Podcast Summary: Aspire with Emma Grede
Episode: How to Turn Rejection into Your Biggest Advantage (Laney Crowell)
Release Date: February 17, 2026
Host: Emma Grede
Guest: Laney Crowell (Founder & CEO, Saie Beauty)
Episode Overview
In this engaging episode, Emma Grede sits down with Laney Crowell, the fearless founder of Saie, a clean beauty brand with a meteoric rise and a cult following at Sephora. The conversation dives deep into the work behind Saie's success, focusing on how rejection—and embracing “no’s”—became Laney’s superpower for growth. Together, they discuss raising funds as a first-time founder, building and maintaining community, making tough decisions, leadership, balancing motherhood, and staying true to brand values in a rapidly evolving, competitive industry.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Laying the Groundwork & Industry Insight
- Laney’s early career as a beauty editor gave her a panoramic view of the beauty landscape and helped her identify the “white space” for clean beauty in color cosmetics.
- “I knew every brand. I knew their price point. I knew everything about them.” (Laney, 03:41)
- Fearlessness, resilience, and tenacity are foundational to her journey:
- “You have what it takes because you were fearless.” (05:51)
- Family influence, frequent moves, and her parents’ expectation to do hard things built an early foundation for resilience and adaptability.
2. Reframing Rejection as Fuel
- Laney and Emma dig into the reality of facing countless rejections—especially as female founders.
- “Every no I get, I just let it fuel me.” (Laney, 07:02)
- Both discuss the necessity of high pain tolerance and a willingness to keep moving forward after setbacks.
3. Founding Saie: From Idea to Action
- Laney’s “aha moment” was discovering beauty products making her breakout—leading to her belief that “beauty should be better.”
- The transition involved embracing what she didn’t know and becoming a compulsive learner:
- “I’m not a makeup artist, I’m not a product developer… I just love learning every single part of it.” (Laney, 09:06)
- Early steps included reaching out to everyone she knew (“talk to 70 people”), keeping meticulous Google Sheets of contacts, and seeking introductions at every step.
4. Raising Money & Building a Network
- Laney assembled a target investor list based on alignment of values rather than convenience—with Unilever Ventures and Gwyneth Paltrow at the top.
- “There is power in writing things down because even though I had no idea how I was going to get to either of those two, they’re now my investors.” (Laney, 13:11)
- She emphasizes learning the “language” of fundraising and underscores the importance of refining your pitch with every meeting and rejection.
5. Receiving & Filtering Advice
- On advice to find a co-founder:
- “There was one piece of advice I got over and over again: I should have a co-founder. And I knew I should not have a co-founder.” (14:43)
- She credits conviction and gut instinct for standing firm and points out that you can fill gaps with great hires and partners.
6. Operations, Innovation & First Hires
- Laney’s first hire was a product developer, a decision made against “expert advice” because her North Star was creating superior formulas.
- “I sold my stock at Estee Lauder and used that money to hire a product developer that I had worked with before.” (Laney, 23:53)
- Commitment to ingredient standards (e.g., banning 2,000+ ingredients) makes formulation slow and difficult but builds authenticity.
- Product innovation, not marketing, drives repeat customer loyalty in a crowded landscape.
7. Community & Customer Intimacy
- Community feedback is central; product ideas and improvements are often crowd-sourced.
- “Bringing the community ... it’s where the name of the brand comes from: you say it, we create it.” (Laney, 53:44)
- Examples include masterclasses, run clubs, and constant direct communication—even through DMs.
8. Leadership Style & Team Building
- Leadership is about striving for collective greatness, not about blame or hierarchy.
- “I aspire for greatness, and I expect that from everybody… I wouldn’t have hired you if I didn’t think you could be great.” (Laney, 31:50)
- Creating space for honest reflection and learning through “hindsights calls” after every launch.
9. Global Expansion & Scaling
- Saie has approached international growth slowly and intentionally, focusing on the right markets and community-driven demand.
- Hiring field teams to gather on-the-ground insights ensures constant improvement and a hands-on approach to retail.
10. Motherhood, Balance & Outsourcing
- Laney wrote her business plan while overdue with her first child and built the business during early motherhood.
- Both Emma and Laney advocate for being honest about the necessity and privilege of help and outsourcing tasks to prioritize time with family.
- “My entire salary went to childcare.” (Laney, 49:57)
- Being present in small but meaningful ways—like school drop-off or bedtime reading—is a non-negotiable for both.
11. Abundance Mindset & Relationship with Money
- Laney discusses moving from a scarcity mindset to seeing money as energy.
- “Money is energy and it flows. And if someone invests in my company, like, you’re lucky.” (Laney, 63:41)
- Key advice: Choose investors who bring more than money—smart, mission-aligned capital— and always do references on investors, not just employees.
12. Key Takeaways on Perseverance
- Laney shares a formative water polo story—showing up every day regardless of skill got her onto the team, a lesson she applies to building Saie:
- “Even though I’m not the best, you can still get there if you put in the time and you put in the work.” (Laney, 56:48)
- The ability to “keep going” and weather rejection is more critical than innate talent.
Notable Quotes & Moments
- On Rejection:
- “Let the no’s fuel you.” — Laney Crowell (07:02)
- On Fundraising:
- “There is power in writing things down because even though I had no idea how I was going to get to either of those two, they’re now my investors.” — Laney (13:11)
- On Not Having a Co-Founder:
- “I knew that I should not have a co-founder.... I’m super clear on my vision.” — Laney (14:43)
- On Innovation vs. Competition:
- “If I was looking over here, over there, I wouldn’t have been focused on that innovation, which I’m so proud of.” — Laney (26:46)
- On Building Community:
- “We’re so tight with them in the DMs. And in my DMs, I’m writing back...” — Laney (53:51)
- On Motherhood:
- “When you leave, it’s like everything leaves.” — Isabella, Laney’s daughter (47:16)
- On Leadership:
- “I wouldn’t have hired you if I didn’t think you could be great. And not just at Saie—for the rest of your life.” — Laney (32:49)
- On Money:
- “Money is energy and it flows. And if someone invests in my company, like, you’re lucky.” — Laney (63:41)
- On Perseverance:
- “You can still get there if you put in the time and you put in the work.” — Laney (56:48)
- On Family Goals:
- “To live lightly and powerfully and be really proud of the energy that I bring into the room.” — Laney (75:12)
Timestamps for Key Segments
| Segment/Topic | Timestamp | |---|---| | Introduction & Laney’s background | 00:10–04:39 | | Resilience & early lessons | 05:10–07:14 | | Starting Saie: From editor to founder | 07:42–10:43 | | Fundraising & building a network | 12:19–14:43 | | Filtering advice & conviction on leadership | 14:43–17:07 | | Operational priorities & first hires | 22:29–24:47 | | Community, customer feedback, & building trust | 27:24–30:15 | | Leadership philosophy & team culture | 31:12–33:10 | | Global expansion & local adaptation | 33:10–35:47 | | Motherhood, balance, and outsourcing | 44:06–51:29 | | Financial philosophy & fundraising advice | 62:28–65:19 | | Perseverance story & mindset | 55:00–58:13 | | Rapid Fire Q&A | 72:43–76:09 |
Tone & Takeaways
The episode is refreshingly candid, supportive, and empowering, blending tactical advice with personal anecdotes. Both Emma and Laney keep the dialogue light, warm, and witty, bringing transparency to the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, motherhood, and leadership. Their mutual belief in acting with intention, investing in community, learning from failure, and not waiting for permission reinforces a core inspirational message: rejection is not the end—it’s an accelerator.
For Aspiring Founders
- Start by learning the landscape, then find your true North Star.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions, build a network (strategically, not just socially), and leverage every “no” as a learning moment.
- Choose partners and investors aligned with your values—and reference check everyone.
- Stay relentlessly focused on product and community over hype and marketing.
- Leadership is about empowering greatness, not managing by fear.
- Be open about the help it takes; building something meaningful is not a solo act.
- “Act as if”—step into the leader you want to become.
Recommended Next Step:
If you’re building your own dream, jot down your ideal network, reach out fearlessly, and let every “no” fuel your tenacity. And as Laney says—be wild.