The World of Lauren Ratner: Navigating Life as the Marketing It Girl, Creating a $1 Billion Beauty Brand with Hailey Bieber, and…

      Dive into the fascinating world of the most innovative creatives in fashion with our series "My World," where readers will learn how leading stylists, designers, and trendsetters forged their paths; their favorite dining spots, cherished music albums, and fashion discoveries; the etiquette principles they uphold; and much more. Innovative, smart, pioneering, and imaginative—these adjectives barely encapsulate the spirit of Lauren Ratner. It's no surprise, considering Ratner is recognized as the brand architect of her generation. Alongside her husband, Michael D. Ratner, and founder Hailey Bieber, she co-founded Rhode, the beauty industry's hottest startup, in 2022. In a groundbreaking move, the brand was acquired by e.l.f. Beauty for $1 billion, marking the fastest billion-dollar exit in beauty history—cue the mic drop. But wait, there’s more to unpack.

      Ratner's journey to success didn’t begin with Rhode. She has also been a part of major brands such as Michael Kors and Reformation, and even established her own venture, LER Consulting. Notably, she achieved all of this before the age of 35 and earned a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2020. This fall, Rhode made its entry into Sephora in both the U.S. and the UK, with a record-breaking launch (more details coming soon), all while Ratner announced her pregnancy! Ratner is truly making waves, and her journey is nothing short of motivating. Below, she provides insights into her life as the marketing guru. Welcome to Ratner's universe.

      Could you briefly describe your career path leading to your role as the founder and leader of a prominent beauty brand? My background is steeped in brand development, marketing, and collaborating with founders to translate their visions into successful products. Storytelling has always been a significant passion of mine and a crucial aspect of my career—effectively communicating ideas through creative visuals, innovative content, and thoughtful product messaging. This has been integral in building Rhode and continues to be a focus in my current role. I've worked at both established brands like Michael Kors and burgeoning startups like Reformation, gaining a wide range of experiences that have sharpened the skills I've applied during my time at Rhode.

      How did your collaboration with Hailey Bieber begin, and what is the nature of your relationship? I was introduced to Hailey via my husband, Michael, who had collaborated with her and Justin on his documentary series, "Seasons." At that time, Hailey was contemplating launching a skincare line, and we began discussing what Rhode could become. From the outset, I quickly grasped her vision and realized that we shared a similar visual language, which fostered a highly collaborative and creative partnership. We started conceptualizing the world of Rhode from that point onward. Both Hailey and I came from non-traditional beauty backgrounds, so Rhode drew inspiration from outside the industry—like fashion, architecture, and travel. We built Rhode through a fashion lens that felt refreshing within the beauty realm, avoiding conventional playbooks and instead trusting our instincts on what felt right. We still operate this way today!

      Can you give us a glimpse into your daily life? A typical day begins with coffee in the morning with my husband, where we chat about our plans. It's my favorite moment of the day! After that, it's off to the office for a packed schedule of meetings. I dedicate a lot of time to our marketing, retail, creative, and product development teams as we outline our future calendar and strategize launches. The most enjoyable part of my day involves creative brainstorming sessions with my team, where we exchange ideas, and I indulge in pulling references from Pinterest—something I love doing. Now that I'm nine months pregnant, my after-work routine is quite different from my usual evenings, mainly consisting of heading home for dinner and relaxing on the couch with Bravo. Pre-pregnancy, I was more likely to be found at work events or dining out with friends over margaritas. I can't wait to return to that!

      E.l.f. recently acquired Rhode for $1 billion—a monumental achievement. What does this mean for you and your team? Over the last five years, we’ve been intensely focused on developing and expanding Rhode, and this experience has been one of the highlights of my life. As the business grew, we understood the necessity of finding the right partner to elevate the brand and reach a wider audience, which we found in e.l.f. Beauty. Their support enables us to scale globally and innovate products while remaining true to our brand and community.

      Rhode launched at Sephora this fall. Was entering Sephora a goal for you and Bieber? What did this achievement signify for you? Launching in retail and allowing our customers to interact with our products in-person has always been on our vision board! Initially, we recognized the importance of building a robust direct-to-consumer business. Our journey at Rhode was shaped by listening