Susan Yara (Co-founder, Naturium): From Skincare Influencer to $355M Beauty Founder

What happens when influence isn’t just about followers—but about power, ownership, and rewriting the rules of an entire industry?

In this episode of Mission Critical, Lance chats with Susan Yara—content creator turned beauty entrepreneur, and the co-founder of Naturium, one of the fastest-growing skincare brands in the business.

She started in front of the camera. Built trust. Built community. And then she flipped the script, turning her influence into infrastructure. Naturium scaled fast, stood out in a crowded market, and was acquired by e.l.f. Beauty for a reported $355 million. But behind the success story is a woman who’s navigated every tension: between personal brand and product brand, between representation and responsibility, between being taken seriously and staying true to where she came from.

In this conversation, Lance and Susan talk about what it really means to have influence that lasts—not just in beauty, but in business.

Episode highlights and takeaways:

• Why legacy brands are watching: Susan shares how indie beauty brands like Naturium are driving innovation and forcing legacy players to catch up.

• Representation done right: Susan talks about the responsibility (and strategy) of creating an inclusive brand without tokenism — and how her multicultural background shaped her vision.

• From startup to acquisition: What it really takes to scale fast, keep your soul, and partner with a company like e.l.f. to go global without losing your original mission.

• The power of analytics: She reveals how understanding her audience through content data gave her a roadmap for product development, retail strategy, and growth.

• Creating vs. scaling: The difference between building a personal brand and building a business—and why separating the two is essential if you want to exit.