The Truth About Building Saie Into A $100M Brand: Laney Crowell | Ladies Who Launch
Ladies Who LaunchShow Notes
Laney Crowell launched Saie in November 2019, just months before the world shut down. Since then, she has built it into a beauty brand with more than $100 million in annual sales, growing over 50% year on year while staying profitable. Now, Saie has launched in Sephora UK, and Laney joins Rochelle on Ladies Who Launch to share the full journey.
Laney shares how a foundation that made her break out became the idea for a skincare-first makeup brand, why she raised $1 million and what it cost her, how Sephora first said no and then came back wanting every door, and why being the first beauty brand to sponsor the New York Knicks was a lightning-bolt marketing idea. She also talks about building the business from her bedroom during lockdown, why she believes the slower you go, the faster you get there, and the money advice every founder should hear before they raise.
In this episode: Launching Saie in the UK and why it took six years to get here The foundation breakout that sparked the idea for Saie How her community has shaped the brand, from the name to the very first products Laney’s path from Estée Lauder to founder Raising $1 million, launching with three products, and the $100K of mistakes Hand-delivering 200 mailers from a rented van with a decal Being rejected by Sephora, then signing a deal to launch in every door Going viral with the Glowy Super Gel Becoming the first beauty brand to sponsor the New York Knicks Celebrating $100M in sales Founder advice: invest in operations, rethink the org chart as you scale, and know your worth when you negotiate
If you're building a brand, thinking about raising investment, or curious how a founder turned a bold idea into a $100M business, this one is for you.
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CHAPTERS 00:00 Saie’s Rocketship Growth 00:30 AD Starling Sponsor 05:07 The Breakout “aha” Moment 08:08 Estée Lauder Digital Roots 09:41 Important of Having A Start Up Tribe 14:33 Fundraising Advice 21:52 AD Starling Sponsor 23:33 Building TikTok Hype Early 24:03 Sephora Full Circle Deal 26:32 Scaling With A Small Team 27:41 The Power Of Slow & Steady Growth 29:35 Parenting Boundaries 33:51 Knicks Sponsorship 36:50 Celebrating 100 Million Sales 38:02 Founder Finance Advice 41:00 Future Proofing Family Time 41:47 Final Thanks And Wrap
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