WHERE BRAINS MEET BEAUTY

Latest Episodes:

Episode 243 - Dr. Jennifer Linder - Board Certified Dermatologist, Founder of Linder Health - discover Dr. Linder’s passion for hyperpigmentation eradication Nov 22, 2023

Show notes

We are so excited to be diving deeper into the Health Innovations theme with Dr. Jennifer Linder, board certified dermatologist, Mohs Skin Care Surgeon and founder of Linder Health. As a military kid, Dr. Linder was keenly aware that life can change in an instant, so she learned how to adapt. Science became a huge part of her life, leading her to study engineering in college which scratched a problem-solving itch. The next piece of the puzzle was helping people. Well, living people…

Dr. Linder took a physiology class where she worked with-wait for it-cadavers. Did someone say spooky season? But Dr. Linder saw a learning opportunity where others (this writer) might not. She describes working with the human body as “magic” and this fascination set her on a path towards surgery and dermatology.

Dr. Linder has since completed a fellowship in skin cancer surgery and is now a Mohs Skin Cancer Surgeon. She has even developed her own skincare line-an idea she came up with while on vacation!

To hear more of Dr. Jennifer Linder’s career journey, including her hard and fast breakdown of hyperpigmentation, listen to this episode wherever you get your podcasts!

Episode 242 - Alan D. Widgerow - Chief Scientific Officer Galderma, Head of Innovation Alastin - One Phone Call Can Change It All: Alan D. Widgerow Is Using Science To Sculpt The Future Nov 08, 2023

Show notes

We couldn’t think of a better way to kick off our Health Innovations Series than with Alan D. Widgerow, Chief Scientific Officer at Galderma and Head of Innovation at Alastin Skincare. Alan began his career in South Africa, where he was in private practice for over 20 years. He is currently Division Chief of Research at UC Irvine Medical Center and it’s evident from speaking with him that his passion lies in the laboratory. But interestingly enough, he might have never ended up there if not for a fateful phone call…

Alan was all set to go into a career in dentistry when a phone call quite literally changed the trajectory of his life. A voice at the other end of the line encouraged him to follow his passions towards medical school and plastic surgery and Alan never looked back. Alan describes plastic surgery as an “amalgamation of creativity and science” and that no two cases are the same. It’s easy to see what drew him to such an-ever evolving field and how he’s still fascinated over 20 years later.

To hear more about Alan D. Widgerow’s career journey and to hear what book he’s currently reading, tune in to this episode wherever you get your podcasts!

Episode 241 - Ian Michael Crumm - Esthetician, Co-host BeautyCurious Podcast - The Esthetician Who is Separating Facts From Fads - Ian Michael Crumm is Keeping it Beauty Curious Nov 01, 2023

Show notes

We know and love our latest guest Ian Michael Crumm from his podcast BeautyCurious, so we couldn’t wait to dig into the career journey of this esthetician and fellow podcaster. Ian first took an interest in skincare as a teen when, struggling with his own skincare concerns he sought out the help of a dermatologist and eventually subscribed to an online dermatologist’s journal. Ian started an “online journal” of his own in high school when he began blogging. By the time Ian was in college, his lifestyle blog had taken off: Ian was getting subscribers of his own and even seeing paid advertisers.

Having a platform is one thing, but knowing how to use it is what separates the skin-fluencers from the scam-fluencers. Ian knew from experience that there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to skincare, and wanted to be able to speak from a place of authenticity when it came to recommending skincare brands and treatments. With that in mind, Ian made the decision to get his esthetician’s license.

What’s next for this go-getter? Ian is never one to shy away from a challenge and thinks that a cosmetic chemistry class could be next. Whatever it is, we can’t wait to see (and hear) what Ian Michael Crumm will do next.

To hear more about Ian Michael Crumm’s career journey, his podcast BeautyCurious, and the fabulous nickname he has for his grandmother (trust us), listen to this ep wherever you get your podcasts!

Episode 240 - Giovanni Vaccaro - Co-Founder and Chief Customer Officer at GLAMSQUAD - The Power of Putting Yourself Out There - Giovanni Vaccaro is Bringing Hospitality to The Beauty Business Oct 18, 2023

Show notes

Growing up in a family restaurant, Giovanni Vaccaro was accustomed to the hospitality industry, but at a young age he realized that he was destined for a different type of hospitality. An experience at a hair salon watching the transformation women underwent in the chairs from slouching to smiling after a beauty treatment left him feeling that this was a world he needed to be a part of.

While Gio knew where he wanted to be, how to get there was a different story. Gio tells us of a moment that changed everything: a recruiter from a top salon had come to his cosmetology school-here was an opportunity staring him in the face. He knew that putting himself out there would be risky, uncomfortable even, but the pay off? That could be huge. So he went for it, he asked for a job. And it worked! Gio landed a job as a shampoo assistant at renowned salon Frederic Fekkai & Co and showed that he was willing to start small and work hard.

Fast-forward and Gio knows the business inside & out and saw that the industry was changing, but not in a way that supported the beauty pros. He thought “why not treat the beauty professional like the client?” From there Gio and his partner David Goldweitz built Glamsquad to be a hospitality-first brand for beauty professionals to book opportunities for events, fashion weeks, shows, photo shoots and more.

For more on Gio’s career journey and to find out the beauty of the “bro-walk” listen to Giovanni’s episode wherever you get your podcasts!

Episode 239 - Ian Mayer-Marszalek - Lead Colorist, National Corporate Trainer Schwarzkopf Professional - Carving Out A Niche In Full Color - Ian Mayer-Marszalek Wants You To Be Extra Sep 13, 2023

Show notes

Most kids dread going to get their first haircut. There’s usually a bribe involved, maybe some tears, definitely a worn-out stylist by the end of it all. Ian Mayer-Marszalek, Lead Colorist & National Corporate Trainer for Schwarzkopf Professional on the other hand, looks back on those childhood trips to the salon fondly. Ian remembers feeling special sitting in that chair, like he had found a place he fit right in, knowing this was something he wanted to be a part of.

Ian was a natural at beauty school-where there may or may not have been some perm rod fights-but knew for certain that he was in the right place. He even had some regular clients while he was still a student!

One thing Ian realized that has helped him gain a competitive edge on his career journey, was his ability to carve out a niche for himself in the industry. Ian became an expert colorist, and has since become a National Trainer for Schwarzkopf Professional where he travels the country training other hair colorists.

To learn more about Ian’s career journey, listen to this episode wherever you get your podcasts!

Episode 238 - Kia Ragland Director of Product Development, Kylie Cosmetics - The Product Developer With The Perfect Eye - Kia Ragland’s Star is Rising Fast Aug 30, 2023

Show notes

When Kia Ragland says she has “the perfect eye”, she’s not kidding. Kia has been tested for nuances in the way her eyes detect color, and it should come as no surprise that the Director of Product Development at Kylie Cosmetics is a shade above the crowd when it comes to spotting the differences in say, Ruby Woo and Dior 999.

Kia tells us she got into the beauty game early on, but it was slightly out of necessity. As a bi-racial woman in a predominantly white area, she learned how to do her own hair and makeup in the 4th grade, and from there an interest grew in learning how the products she was using were created, eventually resulting in Kia becoming a cosmetologist by her senior year of high school. Okay, so when we say “interest”, we’re clearly under-selling-Kia has ambition for miles and even tells us that during college, she was known to work 2-3 internships at once!

This ambition has clearly served Kia well with stops along her career journey at Stila and SmashBox Cosmetics where she created one of the products she is still proudest of to this day: “Punked” a purple-grey lip color that was so well-received it not only sold out and turned Kia into an award-winning creator.

To hear the whole story of how Kia trusted her gut all the way to winning Fashion Group International's Rising Star Award and more of how she takes products from concept to market, listen to this ep wherever you get your podcasts!

Episode 237 - Neil Scibelli Makeup Artist & On-Air Beauty Expert - From New York Kids Radio To National Makeup Artist - Neil Scibelli Is Making His Passions Happen Aug 16, 2023

Show notes

When Makeup Artist and On-Air Beauty Expert Neil Scibelli says that he feels like he has already lived several lifetimes, we can understand why: from hosting a radio show in 3rd grade, auditioning for Tony Bennett in junior high school, to talking his way into a job at Fresh Skin Care- he has clearly shown persistence and a passion for the entertainment and makeup industries.

We loved chatting with Neil about his journey to becoming a well-respected on-air personality, often seen on Good Morning America- where one of his earliest gigs was doing makeup for Beyoncé’s dancers and band! But every day is different in the entertainment industry and Neil makes a great point when he talks about always showing up for yourself because as a freelancer, you don’t know where the job will take you next.

To hear our chat with Neil (which we think needs a Part 2!) listen up wherever you get your podcasts!

Episode 236 - Ndeye Peinda Digital Beauty Creator - From Bronx Educator to Beauty Influencer - Ndeye Peinda is Breaking The Beauty Mold Aug 02, 2023

Show notes

Ndeye Peinda didn’t start her career journey with “digital creator” in mind. In fact, after majoring in political science, she got a teaching job in the South Bronx. Hearing her reminisce about her time teaching, it’s easy to see how she easily bridged the gap between teaching and Influencing. Knowing that each of her students were unique individuals with differing opinions and emotions, Ndeye welcomed hard conversations in the classroom.

We can see why she is able to make such a connection with her audience- she even still personally responds to her DMs! Ndeye was actually still teaching when she received her first big brand offer from The Lip Bar - she literally dropped her phone when she got the news!

Nowadays, Ndeye has more than a few offers to sift through and more than a few thoughts on where the fashion and beauty industry can still improve; namely, accessibility and tokenism.

To hear Ndeye speak on how the industry has progressed, but still has work to do, listen up wherever you get your podcasts!

Episode 235 - Monae Everett Celebrity Hairstylist, Author, & Diversity, Equity Inclusion Consultant - When The Hair Student Becomes The Celeb Stylist: Monae Everett is A Mentor on A Mission Jul 12, 2023

Show notes

One of the things we’re learning throughout our Influencer Journey Quarter is the focus Influencers place on education. All of the Influencers we’ve spoken with have been so passionate about educating their audiences and that brings us to none other than Monae Everett: Celebrity Hairstylist, Author, & Diversity, Equity Inclusion Consultant.

Monae’s career journey has led her from newcomer to the world of cosmetology to becoming an industry leader. Not only does Monae have over 20 years of experience, she is the founder of the Monae Life Academy; an online academy teaching how to style for all hair textures and The Texture Style Awards; a competition for hair stylists centered around diversity and inclusion helping hair stylists and their clients see the beauty in all hair textures.

To learn about Monae’s career journey from cosmetology school to starting her own online school, listen to this episode wherever you get your podcasts!

Episode 234 - Amy Chang - Skin, Hair & Health Conscious Content Creator - Finding Ourselves Is Over: It’s Time We Create Ourselves: Amy Chang Is Leading The Charge - WHERE BRAINS MEET BEAUTY Jun 28, 2023

Show notes

We were so thrilled to welcome skin and hair obsessed influencer Amy Chang to the podcast to discuss her career journey. As Amy’s 1.6 million TikTok followers know, Amy is refreshingly candid about everything from her skincare routine, motherhood, to her own adoption journey - she’s even an ambassador for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption!

WBMB listeners at all stages of their careers will appreciate hearing Amy’s path from being in her 20’s, from not knowing what she wanted to do with her life to getting on social media, teaching herself photography, editing, lighting and slowly but surely connecting the dots: “I needed to go out there and make a lot of mistakes…piece together what I like and don’t to shape my future.”

To hear more of Amy’s career journey, including her thoughts on what it means to “find yourself” listen wherever you get your podcasts!

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