How Losing Her Dream Career & Identity Helped This Founder Find Her True Purpose and Build a Skincare Empire - Allison McNamara, Founder of MARA

Allison McNamara is the founder of MARA, a skincare brand known
for its luxurious, algae-infused formulas.


Before founding MARA in 2018, Allison had an impressive career as
a journalist, producer, and TV host. A trip to Turkey in 2015
reignited her passion for skincare, inspiring her to create a
brand rooted in marine-powered ingredients. When the idea hit
her, Allison started working on MARA as a side project while
balancing her full-time job in media. With no outside investors
and no formal background in product development, she took a leap
of faith, spending years researching and collaborating with labs
to create the perfect formulas. Her dedication paid off—today,
MARA is a cult-favorite beauty brand, celebrated by celebrities
and skincare enthusiasts for its clean, effective products.


In this week’s episode, Allison shares her journey from
journalist to beauty entrepreneur, opening up about the
challenges of self-funding a brand and the power of storytelling
in building a business. Allison dives into how she started the
business as a side project, how she chose to focus on her first
product, and the many mistakes and learnings she had along the
way. She also talks about the impact of celebrities like Chrissy
Teigen and Hailey Bieber, how the products got into their hands,
and why building relationships with influencers has been key to
brand visibility. Allison emphasizes how listening to her
community has helped refine her products and drive innovation.
She also gets real about imposter syndrome and how learning to
trust herself and be her own biggest cheerleader has been key to
her success.


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


* The importance of storytelling in branding and marketing.
[07:49]


* Transitioning careers can be a gradual process. [11:50]


* Tara’s early product development process. [18:34]


* The significance of understanding the market and consumer
needs. [23:24]


* Experience in a corporate environment can be beneficial for
entrepreneurs. [25:28]


* Allison’s early mistakes in product development. [27:55]


* Success often comes from a combination of timing, preparation,
and perseverance. [34:00]


* Celebrity impact: Chrissy Teigen and Hailey Bieber. [37:58]


* Building relationships with influencers is key to brand
visibility. [42:10]


* Staying self-funded allows for creative control and strategic
growth. [46:07]


* Imposter syndrome is common, even among successful
entrepreneurs. [51:12]


* Education and practice build confidence in business. [53:07]


Follow Yasmin:


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


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


Follow Allison: 


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


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


* Website: https://themarabeauty.com


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