In this week's episode of Ladies Who Launch, Penelope Cheshire takes us back to where it all began: an £8,000 leap of faith funded by selling her partner's Rolex, and a belief that premium hair extensions didn't have to feel exclusive or unapproachable.
What followed was a masterclass in retail grit, from cold-pitching salons and building a team from the ground up, to navigating investment rooms where beauty wasn't taken seriously, and a partnership with Molly-Mae that sent the business into a different stratosphere.
Penelope gets refreshingly honest about what actually happens during and after an exit, why she's channeling everything she learned into her next venture Killer Brush, and the moments that shaped her as a founder along the way.
In this episode, we cover:
If you’re a founder with an idea mixed with grit and determination, this episode is for you.
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CHAPTERS
00:00 Meet Penelope Cheshire, Founder of Beauty Works
05:35 Beginning of Beauty Works
06:38 Selling My Partners Rolex to Start
11:17 First Big Retail Order
18:42 Rejected by Investors
23:47 Creating a Premium Positioning
29:28 Behind The Molly Mae Partnership
35:49 Leadership & Letting Go
47:38 The Truth Behind Leaving Beauty Works
57:57 Private Equity Reality Check
01:01:37 Starting Killa Brush
01:12:12 Sharing Entrepreneurship Truths
01:15:40 Rocket Round
01:22:57 Final Advice & Wrap
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Killa Brush: https://www.instagram.com/killabrushofficial/
Killa Brush Website: www.killabrush.com
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