When I moved to America in 1989, I didn’t speak the language. I had no network. No money. And no master plan.

But I had a skill, and I had a vision. I wanted to be the best in the world at shaping eyebrows.

I didn’t set out to build a global brand. I set out to master my craft. That made all the difference.

Here’s what I’ve learned about building something iconic from the ground up and how I think about brand, product, growth, and longevity after more than two decades as a founder and CEO.

1. Forget Fame. Focus on Mastery.

I didn’t start with dreams of being famous or rich. I started by getting better at what I did every day, every client, every brow.

When you start there, everything else becomes possible.
So don’t focus on the exit. Focus on being excellent.

Because excellence scales. Hype doesn’t.

2. The Best Products Are Born From Real Problems

There were no brow products when I started. I mixed eyeshadow, aloe vera, and Vaseline to make my own pomade for clients. Then I made stencils. Then came tools.

Product innovation isn’t about copying trends. It’s about solving problems your customer feels in her mirror every day.

3. Don’t Just Build a Brand. Build a System.

I couldn’t be everywhere. But my method could.

I created studios, trained estheticians, hired field teams, and developed tools to replicate the “Anastasia brow” in any city, for any customer.

That’s how you scale service. You document, train, teach, and you never stop listening to your customer.

4. Hire for Hunger and Train for Excellence

My first hires didn’t have fancy résumés. Some had never worked full-time. But they were eager. And I trained them.

That includes my daughter, Norvina. I fired her once. Then I hired her again. She learned every department from the ground up and she helped take our brand into the digital age.

Don’t underestimate the power of someone who’s all in.

5. Pay Attention to the Invoices

I still sign every check. I still review every invoice. Not because I don’t trust my team, but because I want to stay close to what things cost, what we’re building, and where the money’s going.

Every cent counts. In retail, margins are everything.

6. You Can’t Scale Until You Have Awareness and Inventory

Retail looks glamorous. But Sephora has 500-plus doors. Ulta has 1,200-plus. Launching into both means millions in product, gondolas, and operations.

Before you expand, ask:

  • Do I have the awareness to move product?
  • Do I have the cash to support sell-through?
  • Do I know what happens if I don’t?

More doors won’t fix weak demand. They just expose it faster.

7. Paid Media Is Real. Plan for It.

In the early days, social media was free. We sent products, built real relationships, and let the influencers lead.

Now, everything is paid.

If you’re launching today, marketing isn’t optional. It’s your biggest line item after product. Plan for it or plan to stay small.

Final Thought: It Starts with You

There is no “Anastasia Beverly Hills” without me, not because I micromanage, but because the brand was born from my obsession with quality, my love for the customer, and my refusal to give up.

Whatever you’re building, infuse it with your heart. Get back to the “why” that made you start.

Then keep going. Even on the days you want to quit. Especially on those days.

ABOUT ANASTASIA SOARE

Romanian-born beauty entrepreneur Anastasia Soare launched her namesake brand with a Beverly Hills flagship salon in 1997 and the company’s first product line in 2000. She is the founder & CEO of Anastasia Beverly Hills, and author of RAISING BROWS: My Story of Building a Billion-Dollar Beauty Empire. Rooted in the sacred geometry of the Golden Ratio, ABH creates prestige cosmetics for a passionate prosumer audience. Soare was first to introduce brow shaping followed by a product line based on her patented Golden Ratio Eyebrow Shaping Method and is widely credited for fueling the multi-million-dollar business that surrounds the category. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills products are available at anastasiabeverlyhills.com, Dillard’s, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Sephora, ULTA, and select retailers in over 30 countries. Best sellers include Brow Wiz, Brow Freeze Gel, Impeccable Setting Spray, and Lip Liner.