Jamie Kern Lima

But I knew doing that, doing what everyone else was doing, isn't what I was created for. And it's not what you're created for either. And I knew that I'd rather play my heart out fully to change the beauty industry, even if we tried and sold nothing. I'd rather stand for something than sell a whole ton of product but stand for nothing.

But I knew doing that, doing what everyone else was doing, isn't what I was created for. And it's not what you're created for either. And I knew that I'd rather play my heart out fully to change the beauty industry, even if we tried and sold nothing. I'd rather stand for something than sell a whole ton of product but stand for nothing.

So in my one big shot when it came, it took everything I had inside of me to dare to believe And I went for it. In my one big shot, while we were teetering on bankruptcy, and after years of hearing no's, I cast models of all ages to demonstrate our product, one in her 70s with hyperpigmentation, one in her 20s who was dealing with acne, models of all skin tones, skin challenges like me.

So in my one big shot when it came, it took everything I had inside of me to dare to believe And I went for it. In my one big shot, while we were teetering on bankruptcy, and after years of hearing no's, I cast models of all ages to demonstrate our product, one in her 70s with hyperpigmentation, one in her 20s who was dealing with acne, models of all skin tones, skin challenges like me.

I even wiped my makeup off to show my bright red bumpy skin on live TV. Everything was on the line. And right as I was standing there, right as I was standing there in the QVC studios about to go live, I learned you are not even guaranteed your 10 minutes. See, they know by the second what's selling, and they know if you're hitting the sales numbers or not.

I even wiped my makeup off to show my bright red bumpy skin on live TV. Everything was on the line. And right as I was standing there, right as I was standing there in the QVC studios about to go live, I learned you are not even guaranteed your 10 minutes. See, they know by the second what's selling, and they know if you're hitting the sales numbers or not.

So you could be a minute or two in, and if you're not hitting the sales goals, you might think you still have eight minutes left, but all of a sudden your clock jumps down to one minute and you're done. So I learned that. No pressure, right?

So you could be a minute or two in, and if you're not hitting the sales goals, you might think you still have eight minutes left, but all of a sudden your clock jumps down to one minute and you're done. So I learned that. No pressure, right?

I remember walking in, I remember the moment the giant on-air light went on, right on the cameras, and the countdown clock, the giant countdown clock started, and it said 9.59, 9.58. I remember the moment my bare face came up on national television

I remember walking in, I remember the moment the giant on-air light went on, right on the cameras, and the countdown clock, the giant countdown clock started, and it said 9.59, 9.58. I remember the moment my bare face came up on national television

I had on two pairs of Spanx, not because I cared how I looked, but I was sweating so much that I didn't want to sweat through my dress on national television. It was so stressed. I remember walking over the models live on TV, every age and shape and size and skin tone and skin challenge. and calling them beautiful and meaning it viscerally in every ounce of my being.

I had on two pairs of Spanx, not because I cared how I looked, but I was sweating so much that I didn't want to sweat through my dress on national television. It was so stressed. I remember walking over the models live on TV, every age and shape and size and skin tone and skin challenge. and calling them beautiful and meaning it viscerally in every ounce of my being.

And I knew that we were a few minutes in, I didn't know how we were doing, but I knew I wasn't cut yet. I was like, okay, okay. And then I remember y'all at the nine minute mark, we had one minute to go. And I hear the host say, the deep shade is almost sold out. The tan shade is almost gone. And at the 10 minute mark, the giant sold out sign came up across the screen. which was wild.

And I knew that we were a few minutes in, I didn't know how we were doing, but I knew I wasn't cut yet. I was like, okay, okay. And then I remember y'all at the nine minute mark, we had one minute to go. And I hear the host say, the deep shade is almost sold out. The tan shade is almost gone. And at the 10 minute mark, the giant sold out sign came up across the screen. which was wild.

I start crying. It's crazy. I start crying on national television and they cut from me and went to Dyson Vacuum or something. My best friend, Jackie, who I met right here at Wazoo, she was modeling. She had a full tattoo on her forearm. We covered it up with the makeup. So good. She starts crying. And then I remember my husband, Paolo,

I start crying. It's crazy. I start crying on national television and they cut from me and went to Dyson Vacuum or something. My best friend, Jackie, who I met right here at Wazoo, she was modeling. She had a full tattoo on her forearm. We covered it up with the makeup. So good. She starts crying. And then I remember my husband, Paolo,

he comes rushing through the double doors of the studio and I was just sobbing and I was like real women have spoken and I thought he's gonna come hug me right he comes up to me and he just looks at me and he puts his fist in the air and he's like we're not going bankrupt and I was like He's right there. And that one airing turned into more than 250 shows a year, year after year.

he comes rushing through the double doors of the studio and I was just sobbing and I was like real women have spoken and I thought he's gonna come hug me right he comes up to me and he just looks at me and he puts his fist in the air and he's like we're not going bankrupt and I was like He's right there. And that one airing turned into more than 250 shows a year, year after year.

We grew to more than 1,000 employees and became the largest beauty brand in QVC's history, which is crazy. What everyone else said would never work changed everything. And here's what I hope you let take root. There will be moments, maybe even right after today, when people will underestimate you. There will be moments when even the people who you love might suggest playing smaller, safer.

We grew to more than 1,000 employees and became the largest beauty brand in QVC's history, which is crazy. What everyone else said would never work changed everything. And here's what I hope you let take root. There will be moments, maybe even right after today, when people will underestimate you. There will be moments when even the people who you love might suggest playing smaller, safer.