Renegades | Amy Huang Liu Finds the Beauty in Life
Gold House
The leading cultural ecosystem that unites, invests in, and champions Asian Pacific creators and companies.
Welcome to Renegades, Gold House's newsletter series spotlighting Asian Pacific leaders and creatives who are carving their unique paths and defying stereotypes along the way. This week's Renegade is Tower 28 Beauty, Inc. founder Amy Liu !
Amy discusses the realities of entrepreneurship, favorite social trends, and the Clean Beauty Summer School, a mentorship and grant program for BIPOC-owned small beauty businesses.
What did you want to be when you were growing up? And how does it compare to what you currently do?
My dad was an entrepreneur, but if you ask him he would say he didn’t have a choice but to be an entrepreneur. He immigrated to America from Taiwan and always said that entrepreneurship was the only way around the glass ceiling for immigrants, especially those for whom English is a second language. I grew up watching him feel all the highs and lows, being fully immersed and passionate. He actually encouraged me to keep working corporate because entrepreneurship is too hard!
Earning a 100% merit-based full tuition scholarship to USC Marshall School of Business is one of the many testimonies of your hard work, passion, and ambition growing up. What was that feeling like when you received that news?
I am so grateful for that scholarship for the obvious reasons (money!) but also it came at a time when I was feeling deeply insecure and unsure of myself. It was a vote of confidence that I needed. I think we all need those moments when we get signs that we are on the right path and everything is going to be okay. 20 years later, I recently won the USC entrepreneur of the year award and it felt like such a full circle moment.
Being a successful entrepreneur often requires significant time, sacrifice, and dedication. How do you craft a balance between your professional pursuits with Tower 28 and your personal life?
I don’t know if the right word is balance, honestly! I think it ebbs and flows, but ultimately I always make sure I show up for everyone in my life. Role modeling for my three children what it looks like to be passionate and happy, chasing my dreams, and doing what I love is what it’s all about.
Are there any role models or mentors that have profoundly influenced your approach to leadership and business?
Everyone says that founders are crazy and I am self-aware enough to realize I’m not immune to being crazy myself! But that said, I really like to think that spending so much time as an employee and working for founders makes me a more empathetic founder today because at least I know what it’s like. Ultimately, I subscribe to the saying that people don’t leave companies, they leave managers. I am not a perfect leader but I definitely care about the team and their experience which guides my approach.
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For individuals aspiring to follow in your footsteps, what piece of advice would you give them? Is there something you wish you had known when you first started your entrepreneurial journey?
Be kind and work hard! I’m a firm believer that you earn your reputation. Warren Buffett once famously cautioned don’t do anything you wouldn’t want seen written on the cover of a newspaper. With social media’s ubiquity, I think that advice is more current than ever. The beauty industry is small, and I’ve been lucky enough to cross paths with the same people in different capacities. For instance, I met the Sephora buyer I work with today when I was working in marketing on a brand years ago, and she was just starting out as a coordinator!
Tower 28 has gained a loyal following across social media platforms. What is a fun/funny trend you have seen online that you have implemented into your product marketing?
I have kids and they LOVE squishmallows. I was inspired by their cute faces and created our SOS mascot with their likeness in mind to help bring our #1 product to life! It’s also a friendly way for us to educate on social media etc.
Building a successful brand involves a lot of collaboration. Can you share a specific example of a collaborative effort that has had a significant impact on Tower 28's success?
The Clean Beauty Summer School, a mentorship and grant program for BIPOC-owned small beauty businesses I spearheaded 4 years ago, is a great example of the power of collaboration. I am so proud of my peers for stepping up and getting involved, from leading educational sessions, to being mentors and judges, and even donating their own resources. We’re so excited for the 5th year of CBSS, coming up this summer and will be expanding into a founder track as well as an IRL summit!
As someone who has demonstrated a remarkable ability to innovate in the beauty industry with Tower 28, how do you nurture and encourage creativity within yourself?
It’s all about who you surround yourself with. I’m so lucky to have an incredibly driven, creative, and passionate team, so I end up finding myself trying to match that energy and continually try to think outside the box! I think it’s important to keep up with industry trends but I also think it’s good to look to other industries for innovation - specifically, I look to food quite often.
What is an upcoming project that you are particularly excited about? And why?
We have a really exciting collaboration coming up soon with a brand and fellow female founder I’ve admired since day 1 – watch this space :)
Lightning Round
A true renegade. So proud of you, Amy Liu!!! Love ya xoxo