Linda Wang is the Founder and CEO of Karuna Skin and sister brand Avatara, known for being the first to bring Asian sheet masks to the U.S.
Before starting her company, Linda spent 11 years in fashion merchandising, the training shaped her gusty instincts for spotting trends.
Her interest in skincare stemmed from an ongoing struggle since childhood with allergies, rashes, and eczema.
As an adult, her focus sharpened on resolving this deeply personal issue since it affects so many others around the world.
She launched Karuna in 2009, sensing these revolutionary time-saving masks would be a hit among American beauty aficionados.
The sharply-packaged retail line has gained the interests of beauty giants like Sephora, Ulta, etc.
From her years of training as a buyer and knowing how trends work, in 2017, she launched her second brand Avatara, inspired by her teenage nieces by offering fun, quality, clean, and affordable skincare products launched in Target stores nationwide.
During the last 12 years of building both brands, Linda encountered her share of challenges; increased competition, the explosion of interest in fast beauty, and the rise of more store brands entering the category.
In 2018, the Karuna brand faced hardship as the sheet mask category became commoditized, and in response, she pivoted and created the Balancing Collection, a daily topical skin care line now available at Whole Foods Market nationwide.
Sister brand, Avatara has also seen tremendous growth with Target, and anticipating more national doors rollout this year.
In This Conversation We Discuss:
Resources:
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181 | Offering Existing Brands to a Different Market | with Nate Axvig
180 | Build Relationships Early In Your Business | with Megan Grassell
179 | How A Travel Brand Survived the Pandemic | with Brendan Kennedy
178 | Running a B2B Business with D2C Principles | with Gilmar Arellano
177 | Focus on Product, Experience, and Logistics | with Noah Chaimberg
176 | Why You Shouldn’t Corrupt Your Email List | with Kerrigan Behrens
175 | Are Pet Products Evergreen? | with Adam Baker
174 | Starting a Business From a Failed Startup | with Matthew Berk
173 | Ask Your Competitors for Advice | with Will Nitze
172 | Great Idea + Marketing + Commitment = Success | with Mike Abadi
171 | Ignore Detractors; Don’t Doubt Your Results | with Elie Robinson
170 | Sell Your Products Yourself First | with Laurie O'Hara
169 | The Concept of “Spending Money to Make Money” is a Trap | with Kyle Ewing
168 | Complexities of Selling BevAlc Online | with Yoni Reisman and Jay Liddell
167 | Knowing Your Numbers Gives You Confidence to Invest | with Paul Orlando
166 | You’ll Never Learn Until You Launch | with Joe Spector
165 | Is Facebook Marketing Still Viable in 2022? | with Nik Hall
164 | Removing the Infertility Stigma Through Data | with Dr. Amy Divaraniya
163 | Using Awesome Design to Blow Up the Market | with Emily Vaca
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