Tisha Thompson: From Accountant to CEO of LYS Beauty, a Sephora Success Story

The Journey from Finance to Beauty

• 💡 Tisha Thompson began her career in business and finance, working as a staff accountant while pursuing her passion as a part-time makeup artist.
• 🚀 She strategically entered the beauty industry by working in accounting for a beauty brand, eventually transitioning to a marketing coordinator role after taking a demotion.
• 📈 Over 15 years, she rose to Senior VP/GM, gaining extensive experience in product development and business operations.

Launching LYS Beauty

• 💔 A personal loss in 2019 served as a catalyst for Tisha to leave her executive role and launch her own beauty brand, LYS Beauty.
• 💰 Leveraging a small inheritance and her husband's support, she decided to invest in building a legacy rather than personal comforts.
• 💡 The initial vision was a direct-to-consumer (DTC) brand, but the momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement and Sephora's 15% Pledge shifted the strategy towards retail.

Securing the Sephora Deal

• 📧 Tisha cold-emailed Sephora executives, pitching LYS Beauty as the first Black-owned clean makeup brand to be carried by the retailer.
• 🤝 Despite launching during the pandemic and before the brand was physically established, Sephora responded positively, leading to a launch within nine months.
• 🎯 Sephora cited Tisha's extensive industry experience and execution capabilities as key factors in their decision to invest in her and the brand.

LYS Beauty's Unique Proposition

• ✨ LYS, meaning "Love Yourself," focuses on clean, high-performance complexion products designed for inclusivity.
• 🎨 The brand launched with 35 inclusive foundation shades, challenging industry norms where darker shades were often an afterthought.
• 🔺 Distinctive triangular packaging symbolizes change and intentionality, serving as a reminder for self-love and confidence.
• 💰 LYS Beauty is positioned as an accessible luxury, priced approximately 40% lower than average prestige beauty brands at Sephora and Ulta.

Brand Growth and Philosophy

• 📈 LYS Beauty sold out its initial four-month inventory in just 10 days and expanded into Sephora stores within seven months of its online launch.
• 🌍 The brand has since expanded to Kohl's and nearly 500 retail locations.
• 🧼 "Clean beauty" for LYS means excluding ingredients like talc, fragrance, silicones, and PEGs, while incorporating beneficial skincare ingredients.
• 🤝 Tisha emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships, fostering a supportive team culture, and maintaining profitability through strategic financial management.
• 🗣️ Her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is to bet on oneself, find a supportive community or "tribe," and remain persistent.