The Safari

The Artist Inspired by Nature: Founder, Michael Aram

Trained as a painter, sculptor, and art historian, Michael has neatly applied his diverse background to the decorative arts. Lyrical and often witty, his work encompasses a wide range of media and reveals a rich and variant source of inspiration – nature, mythology, narrative storytelling, and purified form. Michael’s work is also a celebration of craft and age-old hand working traditions. It is the enduring fusion of these ideals – originality, narrative, and craftsmanship – that has become the hallmark of this gifted artist.

 

Fascinated with the richness of the living crafts tradition which he discovered on his first trip to Delhi, Michael set up a studio in India where he has created his work for over 30 years. Today, over 200 artisans work alongside him in his workshop where the same creative interaction between artist and artisan remains the source of every object that Michael makes.

 

Interviewed by Kate Doerge.

The Scent Master: Founder & CEO of Perfumehead, Daniel Patrick Giles

Daniel Patrick Giles is a visionary executive with over 25 years of success in building prestige beauty brands, including Benefit Cosmetics, Perricone MD, Too Faced Cosmetics, and as a founding partner of Peace Out Skincare. In 2022, he launched his luxury fragrance brand, Perfumehead, with a mission to explore the Osmocosm through beautiful scents and fascinating stories.

 

Giles possesses extensive experience in developing transformative marketing strategies and is recognized as a bold leader known for his innovative thinking, creativity, and thought leadership. His unique experience includes working directly with brand founders, strategic partners, private equity partners, and board members.

 

Interviewed by Kate Doerge.

The Future of Live Shopping: Founder & CEO of Stage TEN, Dave Lazar

Dave Lazar has been advancing the state of the art in digital media throughout his career. An interactive content pioneer and software entrepreneur, Lazar is the founder and CEO of Stage TEN, the world’s leading platform for interactive content and commerce.

 

Interviewed by Mortimer Singer.

Two Perspectives, One Vision: Veronica Miele Beard & Veronica Swanson Beard, Founders of Veronica Beard

Veronica Beard was founded by sisters-in-law Veronica Miele Beard and Veronica Swanson Beard in 2010. What began as a rack of dickey jackets has expanded into a full lifestyle collection for the women who make it happen.

 

Their motto: Look good, feel good, do good.

 

Veronica Miele Beard is from North Caldwell, New Jersey, and hails from the world of finance. She worked in sales and trading at multiple investment banks on Wall Street—and did a stint in ad sales at Vogue—before becoming a partner and COO at technology hedge fund, Coatue, where she learned to take risks and build a business. A mother of five, Veronica loves to travel and take her kids off the grid.

 

Veronica Swanson Beard grew up on both coasts, in San Francisco, California and Naples, Florida. Her career in fashion started at Narciso Rodriguez and Alberta Ferretti, in wholesale, and as a buyer for Marissa Collections in Florida. If not a fashion designer, this mother of three would be flipping real estate and designing interiors.

 

Interviewed by Kate Doerge.

Made By Hand, Designed for Life: CEO of Simon Pearce, Jay Benson

Jay Benson is CEO of Simon Pearce in Windsor, VT.  He joined Simon Pearce in 2017.  Prior to his current position, Jay has been a CFO, a strategic consultant, and a member of the management team of TeleAtlas/TomTom. Jay has a BA from Dartmouth College and an MBA from The Tuck School at Dartmouth. Jay serves on several boards, including Ledyard National Bank and Love Your Brain Foundation.

 

Interviewed by Kate Doerge.

Morty Singer on The Private Equity Podcast with Alex Rawlings

Morty Singer joins Alex Rawlings on The Private Equity Podcast to discuss the importance of culture in private equity, investing in the consumer industry, and more.

 

Alex Rawlings is the Founder & Managing partner of Raw Selection, an executive search firm that specializes in working with Private Equity firms and their portfolio companies across Europe and North America. On his podcast, Alex interviews the leading experts in the Private Equity industry to unlock their secrets of success.

Bringing Art, Love and Joy into the Home: Sara Story Design

Since founding her eponymous design firm, Sara Story has forged a reputation for imparting to all of her projects an ineffable style she can truly call her own. Drawing inspiration from extensive travels, an active interest in contemporary art and fashion, and a rigorous lifestyle, Sara wields a keen eye to exact her aesthetic vision. The firm continues to work on residential and commercial projects worldwide and maintains several successful product collaborations, including wallpaper and hardware. Sara earned a B.F.A. from the University of San Diego and holds a degree in Interior Architecture from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. She is also an active member of the Artemis Council of the New Museum, America's Society, and the Design Leadership Network. This fall, Story released her debut monograph with Rizzoli, "The Art of Home."

 

Interviewed by Kate Doerge.

The Magic of Fruit-Powered Skincare: Glow Recipe’s Sarah Lee and Christine Chang

Sarah Lee and Christine Chang are the dynamic entrepreneurial pair who founded the groundbreaking skincare brand Glow Recipe.

A seasoned expert on the global beauty consumer, Sarah Lee boasts a deep and unique cross-functional resume that spans product development, business strategy, and global marketing. Sarah began her career at L’Oréal, leading product development and retail partnerships with a global lens. Sarah blends her deep understanding of product formulation science with years of successfully bringing brands to market to drive strategy and execution of Glow Recipe’s vision. Sarah resides in Miami with her husband.

Combining her passion for skincare with an extensive background in marketing, brand & business development, sales and product development, Christine Chang maintains a wealth of knowledge when it comes to international beauty. Christine’s foray into beauty started at L’Oreal where she spearheaded global business development, retail, marketing and digital strategy. Christine's expertise in skincare formulations paired with her strategic experience in launching and growing brands is invaluable to Glow Recipe's mission. Christine resides in New York City with her husband and daughter.

 

Interviewed by Kate Doerge.

Fostering Fashion’s Future Talent: Executive Director of the Fashion Scholarship Fund, Peter Arnold

Peter Arnold is the Executive Director of the Fashion Scholarship Fund, the foremost fashion-oriented education and workforce development nonprofit in the U.S. Together with Virgil Abloh, Peter established the Virgil Abloh “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund (which is administered by the Fashion Scholarship Fund). Peter Arnold is an accomplished fashion industry veteran with leadership experience as the Executive Director of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, the CEO for notable fashion designers Cushnie et Ochs and Cynthia Rowley, and the President of John Varvatos Enterprises. Leveraging his passion for the world of fashion, business acumen and creative sensibility, he has successfully partnered with and advised boards of directors to provide the strategic vision, leadership and guidance to take their organizations to the next level. Peter is a National Advisory Board Member of the St. Louis Fashion Fund, and a Board Advisor at Roller Rabbit, New York.

 

Peter is an Adjunct Professor, Fashion Law Institute at Fordham University School of Law. He received his J.D. from New York University School of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Wesleyan University.

 

Interviewed by Kate Doerge.

The Branding Expert: Personal & Consumer Brand Strategist, Aliza Licht

ALIZA LICHT is an award-winning marketer, bestselling author, podcaster, personal branding expert, and the founder of LEAVE YOUR MARK, a multimedia brand and consultancy. She advises businesses and mentors individuals on brand building and career development. Licht leverages over two decades of expertise in marketing, communications, and digital strategy in the fashion industry. She was named one of "America's Next Top Mentors" by The New York Times and Business Insider's "Top 20 Most Innovative Career Coaches."

 

As a social media pioneer and one of the first fashion influencers, Licht created and was the voice of the anonymous social media phenomenon DKNY PR GIRL. Licht is a sought-after keynote speaker and sits on several industry boards. Her first book, Leave Your Mark, was published in 2015. Her new book, On Brand: Shape Your Narrative. Share Your Vision. Shift Their Perception is a comprehensive roadmap to building your personal brand. She lives in New York City with her husband, two children, and two dogs. Find her online at alizalicht.com and @alizalichtxo.

 

Interviewed by Kate Doerge.