Jamie Kern Lima

The host grabs my hand, puts it under the podium, and she's like, thank you, sugar. And she took over. And I remember the moment my bright red bare face before shot comes up on the screen to 100 Million Homes. And then I remember walking over to the models, like every age, shape, size, skin tone, skin challenge, like calling them beautiful, meaning it. And I remember we were a few minutes in.

The host grabs my hand, puts it under the podium, and she's like, thank you, sugar. And she took over. And I remember the moment my bright red bare face before shot comes up on the screen to 100 Million Homes. And then I remember walking over to the models, like every age, shape, size, skin tone, skin challenge, like calling them beautiful, meaning it. And I remember we were a few minutes in.

I didn't know how we were doing, but I knew I wasn't cut yet.

I didn't know how we were doing, but I knew I wasn't cut yet.

and then we got we got down uh it was like the eight or nine minute mark and i remember the host saying uh the deep shades almost gone the tan shades almost sold out and literally at the 10 minute mark this giant sold out sign comes up across the screen all six plus thousand units i start crying on national television and they cut from me and went to like dyson vacuum or something

and then we got we got down uh it was like the eight or nine minute mark and i remember the host saying uh the deep shades almost gone the tan shades almost sold out and literally at the 10 minute mark this giant sold out sign comes up across the screen all six plus thousand units i start crying on national television and they cut from me and went to like dyson vacuum or something

Paulo comes running through the double doors. And I'm just like thinking, and I remember looking at him and I'm like, real women have spoken. And I'm like sobbing. I thought he's going to come over and give me the biggest hug ever. And he just looks at me and he puts his fist up in the air and he's like, we're not going bankrupt.

Paulo comes running through the double doors. And I'm just like thinking, and I remember looking at him and I'm like, real women have spoken. And I'm like sobbing. I thought he's going to come over and give me the biggest hug ever. And he just looks at me and he puts his fist up in the air and he's like, we're not going bankrupt.

I was in such a daze. I don't even know if I was able yet to be in my body because it was years and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of no's. I cried all my makeup off. I was just like, I felt like I was out of my body. And I remember that one airing turned into five no's. that year, and then 101 the next year. And then we did 250 live shows a year, year after year after year.

I was in such a daze. I don't even know if I was able yet to be in my body because it was years and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of no's. I cried all my makeup off. I was just like, I felt like I was out of my body. And I remember that one airing turned into five no's. that year, and then 101 the next year. And then we did 250 live shows a year, year after year after year.

And we built the biggest beauty brand in KVC's history.

And we built the biggest beauty brand in KVC's history.

Yes. And you just reminded me too of after we launched on QVC, after we made it, after we started gaining traction, Alan Burke, remember the head guy that said, you're not the right fit for QVC or our customers?

Yes. And you just reminded me too of after we launched on QVC, after we made it, after we started gaining traction, Alan Burke, remember the head guy that said, you're not the right fit for QVC or our customers?

Yes. Okay. So after we launched, he ends up retiring from QVC. He'd been there several decades. He retired from QVC and we hire him. in a paid position on our advisory board. So the guy that rejected me is now working for me, right? And the days I was crying myself to sleep when he said, you are not the right fit for QVC or our customers, no one can tell you you are not the right fit.

Yes. Okay. So after we launched, he ends up retiring from QVC. He'd been there several decades. He retired from QVC and we hire him. in a paid position on our advisory board. So the guy that rejected me is now working for me, right? And the days I was crying myself to sleep when he said, you are not the right fit for QVC or our customers, no one can tell you you are not the right fit.

And I just believe in divine timing. And the other thing I wanted to share quickly is, you know, after When L'Oreal bought our company, right, they paid $1.2 billion cash. And because they're a public company, they had to report it and disclose the purchase price. The day the deal went through, because it was on the homepage of the Wall Street Journal, because it was everywhere...

And I just believe in divine timing. And the other thing I wanted to share quickly is, you know, after When L'Oreal bought our company, right, they paid $1.2 billion cash. And because they're a public company, they had to report it and disclose the purchase price. The day the deal went through, because it was on the homepage of the Wall Street Journal, because it was everywhere...

It was the first day I heard from that one investor, that potential investor, who said women won't buy makeup from someone who looks like you with your body and your weight. It had been six years. And that was the first time I heard from him. And he said, congratulations on the L'Oreal deal. I was wrong.

It was the first day I heard from that one investor, that potential investor, who said women won't buy makeup from someone who looks like you with your body and your weight. It had been six years. And that was the first time I heard from him. And he said, congratulations on the L'Oreal deal. I was wrong.