# Carol's Daughter: Lisa Price (2018)

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2018-08-06
- Length: 41m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-08-06-carols-daughter-lisa-price-2018

## Summary

Lisa Price, founder of Carol's Daughter, explains how she transitioned from a TV writer's assistant to building a beauty brand for women of color, starting with homemade fragrant moisture butter sold in recycled baby food jars at church flea markets. She details the organic growth of the company, including securing a brick-and-mortar store through creative financing and achieving massive visibility after an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Price also discusses the strategic decision to take on equity partners and eventually sell Carol's Daughter to L'Oreal, navigating the backlash from customers while maintaining her role as the public face of the brand.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-08-06-carols-daughter-lisa-price-2018#t=0) Introduction: Lisa Price and the origins of Carol's Daughter
- [5:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-08-06-carols-daughter-lisa-price-2018#t=302) Creating the first products: blending fragrances and body butter
- [8:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-08-06-carols-daughter-lisa-price-2018#t=492) First sales: flea markets, baby food jars, and $100 investment
- [14:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-08-06-carols-daughter-lisa-price-2018#t=880) Growing demand: apartment sales, word-of-mouth, and the Oprah crash
- [21:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-08-06-carols-daughter-lisa-price-2018#t=1316) First store: convincing the landlord and securing $14,000 in financing
- [29:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-08-06-carols-daughter-lisa-price-2018#t=1746) Scaling: investors like Jay-Z, entering Sephora and Macy's
- [33:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-08-06-carols-daughter-lisa-price-2018#t=1990) The sale to L'Oreal: equity partners, acquisition, and customer backlash
- [38:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-08-06-carols-daughter-lisa-price-2018#t=2328) Postscript: Aiden Emilio and Jesse creating RexSpecs dog goggles

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up, large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Carol's Daughter (company)
- L'Oreal (company)
- Cosby Show (other)
- Essence Magazine (other)
- The Oprah Winfrey Show (other)
- Sephora (company)
- Macy's (company)
- Pegasus Capital Advisors (company)
- Jay-Z (other)
- Will Smith (other)
- Jada Pinkett Smith (other)
- RexSpecs (company)
- Aiden Emilio (other)
- Jesse (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [019: Organic haircare products with Susana Stewart & Caroline Maina of Fro Butter](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-09-20-019-organic-haircare-products-with-susana-stewart-caroline-maina-of-fro-butter) (Product Startup)
- [Founder Feature: Akua Boakye Okunseinde of Karité](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-02-21-founder-feature-akua-boakye-okunseinde-of-karite) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [From turning down Shark Tank offers to raising $2.7 million for Nopalera with Sandra Velasquez (2023)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-10-17-from-turning-down-shark-tank-offers-to-raising-2-7-million-for-nopalera-with-san) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [021: Using Public Research to Develop WINK Lash and Brow Oil with Megan Cox of Amalie Beauty](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-10-04-021-using-public-research-to-develop-wink-lash-and-brow-oil-with-megan-cox-of-am) (Product Startup)
- [Founder Feature: Veena Krishnan and Whitney McElwain of Daybird](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-08-10-founder-feature-veena-krishnan-and-whitney-mcelwain-of-daybird) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

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