Emilie Mascarell

Emilie Mascarell is the CEO and founder of Emilie Consulting, a consulting agency based in New York that specializes in fragrance and beauty product strategy and development. The agency takes a holistic approach to product development, offering customized solutions that cater to the unique needs and goals of each client.

Emilie began her career in beauty marketing at Coty and L’Oréal in Paris, France after earning an MBA in Luxury Marketing. Later, she relocated to New York where she spent a decade overseeing product development at Le Labo, from its early start-up stages to becoming a multi-million dollar company that was eventually acquired by Estée Lauder.

What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?

I start by bringing my 3 year old son to school. When I come back, I take 30 minutes to relax, take a coffee and mentally plan my day and priorities. I then catch up on urgent emails and work on tasks that require the most concentration and attention as it’s the time I’m the most focused. I’d often get into meetings after that to meet with clients, suppliers and new contacts. I’ll then use the end of my day to catch up on less urgent requests and emails and do any competitive research work or lighter tasks.

How do you bring ideas to life?

My network has grown over time and has become very supportive in helping me bring new ideas to life or guiding me in the right direction. If I’m stuck, I also look into other industries for inspiration and solutions.

What’s one trend that excites you?

Overall, I am very excited to see all the amazing innovations happening in the sustainability space across all industries. While there is still a long way to go, it is a big step forward.

What is one habit that helps you be productive?

I keep blocked times in my calendar with no meetings. Coming from the corporate world, I used to feel drained at the end of long days filled with back-to-back meetings. As a consultant, I enjoy the luxury of setting my own schedule and limiting meetings so I can optimize my time and increase my productivity.

What advice would you give your younger self?

To not stay in my comfort zone or the comfort zone that others have defined for me. I would tell myself that I am capable of achieving more than I think I can and that it’s ok to not have all the answers from the start.

Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you.

That I don’t need to be on TikTok to grow my business… Maybe I’m lying to myself?

What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?

Putting things into perspective. When you’re running your own business, it’s easy to get caught up in the details and start magnifying every little thing. However, this is not sustainable in the long run. It’s important to take a step back, gain some perspective, and focus on the bigger picture.

When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?

I take a break, make myself a cup of tea, and start looking at my list of tasks. I then make a plan on how to manage them all, rescheduling non-urgent things where possible.

I use a project management tool that helps me keep track of everything and move things around as needed so luckily it doesn’t happen too often.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?

Approaching everything with mindfulness and care. I bring the same attention to detail to every project that I work on, as if it were my own brand. By consistently delivering that level of care and going above and beyond to bring my clients’ vision to life, I’ve been able to build strong relationships and earn their trust.

What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?

Early on, I struggled with hiring decisions, relying too much on emotions and gut feeling. A coach advised me to create a clear list of skills and experience for candidates which helped me a lot in making better decisions based on facts instead of feelings.

What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?

Imagine a delivery service that brings the food and drinks featured in a cooking show (or even Shark Tank) to your door as you’re watching it. It may not be the most profitable idea… But I’m the first customer the day it happens 🙂

What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?

The project management tool Trello. I put all my tasks, follow ups, deliverable dates there and it gives me a quick overview of my priorities.

What is the best $100 you recently spent?

I purchased several beauty products for a client’s project, and it was totally worth the money. Keeping up with the latest trends and experimenting the products firsthand is so critical in the beauty industry to make sure you provide the best recommendations.

Do you have a favorite book or podcast from which you’ve received much value?

I got great learnings from the book “Set Boundaries Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself” by Nedra Glover Tawwab. As someone who tends to be a perfectionist and a people-pleaser, I struggle with setting boundaries. This book has helped me understand how to establish healthy boundaries and confidently communicate them to others.

What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?

“The Last of Us” is my current favorite. The production is absolutely stunning, the cast is phenomenal, and the storyline is so gripping that you can’t help but become emotionally invested in the characters.

Key learnings:

• Step outside of your comfort zone to gain valuable learning experiences and achieve personal growth.
• Tailor your daily schedule to your work style and reserve time for strategic thinking without interruptions from meetings.
• Consistently deliver exceptional care, mindfulness, and attention to detail across all projects and clients to build a strong reputation and long-lasting business relationships.