As Managing Director and Head of Beauty and Personal Care at Raymond James, Vennette Ho Lee is a dealmaking powerhouse and BeautyMatter’s 2024 Person of the Year.
Here are the five key takeaways from BeautyMatter’s NEXT fireside chat with Vennette Ho.
1️⃣ Investment banking is like a team sport, thriving on collaboration and diverse expertise to tackle complex financial challenges.
2️⃣ Founders play a critical role in business, with 75% of Raymond James deals involving active founder participation in key transactions like mergers, acquisitions, and capital raises.
3️⃣ As "beauty's banker," Vennette is often the first call for those raising funds or exiting. Her approach starts with honest questions: Can we help? Can we support their goals? Do we have a clear vision?
4️⃣ Despite fundraising challenges and increased brand exits, Vennette views these fluctuations as temporary. While consumer slowdowns have caused some nervousness, the beauty and wellness industry remains strong, consistently outpacing the S&P with an optimistic long-term outlook.
5️⃣ A focused product assortment is key to brand success, reducing customer acquisition costs and building identity. While retailers push for new offerings, brands should prioritize core strengths and maintain an efficient, streamlined lineup.
Read more insights from our fireside chat with beauty's dealmaker, Vennette ho: https://lnkd.in/e77eT3Ai
📝 Cristina Montemayor
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