the co-founder of Socialfly (acquired by Truform Media Group in 2024), Markid, and Pearl Influential Capital. She has won countless awards, including the SmartCEO Brava award, which recognizes the top women CEOs in New York, and a Stevie Award for Women-Run Workplace of the Year. She has also appeared in Bloomberg, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Refinery29, and more.
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