How I Built This with Guy Raz — Serial Entrepreneur: Marcia Kilgore (2018)
Original Air Date: August 12, 2019

Episode Overview

In this compelling episode, Guy Raz interviews Marcia Kilgore—a Canadian-born founder behind five iconic brands including Bliss, Soap & Glory, FitFlop, Beauty Pie, and Soaper Duper. More than a how-to, Kilgore’s journey is an honest look into resilience, improvisation, creativity, and serial entrepreneurship. She shares candid details about her path from an 18-year-old immigrant in New York with $300 to building and selling multimillion-dollar companies—all without a master plan. The episode is both inspiring and profoundly practical, filled with insights on seizing opportunity, building cult brands, and the truth behind "overnight" success.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Early Beginnings: From Saskatoon to New York (05:39–13:41)

• Humble Roots & Early Loss:
  Kilgore grew up in a middle-class family in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The death of her father at age 11 compelled her and her mother to work, instilling independence and self-sufficiency.
  “I didn't want to be a drain. And if I could pay my own way... it was relieving stress from her.” (10:27)

• Bodybuilding and Fitness as Pathways:
  As a teenager, Kilgore poured herself into fitness and bodybuilding, even winning competitions like "Miss Moose Jaw.”
  “It was actually a skill and a hobby that parlayed itself into what I could do later.” (08:06)

• Leap to New York:
  At 18, Kilgore moved to NYC, intending to attend Columbia University with support from her sister, who then lost the financial means to pay her tuition. Left to her own devices, Kilgore began personal training to survive.
  “I was in survival mode... that was unsustainable.” (13:41)

Finding Opportunity in Adversity: The Origin of Bliss (13:41–24:50)

• A Facial Gone Wrong as Inspiration:
  A traumatic spa visit, where an esthetician criticized her skin, pushed Kilgore to pursue skincare knowledge. She realized she wanted to create a welcoming alternative.
  Quote: “If I ever had a place like that, I would never make my customers feel bad about themselves.” (05:01, 15:13)

• Bootstrapping the Facial Business:
  Armed with a crash course in skincare, Kilgore started practicing facials on her personal training clients. She lugged a heavy bag of supplies through New York, eventually earning a reputation for clearing up problem skin, especially among young models.
  “I started to really gain a reputation for being able to clear up bad skin...” (17:45)

• First Studio:
  Success allowed Kilgore to rent a tiny, 300-square-foot space in the East Village, where her business began to snowball.
  “When my appointment book started to be full for five to six weeks in advance... then I realized that it could be a viable career.” (21:27)

• Organic Growth & High-Profile Clients:
  Through word of mouth, she became the go-to facialist for celebrities like Uma Thurman, Nicole Kidman, and Demi Moore.
  “From time to time opening the door and the person standing there was so outstandingly beautiful... I wouldn’t be able to speak.” (19:55)

Scaling Up: Bliss Spa’s Explosion and the Power of Press (24:22–29:28)

• From Let’s Face It to Bliss:
  Needing more space and staff, Kilgore expanded, ultimately launching the iconic Bliss spa in SoHo.
  “We had 10 treatment rooms and we had a nap room. And we opened in the beginning of July...” (24:33)

• Financial Risks & Unexpected Windfalls:
  Kilgore calculated that, worst case, her own facial revenue could cover rent. But a Vogue magazine feature brought thousands of new customers, funding the spa’s buildout.
  Quote: “A lot of the construction costs were almost covered by that one article.” (26:56)

• Unique Brand Positioning:
  Kilgore’s approach stood out: fun music, egalitarian atmosphere, no judgment—serving both celebrities and students.
  Quote: “All the businesses that I’ve started have been places that I want to go.” (28:21)
  “Everyone was treated exactly the same way.” (29:28)

Big Deals: Selling Bliss, Life Changes, and Re-Evaluation (34:25–39:50)

• LVMH Purchase:
  Bliss's wild success drew the attention of major corporations; LVMH bought 70% of Bliss for $30–$50 million.
  Quote: “It seemed like after so many years of being kind of flat broke ... it would be nice just to have a little bit of money in the bank.” (35:59)

• Sudden Wealth & Staying Grounded:
  The influx of money didn’t fundamentally change Kilgore’s habits or motivation.
  “What you love is what you love... it takes quite a long time to start living differently.” (38:13)

• Second Sale and Hitting a Wall:
  Starwood Hotels bought Bliss from LVMH, but Kilgore felt creatively constrained by management that didn’t share her customer-centric philosophy.
  “I felt like I was spending most of my day trying to teach him, but he was reticent... I decided to take a break from it.” (38:36)

Serial Success: Soap & Glory, FitFlop, and Beyond (40:25–47:37)

• Inventing New Brands Around Personal Needs:
  Notable for short “retirement”—she quickly launched Soap & Glory (affordable luxury skincare) and FitFlop (ergonomic shoes), then Beauty Pie and Soaper Duper.
  Quote: “If I could bring every woman into the luxury cosmetic factory with me and we could raid it together...” (49:27)

• Hedging Bets & Side-Hustle Mentality:
  Kilgore routinely worked on multiple ventures at the same time—a purposeful strategy.
  “You don't give up your day job because you think that your side hustle... is gonna actually pay off. You always do two things at the same time.” (43:35)

• FitFlop’s Breakthrough:
  From an idea for a biomechanically improved flip-flop, Kilgore collaborated with academics and ultimately secured a massive order from Bath & Body Works.
  Quote: “The buyer... said 'I'll take somewhere between 300,000 and 500,000 pairs.' I was shocked.” (47:22)

The Entrepreneurial Mind: Motivation, Luck, and Letting Go (48:21–55:11)

• Building Without Attachment:
  Kilgore is candid about not being sentimentally attached to her successful companies and knowing when to walk away.
  “Is it almost like, like when a business becomes too big or you just kind of get bored, you want to start something new?” (50:08)

• On the Drive to Build:
  She sees herself as innately competitive and compelled by the thrill of the build, not just the business outcome.
  Quote: “There must be some competitive aspect to it... I'm much more comfortable where I feel like I'm building something and it's got to be genetic.” (52:40)

• Recipe for Success: Luck + Grit:
  Marcia credits some luck (such as her sister’s industry connections), but emphasizes reliability, skill, and work ethic.
  Quote: “You get a bit of luck, and then you have to make something out of it.” (52:50)

• Advice for Entrepreneurs:
  Understanding your own psychology is key so you can overcome insecurity or hesitation.
  “One of the tools they should have is understanding of how the human brain works... if you can understand how your brain is fooling you...” (51:32)

• Not All Ideas Are Pursued:
  Kilgore teases “patenting something right now,” highlighting constant ideation and selective execution.
  “I have one right now, but... I can't say what it is because we're patenting you at the moment.” (54:52)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Early Hospitality:
  • “If I ever, ever had a place like that, I would never make my customers feel bad about themselves.” — Marcia Kilgore (05:01 / 15:13)
• On Risk and Learning:
  • “I didn't even think about outside investment. What I knew was that if I gave facials myself all day long every day... I could still pay that rent by myself.” — Marcia Kilgore (25:03)
• On Grounding After Wealth:
  • “You don’t see money, do you? It just goes into its numbers on a piece of paper and it lands. And then... you realize, what you love is what you love.” — Marcia Kilgore (37:30)
• On Building What You Want:
  • “All the businesses that I've started have been places that I want to go.” — Marcia Kilgore (28:21)
• On Luck vs. Grit:
  • “You get a bit of luck, and then you have to make something out of it.” — Marcia Kilgore (52:50)

Key Timestamps

• 05:01 / 15:13 – The facial that inspired Bliss
• 19:55 – Early celebrity clientele and business explosion
• 24:33 – Launching the Bliss Spa flagship
• 26:56 – Magazine feature funds spa expansion
• 34:25 – Sale to LVMH and first big payday
• 40:25 – Launching Soap & Glory
• 43:35 – Starting FitFlop while launching Soap & Glory
• 47:22 – First massive FitFlop retail order
• 48:21 – Philosophy on moving on from successful companies
• 52:50 – Marcia’s balance of luck, hard work, and mindset

Final Takeaways

Marcia Kilgore’s entrepreneurial journey is not just about business acumen or product innovation, but about attunement to people, embracing discomfort, relentless humility, and the joy of creation. Throughout the episode, her candor demystifies entrepreneurship, celebrating both the necessity of hard work and the randomness of serendipity. Her story is a beacon for anyone with more ideas than resources and offers reassurance that sometimes, the best plan is having no plan at all.

For further inspiration or details, find the full episode wherever you get your podcasts.