BOBBI BROWN: HOW I DO IT
Bobbi Brown is building an independent beauty brand for the second time—more than 30 years after founding her eponymous first one. Here she explains what she’s learned along the way, from unique approaches to problem-solving and managing crises, to knowing what doesn’t need to be done. —As told to C.L.-C.
Be the person who solves the problem
I realize that I love the challenge of doing things I’ve never done before. I love diving into what I don’t necessarily have experience in. I certainly don’t have the business education. But what I do have is common sense, and I like to cut through a lot of the noise and find simple solutions that make more sense to me. My thought process is really simple: When there’s an obstacle people are having trouble with, I don’t see it as a problem. I see it as an opportunity. What if we just fixed that? And the simplest fixes seem to have the biggest rewards.
Pick your battles
There are tough relationships out there. I’ve learned what to not have angst about. I do know this: People want to be listened to. Even if you don’t agree with them, they want you to say, “OK, I hear you.” Of course, everyone has a different personality. Not everyone reacts well to everything. You have to be a little smart, and think hard about the actual person you are dealing with.
Don’t fear failure—because it doesn’t really exist
I don’t think failure is an option— because there’s no such thing. If it doesn’t work out, it’s just a sign to do it differently or do something else. This is the biggest thing to understand: There’s no such thing as failure.
Relax
Early on in my career, I’d get so aggravated when things went wrong. You know, shipments got lost, caps to lipsticks didn’t fit. It was really intense. What I’ve learned and brought into the new company is a spirit of “just relax.” So there was an issue with a formulation? Guess what: Let’s not launch that product. We can be adaptable. Honestly, that has come only from age. What you learn only from experience is really the most important thing: what doesn’t need to be done.
Be real
I think consumers today definitely know when a company is pretending to be something that it’s not. Be authentic. And if something goes wrong, just tell people. Companies are allowed to be human. Give the refund. Treat the customer how you’d want to be treated.