ForceBrands

I left Ascent yesterday with a lot to think about. There is something pretty powerful about being in a room filled with so many focused, successful and determined women, sharing what’s worked, what hasn’t, and learning from each other. A few things I’m leaving with: 1. “Saying NO is a growth strategy.” Lil Fazio SVP Marketing at ELEMIS, said this and it really stuck with me. She also asked, “What are we going to stop doing to make room for this?” We spend so much time talking about what we should add to a business. Not nearly enough time asking what we should stop doing. This one feels especially relevant to me right now as we go through a transformation at ForceBrands. I am always looking at how we can evolve to better meet the needs of our clients, but there is a balance. How do we evolve without losing the things that make ForceBrands, ForceBrands? The magic that got us here still matters. 2. The people who got you here may not always be the people who get you there. Alicia Grande of Grande Cosmetics shared a very candid story about loyalty versus making sure you have the right experience and leadership for the stage your business is in. Given what we do at ForceBrands, this one hit home. Someone can be incredibly important to your company’s story and still not be the right person for its next chapter, the next inflection point. That is a hard leadership decision that I know many Founders have to go through. 3. And my personal challenge coming out of yesterday: use AI differently. Thank you to Lauren Abney, Misbah Uraizee & Sheila Lirio Marcelo who not only gave great and actionable AI advice but challenged us all. Don’t just use it as a productivity hack; get better at teaching AI and agents to take on work autonomously. Give yourself more time to think strategically, be creative and actually lead. Basically, if I can teach the robot to do it, I probably need to stop doing it myself. Lots more I want to unpack from yesterday. More to come. Thank you Carli Roth and the The Female Founder Collective team for bringing together such a great group of women. & Jessica Tully (she/her) for introducing me to so many amazing women in your network.

One of my favorite parts of recruiting for high-growth consumer brands is that no two searches are the same. Clients work with us because the right person usually can’t be identified by scanning a resume for a few keywords. The qualities that matter most often require a little more digging. For example, a recent client was looking for a commercial leader to help scale a growing wellness brand. Wellness experience was important, but it wasn’t enough. They needed someone who had helped build companies, was comfortable making decisions without a proven roadmap, and genuinely believed in the brand and its mission. That conviction is usually non-negotiable. These searches aren’t easy, but that’s what makes them interesting. A big part of my job is helping clients get clear on what they’re really looking for and asking the right questions to uncover it. I usually keep these three interview questions in my back pocket: https://lnkd.in/gqCzadMu What do you think: does question #2 help show whether someone is comfortable calling the shots?

ForceBrands, a hiring and talent solutions partner for the consumer industry, has strengthened its executive search practice with the addition of Brian Waivada. He will lead the team and oversee the practice’s continued expansion. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gaHir-td #talent #leadership #search #consumer #brands

I’m heading to #BITENYC tomorrow! Beyond my personal ♥️ for all things beauty, the industry is close to home for me. My mom was a Paul Mitchell platform artist, so I grew up in the hair industry. I was often a model at shows and attended the Paul Mitchell Gatherings in Las Vegas. I also loved seeing Arey announce its Series A led by Unilever Ventures. I knew one of the founders well through the hair industry years ago, so it felt a little extra special. 🥂 to an exciting next chapter! I’m looking forward to seeing what’s new across emerging beauty and wellness brands, meeting the people behind them, and learning more about what they’re building. I’m also excited to share how the right people strategy can help bring their growth plans to life. A few brands on my must-see list: ✨ UNDEW Inc. | A clever, on-the-go fix for foundation smears and stains ✨ PAUME | Sanitizing, anti-aging, and deeply hydrating hand care ✨ Caire Beauty | Pro-Aging Skincare for Women 40+ | Skincare for mature skin (that’s most of us 😉) ✨ Sweet Bee Organics | Plant-based wellness products and a personal favorite of mine If you’ll be at BITE NYC, send me a message. Let’s scope it out together!

I love seeing new CPG brands hit the market and watching founders' visions come to life. Here are four recent launches I’m especially excited about and wanted to highlight: 🥜 Drizzy: Squeezable peanut butter - enough said. I was PUMPED when I saw the news that Jason Spyrides & Georgia Park were launching in the US after crushing it in Australia. It’s instantly become my new go-to peanut butter. 🍸 Write-Off: Lauren Duffy and Josh Reda are building an RTD brand entirely around canned martinis so you can have one anywhere, any time. They hit retail shelves in Charleston, SC earlier this summer with Apple, Lychee, and Espresso flavors. If you’re not in Charleston, keep your eyes peeled for Write-Off in more markets soon. 👀 🥩 BUFFS: George Zhou and Beckett Kitaen have a genuinely different take on better-for-you meat snacks. Crunchy grass-fed beef puffs that feel like they belong on the chip aisle. 3 flavors, great branding + packaging, and they even included handwritten thank-you notes + hats with their first 1k orders. 👕 WashWise: Dry shampoo for clothes founded by Maria Cabral Menezes that dewrinkles and freshens lightly worn items. As someone who is always on the go, this feels heaven-scent (sorry). They also have travel sizes for your carry-on. This is definitely a new household staple. What other brands or products have launched recently that I should have on my radar?

Day 1 at Groceryshop 🛒🍊 I’m already meeting so many incredible brands, retailers, and solution providers, making new friends and catching up with people I’ve known for years! If you’re here, I’d love to connect. Come say hi or shoot me a message and let’s find a few minutes to chat. 👋 #Groceryshop2026