Hot Smart Rich with Maggie Sellers Reum - Deepica Mutyala, CEO of The Fastest Growing Prestige Brand at Ulta Beauty (Live Tinted) on dating, becoming rich and influencing her way to the top

Episode Date: August 13, 2025

Deepica Mutyala, CEO and Founder of Live Tinted, the #1 fastest growing beauty brand at Ulta, gives the advice every ambitious woman wants to hear to build her dream life, partner, and business when she opens up about What it’s really like dating right now as an ambitious woman with money The pressure of growing up with South-Asian Immigrant parents ⁠How to make money as a CEO that has nothing to do with your business How to become the fastest growing prestige brand at Ulta without going viral on tiktok or having an influencer strategy The biggest crossroads she is at with building the fastest growing prestige brand at Ulta Why she’s done being known as “the minority founded beauty brand” Plus: we leave in a clip towards the end that most podcasters would delete and can’t wait to hear your thoughts. ⸻ Become an HSR Angel in the ⁠Global HSR WhatsApp channel⁠! ⸻ This episode is sponsored by: ⁠⁠⁠Pique⁠⁠⁠ - Use this link for 20% off. ⁠Frate Returns⁠ - Tell them HSR sent you and learn more here ⸻ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you like what you hear, rate, review, and subscribe to Hot Smart Rich, the podcast supporting women who own their worth — in business, wealth, and life. ⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠ ⸻ 💌 Own your worth — and build the life you want. Subscribe to the Hot Smart Rich newsletter, the no-BS guide to startup life, consumer brands, and becoming your hottest, smartest, richest self, written by Maggie Sellers. Join 250,000+ women building wealth, confidence, and community on their own terms. ⁠Subscribe here⁠ ⸻ Follow Maggie: ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Tiktok⁠ ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ⁠Locker⁠ ⁠ShopMy⁠ ⁠Amazon Storefront ⸻ Follow Deepica & Live Tinted: Instagram YouTube TikTok LinkedIn Live Tinted Instagram Website ⸻ More from Hot Smart Rich: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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That's the first. I thought you were asking. Deepika Mutialla, are you ready to get hot, smart rich? I am so ready. I am so excited that you're here. You're bringing all of the energy I need today. Do you like to do podcasts? I wanted to be with you.

I just watched your amazing summer vacation. I was like, I just want to be around your energy. Oh, I love you. So we always start with consumption habits. What is the last thing that you bought and the last most expensive thing that you bought? A business class flight to Turkey. Okay. It's my like hard role with how much I travel and how much I work.

If it's an international flight, I will only do business. So would you rather buy a burkin while you're on your trip and fly economy or you're just doing business and not getting the burkin? Yeah, I'm not a bad girlie. Oh, what is your vice? Red wine. Really nice bottles of red wine. What is the most expensive bottle of red wine that you've ever purchased? When I had never tried Opus and I was like in my 20s and I had just got my first like influencer deal, I got that.

So it was like, what, 500? But like now it's my thing. Because I'm an experience girly. And I'm like, how can I share a really nice glass of red with someone I love and care about? How can I go on a trip and a really nice hotel? Like I splurged on a really nice hotel when I was in Turkey experiences over material items. We, they love that. What is the most expensive thing that you bought that is materialistic then?

My car, which is a rangerover. Okay, that's a sleigh. I love it. I mean, I know, but it's one of those things. Like, I think there's all these things in life that we're told or like checks to make you feel like you've made it. And then once you get it, you're like, I want to get a car that's like eco-friendly and good for the environment, blah, blah, blah, blah. But to be fair, I only feel that way now that I've been able to do it. It's so funny to say that because one of my favorite things about my boyfriend is that he drives a 12-year-old Tesla.

That is a flex. It is a green flag and so sexy. So sexy. I think this leads perfectly into what I first wanted to talk to you about, which is dating. Because for those of you that don't know, we only met each other a few months ago. But I've known who you are forever. And I've always been a fan. And then when we had dinner, obviously.

I was like in tears. Literally. We had a business dinner. And of course, like girls do, we started talking about dating. So I was like, why not start the podcast that way for all of these amazing women that are listening? that are single and are in the same position. Like, I want to hear from you what is it like dating right now as such a successful, ambitious woman? Trash.

It's the worst. It's so hard. And I've been going to so many of my girlfriends who are 45, 50 plus, who are newly divorced and single, who all dated the guy that I have most recently been dating. Like, my type has been, like, maybe doesn't have his career fully together, but he's a dreamer. and he is super, makes me laugh. We have great chemistry. And I'm like, he'll be a great dad.

All the women who married that guy that are ambitious women like us ended up in divorce because they recognize that being a good dad only goes so far because no matter what, the woman always carries the weight when it comes to raising children. Well, we just actually talked about this, but like the Wall Street Journal just put out that women are falling behind at work because they're not going into the office based on all the responsibilities they actually have in the home. So I feel like you have just got out of a relationship with someone that didn't match your ambition. What was it like while you were in it?

Like what attracted you to that person initially? I think it was just physical attraction. And I think I was like so sucked into that that I was like, you know what? I can make the money. I can do. Because I do fundamentally believe you can't have it all. And it was one of those things. You believe that?

I know. But you don't believe that. And it makes me want to believe your version of it. See, I think that you can't have it all at the same time. Yeah. But I do think that you can have it all. You just sometimes have to sacrifice it during that period of time. So I think just generally in life, I'm with you, but I meant in a man.

Okay. Okay. Like, I do believe that, like, I can, I've been really focused on my career and it was a beautiful, intentional decision. And now at 36 years old, I'm ready to, like, figure out who my life partner is. Mainly, I want kids. Like, that's, I want kids more than I want a husband, but it would be really nice to do it with somebody that I love and care about as a partnership.

But when it comes to a man, I feel, and I can't wait to be proven wrong, I keep telling Maggie to find me a husband, that you have to kind of decide, like, you can get 80% of what you want, and you just have to decide what 80% you care about. And I think through dating, I'm learning what 80% I care about. And I didn't know, I was like, maybe I don't need the ambitious guy because I'm already insanely ambitious. He can balance me. He can be my chill.

I come home and we hang out together. and he'll be a good dad and all of these things. But so far with the last few people I've dated. And then I just recently went on a date last week. And I was like, wow, it's really nice to be with a guy who like has a drive and like his own thing going for him. Weird. Tell me if you resonate with this.

I believe when you are in a relationship, you choose your hard. So if you are an ambitious woman, you either choose a hard life where you carry the load, you make the money. Like you have all the responsibility. but you do get to like kind of walk all over your partner and like make the decisions and choose where you're going to go.

And my hard with someone who is an alpha and very ambitious is like I do have to sacrifice and I do have to like sometimes bite my tongue when like I never would have in a previous relationship. Do you resonate with that? So much. God, this is why I love having conversations with other ambitious women. It's like, but don't you also get excited about the idea of somebody putting you in your feminine?

That's why I'm in the relationship that I'm in now. I keep saying that I need to be with a beta or an alpha beta because I'm so alpha. But I would love to just experience to just know what it's like to date someone more alpha than me. And by the way, it may not work. I have no idea because I've never experienced it. But what if somebody made me feel like a girl and in my, like, I'm just so boss and so masculine all day and what I'm doing? I would just love to know. Is there a part of you that shows up in dating that you wish didn't?

Yeah. What part of you is that? Well, I guess in the most recent relationships, I feel like I'm kind of the mother and like the boss of the person. Like, did you email this person? Did you do this? Like trying to help them get to their goals when they didn't ask me to do it. But I realize that I'm doing it because I want them to win. So then therefore I could see more of a future with the person for myself.

So you're a fixer in relationships. I have historically been. And you've never dated somebody who's like elevating you and sees your light and makes it bigger. No, ma'am. also because I just haven't been dating. It has not been my life priority and I have no regrets about that. I just don't want to be 50 one day and wish I had tried at 36. So now I'm like actively saying it out loud to people in my life and being open

about the fact that I would love to meet someone. That is honestly exactly how I found my person because I was so honest with people about where I was out of my life. I felt exactly the same way that you did. I was like my worst fear is grinding and giving up everything and waking up at 50 years old and being like, I have everything I ever wanted except a family. And it has been kind of a mind fuck of like, I said this on a podcast a few months ago. Like at this stage in my career, my life, I sometimes do feel like I am failing a little bit because I'm so used to putting my

foot on the gas of being like 100%. I will go and rip anything down to go and get what I want. And now I'm in a place where I'm like, wait, like I don't do that anymore. And some days it gives me so much anxiety. Yeah. Like your soft girl era feels uncomfortable to your like ambitious side. Like you just asked me how Europe was and I'm like, it was amazing. But like throughout the last week of being there, I was like, get me the fuck home. I need to get to work. I need to get to work.

I need to be in a routine. I need to be able to do this. And even my boyfriend was like, wow, you really need to go home to a routine. Like you go home. I'm staying here. And I think that's one of the hardest things about grinding the way that you do have to do to be an ambitious woman. Were you always like that as a child? Yeah.

It got it from my mom. It's one of those things that she had such big dreams and hopes, but she could only do so much as an Indian woman who came here in college and grew up in India. And I feel like I'm kind of taking what she did as laying the foundation and taking it to the next level. What was your parents' relationship like growing up? What is their love story? My dad is the hardest working person I know.

He comes from a family of doctors, but he himself is not a doctor. And I think because of that, he had a lot of regrets around that. and really instilled in the fact that my sister and I should become doctors or at least marry them. My sister became one and married one. And here I am with a beauty brand. But now he's like my number one fan. But growing up, it was like he had this like, he worked so hard and just wished he had a different tax bracket of what he made and didn't have to work as hard. So he wanted that for me and my sister.

My mom took the base that my dad had created for us and became the entrepreneur and invested it into real estate and became this badass business woman that I got to watch growing. up. She failed some businesses, but she also thrived and crushed it in other businesses. And so I got to see that growing up and it was really, really, like, inspiring to see. But I also saw a marriage where my dad and mom, it was kind of like the more successful my mom was, the more it was interesting to see how my dad handled it. And I think that just knowing what, I think immigrant people when they come to this country, success and money and financial superiority is the goal. And I think for my family, because I saw what I did growing up in the struggles that they had, struggles being like we grew up middle class, right? I wasn't like super well off, but I didn't struggle ever to like have

a meal. My parents did everything they could to provide an amazing life for my sister and me. But I think I wanted to create a life for myself where money was not even a tiny concern. because of the struggles I saw them go through. Your mom and dad, though, were married before they had money and then they were able to grow that together, correct? Correct. So for you, even when you do meet someone, like what is your mentality around combining your empires together if that's who you end up with or being with someone who isn't in the same position with you financially? I am like very pro pre-up and like, and I think it's like just a smart business move, right? Like if you met someone in your 20s and you're building together, it's totally different.

and like all my friends who got married in their 20s, I'm like, totally makes sense that you didn't think about it because you built together. But when you've already established yourself at 36 years old and have a certain level of wealth that you have built for yourself, it's actually just like the respectful thing to do for both parties. Yeah. I don't know.

Do you think it's controversial to say that at 36 when you have your own business? No, but I think that it is really interesting to think about the dirty word that a pre-nep is. It's honestly been the most interesting time in my life to go through it because it's like it's there to protect and procure for both parties. Both parties. And I think what is hard because our idea of marriage is a lot of what our parents. We saw our parents do. People got married a lot younger.

They had kids a lot younger. You don't reach financial freedom unless you're like that college dropout from Stanford. Unless you're 30, 40. Most people were married. So our parents' version of marriage was like, what's theirs was theirs before. What's theirs together is split. Totally. That is now not the reality of most couples.

But I think it's rewiring. people's brains. That's why we talk about it so much on the podcast because it is so true that if you are coming together with someone, like, why is what they did before you going to be half yours? Aligned. Your dad wasn't the biggest proponent of you starting a beauty brand, but he did happen to be your first check, correct? Where is he at right now with everything that you've accomplished with your brand? You know, it's actually like a really complicated thing with my dad. I'm because he is so proud of me. He's my number one fan. He's in India and getting stopped at airports because people are saying the craziest thing he went to his village in India and the banker there,

he forgot his ID. She was like, I don't need your ID. I know exactly who you are, Papa Pandu. And it was like the most proudest moment for him, right? Like he grew up in this village in India and they're stopping him to say your daughter is making us proud. So those things make him feel so great. It doesn't change my dad's mentality around stability and what he knows as financial. financially making it in America, which is creating a stable job for yourself. And as an entrepreneur, there's the biggest opportunities, but also the biggest risks to, you know, like I believe that one day I will be able to hopefully create generational wealth through live tinted, but it is a risk I am taking, right? And I think at the end of the day for my dad, he lives in constant fear.

And it's kind of like something that I'm working through with my therapist around, like, how do I break that so my kid doesn't live in scarcity mentality and has more of an abundance mindset because he always lives in scarcity. And even now they've made it and they're great. They refuse to take a business class flight unless I buy it for them. So it's just different, you know, and how we are function. If you were married to someone who had a more stable job, do you think that that would go away, even if you were doing the same course of life right now? And I think it's why I just went on a date with a doctor. I think they've drilled into my head. And so what I'm trying to figure out through dating is, am I dating these men because my dad will feel better about the stability

of my life? Or is it fundamentally what I actually feel so I can keep dreaming bigger? So we have a base of a person who's bringing in X amount of dollars so I can go big. I don't know the answer, though. You've had, I think, a life of like going against what your parents have really wanted you to do, which is amazing to be able to sit here in the seat that you're in now and say that. When you decided to drop what you were doing in corporate and quit your job when you had a virus, video, how did they feel when you were first even identifying as an influencer? They didn't get it. So what I had to say was I was a Today Show online beauty expert because they could go brag to their friends about me being on the Today Show, but saying that I'm a

YouTuber in 2015 was mind blowing and made no sense. In their defense, though, fair, right? It was 2015. There were these Indian parents who came from the freaking motherland and they're like, we came here to give our daughter everything. When I was working at L'Oreal, it made sense. When I was working at a beauty startup founded by two Harvard HBS grads, it made a lot of sense. When they heard their daughter got 10 million views on a video, so she decided to quit her job to go be on the internet, that makes like negative sense to a parent. I get that, but I just had this Delulu level of confidence, and I'm sure you hear that from so many guests that come on here, is there was no other option for me at the time. I was like, of course I'm going to go for it. Obviously, I'm

going to have a makeup brand. This is going to happen. And that was your second video that you ever posted. Yeah, I went viral, 10 million views. I got asked to be on the Today Show. I quit my job, started doing the Today Show regularly as a beauty expert. And what paid the bills, though, was YouTube. And do you, after a decade of this, having built a brand, which we're going to get into, do you still identify as an influencer? I used to be really embarrassed by it. And I think that goes back to my parents and also just like society. I now am like, do y'all know how much influencers are making. There's not anything to be embarrassed of. Like, influencers are influential. What can you do when you're influential? You can make an impact on the world. And that's what I care

about. Now that you understand the grind of building a brand and what it takes to become the fastest growing prestige brand at Alta Beauty. Do you ever regret not just going full-time influencer? I regret saying no to several checks as an influencer because I was so focused on building live tinted. There were checks coming in from like the Dior's of the world and I was like, I don't have time to do this. Live Tented is my priority. I'm not doing it. The only influencer deals I do to this day are ones that amplify Live Tinted. I was in a Dell commercial. I was in a Samsung ad that played during the Oscars and I was in a BMW campaign that all of them cite me as the founder and CEO of Live Tinted. So I'm like, if I can take a larger company's

dollars and help promote my company, why wouldn't I do that? But damn, I said, no to a lot of good money. You know what else? You said no to that I really want to talk about. I read that you were offered 10% to start a brand with an operator instead of doing live tinted and taking this all on yourself. Do you have any regrets about that? Yes and no. I think I was way too precious on equity when I started live tinted. I was like, how dare you offer me 10% of the brand that I've dreamt of building since I was 16 years old? And I was like, I deserve to have 100% ownership of this company. Now that I've raised a ton of capital, like $17 million at this point,

I realize that if you want to go big, that should just be your number one focus. Like, what's going to get you to be the biggest company possible? And after this six-year journey, having somebody who would have been the right operator could have probably made this go a little bit quicker, probably a little less painful. But it all worked out the way it was meant to because now my operator is my first cousin. I trust him more than anyone in the world. And we've created a equity split that we both feel comfortable with, that he is an amazing person and still set up the company in my favor.

These are the kind of men we love in the world. Yeah. Do you ever track where that other brand went that you said no to? Or did it ever even start? It never started. Interesting. Have you said no to a lot of money over the time of building Livedenton did? Is there anything that you regret?

I've said no to even term sheets that came in when the valuation was something I didn't believe we deserved. Again, I actually think a big lesson learned for me was I was too fixated on valuation and equity percentages. And I'm not encouraging women to take bad deals. But I think really look at what you need to get this business to scale. And if you can bring in the right partner to do so or operator to do so, feel comfortable with the split that's going to make them excited to be in it with you long term.

What's something you've learned working as an influencer with these companies? like Dell and Nix and Marshalls that you've now translated to be a better company with Liv Tinted? I think I learn a lot about what actual price and influencer is worth and it reminds me I really do believe in the power of influencer

but I really believe in the power of nano influencers in the world that we're in today. These rates have gotten so insane to pay people and at this point I think you're paying more for like the identity of the person person versus their views and engagement. And if it is about viewsing and engagements, you can get a lot more bang for your buck going for nano and micro people. Was there ever an influencer that completely shocked you in terms of like you paid someone a nano influencer and they just had a conversion

that was better than some of these macro influencers that you've seen? We have yet to figure out our influencer strategy and it actually makes me excited to be the fastest growing prestige brand at Ulta. And we haven't even gone viral on TikTok. Like the last time I was viral was 2015 in my viral video. I was about to ask this because I think I've worked at a lot of companies where someone has an expertise and then they end up growing into the management team. They are still micromanaging the thing that they had an expertise in. How involved are you in the social aspect of live tinted? Because like that is kind of your world. I was reviewing the caption going up today right before this.

I can't not be in the parts of the business that I know I'm great at. Jay Shetty tells me he still looks at every single caption post and he if he can do it, I can do it. it. It's one of those things that you have teams and support around it, but if you know that you're great at something, I think you kind of have to do it until you find someone, you know, right now we have a junior girl on it and she's an amazing executor, but I think she values the collaboration with me. When you became the fastest growing brand at Ulta, is there something you can point to that's the secret sauce? Like you haven't gone viral on TikTok. What is the secret sauce to becoming the most fastest growing brand at Alta? Three things. You have to have a great retailer supporting.

believing in you that is helping you get there or otherwise you'll just sit on a shelf. You have to raise the right amount of capital to be able to support all the efforts that go into it. And you have to have the right product assortment that people fall in love with. Our skin tint sells every three minutes at Alta Beauty. It's crazy. So what we haven't figured out is our marketing since the focus has been so, how do we make this massive institution of Alta Beauty work for us?

And that's been the focus for the last three years. And now the next thing I have to unlock is how we can go viral on TikTok. Look. HsR girls are all about drinkable skin care in 2025. Yes, drinkable. This is not just another step in your skincare routine, because the HSR girlies don't have time for that. This is the foundation for clear, bright, beautiful radiance, and it tastes amazing. The radiant skincare duo from Peak combines the power of two standout products that work synergistically to protect, nourish, and transform your skin. Yes, you are going to be drinking sun goddess matcha for clear skin because it is powerful. Act with EG-CG antioxidants that help firm, brighten, and clarify your skin, all while giving you that calm, sustained energy you need to keep it moving to meet your goals. Next, the BT fountain electrolytes. You just add this to your water to hydrate your body at a cellular level, reduce redness, and smooth out those fine lines.

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That's F-R-A-T-E dot com and tell them Hot Smart Rich sent you. So someone that's listening to this that doesn't really understand the marketplace between Alta and Sephora, can you kind of break down the difference between the two major retailers and beauty? Yes. Sephora is known to be the biggest prestige makeup company in the country. And Alta Beauty is the biggest overall beauty company in the country because they're both mass and prestige in one retailer.

Sephora is traditionally in bigger cities and locations that have a different household income. Ulta is more in middle America and has way more doors, but it's in a lot more smaller towns. And so for me, as a brand that really believes in making people feel seen, I wanted to be in as many doors as possible in as many cities as possible. So Ulta felt like the right partner for us. You actually launched your campaign. It feels good to be seen six months ago, right? How is it going? How did it pay off? It feels good to be seen is like, R, Just Do It. Are you look good glossier? like I'm loving it from McDonald's because I feel like when we started as a company,

we started as being called for every shade in between because I wanted to be known as the brand for all the nuanced skin tones. But what I didn't want to do was alienate a girl like you. And so I was like, what is a tagline and slogan that makes it so we can always make sure our base and the girl we started this company for feels seen, but also opens it up to something that you want to wake up and feel every single day. And so it feels good to be seen is kind of where we landed with it. and it's an always on campaign for us.

It's not something that we're just doing one off. It's like the brand identity. You said something when we had dinner this two months ago that has stuck with me ever since and you just touched on it and I really want to dive into it. Wow. I said something that stuck with you. You said a lot actually. But this was around always being labeled as a minority founder.

And you said because of that, I don't reach women that look like you, Maggie. Like you, your customer isn't buying from live tinted because I'm old. always being put in the bucket of a minority founder. Can you expand on what you mean by that? We really took off during BLM. And so every press story I received was around being the South Asian founder behind Live Tinted. I'm grateful for what we received at the time. Like there was a Barbie created after me from Mattel. I got this Time Magazine on her as a next generation leader. And I fundamentally believe a lot of those things happened because of the time and state of the world. And I'm so grateful for it. What I worry about,

is that someone that looks like you sees it and says like, oh, well, this brand is made for brown and black girls, not for me. And that's just fundamentally not true. We are just finally inclusive of women who look like me. I don't want to be seen as a niche brand. I want to be a household name. I want us to be the next Mac and be brown. And just by Tam, the total addressable market of the U.S., we can't get there without the supportive girls who look like you. If you could create a headline for yourself tomorrow, what would it be? See, this is when I wish I had time to think of new. She doesn't give questions ahead. the time people.

You can take a second too. Oh yeah, I forgot I can breathe. Yeah. Okay, so I got an executive coach because I just feel like I have some insecurities about being a first time CEO. And it's funny because anytime people come to the company as an executive, they tell me like the reason they're here is because of me being the CEO because sometimes I'm like I'm a great founder because I have this vision and stuff.

But would someone be a better CEO? And I feel like as I keep bringing in more people, my confidence is growing in that. But I always want to do better. So I got an executive coach. And one of the exercises she had to do was what our 2025 vision is, but really what she was saying is if there was a billboard that said what you wanted to be known for, what would it be? And I had three of them.

Embraces authenticity as a safe partner, inspiring true growth and empowerment in others. We workshoped every single word. Building a legacy while shifting culture to leave the world a better place. A connector of communities who leads with kindness. That's what I want to be. I love that. Have you ever had to make really?

hard decisions that go against what that says at the company? I think the constant pull and tug for me always is how do I make sure our core audience and the young girl that I created this brand for. Like my 16 year old self never feels like she was forgotten as we've grown with Ulta. We sell more lighter shades now that we're growing with Ulta than we do our deeper shades, which is ironic to how the brand started on the D to C side. Which is, by the way, just again, it goes back to the total addressable market of the country. It makes totally. total sense. And to get to our revenue goals, we kind of have to get there. But I never want her to be forgotten. So this like complexion stick that we're launching like literally next week.

What date is it launch? August 7th. At Alta. Everyone go buy it. It's going to be in every door. We're going to have a display at the front of Alta. So go try it. It's the most luxury. Of course, formulated in Italy, blurring technology packed with skin care. I mean, it's the most luxurious formula we've ever created and packaging we've ever created. But we did it in Brown. And that's because I want the little brown girl to always see herself, but also chocolate brown is trending. So it like, look at my shirt. Look at your shirt.

Yeah. You know, like, a girl like you will look at it and still think it's chic and lovely, but like I know that the little 16-year-old girl is represented in the packaging. Those are the little things I try to always make sure of. Can we talk about how hard it is to launch a color cosmetics brand based on how many shade ranges you actually do need and how expensive it is? Okay, Maggie, thank you so much for saying that. Because I think people really just don't understand makeup.

up skews, aka shades, can kill a business. The same way in fashion, right? Like if you're doing an inclusive brand and you want to have as many sizes represented, you could totally kill an entire business by doing too many shades. I don't think people realize minimum orders per shade is 5,000 per unit on the lowest end possible. So that means for 20 shades, we had to commit to 100,000 of this product before we even knew how much it would ever sell. Fully could take a business completely under if for whatever reason this product doesn't take off. Obviously, again, that goes back to why we waited six years because now that we're with Ulta, we have a certain commitment from them and what they are going to be able to buy from us. But yeah, I just don't think people realize,

like think of like a skincare brand that y'all love. Five products, they could be a hundred million, hello road, a $200 million business with like six products, you know? And I could be a 200 skew product and be a $20 million business. What would you say to the consumer that is like one of those warriors online that is going around to these brands and like calling out for size inclusivity and shade inclusivity as someone who has led a brand that is all about that but also understands the intricacy of now being a founder and being an operator and having investors and really having to think about the bottom line to fulfill your mission? It's so hard. The balance has to be there because I never want, the whole mission of the brand can never go away. Otherwise, what does your brand even stand for,

right? So what I wanted to make sure of was we made equal representation of the 20 shades across deep, medium, and light, which means that we're leaving money on the table from the lighter shades perspective that we could have over-indexed in, but we didn't do it because to me, like, our Y and the vision board thing I just told you about what the billboard for me stands for is, I do want to help shift culture. And so not compromising on that means we leave some dollars the table, but my hope and dream is that this product takes off and goes so viral that we end up adding 20 more shades. What do you think the state of the beauty industry is in general today based on everything that

we just talked about? It's so hard. It is so hard to survive as a brand. In so many ways, it's the easiest time in the world to be able to launch a product and launch a beauty brand. And then in so many other ways, it's the hardest time to survive and long term last as a beauty brand. But I just think, you know, we're also seeing a lot of brands shut down. And I just think, with the exception of Amu Koli, because there's a lot of systemic things in the place that really did not

set her up for success, I think a lot of these, especially on the celebrity brand end, the strongest will survive and the ones that aren't meant to exist won't. What's something that you've learned about money, building live tinted, the hard way? Fundraising is a bitch. It is so hard. It is so hard. like it's harder for women and it's harder for women of color. But I will say when you do it, you realize that the glamour of it is not what the headlines when I started my company said they were. Like I started in an era where Glossier was raising 50 million series E's or Fs or Gs. I don't even remember at this point where I thought I had to do that to be seen as like a legit founder and a legit company. I think in today's world, I'm not saying this is the way

to do it, but don't necessarily think you have to raise capital in order to achieve your dreams and goals. Really think about what your goals are before you do it because the second you do raise capital, you do have certain expectations and people you have to answer to that may make you make decisions that you wouldn't have wanted to do for yourself as a company. I have waited to ask somebody this question for years before I had a podcast. I listened to Emily Weiss's story on how I built this probably at least five to six years ago. Okay. And she was talking about getting her start, building glossy. And she was like, I just thought I had to raise a million dollars because a million dollars was going to be able to get me my first three skews and bring it to market and do the R&D.

What do you think now a founder needs in terms of capital to bring a beauty brand to life? to launch at a retailer 3 million minimum, to win and thrive in the beauty industry overall 20 million. And you think a $20 million capital injection from an investor would help a brand do what in sales? Get it to an exit. I can name three beauty brands on the top of my head who all raised 20 million and exited for nine figures and above.

And these are my friends companies. And I don't think people realize on the back end how much was raised because some of the announcements are public and some of them aren't. And also you do it in rounds. It's not all at once, right? Like I did a 500K, a 3 million, then a 10 million, and then a bridge. As someone, like, I just love that you're in my chair right now because you're so open. Have you ever not wanted to announce certain things as it relates to fundraising or money?

Because then there's this perception that like, live tinted is bloated. They can pay us acts. Like, have you kept things private as a very public facing founder? Yes. I feel like people think we've made it because I've raised $17 million, but they don't understand EBITDA and profitability and where we are. And I don't know. I don't get why people,

I actually talk to my team and PR team about this a lot. It's like, why aren't people more open about where they are in the stage of their profitability as companies? And I don't know. I think there's all these weird like blocks for people that they want to look like they're more successful than they are. And it's like this fine balance because also you want to look legit.

so people want to buy your products. But then you also don't want people to think you're so legit that they don't need to support you. Because I still very much need the support. Can I be honest with you? Yeah. I think you are the poster girl of anybody listening on how to build a brand today. Because you strike this balance as somebody who is so fearless, so courageous, has their shit together, works so hard, but isn't afraid to ask for help.

And I'll be honest with you, like you had sort of an aura about you before I had met you at the dinner of like being very like, together in that way. But then when I met you in person and you were the first person to raise your hand at that dinner and be like, I need white girls to talk about my product because I can't reach the numbers I need to without you. I was like, I want to help this girl and be a part of this brand and like get her on the podcast. Well, that's great because I said it because you were sitting right in front of me. And I knew you had this podcast. And I was like, this is the exact demo I need to tap into. But like that is the fearlessness and like the way to remove your ego as a founder that still has a lock going on. How do you think you got that way? What can someone listening do to be more like you?

Oh my gosh. First of all, thanks. I've always been a vulnerable person. I'm a July 4th cancer, girly. And so, you know, I just think like I always lead with empathy. And by the way, to a fault of emotion, that's the other reason why I always question if I should be the CEO, because I definitely am an empath and I have so much emotional investment into this brand. But I'm finding that you can be both an empathetic leader and a great leader. And so for me, I've only gotten to where I am today because I asked for help. I went up to Jessica Alba in a hotel lobby and just introduced myself. And to this day, I just saw her last week for like a mentorship check-in or also just like a friend check-in, right? And it's like, that didn't happen because someone introduced me. Are you kidding? I'm like

an Indian girl from Sugarland, Texas. Like nobody was giving me introses to some of the most successful women out there. And the same goes for like the Emily Weiss's of the world. I just emailed her and asked to go get coffee with her. And I told her that I didn't feel like she had shades that matched my skin tone in my first convo. I was really honest because I wanted Glossier, the coolest brand of the time at that moment, to have products that worked for me.

And I didn't feel seen. And I went up to Bobby Brown and asked her to be my investor. And I asked Nancy from Briogio for advice on wealth management. And I just feel like people are more altruistic than we think, and we just have to go and try. I don't know if you have anything for me, but I actually really respect your feedback. What's something that you think that I should do that I'm not doing that would help me reach the next level? Before I met you, I didn't know, and I'm just getting, you said I'm honest.

Yeah. I didn't know if you would want me on your podcast. I didn't know. And then, by the way, I've been watching your stuff and seeing how many diverse faces and people you have put on. And I think it's just because of when we met, and by the way, you can remove this. No, no, I'm going to keep it in. Okay, well, remember you said, like, you want to be the call her daddy meets how I built this. And immediately, when I think of that, I think of a podcast that features a very specific cool girl and a very specific type of girl.

And I think my brand is way more inspirational beauty versus aspirational beauty. And I worry that if we're not the road aesthetic or the summer Friday's aesthetic, that we as a brand won't be able to touch the masses. And then I remind myself the tarts and the benefits and of the world exist and things like that. And connections are real and we did connect that day and it was really beautiful. But sometimes when I'm in a room like that dinner table and I go out of my way to be at dinner tables like that one because there's not a lot of girls who look like me that are at those dinner tables. Then I worry that the outcome of it will just lead to like fake promises and fake support. Do you want to hear the funniest thing? It was before I knew you though, by the way.

I just want you to know that. Like it was more because you're just this gorgeous girl and you have this aesthetic. and you're like, I see you and I see the road, rify cool Sephora clean girl, right? And so I, but which is the, they're all thriving companies. And so I get a little insecure sometimes that like I don't play into the cool girl aesthetic because I want to stay authentic to live tinted. But will I miss a customer of a gorgeous girl like you because of that?

Is there anything? Does that mean? Not at all. And by the way, it's so funny. And I'm not going to cut this because you were actually, remember Katie? She was one of the first names. that you were on of who I wanted to have on the podcast. And my advisor actually was like, I know Deepakad.

And I was like, oh my God, amazing, can you forward me an email? Never really heard about where it went. And so that's why I actually went to that dinner because you were going to be there. What? I didn't even think you knew who I was. I totally. I've known who you are. Literally, I did a Dell commercial because you did Dell commercial.

What? Yeah. But I think that's why this conversation is so important. And I want other people to hear because like we all walk around with this idea of like, and I call this HSR. toxic girl traits. Like things you think people are mad at you for or impressions people had of you. And it's so interesting because it takes open conversations like this to be like,

this is actually where both of us were coming from and like look at that disconnect. And like look at how amazing this conversation will be for so many other people. And to be very honest with you, this is all deep rooted to like me in high school. Like I wanted to be the Indian girl that was the cool cheerleader. And so now when I see the cool girl of today, even though I'm such a confident, insecure 36-year-old woman, there's still that little inner child that I'm working through in therapy that's like, even with dating, how can I date the cool guy versus the guy who makes me feel calm and safe and peaceful inside? And so I'm totally working through all of that and trying to

build a brand that like that 16-year-old authentically was and wanted into the world today versus what I think the world, what's winning in the world today. That is such an honest answer. And I think that's why I was so wanting to have you on the podcast. because I think like there's so many people that have this aura. And I do agree with certain things of like fake it till you make it. You have to have some sense of like I'm going to be able to do this. And like when I was talking at that dinner being like I want to build the call her daddy meets how I built this.

Like our numbers are nowhere where they are now. Like something happened over the last two months because of the like really honest conversations that we've had that like we now are at a place where I'm like I can see that happening. But like when I came to that dinner, it wasn't like that. you had the most confident energy, I think of anyone at that table. And it was a room of all very confident secure women. But the way you with conviction said, I am going to be how I built this means call her daddy, I of course believe you will. And it's so funny, because I will say

taking you back to dating where we started. Like, I haven't had this confidence until I started dating my partner. And I've always been with men who like really made me question my self-worth. And like I was with someone when I first started this idea of hot smart rich that was like, never call your company that. That is such a red flag. Like even my current partner, members of his friends have actually said to him when we first started dating, how could you ever date somebody with the name Hot Smart Rich is their company? And it's because I think it's such an uncomfortable thing. And someone could listen to anything and be like, that's so uncomfortable. But I think that's the only way that we're truly going to progress. So I hope that whoever is listening to this takes this

conversation as like maybe take off that mask that they're wearing. Maybe go up to someone that they have been afraid to do, have been afraid to go up to before. And I will say like the, I want to openly feel more confident to say I am hot, smart, and rich. Specifically on the rich side, I can't even say that without a little bit of a pit in my stomach because I'm not anywhere where I want to be, but also I'm proud of where I am. And because of the people I, my parents who raised me, I'm always going to want to strive for more and more. But a podcast like yours called that makes women feel empowered and confident and not insecure to say they are those things. That is so important. Men say it and feel it all the time. All the time. Yeah. What is the first purchase you made when you realized you had made it?

Okay. When I sell my business, I want the best tax and investment advice. I want to help my kids, and I want to give back to the community. Ooh, then it's the vacation of a lifetime. I wonder if my head of office has a forever setting. An IG Private Wealth Advisor creates the clarity you need with plans that harmonize your business, your family, and your dreams. Get financial advice that puts you at the center. Find your advisor at IGPrivatewealth.com. This episode is brought to you by Tell Us Online Security.

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Learn more at talus.com slash online security. No one can prevent all cybercrime or identity theft. Conditions apply. Literally business class tickets for my mom and dad. Just so you know, to give you more context, my dad drove down a broken down Toyota Camry and got me a used BMW at 16 when we had no business and could not afford it,

but he said he saw the look in my eyes and couldn't say no. And I obviously recognize even the fact that we could afford used BMW puts me in it, I was never like broke. But the fact that my dad did that, and I think about all the other versions of him doing that, driving me four hours on a Friday and drove back four hours to go work on a Saturday Sunday, then drove back again that Sunday just so I could go hang out with my friends in Louisiana. I have so many memories of those things that I am like so incredibly grateful for my mom and dad and knowing where they grew up and where they are today that like, yeah, the first thing

I did was that. I also bought my dad a Tesla, but he has too much pride and ego. and didn't take it. Men are still men. It's very many. It's so funny that you say that though because I think one of the things that's so hard for me to wrap my head around, and I actually read this in Wallace Annenberg's tribute that was just given because she just

passed away. And she was like such a philanthropist for Los Angeles, especially for women. And she said, she's like, I am not embarrassed of my last name. Like I was given a privilege and I was given a gift. And I am going to do everything that I can to further that. And it makes me so interested in this conversation. Like, we're so quick to rip down a Nepo baby. and we're so quick to just judge people that have made it.

But it's like you talking about the sacrifices that your dad put in to get to the opportunity to do that. Like it wasn't handed to them. And even if it was, what are they doing with it? If nothing, judge them for that. But as someone who is building towards having an empire and generational wealth, like do you ever think about the difference that your children will have as it relates to money and where you came from?

Yeah, I think it's literally what you just said. we should all want to one day create Nepo babies into the world because that means we're rich. But I think that what the point and the critical part of it is what are they going to do to then create even a bigger world, a better world. And so like that to me is a difference. You know, I will make sure my kids are not spoiled. You have to set them up for success and to win in this world. But at the same time, they have to take that and build on top of it. as someone who just dated an F-O-baby, if they aren't, it's not cute.

It's not attractive. What is one personal money rule that you live by and one you need to break as soon as you walk out of this door? Ooh, okay, one that I live by and when I need to break. I mean, I think that I still live in scarcity, so I don't think that I enjoy the money I've earned nearly enough. Like my assistant tells me all the time, she's like, why are you overthinking this purchase? But, like, I'm weird about consumption, too.

I don't want to just keep buying outfits, especially because on the internet you're like posting it and then you're not posting it again. Like, am I going to wear this again? Because now I've word it on your podcast. I don't know. I'm going to get mad at you if you don't. I know. I'm going to be like I want to borrow your outfit for my board meeting. Yeah. We really need a like friends exchange of clothes situation. I know. I'm like especially for executive, for executive women. Yes, truly. So I would say that like what I want to break, I guess to answer first is that or I want to do is like I want to enjoy the fruits of my labor more. and what I want to stop doing is questioning it. Again, it goes back to like, I love that you have the word rich on here. I'm scared to say that word out loud. And I think it's just about how I was raised and what I define as rich. When I think of rich, I think of billionaires and people. And even right now, I have this complex that I haven't made it yet because I haven't

exited my company for nine figures because I now care for the little brown girl growing up to see a woman who looks like me to exit a business at that level because I see it happening so much now, and it's so amazing what Haley Bieber has done, by the way, it's incredible. But I want someone to see someone who looks like me, do it. And I hold a lot of pressure and weight into that. And so I'm so hard on myself about what being rich or smart or hot is. And it's like I have to take a step back and be like,

Deepika, you've already achieved that 16-year-old girl's dream. Like the fact that there's a girl in Kaki Nata, India, going up to my dad saying, like, thank you to your daughter. how does that not make me feel like I've made it, you know? I have chills and I feel like if I were to ask you, if you sold your business tomorrow for nine figures, what would even change about your life? I always say I want to create a fund to invest in other girls who look like me

because, again, it was really hard to do it. I would still be involved. I want to still be involved with LiveTinted. It would give us way more marketing resources to have billboards featuring girls who look like me and other, you know, people who you don't see in the beauty industry. And I just think, you know, as in the beauty industry, and I just think, you know, as ambitious women, we know what we're capable of doing,

and it's why we don't stop. But other times I'm like, I'm in my soft girl era. Somebody take care of me and you buy the bottle of red wine that I want, not me buying it for myself. Wait, do you pay on a first date? No. But beyond first date, I pay for a lot in a relationship. And do you want that as you continue?

I would love to experience what it's like not that being the case. talk offline. With that, we're going to stop with some rapid fire. Are you ready? Yes. Okay. What is the first thing you notice on a woman? Oh my God, their energy. You have amazing energy. What is the first thing you notice on a man? Rapid fire. I hate to say it. height. Do you have like an under six feet no rule? I'm newly all about a medium king. Because I last two guys were six foot plus and When you're a six foot plus, you don't have to work as hard on other things. I want a man who's working on himself.

Wait, so we're in, what is a medium king for someone that's not familiar? Like, 5-11, 5-10, you know? Like, short king, like I don't want someone shorter than me because I just think that's a me thing. Like my own insecurities, I think would come out. But I don't need six-foot plus because those men just really, really walk through the world a different kind of way. Can I tell you a funny thing? Yeah. I saw on TikTok that you will never meet a man that is 5-11 because they will.

just say that they're 60. You're 100% right, by the way, in every scenario that has been the case. I'm actually going to show you a man, though, that is 510 after this and see if you think he's cute. Perfect. What is your fave beauty brand that isn't yours? Gosh, so many. Get creative. Yeah, I'm trying to think of one that, like, I really respect everything they're doing. I wish I could say Ami Kole again because I love her and we're friends and we kind of went on this journey together and we have similar missions and I just really want people to dive into

the story of what happened to her because she had every reason to make it. And she was everything people should want to invest in. And the fact that it didn't is that there's a broken system. Yeah. I always say that, like, for people that are like, how do we get more female founders to get money? I'm like, you need more females to invest. Because if we don't actually have the capital, but it's a systematic problem.

Because who we are trying to raise money from is mostly men. And then we're trying to invest in women. But until there's more capital that, like, that's what it bothers me so much about women that have exited their companies and that don't invest. Same. I'm like, you are literally causing this problem to not change. It is crazy. It is crazy.

What would you rather? Shout out to Joanna from Nix, who by the way is one of the reasons we did end up meeting in person who puts her money where her mouth is and actually wants to help women grow. I just wanted to say. Yeah. Public speaking your first date. Public speaking. I can do a public speaking engagement.

Any day of the week, no rehearsal and crush it. Who is your favorite comfort creator? Like the one that I'm like guilty pleasure? Yeah, like tonight when you are just crawling into bed with a glass of red wine. Do you do that? Yeah, but I'm not guilty. I feel like you're my newest favorite. Seriously, I love your podcast.

I really do. I need to listen to this last one you just told me. But I really think you're the perfect balance of like entertaining because I also love Alex Cooper and call her daddy, but I love business convoes. So it literally, I feel like you're solving that. Oh, my God, you're making me blush. Okay, would you rather be traveling or home? Home.

Home was where the heart is. Yeah, I mean, like, I think it's more like answering your question. Like, I thought I would be the girl. It's like, let me be in Europe for all of July. And it's like, no, let me do a week in July and get back to my couch. And then go a week in August. And then I'm going in two weeks to Capri. Deepka, Mitya.

Thank you so much for one of the most honest, deep, raw conversations I've ever had. I'm so honored that you came on. Everybody, let's just make sure that we go and support this brand, no matter your skin color. Yes. Give us the details of when your newest product is launching at ALTA. The complexion stick launch is on August 7th at Ulta Beauty. It's going to be in every single door. If you're new to the brand, the skin tin is the product to try.

It sells every three minutes. I'm going to say it one more time. And it is an everyday perfect skincare product. Like even if you're wearing nothing else, you want to wear it. Are you hiring any rules? Head of sales. Okay. And is there anything else that my community can do to come and support you? Across every single thing that you're doing.

Tell everyone about live tinted. Seriously, that's like my biggest ask is go try it. If you're like, I need a new concealer, go try our serum concealer. They're all clean, vegan, cruelty free, makeup, meat, skin care. And we just need to grow our base. Thank you so much for coming on. And where can people find you? At Deepika on all social media and at LiveTinted on all social. Thank you guys so much for listening. HsR, we love you so much. Go do your thing and go and support this brand.

Deepka, thank you so much. Can't wait to have you back on in five years. Yes, it'll be a whole new set of truth.