Ep 198 | Amy Liu

Written By Yasmin Nouri

Quitting Your 9-5 & Betting on Yourself

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In this week's episode we're re-airing one of our top episodes with Amy Liu, the founder and CEO of Tower 28, a beauty company inclusive of all skin tones, skin types, budgets, and beauty philosophies. 

For over 15 years, Amy Liu worked as a beauty executive at some of the fastest-growing prestige companies, including Smashbox, Kate Somerville and Josie Maran Cosmetics. But as a longtime eczema sufferer, she couldn’t even enjoy the best part of working in the beauty industry: trying out all the products! Even the clean alternatives were super expensive or too clinical, like they were coming straight from the doctor’s office. Amy saw this white space as an opportunity, and set out to create Tower 28. Tower 28 is the first beauty brand that’s 100 percent clean, vegan, and free of every known skin irritant. 

We talk to Amy about how she thought about the risk she was talking in starting her career with a successful corporate career under her belt, three kids and a mortgage. Amy also shares her perspective on why there's never a “right time” to get started, why we should never fall into the trap of comparison, the power of fostering real relationships in life and in business, and so much more.

Show Notes:

  • Where Amy’s aversion to risk originated. [3:26]

  • Why Amy chose to become an entrepreneur in the beauty space. [7:59]

  • An overview of Amy’s career prior to founding Tower 28. [8:50]

  • The danger of comparing ourselves to others. [10:08]

  • How working for other companies before starting her own has benefitted Amy. [16:08]

  • Amy explains what motivated her decision to quit her full-time job and shares advice for other mothers who may have the same worries about this move as she did. [18:33]

  • The conversation that changed the course of Amy’s life. [22:50]

  • Value that lies in talking openly about what you want to achieve. [25:36]

  • The importance of reputation. [29:02]

  • How Amy’s approach to founding Tower 28 was different from the three businesses she founded before it. [30:01]

  • What differentiates Tower 28 from other brands. [32:56]

  • Amy’s thoughts on overcoming fears around entering a saturated market. [34:02]

  • The ultimate goal that Amy had when she founded Tower 28. [37:30]

  • How Amy incorporates her values into her brand. [38:36]

  • A story which highlights the value of being open minded. [40:19]

  • Amy explains the approach that she took to growing Tower 28. [46:40]

  • How her experience of building Tower 28 has changed the way Amy looks at life. [50:03]

  • Delving into the (very) challenging side of building a business, and the things that make it worth it. [51:30]

  • Words of wisdom from Amy on living your most fulfilling life as a female founder. [56:15]

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Ep 199 | Dr. Saru Bala
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Ep 197 | Dr. Casey Means