Episode 529: Anastasia Soare: The Discipline That Built a Billion Dollar Brand and Why Obsession Beats Balance

Habits and Hustle – Episode 529: Anastasia Soare – The Discipline That Built a Billion Dollar Brand & Why Obsession Beats Balance

Host: Jen Cohen
Guest: Anastasia Soare (Founder of Anastasia Beverly Hills)
Date: February 17, 2026

Episode Overview

In this inspiring and candid conversation, Jen Cohen sits down with beauty industry legend Anastasia Soare, founder of Anastasia Beverly Hills, to explore the relentless discipline and strategic obsession that built a global, billion-dollar beauty empire from the humblest beginnings. From escaping communist Romania to becoming the “mother of beauty brows” in Hollywood, Anastasia shares the defining principles, setbacks, grit, and innovations that mark her journey. The episode is packed with practical business advice, anecdotes of accidental industry revolutions, and the dynamics of running a family business without compromise.

Main Themes and Purpose

Discipline and Obsession as the Core of Success: Why focus and relentless effort outpace the notion of "balance" for entrepreneurs.
Inventing an Industry: How Anastasia combined art, science, and service to create the modern brow business, and eventually, a makeup empire.
Immigrant Determination and Resourcefulness: Lessons from escaping hardship and starting over in LA.
Authenticity, Reinvention, and Resilience: Consistently solving problems, embracing evolution, and learning from failure, with practical advice for today’s entrepreneurs.
The Power of Generational Collaboration: How bringing her daughter into the business fueled explosive growth and adaptation.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Escaping from Romania and Starting Over (04:43 – 06:29)

Background: Anastasia grew up in communist Romania, enduring harsh living conditions (electricity and heat cut-offs, food shortages).
Dreams of America: Inspired by bootlegged movies like Beverly Hills Cop and Pretty Woman, she was determined to come to Los Angeles.
Defecting for Opportunity: Her husband, a ship captain, defected in Italy, seeking political asylum before she could join him years later.
“It was very difficult...But my dream was to come to Los Angeles. Always, always, always.” (05:15 – Anastasia)

2. Building a Niche: The Art and Science of Brows (06:29 – 13:08)

Esthetician Training: Attended beauty school in Romania as a practical way to work without needing perfect English.
Eyebrow Innovation: Noticed American salons ignored brows. Drew from art school knowledge—especially Da Vinci’s golden ratio—to develop her signature shaping technique.
Probing the Science: Makeup and brow shaping use the golden ratio to create facial harmony.
“When you draw a portrait, you want to change an emotion, you change eyebrows...I realized that eyebrow is one of the most important features of our face.” (06:50 – Anastasia)
Establishing a Service and Product: Began mixing aloe, eyeshadow, and Vaseline for clients, then realized products were needed.

3. Creating a Market and Category (10:15 – 13:39)

Celebrity Magnet: Early clients included supermodels like Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell, who validated her work and grew her reputation through word of mouth.
First-mover Advantage: Anastasia is widely credited with creating the brow-shaping category in US beauty salons, spawning countless imitators.
“I visited France...there was a store only for eyebrows, and I thought, I can’t believe how many jobs were created because of this crazy idea that I had.” (10:44 – Anastasia)

4. Strategic Growth (13:08 – 24:09)

Opening Her Own Salon: After initial resistance from bosses (eyebrows took her 30 min each!), she struck out on her own.
Client Relationships: Treated every client, not just celebrities, as a star; built loyalty and reputation.
Product Expansion: Developed brow products to solve clients' needs, later retailing through Nordstrom (2000), then Sephora and Ulta.
“When you create a business, you need to offer a solution to a problem.” (15:51 – Anastasia)

5. Leveraging Media and Celebrity to Build Momentum (21:09 – 23:02)

Media Appearances: Performed live eyebrow transformations on morning TV to showcase instant results.
Celebrity Endorsement: Supermodels and Hollywood actresses brought visibility, but Anastasia credits everyday women as the customer base that built her brand.
“Of course the celebrity were amazing. But to me, every client that was in my chair was important.” (21:29 – Anastasia)

6. Relentless Work Ethic and Reinvention (19:57 – 24:09)

Work Hours: Spent seven days a week, from 8:30am to 10pm, building her early business.
Constant Evolution: Adjusted roles as the business and her focus expanded, later moving into product-only roles.
“I am constantly reinventing...You need to enjoy the journey every day.” (19:45 – Anastasia)

7. The Social Media Inflection Point (26:29 – 34:19)

Instagram Explosion: First beauty brand to fully embrace Instagram (2012), enabling mass education and product innovation.
Daughter’s Role: Claudia (now company president) drove the contour kit’s launch, targeting everyday consumers (not just pros).
“In 2012, we were prepared...We had everything, the products, the technique, everything laid out, and then we were able immediately with Instagram to kind of educate the consumer.” (30:47 – Anastasia)
Rapid Growth: Sales soared from $100M/year (pre-2012) to triple that after makeup expansion.

8. Product Philosophy & Expansion (33:43 – 38:08)

Innovation Driven by Education: Kits and tutorials demystified products for non-experts; RuPaul’s Drag Race sponsorship was early and strategic.
Hero Product: “Brow Wiz”—a thin, precise product with easy tutorials—remains the brand’s star item.

9. Leadership, Family, and Team Culture (38:08 – 54:47)

Daughter’s Journey: Claudia started in every department and earned her promotion; work ethic was instilled by tough love.
Company Values: Discipline, resilience, and a non-superficial, driven culture. Employees often stay 17+ years.
Training: All brow artists require extensive re-training, regardless of previous experience.

10. Operating at Scale and Work-Life Tradeoff (43:38 – 50:14)

Balance vs. Obsession: Anastasia dismisses “balance” and champions strategic obsession.
Current Routine: Wake at 7:30, work out, remote Zoom meetings, daily family time, business-driven social life.
Legacy: Now employing 250–300 worldwide, with robust international expansion.

11. Humility, Adaptability, and Connector Mindset (84:06 – 86:38)

Failures & Resilience: Never saw setbacks as dead ends; always a solution.
Helping Others: Openly connects women and entrepreneurs, even (by chance) launching other companies (Sprinkles Cupcakes, The Secret) by sharing recommendations with Oprah.
“One of the things I like to do is to help people…I like to connect. I love to see people doing business and win.” (86:06 – Anastasia)

12. Universal Lessons for Entrepreneurs (77:09 – 79:16)

Specialize and Master Craft: Focus on one thing, do it better than anyone, then expand.
Resilience: Fail, start again, and again, until you succeed.
Confidence: Parents’ belief is crucial; as is the self-belief to seek help and keep learning.
“Always try to be even better than you were a year ago…Practice, practice, practice, practice.” (76:21, 76:24 – Anastasia)
“Don’t be afraid to say ‘I don’t know, can you help me?’” (78:58 – Anastasia)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Reinventing Beauty Standards:
“It’s incredible how nobody thought of the eyebrows.” – Anastasia (12:05)
On Obsession vs. Balance:
“I think you need to be obsessed, not balanced.” – Anastasia (43:58)
On Problem Solving in Business:
“Every day you need to solve problems. This is the business.” (72:35)
On Hiring & Work Ethic:
“Discipline. I like people that are not superficial. It’s one trait that...it drives me crazy.” (50:46)
On Grit and Resilience:
“I always believe there is a solution to every single problem and I will find it...Even if every door...is closed, I will find a way.” (49:58)
On Advice to Aspiring Entrepreneurs Outside of LA/NY:
“What’s your point of difference? What is different about you, how you deliver the product?...Why do I need to buy your product?” (44:35)
On Parenting and Leadership:
“She earned that position. I fired my daughter because she was late...I think I was harder on my daughter than all the other employees.” (39:13–39:35)
On Mastery:
“Focus on one thing, one thing and do it the best. Master your craft.” (75:18)

Important Timestamps

Background in Romania & Immigration: 04:43–06:29
Eyebrow Golden Ratio Innovation: 06:29–09:51
First Celebrity Clients: 17:02–18:49
Hard Work Routine (Seven Days/Week): 23:05–23:45
Product Expansion & Retail Growth: 24:11–26:15
Instagram Era Shift: 26:29–31:38
Daughter’s Role in Business Growth: 31:38–34:19, 38:08–41:36
Obsession over Balance: 43:38–44:10
Key Advice for Entrepreneurs: 44:35–46:02, 77:09–79:16
Connector Stories (Sprinkles, The Secret): 79:58–85:54
Current Life & Operations: 56:42–61:19

Flow, Style & Tone

The conversation is friendly, transparent, and authentic, blending humor, rigor, candor, and practical wisdom. Anastasia and Jen alternate between behind-the-scenes business realities and larger cultural observations, always speaking in down-to-earth, sometimes self-deprecating, and motivational tones.

Episode Summary: Key Takeaways for Listeners

Obsessive focus and strategic discipline fuel sustainable success—balance is a myth at the top.
Look for problems to solve and create authentic solutions before scaling.
Don’t chase trends—master one thing, then expand into complements.
Hire and promote for work ethic, not nepotism—and be prepared to be tough, even on family.
Reinvention and readiness allow you to seize the right moment; social media only works when the foundation is set.
Leverage visibility from media, celebrity, or social platforms, but don’t neglect the everyday customer.
Stay connected to your craft and your people—it keeps you grounded, relevant, and inspired.

FINAL WORD:

“I want every woman on planet Earth to have one of my products. Not just yet...but I’m working on it.” – Anastasia Soare (88:23)

Habits and Hustle – Episode 529: Anastasia Soare – The Discipline That Built a Billion Dollar Brand & Why Obsession Beats Balance

Host: Jen Cohen
Guest: Anastasia Soare (Founder of Anastasia Beverly Hills)
Date: February 17, 2026

Episode Overview

Main Themes and Purpose

Discipline and Obsession as the Core of Success: Why focus and relentless effort outpace the notion of "balance" for entrepreneurs.
Inventing an Industry: How Anastasia combined art, science, and service to create the modern brow business, and eventually, a makeup empire.
Immigrant Determination and Resourcefulness: Lessons from escaping hardship and starting over in LA.
Authenticity, Reinvention, and Resilience: Consistently solving problems, embracing evolution, and learning from failure, with practical advice for today’s entrepreneurs.
The Power of Generational Collaboration: How bringing her daughter into the business fueled explosive growth and adaptation.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Escaping from Romania and Starting Over (04:43 – 06:29)

Background: Anastasia grew up in communist Romania, enduring harsh living conditions (electricity and heat cut-offs, food shortages).
Dreams of America: Inspired by bootlegged movies like Beverly Hills Cop and Pretty Woman, she was determined to come to Los Angeles.
Defecting for Opportunity: Her husband, a ship captain, defected in Italy, seeking political asylum before she could join him years later.
“It was very difficult...But my dream was to come to Los Angeles. Always, always, always.” (05:15 – Anastasia)

2. Building a Niche: The Art and Science of Brows (06:29 – 13:08)

Esthetician Training: Attended beauty school in Romania as a practical way to work without needing perfect English.
Eyebrow Innovation: Noticed American salons ignored brows. Drew from art school knowledge—especially Da Vinci’s golden ratio—to develop her signature shaping technique.
Probing the Science: Makeup and brow shaping use the golden ratio to create facial harmony.
“When you draw a portrait, you want to change an emotion, you change eyebrows...I realized that eyebrow is one of the most important features of our face.” (06:50 – Anastasia)
Establishing a Service and Product: Began mixing aloe, eyeshadow, and Vaseline for clients, then realized products were needed.

3. Creating a Market and Category (10:15 – 13:39)

Celebrity Magnet: Early clients included supermodels like Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell, who validated her work and grew her reputation through word of mouth.
First-mover Advantage: Anastasia is widely credited with creating the brow-shaping category in US beauty salons, spawning countless imitators.
“I visited France...there was a store only for eyebrows, and I thought, I can’t believe how many jobs were created because of this crazy idea that I had.” (10:44 – Anastasia)

4. Strategic Growth (13:08 – 24:09)

Opening Her Own Salon: After initial resistance from bosses (eyebrows took her 30 min each!), she struck out on her own.
Client Relationships: Treated every client, not just celebrities, as a star; built loyalty and reputation.
Product Expansion: Developed brow products to solve clients' needs, later retailing through Nordstrom (2000), then Sephora and Ulta.
“When you create a business, you need to offer a solution to a problem.” (15:51 – Anastasia)

5. Leveraging Media and Celebrity to Build Momentum (21:09 – 23:02)

Media Appearances: Performed live eyebrow transformations on morning TV to showcase instant results.
Celebrity Endorsement: Supermodels and Hollywood actresses brought visibility, but Anastasia credits everyday women as the customer base that built her brand.
“Of course the celebrity were amazing. But to me, every client that was in my chair was important.” (21:29 – Anastasia)

6. Relentless Work Ethic and Reinvention (19:57 – 24:09)

Work Hours: Spent seven days a week, from 8:30am to 10pm, building her early business.
Constant Evolution: Adjusted roles as the business and her focus expanded, later moving into product-only roles.
“I am constantly reinventing...You need to enjoy the journey every day.” (19:45 – Anastasia)

7. The Social Media Inflection Point (26:29 – 34:19)

Instagram Explosion: First beauty brand to fully embrace Instagram (2012), enabling mass education and product innovation.
Daughter’s Role: Claudia (now company president) drove the contour kit’s launch, targeting everyday consumers (not just pros).
“In 2012, we were prepared...We had everything, the products, the technique, everything laid out, and then we were able immediately with Instagram to kind of educate the consumer.” (30:47 – Anastasia)
Rapid Growth: Sales soared from $100M/year (pre-2012) to triple that after makeup expansion.

8. Product Philosophy & Expansion (33:43 – 38:08)

Innovation Driven by Education: Kits and tutorials demystified products for non-experts; RuPaul’s Drag Race sponsorship was early and strategic.
Hero Product: “Brow Wiz”—a thin, precise product with easy tutorials—remains the brand’s star item.

9. Leadership, Family, and Team Culture (38:08 – 54:47)

Daughter’s Journey: Claudia started in every department and earned her promotion; work ethic was instilled by tough love.
Company Values: Discipline, resilience, and a non-superficial, driven culture. Employees often stay 17+ years.
Training: All brow artists require extensive re-training, regardless of previous experience.

10. Operating at Scale and Work-Life Tradeoff (43:38 – 50:14)

Balance vs. Obsession: Anastasia dismisses “balance” and champions strategic obsession.
Current Routine: Wake at 7:30, work out, remote Zoom meetings, daily family time, business-driven social life.
Legacy: Now employing 250–300 worldwide, with robust international expansion.

11. Humility, Adaptability, and Connector Mindset (84:06 – 86:38)

Failures & Resilience: Never saw setbacks as dead ends; always a solution.
Helping Others: Openly connects women and entrepreneurs, even (by chance) launching other companies (Sprinkles Cupcakes, The Secret) by sharing recommendations with Oprah.
“One of the things I like to do is to help people…I like to connect. I love to see people doing business and win.” (86:06 – Anastasia)

12. Universal Lessons for Entrepreneurs (77:09 – 79:16)

Specialize and Master Craft: Focus on one thing, do it better than anyone, then expand.
Resilience: Fail, start again, and again, until you succeed.
Confidence: Parents’ belief is crucial; as is the self-belief to seek help and keep learning.
“Always try to be even better than you were a year ago…Practice, practice, practice, practice.” (76:21, 76:24 – Anastasia)
“Don’t be afraid to say ‘I don’t know, can you help me?’” (78:58 – Anastasia)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Reinventing Beauty Standards:
“It’s incredible how nobody thought of the eyebrows.” – Anastasia (12:05)
On Obsession vs. Balance:
“I think you need to be obsessed, not balanced.” – Anastasia (43:58)
On Problem Solving in Business:
“Every day you need to solve problems. This is the business.” (72:35)
On Hiring & Work Ethic:
“Discipline. I like people that are not superficial. It’s one trait that...it drives me crazy.” (50:46)
On Grit and Resilience:
“I always believe there is a solution to every single problem and I will find it...Even if every door...is closed, I will find a way.” (49:58)
On Advice to Aspiring Entrepreneurs Outside of LA/NY:
“What’s your point of difference? What is different about you, how you deliver the product?...Why do I need to buy your product?” (44:35)
On Parenting and Leadership:
“She earned that position. I fired my daughter because she was late...I think I was harder on my daughter than all the other employees.” (39:13–39:35)
On Mastery:
“Focus on one thing, one thing and do it the best. Master your craft.” (75:18)

Important Timestamps

Background in Romania & Immigration: 04:43–06:29
Eyebrow Golden Ratio Innovation: 06:29–09:51
First Celebrity Clients: 17:02–18:49
Hard Work Routine (Seven Days/Week): 23:05–23:45
Product Expansion & Retail Growth: 24:11–26:15
Instagram Era Shift: 26:29–31:38
Daughter’s Role in Business Growth: 31:38–34:19, 38:08–41:36
Obsession over Balance: 43:38–44:10
Key Advice for Entrepreneurs: 44:35–46:02, 77:09–79:16
Connector Stories (Sprinkles, The Secret): 79:58–85:54
Current Life & Operations: 56:42–61:19

Flow, Style & Tone

Episode Summary: Key Takeaways for Listeners

Obsessive focus and strategic discipline fuel sustainable success—balance is a myth at the top.
Look for problems to solve and create authentic solutions before scaling.
Don’t chase trends—master one thing, then expand into complements.
Hire and promote for work ethic, not nepotism—and be prepared to be tough, even on family.
Reinvention and readiness allow you to seize the right moment; social media only works when the foundation is set.
Leverage visibility from media, celebrity, or social platforms, but don’t neglect the everyday customer.
Stay connected to your craft and your people—it keeps you grounded, relevant, and inspired.

FINAL WORD:

“I want every woman on planet Earth to have one of my products. Not just yet...but I’m working on it.” – Anastasia Soare (88:23)

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Summary

Habits and Hustle – Episode 529: Anastasia Soare – The Discipline That Built a Billion Dollar Brand & Why Obsession Beats Balance

Episode Overview

Main Themes and Purpose

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Escaping from Romania and Starting Over (04:43 – 06:29)

2. Building a Niche: The Art and Science of Brows (06:29 – 13:08)

3. Creating a Market and Category (10:15 – 13:39)

4. Strategic Growth (13:08 – 24:09)

5. Leveraging Media and Celebrity to Build Momentum (21:09 – 23:02)

6. Relentless Work Ethic and Reinvention (19:57 – 24:09)

7. The Social Media Inflection Point (26:29 – 34:19)

8. Product Philosophy & Expansion (33:43 – 38:08)

9. Leadership, Family, and Team Culture (38:08 – 54:47)

10. Operating at Scale and Work-Life Tradeoff (43:38 – 50:14)

11. Humility, Adaptability, and Connector Mindset (84:06 – 86:38)

12. Universal Lessons for Entrepreneurs (77:09 – 79:16)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Important Timestamps

Flow, Style & Tone

Episode Summary: Key Takeaways for Listeners

FINAL WORD:

Summary

Habits and Hustle – Episode 529: Anastasia Soare – The Discipline That Built a Billion Dollar Brand & Why Obsession Beats Balance

Episode Overview

Main Themes and Purpose

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Escaping from Romania and Starting Over (04:43 – 06:29)

2. Building a Niche: The Art and Science of Brows (06:29 – 13:08)

3. Creating a Market and Category (10:15 – 13:39)

4. Strategic Growth (13:08 – 24:09)

5. Leveraging Media and Celebrity to Build Momentum (21:09 – 23:02)

6. Relentless Work Ethic and Reinvention (19:57 – 24:09)

7. The Social Media Inflection Point (26:29 – 34:19)

8. Product Philosophy & Expansion (33:43 – 38:08)

9. Leadership, Family, and Team Culture (38:08 – 54:47)

10. Operating at Scale and Work-Life Tradeoff (43:38 – 50:14)

11. Humility, Adaptability, and Connector Mindset (84:06 – 86:38)

12. Universal Lessons for Entrepreneurs (77:09 – 79:16)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Important Timestamps

Flow, Style & Tone

Episode Summary: Key Takeaways for Listeners

FINAL WORD: