“I'm a glass half full kind of person. I really like to think of things like, “Okay, why did this happen?” And, you know, it's like, if life gives you lemons, add vodka.”
In this episode of Entreprenista, we sat down with Marissa Shipman, the founder and CEO of theBalm Cosmetics and Pretty Smart Cosmetics. Under her leadership, theBalm has expanded globally, staying true to its mission of inspiring confidence and creativity through beauty. Recently, she collaborated with Walmart to launch her latest brand, Pretty Smart, in 2,800 stores. Marissa is committed to offering high-quality beauty products at affordable prices, continuing her mission of making luxury beauty accessible to everyone. Tune in to hear Marissa share how she got her first big break with Sephora, her decision to invest in building her own factory, and the importance of learning from her biggest mistakes.
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Hosts
Stephanie Cartin is a serial entrepreneur, investor, podcast host, community builder, and a champion for women founders. She created the Entreprenista League, a community for women founders, to provide resources and support necessary at all business stages. She’s also the Co-founder of Socialfly, one of the first social media marketing agencies, as well as Entreprenista Media and Pearl Influential Capital which was recently acquired by Cherub. Stephanie has shared her journey managing her health challenges with Multiple Sclerosis, Infertility, and a complicated pregnancy and is an advocate for women going through similar challenges. Her story and businesses have been featured on the Today Show, Bloomberg and Forbes. Consider Stephanie your biggest business cheerleader.
Courtney Spritzer is an accomplished entrepreneur, investor, podcast host, and advocate for women founders. As Co-Founder and CEO of Socialfly, a social-first digital agency launched in 2012 and acquired in 2024, she has helped shape the industry with innovative strategies. She co-founded the Entreprenista League, a community for women founders, offering essential resources and support for all stages of business growth. Courtney’s entrepreneurial journey and business insights have been highlighted in top publications like Entrepreneur.com, Bloomberg, and Forbes.
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Highlights
- How theBalm started in a kitchen in San Francisco 02:30
- The benefits of having your own factory 06:37
- Bringing a luxury cosmetics line to Walmart 10:41
- Learning to course correct when things don’t go as planned 18:24
- The value of customer feedback 28:24