BILLIE: YOUR NEW BFF 🌈
The Scope Vol. 20
Hello, CWBS!
In this edition of The Scope, we’re so excited to bring you the insights of the trailblazing Georgina Gooley, Founder of Billie, a body-positive shave brand. Learn about the way she created a leading shaving company by and for women while also tapping into the world of Electric Vehicles in China through our Business Bites section, start-up opportunities in our Internships section, and the latest on the personal care sector in our industry overview for Vol. 20. Happy reading!
Best,
Sophia Naqvi, Membership Engagement Chair 2020-2021
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LET’S GET ELECTRIC: China, more so than any other country, has been experiencing a boom in demand and production of electric vehicles. The latest entrant to the market? Xiaomi, a smartphone giant in Asia-Pacific. Learn more.
ELLEVEST ELEVATES: Columbia-alum Sallie Krawcheck’s Ellevest has reached a huge milestone: $1 Billion in assets under management. This feat is a first for a woman-founded, woman-focused investment firm. Learn more.
GEORGINA GOOLEY OF BILLIE
“Don’t let perfection get in the way of progress. There will be a thousand reasons why you’re not quite ready to start a new project — my advice is just to start. You’ll figure out the details along the way.”
- GEORGINA GOOLEY
Georgina Gooley started shaving with men’s razors when she realized a pink razor was more expensive than a blue one. So, naturally, the idea to start a female-first shaving and body brand was a no-brainer. Billie was born.
Georgina has over nine years of experience in the advertising industry, most recently leading campaigns for the always entertaining Old Spice brand. She has worked across consumer, retail and entertainment categories at leading creative agencies such as Wieden +Kennedy and BBH. With her experience and passion for building brands with a strong DNA and point of view, she is determined to overhaul the shaving experience for women.
Georgina started shaving her legs at 13 when her Mom finally let her have a razor.
Now, she shaves every single day.
1. What inspired you to start Billie?
Razors are notoriously expensive and if you’re a woman, they’re even more expensive because you’re subject to the ridiculous “pink tax.” When my co-founder Jason Bravman and I started researching the shave category, we were stunned. Most shaving brands started out as men’s brands that eventually got around to creating a spin-off women’s razor. We knew right away that we wanted to create a brand that put women first in a category that had always considered them an afterthought. Our goal is to create a little bit of magic in the mundane and make an everyday routine more enjoyable (and a lot more affordable!).
2. Billie has expanded beyond razors into clean beauty. What’s next for the company?
We’ve always described Billie as a body brand instead of a shaving brand because we’re about so much more than razors. We want to play a big part in a woman’s routine and become their go-to brand for their everyday body and self-care essentials. We like to think of ourselves as the dream drugstore aisle that we never had growing up.
3. What have been the biggest challenges in building a female-focused brand as a female entrepreneur?
The shaving category was a completely male-dominated space, so in a way, launching was the simplest part. We had wide-open white space to create something that felt authentic, new, and exciting, like showing actual body hair on a woman. The biggest challenge we've faced is a challenge I think most founders face - prioritizing you and your teams' time and energy to work on things that will have the greatest impact on the business, and not trying to tackle everything at once.
4. How has your career in advertising contributed to your role as a founder?
Prior to Billie, I worked at advertising agencies in Sydney, New York and Portland, Oregon. I’ve always been quite fascinated by brands – understanding why some brands resonate with people more than others. How they evolve and change over time to stay relevant. I knew that if I was going to create a brand from scratch, it had to have a really strong point of view and be mission-driven at its core. Building the Billie brand was about being transgressive in some way. Showing body hair for the first time in an ad. Women with mustaches. And not for shock value, but to make a point, unapologetically. My time in advertising definitely plays a big role in that urge to upend societal norms.
5. What advice would you have given to your college self?
Don’t let perfection get in the way of progress. There will be a thousand reasons why you’re not quite ready to start a new project — my advice is just to start. You’ll figure out the details along the way.
Quick Takes:
1. Name three practices or habits you prioritize in your daily life.
- Being present - whether it's at work or with the family.
- Reminding myself to be grateful.
- Prioritizing the most impactful tasks in work and life.
2. Do you have any books, podcasts, websites, or blogs you would recommend to readers of The Scope?
Do Purpose by David Hieatt
Brene Brown's podcast, Dare to Lead
3. Who do you look up to (in the business world or outside of it)?
Jacinda Arden, the Prime Minister of New Zealand. She's a role model in the way she leads with compassion and humanity.
4. What are you most looking forward to when the world returns to “normal” again?
Visiting my family back home in Australia. And hugging friends.
Internships/Professional Opportunities
Financial Services
Consulting
Tech
Startups
Venture Capital/Private Equity
In 2018, the global cosmetics market grew to over 297 billion U.S. dollars, at a growth rate of 5.5%. Skincare remains the leading and most profitable product category, followed closely by haircare and makeup.
In the U.S., the cosmetics market is expected to grow to 93.1 billion U.S. dollars, by 5.4%, in 2020. On a global scale, most revenue is generated in the U.S.
As the cosmetics industry leader, Asia Pacific accounts for over 40% of global production. In 2018, the regional market amounted to 120 billion U.S. dollars and is projected to reach 129 billion, in 2020. While China, Japan, and South Korea remain well-established markets, the market in Vietnam is also growing rapidly.
In North America, the beauty industry follows an increasingly upward trajectory, as social media influencers and brand ambassadors continue to bridge the gap between the companies and consumers, in lieu of traditional advertising. Large companies, such as Lululemon, actively expand their personal care collections and introduce targeted pricing to reach new demographics. U.S. brands, similar to other industries, focus on increasing transparency in manufacturing and pricing as well as launching sustainable alternatives within the clean beauty movement.
As the consumption of cosmetics in countries rise, Asia Pacific remains the source of innovation in the industry. Worldwide, customers are fascinated with K-Beauty and, more recently, with products by Japanese brands, thanks to the focus on functionality and quality. Along with the increasing digitalization, e-commerce gains popularity and allows new brands to emerge. In China, Hong Kong, and Malaysia, premium and luxury cosmetics experience a surge as the purchasing power of the middle class continues to increase.
Key companies in North America: Estée Lauder, Clinique, Procter & Gamble (Pantene, Gillette), Coty, Johnson & Johnson, M.A.C.
Key companies in Asia: Shiseido, Kao, Amorepacific, SK-II, Rejoice, Pechoin.
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