by Caroline Clarke

February 15, 2012

8 Things You Never Knew About Carol’s Daughter Founder Lisa Price

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For the Power Player segment on the latest episode of Black Enterprise Business Report, I got the opportunity to sit down with Lisa Price, the founder of the popular beauty brand Carol’s Daughter. During our conversation we covered a host of topics, but not all made it on air (read “6 Secrets to Success from Carol’s Daughter Founder Lisa Price”).  This week, I wanted to share some of the quirky outtakes from my interview with her. So here’s 8 things you never knew about Price.

• She’s a morning–and a nighttime person:

“Yesterday I got up at 5:30am–a little bit late. I flew to Chicago, spent the whole day at a facility getting products demonstrated, studying the results, looking at marketing presentations, doing a focus group… I flew back and got home at 3:15 in the morning and had to get up, come back to work and be on a conference call at 9:30. I have to go to a work-related event tonight, so I’ll be going until about 11, and then I’ll start over again tomorrow.”

• She’s won two Oscars (sort of):

“Mary J. Blige’s first fragrance received two FiFi awards, which are the Oscars of fragrance. I know not everybody knows that but it’s true–and we have two of them… Not one, but two!”

• There’s an actual kitchen in her office:

“I am still standing at my stove, or my blender or mixer, playing with ingredients, experimenting with combinations, loving that creative part of this business. I have some skincare products that I’m working on with an oil called Tamanu, which is from French Polynesia. I also come in here to make gifts for people.”

• She wants her children to pursue their dreams, not hers:

“I’d love if my children were entrepreneurs but not necessarily in this business. I want them to do what they’d like to do. Although, it would be quite interesting to see my daughter, Becca, take over the helm because she’s a trip. There would be a lot of pink lip-gloss if she were in charge. We’d have a new shade of pink every other day.”

• This former singer still dreams big dreams:

“Doing a concert with Prince! And having lunch with Jill Scott. Those are right up there. Also, starting a clothing line [which she’ll be doing for HSN next spring].”

• Her personal mantra: This too shall pass:

“I live in the moment, which is a good thing. But I can get so caught up in what’s happening if it’s not going right that I have to remind myself that tomorrow is going to come and it’s going to be a new day with a new set of challenges, so don’t get too wrapped up in this one.”

• She has a favorite fragrance, still:

“I love my woodsy–what we call dirty notes–the patchoulis and the sandalwood and the vetiver. But I’m obsessed with rose. I have been since I was a little girl.”

• Her family uses–and sometimes tests–the products. But special folks get custom stuff:

“My middle son and I use Hair Milk in our hair everyday, and the Monoi Repairing Collection is our favorite. I use our peppermint foot lotion, our Sage and Shea Foot Butter, the Body Aches Bath Salts, and Body Jelly–I use that to take my makeup off and I love it! My daughter is obsessed with Almond Cookie and my older son actually has me make him shower gels with fragrances he likes, so he gets custom stuff.”

Editor’s note: For the record, little Miss Blue Ivy Carter and her famous folks, Carol’s Daughter investors Beyoncé and Jay-Z, also get custom stuff, including hot-mama pregnancy collection, followed last month by a very special baby basket, the contents of which Price handmade.