DiscoverThe Room Where It HappenedBranding Secrets That Took 'The Ordinary' to #1 & Tragic Loss of Their Co-Founder | Nicola Kilner
Branding Secrets That Took 'The Ordinary' to #1 & Tragic Loss of Their Co-Founder | Nicola Kilner

Branding Secrets That Took 'The Ordinary' to #1 & Tragic Loss of Their Co-Founder | Nicola Kilner

Update: 2025-10-07
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Description

As co-founder and former CEO of Deciem, Nicola Kilner helped build one of the most disruptive beauty companies of the last decade, but the journey was far from straightforward.


In this episode, Nicola shares the career-defining advice she received from Estée Lauder’s Leonard Lauder, the bold decision to boycott Black Friday in favor of values over sales, and the unexpected rise of The Ordinary, a brand that went from retail rejection to global sensation. She also reflects on navigating the turbulence of co-founder Brandon Truaxe’s mental health crisis, stepping down to focus on family, and the lessons she’s learned about leadership, authenticity, and building brands that truly last.


It’s a story of persistence, purpose, and the power of putting people and principles at the center of business.


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Branding Secrets That Took 'The Ordinary' to #1 & Tragic Loss of Their Co-Founder | Nicola Kilner

Branding Secrets That Took 'The Ordinary' to #1 & Tragic Loss of Their Co-Founder | Nicola Kilner