Michelle Lee has built a career around seeing where culture is headed next. From Editor-in-Chief of Allure and Nylon to a global leadership role at Netflix and now CMO of Landing International and K Beauty World, her path is anything but conventional. Michelle opens up about feeling intimidated when she first reached the top ranks of publishing, learning to take bigger creative risks, and recognizing early that the traditional media model was about to radically change.

Together with Jodi and guest co-host Lindy Firstenberg, Michelle explores what the modern beauty experience actually looks like as the lines between beauty, health and wellness disappear. They dig into personalization, the growing “pharmification” of beauty and wellness, and what Michelle learned overseeing global editorial and publishing at Netflix, including watching Squid Game become a worldwide phenomenon and seeing firsthand how culture can travel across borders.

Michelle also gets candid about stepping away from an intense full-time executive career, building a fractional career through relationships and side hustles, and the three résumé bullet points she believes everyone should be intentionally building. Then the conversation turns to K-beauty: why its first U.S. wave faded, how TikTok Shop and Amazon helped fuel its resurgence, and why succeeding in the U.S. requires far more than simply bringing a successful international brand stateside. It’s a conversation about reinvention, cultural fluency and building a career and a brand that’s ready for what comes next.

This episode is presented by Beauty Connect.

Michael Marcano, CMO of ZO Skin Health, didn’t follow the traditional path to the C-suite. He grew up in Far Rockaway, Queens, dreaming of becoming a doctor, worked full-time while finishing college, and even auditioned for American Idol…twice…before finding his way into the beauty industry. His career story is a lesson in curiosity, persistence and being willing to pursue opportunities even when you don’t have the expected credentials.

Michael shares how he deliberately built his career by raising his hand, asking successful colleagues to teach him, telling people where he wanted to go, and cultivating both mentors and sponsors. That approach helped him break into marketing at L’Oréal and ultimately build a 13-year career at The Estée Lauder Companies. His advice is refreshingly actionable: working hard matters, but you also have to advocate for yourself—and sometimes a move that looks lateral or even backward can lead somewhere much bigger.

Now at ZO Skin Health, Michael is applying those lessons to an entirely different challenge: taking a respected professional skincare brand with deep physician credibility and building greater consumer awareness. He and Jodi explore the power of the provider voice, why skincare brands need to talk about the often-overlooked “during” between the before and after, and what it takes to lead a team through transformation. It’s a candid conversation about ambition, career reinvention, leadership and what can happen when you stop waiting for the next opportunity and start actively creating it.

This episode is presented by Beauty Connect.

What happens when you stop accepting industry rules as fact and start asking, "Why not?"

On Episode 313 of Where Brains Meet Beauty, Personal Day CEO Amanda Domaleczny and Co-Founder Dan Reich join Jodi Katz for a conversation about entrepreneurship, innovation, and building brands that challenge conventional thinking.

Amanda shares how a career spanning operations, product development, sales, and retail strategy shaped her approach to leadership, while Dan reflects on his journey from technology entrepreneur to beauty founder and the lessons he's learned building multiple high-growth brands.

Together, they discuss the importance of questioning assumptions, the power of surrounding yourself with exceptional people, and why some of the most meaningful opportunities come from being willing to take risks that others won't.

They also explore the vision behind Personal Day and how the brand is working to reimagine the acne category by combining science, emotional connection, and a more approachable consumer experience.

It's a thoughtful conversation about leadership, resilience, entrepreneurship, and the belief that sometimes the best path forward is the one that hasn't been tried before.

Thank you to our partner CEW. If you're looking to accelerate your career and expand your network, visit CEW.org and use code WBMB20 for 20% off your first year of membership.

What does it take to build products that consumers don't just use, but genuinely love?

On Episode 312 of Where Brains Meet Beauty, Shark Beauty Global Head of Marketing Julie Bailey Blanche and Vice President of Product Development Shannon McSweeney join Jodi Katz for a conversation about innovation, leadership, and the relentless pursuit of solving real consumer needs.

Julie and Shannon share how Shark Beauty approaches product development differently, from identifying unmet consumer needs and challenging assumptions to creating a culture where teams are encouraged to evolve their thinking when new information emerges.

Together, they discuss the power of consumer feedback, the importance of cross-functional collaboration, and why some of the most successful innovations come from asking a simple question: How can we make this experience better?

It's an insightful conversation about product development, brand building, and the mindset required to continuously raise the bar in a competitive category.

Thank you to our partner CEW. If you're looking to accelerate your career and expand your network, visit CEW.org and use code WBMB20 for 20% off your first year of membership.

What does it take to transform a highly engaged community into a lasting consumer brand?

On Episode 311 of Where Brains Meet Beauty, Sincerely Yours COO & CMO Shelagh Wong and Coefficient Capital Partner Arpon Ray join Jodi Katz for a conversation about entrepreneurship, investing, and building brands that can stand the test of time.

Shelagh shares how her background in management consulting shaped her approach to leadership, operations, and brand building, while Arpon discusses what investors look for when evaluating emerging consumer brands and the importance of finding businesses with a true competitive advantage.

Together, they explore the launch of Sincerely Yours, the power of community-driven growth, the realities of scaling a creator-led brand, and why sustainable success requires balancing creativity, discipline, and long-term thinking.

It's a thoughtful conversation about leadership, culture, growth, and what it takes to build a brand that resonates far beyond its initial audience.

Thank you to our partner CEW. If you're looking to accelerate your career and expand your network, visit CEW.org and use code WBMB20 for 20% off your first year of membership.

What does it take to build a beauty brand that can grow beyond a single hero product while staying true to its purpose? On Episode 310 of Where Brains Meet Beauty, Mutha COO David Krzypow and Head of Brand Marketing Lauren Katz join Jodi Katz for a conversation about brand building, leadership, and navigating growth in today's increasingly competitive beauty landscape.

David shares how his journey from engineering to beauty helped shape his approach to building brands through analytical rigor and creative thinking, while Lauren discusses the importance of deeply understanding your customer and translating authentic brand stories into meaningful marketing.

Together, they explore what it takes to stay focused when faced with constant noise, how Mutha has evolved from a product created to solve a real need into a growing beauty brand, and why strong brand identity remains one of the most valuable assets a company can have.

It's a thoughtful conversation about career growth, entrepreneurship, motherhood, and the balance between intuition and strategy that drives successful brands forward. Thank you to our partner CEW. If you're looking to accelerate your career and expand your network, visit CEW.org and use code WBMB20 for 20% off your first year of membership.

In Episode 309 of Where Brains Meet Beauty, host Jodi Katz sits down with two accomplished sales leaders, Jeff Giordano Martinez-Fonts, founder of GIO Marketing Consultants LLC, and Liz Cavalieri, Vice President of Sales at Malin + Goetz, for a candid conversation about the evolving relationship between beauty, sales, and leadership.

Jeff and Liz share the winding career paths that led them to the beauty industry, from early aspirations and unexpected career pivots to leadership roles at some of the industry's most recognized brands. Together, they explore the realities of driving growth in a competitive marketplace, the importance of innovation without compromising brand identity, and how consumer trust remains the foundation of long-term success.

The discussion also dives into leadership philosophies, team empowerment, shelf strategy, product development, and the challenges of staying relevant in a rapidly changing beauty landscape. Whether you're building a brand, leading a team, or navigating your own career journey, this episode offers valuable insights on adaptability, resilience, and what it takes to thrive in beauty today. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about sales, strategy, leadership, and the human side of building successful beauty brands.

Thanks to our partner CEW where you can discover how to accelerate your career - go to CEW.org and use code WBMB20 for 20% off your first year of membership.

In Episode 308 of Where Brains Meet Beauty, Jodi Katz sits down with Michelle LeBlanc, VP Merchandising, Beauty, & Personal Care at CVS Health, to discuss the strategy behind merchandising beauty across more than 8,000 stores.

Michelle shares how CVS approaches localization, balances legacy and emerging brands, and thinks about shopper behavior through the lens of speed, convenience, and accessibility. She explains why CVS sees itself as an “anti-destination” retailer, how customer feedback shapes assortments, and what today’s shoppers are really asking for.

The conversation also explores Michelle’s 20-year career journey, her leadership philosophy centered on kindness and psychological safety, and the realities of balancing executive leadership with parenting three boys. It’s a thoughtful conversation about modern retail, beauty discovery, and leading with humanity.

Thanks to our partner CEW where you can discover how to accelerate your career - go to CEW.org and use code WBMB20 for 20% off your first year of membership.