Heela Yang built Sol de Janeiro, one of the most beloved body care brands, from her dining room, but her path there looked nothing like a typical business plan. After twelve years in corporate beauty following stints at Goldman Sachs and a Harvard MBA, she left New York for Brazil for love, only to find herself pregnant, isolated, and unable to do the work that had always defined her. A single afternoon on a beach, surrounded by women of every shape in a very small bikini she'd been talked into, changed everything. In this episode, Heela shares how that moment became the emotional blueprint for Sol de Janeiro, the cult-favorite brand that launched a craze for mists and body care and built a business around embracing your body and skin as it is, no matter what size or shape.

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to She Pivots

01:36 From Korea to America: A Cultural Shift

06:37 The Importance of Skincare in Korean Culture

09:16 Early Entrepreneurial Ideas

12:13 Moving to Brazil: A New Beginning

13:33 Pregnancy and Isolation in a Foreign Country

17:41 The Pivotal Beach Moment

23:19 Building a Brand Around Embracing Yourself

27:50 The Power of Being Welcomed, Not Just Accepted

29:10.440 Low Point to Launch

33:24 Reflecting on Heela's Journey

34:18 Podcast Credits

You can check out Sol de Janeiro basically anywhere you get skincare or body care products– and keep up with what they’re up to on Instagram @soldejaneiro

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She Pivots is a podcast created by host Emily Tisch Sussman to highlight influential women voices, share stories of bold career moves, and inspire women with interviews about career reinvention and how personal pivots can redefine professional success.

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