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Jamie Kern Lima’s Journey of Rejection and Billion-Dollar Success

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Author

Jasmine Crockett
December 17, 2024

Breaking Boundaries
Women redefining success and inspiring others to reach new heights.

Jamie Kern Lima Defying Doubters to Build a Beauty Empire

From her living room to a luxury brand, Jamie Kern Lima built IT Cosmetics into a problem-solving makeup and skincare powerhouse. Her billion-dollar deal with L’Oréal made her the first female CEO in the company’s 100-year history. But this Cinderella, before-and-after story isn’t the whole of it. Like most, there’s a messy middle. 

Rejected more times than she could count, her ideas were not only dismissed for her different take on a beauty brand but for how she looked.

“No one is going to buy makeup from someone who has your body,” a potential investor remarked, upon Jamie asking for pitch feedback. Basically: The voices of rejection were loud, her success minimal and her self-doubt sky-high.

But she didn’t give up. Instead, she saw her setbacks as setups. Jamie decided not to take the rejection personally. She refused to let the bitter root of resentment grow. Alternatively, she led with enthusiasm and kindness. Every time. Every lost opportunity. She stayed in touch with investors and stores that rejected her expressing hope to someday work with them.

Outward kindness wasn’t the only part of her resilience secret formula. She turned up the volume of her inner voice. Embracing the “steadfast knowing in [her] heart” that she was on the right road at the right time with the right products. In the face of skepticism and the every-brand-is-doing-it-this-way mentality, Jamie didn’t conform. She stuck to her instincts.

Consider this your wake-up call that “the world needs your unique perspective, your authentic voice and your creative ideas.” Go big and be you, unapologetically, no matter the bumps in the road.

Need to Know

Quote of the Week

❝

There is no mountain that is insurmountable. Look out for opportunities. Knock on doors. If those doors are locked, break them open.

Angela Oduor

Resource Spotlight

📚 Book

Jamie Kern Lima gives your shoulders (and soul) a shake to believe in yourself in Believe IT: How to Go from Underestimated to Unstoppable.

🎧 Podcast

Find balance and beat burnout in this episode of Hello Monday with Jessie Hempl.

📝 Article

Founder’s Note

Rejection has been an inevitable yet powerful part of my business building process. Whether it’s a pitch that didn’t land or an opportunity that slipped through my fingers, each “no” has been a chance to refine my approach and strengthen my determination. My aim is to view it as feedback, instead of taking it personally, to push me closer to my goal. Rejection isn’t a sign to stop—it’s a sign to keep going, to stay true to my vision and to trust that the right opportunities will come.

Key Insight: :Rejection teaches clarity and focus. After hearing "no," I’ve learned to ask for feedback and use it to improve my pitch, product or strategy. A rejection isn’t always a dead end—it’s a chance to grow.

Next Step: Take a moment to recalibrate, my fellow female founder. Reflect on the feedback, refine your approach and stay consistent. Remember, persistence is often the difference between those who make it and those who don’t.

Tip for Fellow Founders: Reframe rejection as redirection. Instead of seeing it as a failure, view it as feedback and an opportunity to refine your strategy. Each "no" brings you closer to the right "yes." Resilience comes from focusing on your long-term vision, not your short-term setbacks.

Stay inspired, stay unstoppable,