Before Bobbi Brown founded her namesake brand, which she would eventually sell to Estée Lauder for about $74.5 million, she was a college student debating dropping out.
Even after finishing her degree, Brown struggled to make ends meet for years as she paved her way into the beauty industry as a young makeup artist. It took her years to build a reputation and eventually her own brand.
Having experienced both uncertainty and success, Brown has simple advice for recent grads facing a murky job market: “Don’t worry.”
“You’re not supposed to know now, and you got to try some things,” Brown told Business Insider.
Brown said that if you’re in a career lull or unsure of your next move, the first step is recognizing that it’s normal. Early on, she said, you really only need to focus on two things: figuring out how to pay your rent, and staying open to new opportunities.
“You’ve just got to try things,” Brown said. “That’s why internships are great. Temporary positions are great.”
Follow your interests
In her memoir, “Still Bobbi,” Brown describes the moment that changed the course of her life. After telling her mom she didn’t want to continue school, her mom asked what she would do if it was her birthday, and she could do anything she wanted. Brown said she’d head to a department store and play with makeup.
That’s when her mother offered advice that would shape her future: “That’s it. You should be a makeup artist,” Brown wrote that her mom told her.
That’s exactly what she did until it led her to become a beauty founder.
The beauty founder said that recent grads should “take the first entry-level job” they can find at a place where they could see themselves working, even if the role isn’t quite what they envision long-term.
The idea, she said, is to surround yourself with what you love. For example, Brown said Jones Road Beauty, the clean beauty brand she launched in 2020, was looking to hire an office intern.
The role wasn’t “the most interesting job,” she said, requiring tasks like throwing out garbage or cleaning up after a photo shoot. But the woman who filled the role was “spectacular” and is now a marketing manager at the company, Brown said.
Getting hired doesn’t just happen “because you walk in with a college degree,” she said.
Don’t stand still
Even after selling her brand to one of the largest beauty conglomerates, Brown still found herself in an era of uncertainty, and unable to launch another brand because of the noncompete she had signed.
While waiting for it to expire, she kept busy, creating a supplement brand, a curated shop at Lord & Taylor, and publishing a book. Eventually, she launched her second act, Jones Road Beauty.
“Standing still is not an option,” Brown said.
That’s the same mindset she encourages those just entering the job market to have. Brown said that she gets calls all the time from friends, relatives, and even her children, asking her to introduce them to someone.
Brown said that whether someone is trying to get into college, find a job, or meet their husband, they should look inward and see what can be done to improve their chances.
“Don’t just sit there watching TV and expect the doorbell to ring,” Brown said.
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