Coffee N° 5 with Lara Schmoisman

Episodes

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  Preserving Heritage in a Digital World with C.O. Bigelow CEO Ian Ginsburg 27.10.2026 31m

  Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Coffee N°5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Ian Ginsburg, CEO of C.O. Bigelow. Recorded live at Cosmoprof (with a huge thank you to the Cosmoprof team for hosting us!), Ian dives into the rich history of America's oldest apothecary and how it successfully transitioned into a modern retail and e-commerce powerhouse. From creating deeply emotional customer connections in-store to navigating brand licensing, digital transformation, and future longevity trends, this...
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  The Death of Generic Marketing: Fernando Acosta on AI, Sensory Marketing & Global Scale 20.10.2026 30m

  Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Coffee N°5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Fernando Acosta. Recorded live at Cosmoprof (with a huge thank you to the Cosmoprof team for hosting us!), Fernando shares his journey from Buenos Aires to leading global brands, unpacking what it really takes to build brand equity on an international scale. From the story of Rexona's global brand harmonization to balancing local market adaptation, this conversation uncovers how sensory marketing, AI, and empathetic le...
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  The Power of Human Touch in Customer Experience 13.10.2026 28m

  Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Coffee N°5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Lisa Green. Recorded live at Cosmoprof (with a huge thank you to the Cosmoprof team for hosting us!), Lisa shares her deep expertise in retail strategy, customer experience, and the irreplaceable power of the human touch. From building community-driven retail environments to ensuring diversity and representation in product offerings, this conversation uncovers what it takes to connect authentically with modern consumer...
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  The Future of Beauty: Trends and Insights with Noah Rosenblatt 29.09.2026 34m

  Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Coffee N°5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Noah Rosenblatt. Recorded live at Cosmoprof (with a huge thank you to the Cosmoprof team for hosting us!), Noah shares deep insights into the rapid evolution of the beauty industry, digital transformation, and modern brand curation. From building sustainable brand longevity in an oversaturated market to navigating fragrance trends and wellness integration, this conversation uncovers what it takes to expand distribution...
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  Asian Beauty is so much more that K-Beauty: What Brands get dead wrong 22.09.2026 27m

  Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Coffee N°5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Linda Dang, founder of Sakoshi. Linda shares her expert insights on the evolution of Asian beauty in North America, moving far beyond traditional K-beauty trends. From navigating cultural localization and brand readiness to building seamless omnichannel retail experiences, this conversation uncovers what it takes for emerging skincare and beauty brands to successfully scale, differentiate themselves, and conquer compet...
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  Aspen's Little Dirty Secret: How Cos Bar Secretly Built a Luxury Empire 15.09.2026 31m

  Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Coffee N°5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Oliver Garfield, former COO and Co-President of Cos Bar. Oliver dives into the remarkable history of Cos Bar, founded in Aspen by his mother, Lily Garfield and how it evolved into a premier luxury beauty retailer. From building scalable infrastructure and navigating early-stage growth to mastering retail education, brand positioning, and digital trends, this conversation uncovers what it takes to scale a luxury beauty ...
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  What Law School Didn't Teach Her About Sales 08.09.2026 28m

  Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Coffee N°5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Mara, a powerhouse sales leader and healthcare entrepreneur. Mara shares her inspiring journey from a challenging start in law to building a multi-million dollar career in healthcare sales and leadership. From mastering the art of the pitch to understanding why resilience and rejection are essential stepping stones to success, this conversation uncovers what it truly takes to build, lead, and scale high-performing sale...
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  The Death of Guesswork: How Sorcea Decodes Real Consumer Reviews 01.09.2026 25m

  Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Coffee N°5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Jadon Wyant, CEO of Sorcea. Jadon dives into how data-driven insights are transforming the beauty and wellness industries, sharing how his platform cuts through the noise of an oversaturated market. From collecting authentic consumer experiences to helping brands refine their marketing strategies, this conversation uncovers the methodology behind turning raw data into powerful social proof for skincare, cosmetics...
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  Therapy Is Expensive, so We Built an AI Alien Guardian Angel 25.08.2026 27m

  Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Coffee N°5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Quinten Farmer, founder of Portola and creator of Tolan. Quinten dives into his journey of developing an innovative personal AI that acts as a supportive companion to help users navigate overwhelm and life's everyday challenges. From exploring ethical considerations and data privacy to designing a non-human, lovable alien character, this conversation uncovers what it takes to build AI platforms that prioritize emotiona...
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  How Beauty Heroes Revolutionized Clean Skincare Shopping 09.06.2026 30m

  Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Coffee N°5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Jeannie Jarnot, founder of Beauty Heroes. Jeannie dives into her transition from spa management to pioneering a clean, sustainable, and highly effective beauty marketplace. From establishing strict ingredient standards to navigating a decade of evolving consumer behavior, this conversation uncovers what it truly takes for brands to succeed in highly curated environments while maintaining authenticity, consistency, and ...
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  From Secretary to Industry Leader: Elana S Drell Szyfer's Journey 02.06.2026 33m

  Send us Fan Mail How do you climb from an entry-level secretarial role to the executive suites of the beauty world? In this episode of Coffee N°5, we sit down with beauty industry powerhouse Elana S Drell Szyfer. Elana shares her remarkable journey, offering a masterclass in career development, leadership, and the shifting dynamics of the beauty and wellness landscape. Whether you are climbing the corporate ladder in a global powerhouse or navigating the agile waters of a startup, Elana’s ins...
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  Breaking Taboos in Sexual Wellness: The Future of Women’s Pleasure with Maria Warrington 05.05.2026 25m

  Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Coffee N°5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Maria Warrington, CEO of Beacon Brands. Maria dives into the evolving world of sexual wellness, sharing what it really takes to build, market, and scale a brand in one of the most restricted yet fastest-growing industries. From breaking taboos to redefining pleasure as part of overall wellness, this conversation uncovers the strategies behind connecting with modern consumers while navigating cultural, political, and di...
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  Raising Capital & Scaling: What Investors REALLY Look for in Beauty Brands 27.04.2026 28m

  Send us Fan Mail In Episode of Coffee N5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Ilya Seglin, Managing Director at Raymond James. Ilya dives deep into the world of finance, explaining what it takes for a brand to raise growth capital or achieve a successful strategic exit. They discuss the reality of "alphabet soup" fundraising (Series A, B, and beyond) and why having a "forever brand" is the ultimate goal for major acquirers. • Key Topics Covered: The difference between Strategic Acquirers and Private E...
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  The Future of Wellness: AI and Luxury Experiences with Tom | Coffee N5 22.04.2026 32m

  Send us Fan Mail The Future of Wellness: AI and Luxury Experiences with Tom | Coffee N5 In Episode 248 of Coffee N5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Tom, a leading consultant in the luxury skincare and wellness space. They explore a often overlooked but highly lucrative channel: Hospitality. Tom shares insights on how brands can move beyond traditional retail and tap into luxury hotels and resorts, the reality of "career consultants," and how AI is set to revolutionize the guest experience throu...
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  Beyond the Business Card: Strategic Networking with Mike Ryan | Coffee N5 14.04.2026 30m

  Send us Fan Mail Beyond the Business Card: Strategic Networking with Mike Ryan | Coffee N5 In Episode 247 of Coffee N5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Mike Ryan, a true master of professional relationships and a veteran of the PR and marketing industry. In this episode, they dive deep into the world of professional relationship building, the critical importance of "showing up," and how Mike has successfully navigated the digital revolution from the days of hand-typed press releases to creating ...
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  The Future of Hormone Health: Community, Clean Living, and Preventative Wellness with Sara Jensen 10.03.2026 24m

  Send us Fan Mail In this Coffee Nº5 episode, Lara Schmoisman sits down with Sara Jensen—serial entrepreneur, author, and Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Hugh & Grace—to explore hormone health, preventative wellness, chemical exposure, and the rise of community-driven commerce. We'll talk about: How 14 years of infertility reshaped Sara’s understanding of hormone healthThe hidden impact of hormone-disrupting chemicals in skincare, haircare, and home productsWhy “clean beauty” lacks a clear defi...
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  The Power of Kindness: Longevity, Entrepreneurship, and Building a Legacy with Dr. Brent Ridge 03.03.2026 33m

  Send us Fan Mail In this Coffee Nº5 episode, Lara Schmoisman sits down with Dr. Brent Ridge—physician, longevity researcher, co-founder of Beekman 1802, and co-author of Goat Wisdom—to explore the science of longevity, microbiome innovation, and why kindness is a powerful long-term business strategy. We'll talk about: Why extreme longevity is influenced more by optimism and social connection than by geneticsHow the “anti-aging” narrative became a fear-based marketing constructWhy longevity ...
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  The Reality of Social Commerce: Creators, AI, and What Actually Drives Sales with Bora Mutluoglu 24.02.2026 30m

  Send us Fan Mail In this Coffee Nº5 episode, Lara Schmoisman sits down with Bora Mutluoglu, co-founder of Reacher and Y Combinator alum, to break down the reality of social commerce. Using TikTok Shop as a case study, they explore automation, affiliate strategy, creator relationships, and how AI-generated content is reshaping sustainable growth. We'll talk about: Why the “easy sales” narrative around TikTok Shop is misleadingHow social commerce is maturing into a performance-driven ecosyste...
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  Redefining Ambition: From Burnout to Purpose with Amina AlTai 17.02.2026 23m

  Send us Fan Mail In this Coffee Nº5 episode, Lara Schmoisman sits down with Amina AlTai—holistic business and career coach, proud immigrant, chronic illness advocate, host of the Amina Change Your Life podcast, and author of The Ambition Trap: How to Stop Chasing and Start Living—to explore the psychology of ambition. From burnout and hustle culture to core wounds, systemic pressure, and sustainable growth, this conversation reframes ambition as alignment, awareness, and purpose—not endless s...
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  Demystifying PR with Jennifer Bickerton & Lauren Kahn 10.02.2026 49m

  Send us Fan Mail In this Coffee Nº5 episode, Lara Schmoisman sits down with Jennifer Bickerton and Lauren Kahn, Co-Founders of Intersection PR, to demystify what PR really looks like in 2026. From AI and media fragmentation to influencer economics, launches, and integrated ecosystems, this conversation breaks down how brands actually build relevance, authority, and momentum today. We'll talk about: Why PR in 2026 is an ecosystem—not a standalone functionThe myth of “just PR” and why siloed te...