Cassandra Grey (Violet Grey) on Buying Her Company Back, Finding Your Look, and the Vogue Effect

What does it take to build a luxury beauty brand that’s as cool as
it is strategic? Cassandra Grey has the answer. She’s the force
behind Violet Grey—the ultra-curated beauty platform that has
become a tastemaker in Hollywood and beyond. Cassandra’s playbook
is not the usual one: she launched her brand, grew a cult following
for nearly a decade, sold the company in 2022, and then bought it
back in 2024. Today, she shares what she learned from every
milestone. Cassandra explains what selling her brand taught her
about business, insights from her early meetings with Anna Wintour
and Gwyneth Paltrow, and how to find your aesthetic as a
brand.   Here’s what Sammi covers with Cassandra: 00:00
Meet Cassandra Grey 01:30 Cassandra’s Introduction to Glamour and
an Unusual Childhood 04:06 The Violet Grey Origin Story 05:20
Crafting a Business Plan Without an MBA 12:29 The Violet Code 17:31
THE Gwyneth Paltrow Phone Call 19:40 Acquisition by Farfetch 24:04
Why Delusion is Good in Business 25:56 Buying Back Violet Gray
28:02 Incubating Brands with Violet Labs 30:29 The Push into Retail
37:26 Hiring for Your Weaknesses 40:31 Actionable Tips for Finding
Your Brand’s Look 44:34 How to Show Social Currency Some Love
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