By Sue McMurray
“Women won’t buy makeup products from someone who looks like you.”
It’s hard to believe alumna Jamie Kern Lima (’00 Busi. Admin.), a self-made cosmetics entrepreneur, philanthropist, and best-selling author, could have once been on the receiving end of these biting words.
During her keynote address at the Carson College spring commencement ceremony, Lima says she endured this and many other rejections before she became famous as the founder and CEO of IT Cosmetics, a makeup and skincare company she developed in her living room.
“Jamie’s story is so important for our graduates to hear—stepping into the professional world for the first time, they struggle with self-doubt,” says Debbie Compeau, Carson dean. “Hearing from a first-generation entrepreneur like Jamie, who had those same doubts but persevered to become globally successful, was an extraordinary learning opportunity for our graduates.”
The day before commencement, Lima also attended the Carson College’s graduation celebration in Todd Hall, where she encouraged all of the graduates before surprising MJ Kunkle (’25 Entrep.), the $15,000 grand prize winner of the college’s Business Plan Competition, with a matching contribution. Kunkle and her teammate, James Harrison (’25 Finance, Accounting, Entrep.), developed Wearable Aromas, which is a solid, wax-based perfume inside a wearable locket.
“I believe in you MJ,” Lima said. “One day, I want you to come back and give $15,000 to another Coug.”
Tactics for navigating rejection and self-doubt
Lima’s remarks gave students a unique perspective on what it’s like to have your entrepreneurial venture rejected because of your appearance, not the value of your product.
Lima fought for years to get someone to believe in her cosmetic line. She battled an industry stereotype suggesting that people without fashion model measurements or perfect skin shouldn’t market beauty products. Lima suffers from rosacea, a chronic skin condition causing facial redness. She tried to hide it with makeup but couldn’t find anything that worked. She says she listened to an inner voice: “If you can’t find something that works for you, create it.”
She described other tactics that helped her overcome rejection. One of them is assigning a different meaning to the word. “I view rejection as ‘redirection,’” Lima says. “I also view rejection as God’s protection from further hurt.”
Another tactic is never letting someone else’s doubt get in your own head, she says. “If you didn’t get the job or opportunity you want, say to yourself, ‘I didn’t get it yet,’” she says.
Perseverance served Lima well. She kept working with cosmetic chemists to perfect her brand and hounding QVC for an opportunity to sell it. When she finally got a yes, she used models of all ages and sizes to demo the product and revealed her own skin issues on live TV. Her strategy paid off, as some of her products sold out within 10 minutes.
IT Cosmetics became the largest beauty brand in QVC history and a top-selling brand globally. Lima later sold it to L’Oréal for $1.2 billion. It was the largest US acquisition to date, making Lima the first woman to hold a CEO title in L’Oréal’s 108-year history. She was recently named to the Forbes list of America’s Most Successful Self-Made Women and was a guest shark on the business reality TV show, Shark Tank. Now Lima hosts the no. 1 self-improvement podcast, The Jamie Kern Lima Show.
Inspiration comes full circle
Today, through her books, podcasts, and speaking engagements, Lima is a role model to countless aspiring entrepreneurs and business professionals around the world. But she hasn’t forgotten her WSU roots and the business education that fostered her entrepreneurial spirit.
“Being at WSU is like coming home. When I walked into Todd Hall for the first time as an undergraduate, I had self-doubt but also big dreams and goals I dared to believe in,” Lima says. “When I met MJ, I saw my younger self reflected in her tenacity. I’m honored to support her and other Cougs who dare to dream big.”
