Hailey Bieber on Building Rhode into a Billion-Dollar Beauty Brand

Summary

The Business of Fashion Podcast: Hailey Bieber on Building Rhode into a Billion-Dollar Beauty Brand

Release Date: June 13, 2025

In this insightful episode of The Business of Fashion Podcast, host Imran Ahmed engages in a compelling conversation with Hailey Bieber, the visionary founder behind the meteoric rise of her beauty and skincare brand, Rhode. Since its inception in 2022, Rhode has not only garnered a loyal global customer base but also achieved remarkable commercial milestones, culminating in a landmark $1 billion acquisition by e.l.f. Cosmetics in May 2025.

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1. Rhode’s Origins and Hailey’s Entrepreneurial Journey

Priya Ra, the Business of Beauty's executive editor, sets the stage by reminiscing about her first encounter with Hailey eight years prior, highlighting Hailey's transition from modeling to entrepreneurship.

[02:06] Hailey Bieber:
"I definitely knew I always had a dream to have my own business and do something that was a departure from the modeling world."

Hailey attributes her pivot to beauty and skincare to her lifelong passion, deeply influenced by her family and immersive experiences within the beauty industry. She emphasizes how her career in modeling served as a foundation, allowing her to absorb invaluable insights from makeup artists, hairstylists, and photographers.

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2. Crystallizing the Vision During the Pandemic

The conversation delves into the pivotal moment when Rhode's vision became clear, coinciding with the global pandemic.

[03:40] Hailey Bieber:
"The formal idea really crystallized in 2020 during the pandemic. I finally felt like I really had the time to sit down and hone in on really what the idea was."

During the lockdowns, Hailey seized the opportunity to define Rhode's ethos, focusing on creating not just products but an entire lifestyle. This period led her to collaborate with co-founders Michael and Lauren Ratner, whose complementary skills in operations and marketing were instrumental in shaping Rhode's strong brand story and visual identity.

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3. Building an Authentic and Inclusive Brand World

Hailey underscores the importance of authenticity and inclusivity in Rhode’s brand philosophy.

[07:13] Hailey Bieber:
"Rhode is going to go down as one of the greats. I really believe that."

Hailey’s commitment to authenticity is evident in her approach to product development and brand storytelling. She aims to create a "skincare wardrobe" — a curated lineup of essentials that evolve with her personal needs and those of her customers. This philosophy ensures that Rhode remains relevant and deeply connected to its audience.

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4. Strategic Marketing and Brand Representation

Selecting the right faces to represent Rhode has been a cornerstone of Hailey's marketing strategy. She discusses her thoughtful approach to choosing brand ambassadors who embody the brand’s energy and inclusivity.

[10:43] Hailey Bieber:
"I just feel like when I start thinking about that kind of merge of face with the brand, I just think about, like, the energy and the synergy."

By partnering with diverse and relatable figures like Tate McRae, Claudia Sheffur, and Harris Dickinson, Rhode appeals to a broad spectrum of consumers, reinforcing its unisex and inclusive brand image. Hailey emphasizes the importance of synergy and authentic connections with these ambassadors, ensuring they resonate with Rhode’s core values.

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5. Curating a Skincare Wardrobe

Hailey elaborates on Rhode’s unique approach to product curation, likening it to building a versatile wardrobe.

[13:13] Hailey Bieber:
"What are my can't live without things?... How can I add to this really assorted, curated, edited Lineup that are going to tackle what my skin needs with every season, with every age."

This meticulous selection process ensures that Rhode’s product offerings are not only essential but also adaptable to the changing needs of their customers, emphasizing hydration as a fundamental element across all products.

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6. Expanding Through Retail Partnerships

Transitioning from a successful direct-to-consumer (DTC) model, Hailey discusses the strategic move to retail partnerships, specifically with Sephora.

[14:26] Hailey Bieber:
"I really wanted to go into retail because I really want to expand and I want to reach more people."

The success of Rhode’s pop-up experiences affirmed the value of in-person interactions, leading to a partnership with Sephora. Hailey highlights the synergy between Rhode and Sephora’s teams, anticipating significant mutual growth and market expansion.

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7. The Landmark Acquisition by e.l.f. Cosmetics

One of the episode's highlights is the discussion around Rhode’s acquisition by e.l.f. Cosmetics, a strategic move that underscores Rhode’s impressive growth trajectory.

[16:32] Hailey Bieber:
"Rhode is like my baby. I'm so precious about it... When I met the ELF team, I knew it in my gut."

Hailey articulates the importance of finding a partner that aligns with Rhode’s vision for global expansion and innovation. The acquisition is framed not just as a financial milestone but as a partnership that respects and enhances Rhode’s foundational values and ambitious future plans.

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8. Envisioning Rhode’s Future and Legacy

Looking ahead, Hailey expresses her unwavering commitment to making Rhode a lasting legacy in the beauty industry.

[20:09] Hailey Bieber:
"I do see us being a legacy brand. I said it from the beginning. That is my goal."

She envisions Rhode evolving beyond skincare, aspiring to integrate technology and expand into various facets of lifestyle and beauty. Hailey’s passion and hands-on involvement reflect her dedication to ensuring Rhode remains innovative, relevant, and beloved by consumers worldwide.

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Conclusion

Hailey Bieber's journey with Rhode exemplifies the confluence of passion, strategic vision, and authentic brand-building. From its humble beginnings during a global pandemic to becoming a billion-dollar brand recognized globally, Rhode stands as a testament to Hailey’s entrepreneurial spirit and unwavering commitment to creating a brand that resonates deeply with its audience. Her insights provide invaluable lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs in the beauty and fashion industries, showcasing how authenticity, strategic partnerships, and a clear vision can drive remarkable success.

Transcript

[Hailey Bieber]

Foreign.

[Imran Ahmed]

Hi, this is Imran Ahmed, founder and CEO of the Business of Fashion. Welcome to the POF Podcast. It's Friday, June 13th. When Hailey Bieber launched her beauty and skincare brand Rhode in 2022, she quickly built a loyal customer base and achieved rapid commercial success. By early 2025, Rhode had generated $212 million in annual sales and in May was acquired by Elf in a landmark $1 billion deal.

[Hailey Bieber]

The thing for me with Rode is that it's not just about the product. It's the whole entire world of rde. It's the way I want people to feel something when they get the products, when they use them. I want them to feel that they are a part of something. I know we've only been around for three years and we're still such a baby, but I do see us being a legacy brand. I said it from the beginning. That is my goal. Rhode is going to go down as one of the greats.

[Imran Ahmed]

In her first public appearance since the acquisition, Hailey spoke with the Business of Beauty's executive editor, Priya Ra about launching her brand, how the deal with ELF transpired, and her vision for the future of Rhode. Here's Hailey bieber on the BoF podcast.

[Priya Ra]

Hailey, I can't say how excited this crowd is to see you and how excited I am to see you. Thank you. This is something we've been talking about for a while now, maybe three years since this forum was launched. So thank you for being here.

[Hailey Bieber]

Thank you for having me.

[Priya Ra]

Hailey, you and I met a long time ago, eight years ago, I think, and it was for the COVID of a male magazine and we were doing a profile and I think you were at the beginning of your modeling career, is that right?

[Hailey Bieber]

Probably something along those lines, yeah. I'm like, how old was I eight years ago? I think I was maybe 20. Yeah.

[Priya Ra]

Yeah. And you were still kind of figuring out what it is you wanted to do. You were doing something. Modeling, you were hosting. Like, did you ever think that you would be here now as a billion dollar beauty founder?

[Hailey Bieber]

I mean, I definitely knew I always had a dream to have my own business and do something that was a departure from the modeling world. I always felt like stepping into that world of modeling and editorial and all those things was the first step in a bigger picture that I saw for myself. I didn't know right from the get go that it was going to be in beauty. I was always very interested in fashion and clothing and that's why I loved working in the mall modeling industry in the first place. Because you're surrounded by the most incredible fashion and. And beauty and all those things. So the vision started to become more and more clear to me as I became more beauty obsessed myself. I always have been my entire life. I came from a mom and a grandma who are also both very, very beauty obsessed. And I feel like they instilled that in me from a very, very young age. And I felt like through my career and through working with some of the most incredible makeup artists and hairstylists and photographers and all these different people, I was really able to just be a sponge and absorb so much from the people that I was lucky enough to work with. And over the years, it just became more and more clear to me that beauty was a space that I really wanted to be a part of. I felt really passionate about it. I felt really interested in it. I am sorry. Such a skincare, like, junkie to the core. I love skincare. I love beauty. So from there, it started to become very clear to me.

[Priya Ra]

It also seems very authentic. You know, I know I'd heard, and I think we've probably all read, you know, you were interested in dabbling in other industries. Maybe it was food, maybe it was fashion. When did the, like, the formal idea for road kind of crystallize?

[Hailey Bieber]

The formal idea really crystallized in 2020 during the pandemic. So that's when I. I would say for a year or two. Even before that, I was thinking, okay, I know I want to do this brand, I know I want to do it in skincare, but I don't really know what that looks like exactly. What is going to be my ethos, what's important to me, what do I really want it to say? What do I want it to look like, feel like? What do I want it to do? And with the pandemic, I was like, okay, we don't know how long this is going to last. We don't know how long we're going to be inside for. I finally felt like I really had the time to sit down and hone in on really what the idea was and what the world was going to look like. And with that time, I was able to call my now co founders Michael Ratner and Lauren Ratner, and I said, hey, I have this idea. I've been thinking about it for a really long time. I call him Ratty. I'm like, radi, I know you are definitely not in this beauty world at all, but here's my idea, and I was wondering if you guys would be interested in helping me. And together with them. And Lauren has a fantastic background in marketing. She's so brilliant and so smart. I came to them, I said, here's my idea, here's the concept, here's what I want to do. Very edited, very curated, really strong brand story, really great visuals, very editorial, very sporty, Very, like, on the go. As somebody who I was really taking all my life experiences and putting it into this brand, I'm like, okay, so when I travel and I'm traveling to set to go to a shoot, here's the things that I always need to have with me. If I was going to be stuck on a desert island, like, what are the three things that I need to have with me when I'm on, You know, when I throw something in my bag, what are those things I need to have? And it started to really evolve from there to this idea of kind of like your skincare wardrobe. Like, the perfect white T shirt, the perfect pair of jeans, the perfect leather jacket. I'm, like, obsessed with leather jackets. I have, like, a crazy, insane, over the top collection. I'm like. But I'm obsessed with finding the perfect leather jacket the same way I'm obsessed with finding the perfect moisturizer. And that was really where the idea stuck to me, where it felt very, very clear that I wanted to make one of everything really good. And that was where that concept came from.

[Priya Ra]

It seems like it kind of helped that it was a bunch of seemingly outsiders from the beauty industry, you know, not your traditional operators, not your traditional. Someone who worked at estee Lauder or L' Oreal for 20 years. That allowed you to kind of break the rules. Is that what you feel like?

[Hailey Bieber]

I think that I was very, very clear from the beginning that I didn't want to do it. Traditionally, I did not want to use an incubator. I explored every avenue you could because I wanted to know what everything looked like, like. But I knew that I wanted to put my own money into it. I knew I wanted to be the majority owner always. And so through the evolution of taking different meetings and talking to different people, I figured out what path was going to be best for me, and that was for me to be the one that put in the majority of the money. And then I found my partner who we came together. They were kind of like my operator at the time. And we just grew it from the ground up organically, from there.

[Priya Ra]

I mean, it's phenomenal, right? I think when all the numbers came out a couple of weeks ago, 212 net sales, all direct to consumer three years. I think everyone was like, what? Like, how do you.

[Hailey Bieber]

I'm like, what?

[Priya Ra]

How did you do that? I mean, it really seems, like, unbelievable. And it really comes down, I think, to all of us in the room. You. I mean, was it your gut? Was it your instinct? What was it?

[Hailey Bieber]

I mean, I will say over everything, I do think that I follow my gut and I follow my instinct. I feel like that's something that's very, very important as a woman. I think that my intuition is very, very strong. My instinct is very, very strong. I feel like that's only increased and only grown as I've developed that and gotten older and had different experiences. But I also have to say, like, our consumer and our customer is just so insanely loyal. And I feel like the thing for me with ROAD is that it's not just about the product. It's the whole entire world of road. It's the way I want people to feel something when they get the products, when they use them. I want them to feel that they are a part of something. And for me, that's like this weird little world I'm building in my brain. That's. It's a lifestyle, it's product, it's a feeling, it's imagery, it's, you know, your phone case. It's so many different things that expand so far outside of beauty to me. And from the beginning, I said, I remember being in a meeting really early on, and I was like, I don't want to just be a beauty company. I want to be a tech company, too. Like, I want to just be more than one box of something. And that's really a big goal of mine, is to keep expanding that world to being so many more things than just beauty and just skincare. Because I think it's possible to be so many more things than just that.

[Priya Ra]

You know, what I think is so interesting is that you've often attached products to things, but first you've created desire. You know, whether it was somebody wanting to mimic your lipstick or your blush or your. You know, you don't call it this, but everybody on the Internet called it this glazed donut skin or latte makeup, which I think is really brilliant because it really does feel like it's you. Do you really feel like the brand is a reflection of what you like and what you.

[Hailey Bieber]

It is like I am road and road is me. And, like, there is no separation to me. Everything that I'm putting out there are things that I genuinely use myself. I don't believe in over consumption. I Don't want to give people something that I wouldn't actually use, that isn't actually part of my routine. That's not something that I genuinely am obsessed with and love and everything that I'm doing, everything, all the videos I'm doing, all the products that I'm using, it's genuinely because I like it. And people, I think, can feel that authenticity. And I want people to really be able to feel me so intrinsically in the brand, but I also want people to be able and want to love the brand outside of me as well. And that's why I'm so focused on the products actually being really, really good and having great formulas and having a great ingredient story. And that's also why I believe in having a great team, because I only what I know. And there's so much that goes beyond me that I don't know. I did not go to school, I did not study this. And that's why I believe in surrounding myself with other really brilliant minds that are the best in class at what they do so that I can give the best in class products.

[Priya Ra]

You are an incredible marketer, though.

[Hailey Bieber]

Thank you.

[Priya Ra]

I mean, I think everyone in the room can agree with that.

[Hailey Bieber]

Who knew?

[Priya Ra]

Well, now you do, right? I would just like to understand, like, how. I mean, what are you thinking about? What is your brain? Like, what's in there? And like, also, when we think about.

[Hailey Bieber]

Faces, there's a lot in there.

[Priya Ra]

When you think about the faces that you've had, like Tate McRae, Claudia Shifur, yesterday, Harris Dickinson, I think, like, whew, like, everyone is excited about that. How are you deciding, like, who represents you and what feels right from a marketing perspective?

[Hailey Bieber]

I mean, I think a lot of it is gut. I think a lot of it is about synergy, too. I think about who feels like they have synergy with the brand. And I want different faces to speak to different people. And I. I also really just believe that road is for everybody. I. I don't always want to be the forward fronting face of the brand because I really want it to expand beyond me. And when it comes to Tate, like, I know Tate behind the scenes too personally, and I feel like she naturally was a fan of the brand, and it just made so much sense for that campaign. When I was thinking about the campaign for the lip shapes, I'm like, okay, so we're calling it lip shape. And what is shape to me? I used to be a dancer and, like, movement is so important to me, and that's why the names bend and Lean and move and spin came from that. And when I thought about who would be so perfect for this campaign, Tate, her body, the way she moves, the way she dances. She's such a performer. I mean, it just was like, light bulb switch. And when it came to Claudia, I'm like. Who is just, like, timeless and chic and beautiful and speaks to so many different generations. I mean, like, I'm a massive fan of her, and my mom is a massive fan of her, and I don't know one person that's not a massive fan of her. And she just speaks so globally to so many different people. So the light bulb went off for her, too. So I just feel like when I start thinking about that kind of, like, merge of face with the brand, I just think about, like, the energy and the synergy. And with Harris, I'm just. I'm a big fan of him and his work, and I felt like he gave off an energy that I felt would really represent road super well.

[Priya Ra]

And he's the first man.

[Hailey Bieber]

He's the first man. Yeah. And I really. That was so important to me because I really, from the beginning, wanted Rhode to feel unisex. And that's why our branding, you know, the colors of a lot of the. Everything is like eggshell and gray. And I try to keep it more sporty feeling than anything because I want anyone to be able to gravitate towards it. And if, you know, you're sleeping over at your boyfriend's house and he sees it, I don't want him to feel like they can't use that either. So I was really excited when we were able to get Harris because it opened up the world even more.

[Priya Ra]

The edits of the products are pretty unbelievable. I mean, I think people have tried to do this before, like a simple wardrobe of makeup, and I think it's really about the execution for you. So how are you deciding, like, what categories you want to play in, what products you do want to do?

[Hailey Bieber]

I really just think about what are my can't live without things? What are the five things, 10 things, 15 things that over the course of time, I can't live without in my skincare cabinet or in my bag or when I travel. And I think that also really changes and involves with age as well. When I started thinking about this brand, it was in 2020. That was five years ago. So, you know, my skin care needs five years ago were one thing, and now they're evolving into other things. So I think about how can I add to this really assorted, curated, edited Lineup that are going to tackle what my skin needs with every season, with every age, during pregnancy, so many different things. And for me the through line is always going to be that like hydration is important and that's something I said from the beginning. Hydration is key. It's so important. Everyone needs hydration no matter what. And I'm really just letting it evolve from there. Like with the mist, I'm like, I love a facial mist. I knew I wanted that to be in the lineup at some point, have to have a cleanser in the routine. So I'm just really taking it with how I'm personally evolving and the things that I really need and see as an essential.

[Priya Ra]

When did you start thinking about retail? Because honestly, you might not have needed it, right? You were three years in the game, you had gotten to this incredible figure. I mean, you could have kept going on the direct route. Why Sephora?

[Imran Ahmed]

Why?

[Priya Ra]

Why retail?

[Hailey Bieber]

I really wanted to go into retail because I really want to expand and I want to reach more people and that's been such a goal for me and I think that my team is so incredible and I think that we have done a really good job as a DTC business, but I really want to reach more countries, more people, I want to get it in more people's hands and I also really want the customers to be able to go have an in person experience. We learned very quickly with all of our pop up experiences how important that was for the customer and how much they enjoyed going touching, feeling, touching the product, seeing the packaging, seeing it irl. And after the first two pop ups we did, it became very, very clear, like this is something that makes a lot of sense for us to be in retail. And of course we went back and forth with it a few different times, but it felt like the right thing.

[Priya Ra]

It also seems like one of the biggest launches Sephora has had in a number of years. I mean, I can't think of. I mean there were some pre pandemic, but this seems to be a really big moment for them as well.

[Hailey Bieber]

Yeah, it's super exciting on both ends. I mean the Sephora team is super amazing. I feel like from their end and our end we have a lot of really good synergy and I'm, I'm really excited.

[Priya Ra]

Are you going to keep doing the pop ups? Do you think that's still going to be part of the equation?

[Hailey Bieber]

I think that we'll definitely do still our own experiences. It's something that I majorly love doing with the branding and with the brand. So I don't think that's ever going to ever going to stop.

[Priya Ra]

We can't not talk about the ELF deal, obviously. Terrence, right here in the audience.

[Imran Ahmed]

When.

[Priya Ra]

Did you start thinking about a partner? You know, I know you just talked about, obviously you want more people to experience road and see it in real life. And you also talked about, you know, I'm good at what I do. I want other people to help me do what they do best. So was a conglomerate in the cards from the beginning or was it something that kind of felt like it was the right time?

[Hailey Bieber]

It was always a conversation of partnership and a great partner. And I think that's very, very hard to come by and very, very hard to find. Rhode is like my baby. I'm so precious about it. And the idea of ever even considering that was a very, very, very big deal to me. And the first time that I ever sat down with the ELF team and met with them, we had a big dinner in la. And I remember walking away and I was like, they're it. I knew it in my gut. I knew it from the first time we had dinner. For the first time, I met their whole team. We just, we said so many of the same things and I was like, we are so like minded. And that feels so good because it makes me have trust that I'm putting something that is so precious and important to me in their hands as well. And their team is just so amazing. And, you know, they really understand and understood that I want to be able to expand and I want to go global. And this is really about partnership more than anything for me. And they really just care so much about their founders. And I think that's another rare thing that you don't really find or is at least very hard to find where you feel so supported as the founder. And I always really wanted to stay on. I always wanted to be there and even expand my role. I wanted, I'm here. I want to do more. I have, like, this is just the beginning to me. I have so many dreams for this brand that I see still coming and I see still happening that I really felt they wanted to support that. And yeah, you know, when I talked.

[Priya Ra]

To Turing a couple of weeks ago, he said he doesn't think of you as a celebrity beauty founder. And we've seen so many of those kind of come and go. I mean, what do you think it is about you, that kind of bucks that trend?

[Hailey Bieber]

I mean, I am a beauty lover, like through and through. I love being part of the beauty community. I feel very immersed in it. I feel very immersed in the world of skincare. I really, like, am about my business and I really am about, like, being so intricately involved in my business because to me, it's so much more than that. It's me come to life in this world that I've built and I just couldn't see it any other way. So it's like I don't even know how to separate it because I can't see it any other way. It's like Rhode is. Is my world, you know?

[Priya Ra]

Do you think it's the focus also? Like, this is your job. Like, I mean, I. The way that I hear you talk about it is not the way that other people may, you know, they may have their other side hustles. It just seems like you're so.

[Hailey Bieber]

It's so interesting because it so doesn't feel like a job to me. Like, I love what I do. I love building this brand. I love being a part of it. It has brought me the most joy. It's given me so much passion. It has taught me so, so, so much. I mean, the things that I have learned through this process, I would never have learned anywhere else. And that really comes from, like, being boots on the ground and really just being around so many brilliant people that I'm learning from and that are teaching me so much. I would have never known about margins and things like this if you asked me five years ago. But it feels really empowering and really cool to be part of something from the ground up and just to continue to keep expanding it and expanding my role and putting more things out into the world that hopefully people love.

[Priya Ra]

We've talked about Sephora, we've talked about Elf. You know, obviously you have great expansion plans there.

[Hailey Bieber]

But.

[Priya Ra]

But where do you see rhode in like 5, 10, 20 years? I mean, is this a forever brand? And we talk about that a lot in Beauty. Like, who's going to be around, you know, not even tomorrow, but in a decade.

[Hailey Bieber]

I mean, I really do see. I know we've only been around for three years and we're still such a baby, but I do see us being a legacy brand. I said it from the beginning. That is my goal. Rode's going to go down as one of the greats. I really believe that. At least that's really what I want and I'm passionate about that. And I do think that we are taking the steps to be a brand that lasts the test of time. And, you know, I don't plan on going anywhere. So yeah.

[Priya Ra]

Thank you so much Hayley. It was great having you. Thank you.

[Imran Ahmed]

The BOF podcast is edited and produced by Olivia Davies and Eric Brea. Hi, I'm Adam Grant, host of the podcast Work Life. For over 20 years, Paylocity has been simplifying work with innovative solutions that teams love like On Demand Payment, which offers employees access to wages prior to payday, flexible time tracking features which enable staff to clock in and out through their mobile device, and numerous other cutting edge solutions that simplify collaboration across hr, finance and it. Learn more about how Paylocity can help streamline work and enhance business outcomes for your [e-mail] simplified if you work as a manufacturing facilities engineer, installing a new piece of equipment can be as complex as the machinery itself. From prep to alignment and testing, it's your team's job to put it all together. That's why it's good to have Grainger on your side. With industrial grade products and next day delivery, Grainger helps ensure you have everything you need close at hand through every step of the installation. Call 1-800-GRAINGER Click grainger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.