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Get It Girl: Birchbox Founder Hayley Barna

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Birchbox founder Hayley Barna really understood the beauty lover’s dilemma.  How could you possibly know what you wanted to buy without trying first? And there is only so many pumps those sample bottles dispense at the beauty counter. She met partner Katia Beauchamp at Harvard Business School and together they created Birchbox, the company that helps women cut through the clutter of the beauty counter. Their trademark “try,learn, buy” mantra makes it easy for women to experiment with brands before committing to making them part of their beauty routine. birchbox-gift-women-298x220-0

Today, Birchbox is the nation’s leading beauty delivery box service, reaching a cult following of beauty lovers everywhere. The girls are even planning a brick-and-mortar pop-up shop in New York City this summer.

Hayley chatted with us about what inspires her, what business advice she’d give budding business women, and what exactly is in her makeup bag.

urlWhat inspires you?
I’m inspired by new ideas and by problem solving.

How did you develop the concept for Birchbox?
While my co-founder Katia and I were students at Harvard Business School, we realized that while there were lots of exciting ecommerce sites for fashion, there was no great destination to discover and buy beauty online. And given our personal experiences—one of us being a beauty novice, the other a connoisseur—we knew buying beauty products, even in stores, could be a profoundly confusing and unsatisfying experience. How do you sift through the huge range of options? How do you find what’s right for you? Online beauty was even tougher since there is no way to touch, try and feel the products before buying. We   envisioned a way for customers to easily and efficiently try, learn about, and purchase beauty products online. We combined a personalized sample subscription service with original editorial and exciting ecommerce shop. After speaking to our friends and professors about the idea, we launched a beta test when we were still students. A few months later we officially launched.

What has been your most useful learning experience?
I am grateful for all the experiences I’ve had and how they have each had an impact on who I am as a business person. From exposure to lots of different industries in consulting, to understanding a different culture when I worked in Hong Kong. But above all, the whole journey of starting and growing Birchbox has been one big learning experience. Even three years in it feels like there is much more to understand!

The best business advice you have ever gotten?
Just go for it! What’s the worst that could happen? Creating and growing something you are passionate about is incredibly rewarding. Even if you fail spectacularly you will learn a lot along the way.

What’s in your makeup bag?
In my everyday bag I have:
1. Waaaay too many lip products (balms, stains, etc.).
2. My favorite fragrance from Ateleir, Orange Sanguine
3. A little tube of sunscreen in the summer just in case!
4. Nail polish remover wipes from La Fresh so I can remove on the go if I get lots of chips
birchbox
What is your five minute makeup routine?
- Moisturizer or tinted moisturizer with SPF for light coverage (Supergoop CC Cream!)
- Neutral shadow like the Jouer shadow stick
- Eyeliner! Loving the pastels in Cynthia Rowley Beauty’s latest collection
- Concealer (of course), Benefit Fake Up is my favorite.
- Mascara. Big fan of Blinc. And the mascara from natural brand W3LL People is a new discovery.

What advice would you give to budding female entrepreneur?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and listen to the answers. While you might think it’s important to appear like you know it all in front of customers and employees it can show confidence to ask these important stakeholders for advice and feedback on your product and service. Feedback and a willingness to learn and improve are very valuable.


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