Most people hear "Estée Lauder" and think of cosmetics—lipstick, perfume, face cream. But the real story isn’t just about makeup—it’s about a woman being an unstoppable force.

Estée Lauder didn’t just build a beauty brand; she rewrote the rules of an industry. She turned rejection into fuel, defied industry gatekeepers, and transformed a homemade face cream into a multi-billion-dollar global powerhouse. 

When department stores refused to stock her products, she created a demand they couldn’t ignore. When experts said women wouldn’t spend $115 on face cream, she proved them wrong. When competitors copied her formulas, she didn’t fight them—she outmaneuvered them. Her real genius wasn’t in chemistry, but in understanding human psychology, persistence, and the power of storytelling. 

This is the story of Estée Lauder.

Make sure to stick around at the end for my reflections and thoughts.

This episode is for informational purposes only and is based on Estée Lauder’s incredible 1985 autobiography Estée: A Success Story.

Newsletter - The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it’s completely free. Learn more and sign up at fs.blog/newsletter

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices