06.13.2018
Episode 62: Lauren Katz, Senior Creative Strategist at Moroccanoil
Summary
Not all networking needs to happen at industry events or LinkedIn. Lauren Katz, Senior Creative Strategist at Moroccanoil, reached out to a guest who had attended her bat mitzvah a decade earlier—her cousin’s wife, Jodi Katz. She promptly became Base Beauty’s first employee, and Base Beauty the first step in her beauty career. If you’re a new grad or about to become one, this is an informative episode how to score that first job, how to use it to get your next one and why there are things you learn at 20 that will still be relevant to your career at 40.
Transcript
| Announcer | Welcome to Where Brains Meet Beauty, hosted by Jodi Katz, founder and creative director of Base Beauty Creative Agency. |
| Jodi Katz | Hey everybody. Welcome back to Where Brains Meet Beauty. This is a super special episode. This is the family episode of our podcast, first ever. I'm sitting next to Lauren Katz. Welcome to the show. |
| Lauren Katz | Hi. Thank you for having me. |
| Jodi Katz | Lauren Katz is my cousin, and she also is in creative strategy at Moroccan Oil. Welcome to the show. |
| Lauren Katz | Thank you. Excited to be here. |
| Jodi Katz | So, I want everybody to know how we know each other. |
| Lauren Katz | Okay. |
| Jodi Katz | Right? Because this is important. |
| Lauren Katz | Yes. |
| Jodi Katz | I married your cousin. |
| Lauren Katz | You did. |
| Jodi Katz | And I've known you since you were ... |
| Lauren Katz | Probably 11 or 12. |
| Jodi Katz | Right, because I was at your bar mitzvah. |
| Lauren Katz | You were. |
| Jodi Katz | And now I have to tell the story. |
| Lauren Katz | Yes, you do. This is going to go here, okay. |
| Jodi Katz | As a favor, you gave us this really great ... What would you call them? Slouchy socks? What did we call them then? |
| Lauren Katz | Yeah. Those thick, high scrunchy- |
| Jodi Katz | Scrunchy socks, and you like push them down, but they were tie dye, like full on rainbow tie dye. |
| Lauren Katz | Of course. |
| Jodi Katz | They were awesome. If you were 13, I was 26. Yeah, we're 13 years older than you. So, I had these socks for a really long time. I think I had my pair, and then lost them in the city, and asked David where his pair are because I want- |
| Lauren Katz | Yes. |
| Jodi Katz | I wanted them. |
| Lauren Katz | You were probably the biggest fan of the favors. |
| Jodi Katz | Yes, and I don't have them anymore and David doesn't have his, but I always think about the socks. |
| Lauren Katz | I know. I always think about you thinking about the socks. I think it was like if you were to go back for something in a fire, it was the socks. |
| Jodi Katz | It was the socks, yeah. |
| Lauren Katz | Yeah. |
| Jodi Katz | But we know each other many different ways because you were one of the first employees of Base Beauty, which I guess is what? Five years ago? Six years ago? |
| Lauren Katz | Maybe seven. |
| Jodi Katz | Oh my God, that's a long time. |
| Lauren Katz | I know. |
| Jodi Katz | So, let's tell the story of how you got this job, because it's not just like I said, "Hey, come work at the company." |
| Lauren Katz | Right. |
| Jodi Katz | I didn't even know that you were interested. I want to tell the story because we have a lot of Gen Z listeners, like a lot of young teens who are really interested in our industry and really want to know how is that going to be me someday. |
| Lauren Katz | Right. |
| Jodi Katz | So, take us back in time. |
| Lauren Katz | I was still in college, and I think I was coming close to graduating. I always knew I wanted to work in beauty, and I remember my mom said, "You should reach out to Jodi. I know she has her agency, and she has all these beauty clients." So, I did, and it was just you and you had a bunch of freelancers at the time. You asked if I wanted to come intern with you. I maybe did that for a few months, and then I got an internship through school, through credits, with a magazine that shall remain nameless. I was probably two or three weeks into it and I just knew it wasn't for me. Around that same time you reached out to me, you had so much work, and you asked if I wanted a full-time job with you. I had just graduated at the time, and it couldn't have been more perfect, because I was done where I was. It kind of happened naturally. I think it was kind of like a natural fit. It's where I wanted to be, and I loved the internship, I love what I did. I got very attached to the work, then there we were. |
| Jodi Katz | Right. I like hearing the story because for teens who are like, "I'm not going to talk to my mom or dad about this," you're really doing yourself a disservice. |
| Lauren Katz | Totally. |
| Jodi Katz | Right? Your parents know, they've been through this before. They also know who in their network might be connected to something that you're passionate about. |
| Lauren Katz | Yes, and I think when you're at that stage you don't want to network or talk to people. It's awkward, you feel like a weirdo reaching out to people. Luckily, I didn't feel like a weirdo reaching out to you. But, totally, suck it up and do it, and if there's someone that is doing something that you're interested in, you don't know where that can lead to. Luckily for me, it's how I'm now in the industry and will probably always be in this industry. |
| Jodi Katz | Right. The family I married into has a really big advertising background, so it's not like a huge surprise you land in the creative realm of this business. Do you want to take us back a little bit? |
| Lauren Katz | Yes. My grandpa started an agency at the time called Liebert/Katz Partners, and he had that forever. Then my dad, I actually just recently heard this story ... My dad, at the time, my brother and I asked him, "Why didn't you work there?" He always said, "I wanted to do it on my own. I didn't want to just work for my dad." So, he got a job out of school at the BBDO, I think out of school ... Early on in his career at BBDO. He was there for, I think, over 17 years. BBDO is an advertising agency in New York. Advertising is kind of, I think, now in my blood whether I wanted it to be or not. It was kind of what I was surrounded by. It was my environment, and I am now where I am in my life now. I'm learning ... I was hearing all these things that have been ingrained in me, whether I realized it then or not, that have kind of shaped who I am, how I think, my opinions on things when it comes to branding and work, and all of that. While I didn't go work at an advertising agency necessarily, because I knew I always wanted to be in beauty, I think it's totally formed who I am, why I do what I do, what I'm good at, what I'm not good at. |
| Jodi Katz | Your dad gave me an internship- |
| Lauren Katz | Yes. |
| Jodi Katz | At BBDO when I was in college- |
| Lauren Katz | Yes. |
| Jodi Katz | And, I guess this is ... What is that called? Pay it forward kind of stuff? Right? He gave me a job, and then I gave you a job. |
| Lauren Katz | Right, yes. |
| Jodi Katz | Because that was my internship, but then it turned into a job for me. It was a great first job for me, coming out of college, it was a pretty intense advertising environment, and a lot was expected from you there. |
| Lauren Katz | Right. |
| Jodi Katz | I definitely used the skills that I learned there when I was 19, 20 years old, and running my business now. |
| Lauren Katz | Totally, yeah. |
| Jodi Katz | I say, "Thank you," to him every time I see him. |
| Lauren Katz | Yeah, and funny enough, I think there was a point where I didn't know what I wanted to do so much, and it's hard to find a job when you're still in college. I started looking, and I was like, "Oh, I'll just work at BBDO." He's like, "No, no, no." I didn't understand it at the time, and now I'm so grateful because I don't think I'd be where I am. |
| Jodi Katz | Let's talk about why beauty. You keep saying you knew wanted to work in beauty. Why? |
| Lauren Katz | I think it's because I'm a customer. I'm so passionate about ... Since I was a kid, we always did makeup. When people came over, it was always hair and makeup. That was just my thing, which I think is probably most girls, or a lot of girls, can say. Recently, somebody that was coming out of school asked, "I don't know what I want to do. How did you figure this out?" My only response was, "Think of what you're interested in. What do you care about? What do you like to talk about? Forget about work. What are you interested in? That's what you need to walk towards." That's what I did. I didn't know what specifically. I didn't know if I wanted to do PR, I didn't know if wanted to do marketing. I had no idea at that point, but I loved makeup, I loved beauty, I loved all of it. I knew that I could find a place there because I was passionate about what I was talking about, and what I was doing. |
| Jodi Katz | Right. I remember when you first started working with me. [inaudible 00:08:08] informed me that I didn't even know, which is that my team needs to be beauty junkies of any kind. I'm not a media hair junkie, but I'm a skincare junkie, right? My team for this agency to work right the way that I envisioned it, the people who make up the team and people who are servicing our clients and coming up with great ideas need to really be super connected. |
| Lauren Katz | Totally. |
| Jodi Katz | You showed me that, and you were at the time so obsessed with nails. Are you still into nails? |
| Lauren Katz | No. I'll always have a manicure, but no I don't have nail art anymore. |
| Jodi Katz | I mean, you were tracking down nail artists all over the place. |
| Lauren Katz | Totally. |
| Jodi Katz | It was really serious for you. |
| Lauren Katz | Oh, it was a passion. |
| Jodi Katz | Right. |
| Lauren Katz | I've grown out of that, but I totally agree. I think, for me at least, I can only be good at my job if I loved what I was talking about. I don't think that I could do my job in the banking industry, or I couldn't work for a car company. I wouldn't be good at that. I totally agree. I think you need to be really passionate about what you're talking about. I think it gives you this perspective of being on the other side of things, and you can think of things differently. I think you're not just doing a job, you're thinking of things that you would enjoy, that you would connect with that makes sense to you. I think it gives you a big advantage. |
| Jodi Katz | I was in a meeting recently with a potential client, and the potential client was challenging us on why would we, as a beauty brand, hire a beauty agency? Wouldn't we want someone out of the beauty industry? In my head, I'm thinking, "Oh my God. You can't fake your way through this business." I was trying to find a nice way to say it, a polite way to say it. But to think that someone who is used to working in automotive or banking can just automatically insert themselves in this business and have a dialogue with your consumer who is just as passionate as you or I, it's kind of crazy thinking. |
| Lauren Katz | Totally. |
| Jodi Katz | You just can't fake it. |
| Lauren Katz | No. You need to be on the other side of it. You need to know what the other side of this wants, needs, craves, gravitates towards. You need to speak to yourself almost. |
| Jodi Katz | Right. I think of it like the gaming business. So, my kids are really into video games and Xbox and stuff. If the Xbox brand, or game, or whatever came to us and said, "Hey, can you work on our new launch?" I would say, "No. You don't want us on this. This is not the right space for us. We don't know what your fan cares about. We don't have an instinct for it." When I watch the kids play, I don't know anything that they're doing, I don't understand the language of it. It's like a completely different world. |
| Lauren Katz | Absolutely. I mean, there are times when agency or not, or whoever it may be, pitches an idea or having a meeting, and if I'm like, "Oh, my God, I would love that," that's so smart. That's so great. You know it's a good idea, you know it could work, because you could sell it to me. Whereas, if we're in gaming, I'd be like, "I can't help you there." |
| Jodi Katz | Tell us about what your every day is like. What does the job mean? What are you doing? What are your tasks [inaudible 00:11:18]? |
| Lauren Katz | Funny enough, I think ... I've always said this to you. Actually, also this is the hardest question to answer for me because I kind of have my hands in everything. I work with all different teams, I work with all different departments, I work with all different people. I never really know what my day is going to be like, which is the beauty of my job, I feel. I could think that I'm working on this project one day, and then this comes up and we have to switch. There's a lot of being flexible and adapting, and multitasking, which is what I love about my job. But, I love working with the creative team and finding creative ways to tell a story, or solve a problem, or just continue a conversation that's being had that you want to maybe find a new way of having. I think what you taught me is to not book so hard into things. You can have a big idea, and it doesn't need to be this mind-blowing thing that no one's heard of. Sometimes the simplest things can be the most powerful, and that's something I always keep in mind, and something that we're kind of always going over and playing with at my job, at least, is being creative and not being crazy and all over the place. I think being in the creative department, your day is never "Okay, I'm going to answer this email, and this email. I'm going to do this," and I'm done. You never really know. |
| Jodi Katz | Right. But you've been there for several years- |
| Lauren Katz | Yes. |
| Jodi Katz | So, you know obviously there is a true contribution you make, even though if it's not the same every day. |
| Lauren Katz | Mm-hmm (affirmative). |
| Jodi Katz | What would you summarize it as? |
| Lauren Katz | I mean, it's hard to say. I think what I have seen with working with different clients when I was with you, and even where I am now, is that if you work in PR, that's what you're doing. You're doing PR and you're speaking to editors, and you're speaking influencers. If you were in education, you're speaking to an [inaudible 00:13:28] stylist, you're speaking to the trade. Everyone is kind of focusing on where they need to focus on. What I do at the company is I kind of look at all teams, and look at what everyone's doing and see how we can bring it together, and say, "This is what's happening in here. Let's try to weave it into this story," and make sure that whatever we're saying is something that's cohesive to the consumer, and it's cohesive to what the brand is putting out. Again, it's hard to say what I do every day, but that's kind of the big picture of what I'm doing is working with all teams to make sure that we're finding ways to say the same thing differently. |
| Jodi Katz | All right, so I have an idea of how I think you contributed, based on what you told me about Moroccan Oil, and the way that I've worked with you before. Would you like to hear it? |
| Lauren Katz | Sure. |
| Jodi Katz | All right. I think that you are true talent, and this is very unique, is that you become an absolute advocate for the brand. You did this when you were working me, Clinique was your main client. You knew whether something was Clinique sometimes better than the client team. You had such a gut instinct for, "This feels on-brand, this is the voice of the brand, or this is what the brand looks like, or this is how the brand really needs to be." Especially, the consumer based on the values of who Clinique is. That, I think, is your true talent. How you bring up to life ... Sometimes it might through a Digital First campaign, sometimes it might be through an event or whatever. That changes day to day, but I think that's really your gift. |
| Lauren Katz | Well, thank you. Yeah, I mean I'm always team Moroccan Oil. I think another thing that struck me, when we had a client who was so convinced ... She brought us on-board to do some specific project, I don't remember at the time, and it turned into so much more because she was briefing us on who she was and who her brand was, and you were like, "Well, that's not really what I got when I was researching your brand." She's like, "Oh, no. This is the story we've been telling." You realized and made her realize that you think this is the story you're telling, but this is not. You're talking to yourself, you're speaking internally, you're using these words in meetings constantly, but is this what you're saying? That always stuck with me, and that's something I always think of is are we telling the story we're telling? And, is this what we're really saying? It's something that, I think, is important to keep in mind. I think a lot of people kind of get stuck in their every day, and you sometimes lose sight of what people are seeing, and people's perception of the brand. That's another thing that I am always aware of, is to make sure that these conversations carry through. |
| Jodi Katz | Right. I have no idea what client you're talking about, so you'll tell me afterwards? While you and I are not experts in automotive, I do think it's an easy category to look at, to keep it simple. If I am a certain type of person who appeals to a Lexus, there's a personal value reason. It's appealing to something inside of me. It's either who I think I am, or who I want to be. That's all they're doing in their advertising campaigns, is reinforcing this value that they share between you and the car, whether it's who you are, or who you want to be, and the car has that. I think that that's our job, too. We get the added luxury of all these product benefits and ingredient stories, and evocative locations, and models, and all that to [inaudible 00:17:05] it up. But the basic level, it's like in my gut, why do I care about this brand? |
| Lauren Katz | Right. Yes. |
| Jodi Katz | That's the only thing we have to answer. |
| Lauren Katz | Yes. |
| Jodi Katz | That's our work. That's our job. |
| Lauren Katz | Totally. |
| Jodi Katz | I do think that people around us get caught up in the other stuff, but that, I think, is our job and I think you're really good at doing that. |
| Lauren Katz | Thank you. |
| Jodi Katz | Tell us about the structure of your business. You [inaudible 00:17:28] off the boss, right? There's people over you, and there's people in different levels in your business. So, if I am a high schooler entering college, and I'm really thinking about internships and things like that, what am I expecting in a company like Moroccan Oil? Is it super corporate? Is it really entrepreneurial? What would I find there? |
| Lauren Katz | Moroccan Oil is a somewhat small company, at least our office in New York is small, which is something that I love about it and I knew it would be a good fit for me. We have an office in New York, we have an office in Israel, we have an office in Montreal. The common denominator, everyone's response who works in Moroccan Oil, [inaudible 00:18:06] love about Moroccan Oil, is the people. I mean, it's not super corporate. It's very relaxed, it's very ... It's just a great culture. I mean, I can say I have friends at work, I have coworkers, I have friends. That's encouraged because it's such a small company. Everyone is super close. Everyone who has ever asked me if they're interested in working there, I'll always say, "Yes, of course. You'll love the people." It's a great environment to start, for sure, because everyone's ideas are welcome. I remember in the beginning I was so nervous to speak in a meeting, and I had so many ideas, and so many thoughts, but I of course would never say that. God forbid. As I stayed and as I grew there, I learned how valued everyone's opinion is, which I don't think is super common. I think it's really unique. I think it's really special. I don't think it's something you could necessarily find at any brand at all. I don't think that you're going to see the Co-Founder walk in everyday, and say hi to everyone. It's a special place, for me, at least. |
| Jodi Katz | I don't think most environments allow people at all levels to have opinions. |
| Lauren Katz | No. |
| Jodi Katz | I think that's really unusual. |
| Lauren Katz | Yeah. |
| Jodi Katz | I'd like to let our listeners know that another Base Beauty alumni just started working there, right? |
| Lauren Katz | She did. |
| Jodi Katz | Dr. Corey. That's really exciting for me to watch the growth of my ex-team move on and grow, and develop, and flourish. |
| Lauren Katz | It's actually funny because Jackie and I had the same role working for you. |
| Jodi Katz | Right, yep. |
| Lauren Katz | Now, both of us are doing totally different things, but have still had that fundamental learning. At Moroccan Oil, we are able to kind of branch out and learn different areas of the business, and find a place there, which I think is great. She didn't start in marketing. |
| Jodi Katz | Right. It's really cool. Let's talk about what life is like for you outside of work, because this is going to be a big question for a lot of people who are entering the workforce. Will I have a life? Will I be working 12 hours a day? What is the expectation? |
| Lauren Katz | Listen, I mean honestly, I think that it's with anyone anywhere, it's what you make of it. I think anyone can have a nine to five. I think anyone could have a nine to eight. I think it's what you make of it. Personally, I believe in really committing to my job, and wanting to be there. I think you could really only want to be there if you're invested in it. When I first started, I would stay and just take the time to learn about other areas, and learn about things that maybe weren't on my to-do list. I would learn about the products, I would just inform myself and take the extra time to do that so that I can ... That was, in my opinion, that's how I can excel, and how I can be successful and grow. |
| Jodi Katz | What did that look like? What would you do? |
| Lauren Katz | When I first started I was working on ... It was the middle of a photo shoot that my team was working on. I was maybe pulling swipes, I think, at the time. I'd be done, and that would take however long, and 5:00 rolls around and I wouldn't run out the door. I would look at a product guide that was sitting on the designer's next to me desk, and learn about the products, and kind of learn the language they're using and maybe look through our library and see the other projects that have been worked on before my time, and just familiarize myself. It wasn't something I was asked to do, it's something that I wanted to do. I wanted to know what I was talking about, and no one's going to sit there ... I mean, at least no one was going to sit there for me and teach me and tell me, "Oh, this is what's been happening in the past six years since you haven't been here." I did that myself. Work/life balance, of course, I had a life. I wasn't there until midnight. But, I do think it's important to commit to what you're doing and show that you're interested, and that you want to be there, and that you want to do well, and that you're interested. |
| Jodi Katz | Right. Now that you've been there several years, can you leave at five or 5:30? Does that happen? |
| Lauren Katz | Of course, yeah. Of course. I'm not ... It's not a super ... I mean, my brother's in finance and he's there and working on the weekends, and working until 11:00 at night. That's not what it is. For me, that's not what it is at Moroccan Oil at all. It's not really what it is for anyone that I know in beauty. But yeah, again, I think if you take the time to kind of take an extra step, and be interested in what you're doing and inform yourself, I think it really pays off. So yeah, now I can walk out at 5:30 and I'm okay. |
| Jodi Katz | You're talking about informing yourself. When I started at [inaudible 00:23:19] which was my first full-time job in beauty that I sort of fell into, I went through this really incredible training program, where I learned everything about everything. I was the girl who ... I washed my face with whatever [crosstalk 00:23:32] in the shower. I didn't even know there were other options. I was so not a part of the beauty world at that time. I learned so much, and I feel like getting all that learning in the beginning, being able to participate in those conversations, understanding the ingredients and why they work, and why they're important, and where they come from, and the stories behind them, and the meaning, I think that put me on the fast track to be able to do everything that I did there. |
| Lauren Katz | Totally, and that's not something, I'm sure, that was required of you. But why would you not want to know these things? I was lucky because my boss then, when I first started, who's still my boss, was so encouraging of us asking questions, and maybe somebody would be like, "Why are you asking that?" She's like, "Ask questions. Know the answer. Somebody's going to quiz you on something. Know the answers." That put me in such a great place to ... I mean, the support, obviously, of just keep going, going, asking. I totally agree. It made me ... I was then able to be self sufficient, and not have to ask her every 10 seconds, "What about this?" Again, I educated myself in these things so that I can answer questions and not have to ask someone about every email I got. |
| Jodi Katz | When you were at Base Beauty, you were really valuable in setting up organization for our work. We operate mostly as a virtual business, so keeping our stuff where it needs to be, and you training the team on the protocols is critical. You were so good at it. Did that skill carry you over to Moroccan Oil? |
| Lauren Katz | Yes. I'm laughing because I think anyone would put a process/protocol name tag on me at work, if they could. Yes. I was the first project manager at Moroccan Oil in the creative department. As you know, and I know, you have to be organized in order to be successful. What I've learned from a lot of people that I've interviewed, or people that I've met, again, in the industry, is that there's a lack of acknowledgement on the importance of having a protocol and being organized. It trickles down, and it affects every employee, I really think. I believe in this so strongly. When I started, I implemented everything that you taught me. Base Camp is my middle name. Drop Box, all of these things, and I think being organized is kind of part of who I am. I'm a bit OCD, but implementing these things is not ... I came into the company and was like, "Guess what? This is what needs to happen in order to be successful." Had it not been for my boss supporting me and pushing back on my behalf, I would never have been able to establish what has now been established at the company with the creative team and everyone who works with the creative team. There's no way. But now, yes, everyone who comes in is like, "Oh my God. This is amazing." It's such a relief because I think it's not just about being organized, I think it's about having a process, having people understand the importance of the process, and having it trickle down. Of course, if things are rushed and what have you, it's life. Taking the time to ... Being able to have time to involve everyone who needs to be involved, to have people understand what they're working on, to take pride in their work from the designer, to the copywriter, to whoever it may be, I think organizational protocol affects all of that, and affects people's, I think, happiness and what they're doing, and their quality of their work and their job, and having them feel like they have a piece in everything and not just do this. |
| Jodi Katz | Right. That's such a lovely thought. I'm wondering if it drives you nuts if a Drop Box folder is not organized, like you don't know what the final is if the final's not marked? |
| Lauren Katz | I work with all the designers, so they know day one, step one, on their first day is having a training in Drop Box. Fortunately, and maybe unfortunately for me, I'm such a control freak that I manage the organization. I think designers especially, that I've worked with, they see the value. I mean, everyone has always said, "Thank God that this is not what I'm used to," and it was so difficult, and if affects ... They were unhappy at their job because they weren't able to keep up in whatever it may be. I think people kind of crave a process, and not being the ones that are implementing it, or coming up with it, just being able to benefit from it and work in having this clear and clean work flow. Everyone on my team's very much aware of the process, and what needs to be done. I think every department ... When I first started, it wasn't the easiest thing. I mean, people weren't like, "Okay, I'm going to submit this and do this this way," it took time, of course. But everyone, I think, has seen how it ultimately benefits them and pays off. If someone can't find something, they know how to. There're no mistakes, and things being sent the wrong way, or the wrong people seeing it. I'm an advocate of it, and I think now my whole team is such an advocate. All my coworkers are advocates for it, because they've seen how beneficial it is for the organization, not just for one single person. |
| Jodi Katz | Right. All right so when our folders don't have the final marked, I feel nuts inside, right? Of course, we're working fast, we're just trying to get something done. Probably go back into folders so much ... I mean, this is getting so deep into Drop Box- |
| Lauren Katz | Mm-hmm (affirmative). |
| Jodi Katz | But, I need that final folder- |
| Lauren Katz | Of course- |
| Jodi Katz | To be marked final, and I need that final file to be in there, and all the links. If it's not, it's a problem because we're going to need it again. We're going to have go back in there two years later. |
| Lauren Katz | Of course. The luxury I have is being on the brand side, we won't do things if they're not done the right way. You know, if we don't get something in, if we don't have the information, we can't start it. If something's not done the right way, we can't release it. You don't have that luxury because your clients are going to be the one who don't benefit from that. But, because of that and because I had the support early on that I did, it doesn't happen. We don't have these mistakes, of course, but there's no lack of acknowledgement or people not caring about it because everyone has their hands in this overall process. |
| Jodi Katz | All right, so the last topic I want to talk to you about is where are you going to go from here in beauty? Do you have aspirations to start your own brand? What's your vision for beauty, for Lauren Katz? |
| Lauren Katz | That's a good question. I will always, I think, have my hands in creative in some way. I love taking these ideas or challenges, and making them something and bringing them to life. That's kind of the joy that I get, is seeing nothing turn into something, and walking into a salon and seeing something that I played a role in ... I think I'm always going to be doing something like that, I hope, because I'm passionate about it. It's actually funny because when I first joined Moroccan Oil as a project coordinator, and the person who interviewed me knew I came from creative and said, "This is a super organizational role, and operational. There's no creative work." Now, I knew that if I kind of got into the place where I wanted to be [inaudible 00:31:09] at the company that I wanted to be at, I could evolve into that. And, I did. I have a [inaudible 00:31:16], and I think that I'm only going to grow more. That's my joy, is seeing something come to life and knowing that it was in my brain, or someone else's brain, and we created something of nothing. |
| Jodi Katz | Right, so it's the come full circle. I remember your dad saying years ago, in the BBDO years, that "I'm only in our industry, and that communications possessed can ..." Commercial air, let's say on the Super Bowl, and there's 500 people around the country or world saying, "That's my project." Right? |
| Lauren Katz | Right. Yeah, of course. |
| Jodi Katz | That's the same for what, and what we do in beauty, too. |
| Lauren Katz | Of course. |
| Jodi Katz | There's so many people involved. |
| Lauren Katz | Yeah, and also I think the best ... Maybe not piece of advice, but the thing that stuck most with me, I've heard him say God only knows how many things, but I remember one time I said to him, "Oh my God, I saw the best commercial ever," he was like, "What was it?" I was like, "Oh, I don't remember the brand, but it was about this and this," and he's like, "Then it wasn't a good commercial." That always stuck with me. Yes, I can say I did something, I was involved in something, but if somebody recognizes it, and if it gets this ... If somebody tells me, "Oh, I saw this Moroccan Oil thing in a magazine," that is what fuels me because it's something that resonated, something that was powerful, and something that made a mark. |
| Jodi Katz | Right. That's awesome. Well, Lauren, thank you so much for sharing your wisdom- |
| Lauren Katz | Thank you. |
| Jodi Katz | With us today. |
| Lauren Katz | Thank you for having me. |
| Jodi Katz | For our listeners, I hope you enjoyed this interview with my cousin, Lauren. Please subscribe to our series on iTunes, and for updates about the show, follow us on Instagram @WhereBrainsMeetBeautyPodcast. |
| Announcer | Thanks for listening to Where Brains Meet Beauty with Jodi Katz. Tune in again for more authentic conversations with beauty leaders. |
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