Mindset Over Experience: How to Keep Going When the Path Isn’t Clear with Nancy Twine, Founder of Briogeo 

Nancy Twine is the founder of Briogeo, one of the first clean
haircare brands to land in Sephora, and eventually one of the
fastest-growing in the category.


But her story didn’t start in beauty. Nancy began her career
in finance, landing a role at Goldman Sachs in 2007, right as the
global financial crisis hit. By her mid-twenties, she was a VP on
Wall Street. Then, everything changed in 2010 when she lost her
mother unexpectedly. That moment reshaped her purpose and gave
her the clarity to build something of her own. With no background
in chemistry or beauty,  she started Briogeo from her tiny
New York apartment—self-funding it for six years, researching at
the public library, and pitching investors with just drawings,
all while working full-time. Briogeo launched in 2013 with four
products. Within a year, Nancy cold-emailed her way into Sephora,
becoming the youngest Black woman to launch a line with the
retailer. In 2022, Briogeo was acquired by Wella Company.


In today’s episode, Nancy talks about the mindset and grit it
took to keep going when the path ahead wasn’t clear, and how
learning to trust her instincts changed everything for her. We
talk about how she taught herself the beauty industry from
scratch, and why believing in herself, even when the odds were
stacked against her, became her greatest strength. She shares the
early days of Briogeo, building the brand at night while working
on Wall Street, pitching investors and getting many rejections,
and navigating the challenges of growth. She also reflects on the
pivotal moment with Sephora, the decision to finally walk away
from her corporate job, and how she grew into the role of CEO as
the company scaled.


Nancy opens up about selling Briogeo, what it meant to let go of
something she built from scratch, and why she’s now focused on
mentoring other women founders through her new platform, Makers
Mindset. If you’ve ever questioned your timing, doubted your
path, or needed a reminder of what’s possible when you bet on
yourself, you’re going to love this episode. 


In this episode, we’ll talk to Nancy about:


* The mindset needed to overcome entrepreneurial challenges.
[02:57]


* Cultivating confidence and shutting down self-doubt. [05:18]


* How her mother and grandmother shaped her upbringing. [07:46]


* How personal loss sparked a life and career reevaluation.
[17:04]


* Nancy’s first steps in starting Briogeo. [18:47]


* A pivotal moment: meeting Sephora buyers. [23:59]


* Lessons from fundraising journey. [25:44]


* The power of self-belief in entrepreneurship. [28:41]


* Leaving a secure job to pursue a passion. [38:36]


* Why selling the business was strategic. [46:19]


* Transforming Nancy’s passion into new ventures. [49:33]


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Follow Nancy: 


* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nancytwine/


* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briogeo/


* Website: https://www.briogeohair.com/


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