logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2025
59m 31s

From a Viral Google Doc to a Beauty Empi...

Yasmin Nouri
About this episode

Dianna Cohen is the founder of Crown Affair, a luxury clean haircare brand that’s changing the way we approach haircare by focusing on ritual, mindfulness, and self-care.


Dianna’s journey to creating Crown Affair started in 2018 with a simple Google Doc. What began as a way to help a few friends with their hair routines has evolved into a brand loved by many—and it all started with the power of consistency. Dianna’s career trajectory is anything but ordinary and traditional. She worked behind the scenes with startups like Away, The Wing, and Outdoor Voices, and in 2020, just as the world went into lockdown, she launched her own brand. Her entrepreneurial path is one of resilience, creativity, and taking bold risks.


In this week’s episode, Dianna opens up about the challenges she faced, such as fundraising in an ever-changing landscape and building a business from the ground up during a global pandemic. She discusses the emotional rollercoaster of being a first-time founder, navigating self-doubt, and the importance of self-love and compassion. She also dives into how the idea for Crown Affair started years before she took the leap and how she came up with the unique idea to really differentiate herself in a crowded beauty market. Dianna reflects on how she’s balanced masculine and feminine energies in her leadership style, how remote work has shaped her role as a founder, and the importance of creating a supportive, creative company culture. We talk about the moment she knew it was time to take the leap and launch Crown Affair, the lessons learned from trusting the process, and so much more.


In this episode, we’ll talk to Dianna about:

* Consistency and giving yourself grace is the key to success. [02:47]

* Embracing feminine energy for sustainable business approach. [04:20]

* Learning from past work experiences is crucial for growth. [11:06]

* Working for others provides valuable lessons before starting your own business. [15:27]

* The inspiration behind Crown Affair. [20:53]

* Fundraising requires finding partners who align with your vision. [26:52]

* Launching Crown Affair right before the pandemic. [32:18]

* Supportive company culture fosters employee satisfaction. [36:34]

* The business strategy during the COVID pandemic. [40:58]

* Gwyneth Paltrow investing in Crown Affair. [42:21]

* Self-love can transform leadership dynamics. [47:06]

* Building a supportive team for growth. [47:45]

* Balancing masculine and feminine energies is key in leadership. [51:07]

* Remote work culture enhances empathy and leadership skills. [55:60]


This episode is brought to you by Beeya:

* If you or anyone you know have been struggling with hormonal imbalances and bad periods, go to https://beeyawellness.com/free to download the free guide to tackling hormonal imbalances and to learn more about Beeya’s seed cycling bundle.

* Plus, get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10.


Follow Yasmin:

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri

* Website: https://www.behindherempire.com


Follow Dianna: 

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crownaffair

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diannacohen

* Website: https://www.crownaffair.com



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Yesterday
Outdoor Voices Founder on The Top Lessons Every Entrepreneur Needs to Hear
Ty Haney is the founder of Outdoor Voices, the brand that made moving your body feel cool, inclusive, and fun again.. She’s also the founder of Joggy, a natural energy brand, and TYB (“Try Your Best”), a fast-growing platform helping brands build stronger communities through its ... Show More
51m 9s
Aug 18
What Your Dentist Isn’t Telling You: Fluoride, Cavities, Mouth Breathing & More with Dr. Staci Whitman
Is your mouth making you sick? Turns out, your mouth is the gateway to your whole body’s health, yet most of us don’t realize just how much our oral care impacts everything from digestion to heart health. Whether you want to prevent cavities, avoid unnecessary dental work, or lea ... Show More
1h 3m
Aug 11
Trusting Your Instincts, Learning as You Go & Creating a Brand That Lasts with Kadi Lee, Co-Founder of Highbrow Hippie
Kadi Lee is a celebrity hair colorist and the co-founder of Highbrow Hippie, a luxury beauty and wellness brand rooted in clean ingredients, intentional rituals, and timeless beauty.Growing up in a small town outside New York, Kadi learned to care for her own textured hair at jus ... Show More
1h 4m
Recommended Episodes
Jun 25
Rebecca Minkoff: Founder Resilience, Secret to Long-Term Success, How to Stay Relevant As A Brand & More
On today’s episode I am speaking with fashion powerhouse Rebecca Minkoff who shares the story behind building her iconic brand — from scrappy beginnings and early celebrity buzz to navigating influencer marketing before it was mainstream. She opens up about the hard-earned path t ... Show More
49m 26s
Mar 2025
Suneera Madhani: Why Most Founders Fail—7 Things You Must Do to Succeed
What habits do you think lead to success? How do you handle setbacks or failures? Today, Jay Shetty sits down with Suneera Madhani, a visionary entrepreneur who defied the odds to build a billion-dollar business. As the founder of Stax Payments and CEO of Worth AI, Suneera opens ... Show More
1h 26m
Mar 2021
002: From Two Failed Dropshipping Businesses to Ecommerce SUCCESS | ACV Keto Gummies Founder Maurah Ruiz
Pageant queen, professional model, and international entrepreneur Maurah Ruiz sits down to speak with Foundr about her journey to launching Acv Gummi. Working as a model, Ruiz knew the struggle of maintaining a healthy diet and a strong immune system. Unable to stand the taste of ... Show More
36m 11s
Jun 19
E096 - The Fastest Way to Power, Money & Freedom | Afnan Khalifa
» Produced by Hack You Media: pioneering a new category of content at the intersection of health performance, entrepreneurship & cognitive optimisation.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hackyoumedia/Website: https://hackyou.media/Most people say they want more – more money, be ... Show More
1h 35m
Jun 2024
Rachel Rodgers: The Million Dollar Mindset
#518: If you want to learn about building wealth through entrepreneurship, you’ll enjoy this episode.When Rachel Rodgers graduated from law school, she didn’t take the conventional path to working at a big law firm. Instead, she opened her own practice, specializing in intellectu ... Show More
1h 2m
Jan 2025
25 Years of Rodial: Revolutionizing Skincare and Complexion Innovation with Founder Maria Hatzistefanis
Rodial is a luxury beauty brand founded by Maria Hatzistefanis in 1999, a London-based entrepreneur and bestselling author. Driven by a vision to create targeted, results-driven products, she identified a gap in the market for skincare solutions that deliver both instant and long ... Show More
51m 33s
Dec 2024
141. How do I *working mom*? with founder of a celeb-loved candle company w/ Annabelle @tajacollection
What does it take to transform a creative idea into a thriving business while juggling motherhood and entrepreneurship? In today’s episode, I sit down with Annabelle DeGrazio, founder of Taja Collection, to talk about her inspiring journey from corporate lawyer to CEO of a custom ... Show More
32m 4s
Aug 14
E103 - How to Build Purpose, Freedom & Wealth (Founder's Advice) | Devon Levesque
» Produced by Hack You Media: pioneering a new category of content at the intersection of health performance, entrepreneurship & cognitive optimisationInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hackyoumedia/Website: https://hackyou.media/Devon Levesque is known for pushing limits, both ... Show More
55m 29s
May 5
The Woman That Makes Millionaires: They're Lying About Work Life Balance! I Built SKIMS Without Fashion Knowledge!
She turned hustle into a $4 billion brand, Emma Grede breaks down how she built Kardashian fashion empires Emma Grede is the founding partner behind the globally successful brands SKIMS, Good American, and Safely, all launched with the Kardashian family. She is also Chairwoman of ... Show More
2h 15m