Women Of The C-Suite: Rachel Clinesmith Of Vampyre Cosmetics LLC On The Five Things You Need To Succeed As A Senior Executive

An Interview With Ming Zhao

First off: until you fail in a really huge way, you’ll never be able to succeed. My first makeup line failed very publicly. This created a large backlash from customers. I took full responsibility, and took a couple years to pay back debts and fix things before starting my next line, but it was a brutal lesson. I was able to build this brand up so quickly because of the mistakes I made the first time around. I knew exactly what to do, and not to do, ten years later.

As a part of our interview series called “Women Of The C-Suite” , we had the pleasure of interviewing Rachel Clinesmith.

Rachel Clinesmith has been creating unique cosmetics for several independent brands including her own brands Vampyre Cosmetics & Alchemy Mythosis, since 2011. Products she has designed are in over 80 independent stores around the world and have been featured in Italian Vogue, Gothic Beauty Magazine, Vampyre Magazine, The Kansas City Star, and LA Weekly.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

My mother took me to a cosmetics counter when I was 13. and had the attendants teach me how to not only apply makeup, but also take care of my skin. I guess I got hooked on both how makeup made me feel, and the limitless opportunities for artistic expression it allowed me. In high school, I turned to the gothic subculture because I was always sort of an outcast, and the music really resonated with me. It was an empowering movement that accepted people who are different with no questions asked. I started selling makeup for an MLM when I was 16. (Technically, I was too young to sign up for it, so my mom signed up for me even though I was the one who sold the products). l enjoyed it, and I learned a lot from the experience, but the higher-ups involved in my area didn’t appreciate my darker aesthetics. I was also always a voracious reader. I found Paula Begouns’s Beauty Bible & Don’t go to the Skincare Counter without me when I was about the same age. From these books, I learned all about the regulations surrounding cosmetics in this country, (or the lack thereof really,) about the efficacy & safety of commonly-used ingredients, what terms are regulated and what meaningless buzzwords cosmetics companies at the time were using. Because of this, I decided one day I would start my own makeup line.

I wanted to start an ethical line that was vegan, cruelty-free, and offered full transparency into all the ingredients used. When I was pregnant with my first son, I finally started my first line. We were very poor, so it took a long time to save up the money to do it. After a few years, it became profitable, then it grew very quickly. Faster than I could keep up with. We didn’t have the systems in place to support that growth, so my first partnership disbanded, and I started my current line. In just 3 years, we’ve already grown more than my first line did in 8.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?

The most interesting things to happen to me keep happening to me. I’ve gotten to work with so many people and brands who influenced me when I was younger, and many of them are close friends of mine now!

In 2002, I picked up a copy of Dark Realms Magazine at Hot Topic. That magazine was put out by Joseph Vargo, (goth artist and half of the dark ambient band, Nox Arcana). There was an article in that issue by Michelle Belanger about The Endless Night Vampire Ball in New Orleans put on by Father Sebastiaan. We have a license to use Joseph Vargo’s artwork in our Dracula Book Palettes. I met him through William Piotrowski, a dear friend of mine who I met at the ScareLA convention in 2017, (and is the other half of Nox Arcana). I also met Father Sebastiaan in 2016, and I have been working with him since 2018. (We co-own Vampyre Magazine now!) I also grew up shopping at Hot Topic and buying Emily, the Strange Merchandise there in the early 2000’s.We have a licensed collection with Emily, the Strange coming out later this year. I’m so grateful for all of these people and things. I’ve also always been a huge, huge fan of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. It’s my favorite show of all time and I recently got to work with Juliet Landau (Drusilla, among many, many other roles and credits,) for the Magazine and she wore some of our makeup for the cover shoot! There’s more examples, but I think I’ll stop there.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

When we first started, we did everything by hand. When I moved into outside manufacturing, I didn’t realize how common scams were. We got some crazy packaging back from China that was not at all what we received as samples, and worlds away from what we agreed upon! This wasted a lot of time, and it’s apparently a common problem until you find a reliable manufacturer, and build a relationship with them. (Which we eventually did.) We encountered quoted prices doubling overnight, (after paying the deposit!) to receiving palettes of the wrong color back, without any graphics on them. It’s almost funny looking back, but it certianly wasn’t fun to experience that process of trial and error.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

Both my e-husband, and my current husband have supported me in the business for many years. My ex-husband, Logan Boese, is the father of my three oldest children. We co-parent well, but he’s also a brilliant in-person salesperson, and the top editor for not only Vampyre Magazine, but also my marketing copy. My current husband, Joseph Keens started a manufacturing company, Mythosis Manufacturing, and figured out how to produce the tentacle brushes that other manufacturers refused to do because they can’t be injection-molded. They are produced in bulk using 3D resin printers. The design is durable and, because of the shape, they’re very ergonomic. My current business partner, Karen Holton has stepped in to refine our processes and get the company in tip-top shape as CFO in preparation of some of the major licensing deals we are announcing this year, as well as the retail stores we are selling to as a result of that.

As you know, the United States is facing a very important self-reckoning about race, diversity, equality and inclusion. This may be obvious to you, but it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you articulate to our readers a few reasons why it is so important for a business or organization to have a diverse executive team?

This is among the least of reasons, but I’m gonna cut right to the chase and speak to their bottom-line: They’ll be left behind if they don’t.

On the one hand, we should all want to strive for more diversity, and inclusion simply because it’s the right thing to do. Many people, depending on their backgrounds, do not start at the same level playing field as those who have traditionally had the most access to employment and advancement. That alone should be enough reason, but as we’ve seen in recent years many companies that have been around for a long time have had a lot of issues. It’s because once you get big enough, it’s hard to pivot and adapt quickly. There’s too much red tape. This is even more the case if the majority of your executives and employees are of a certain all-too-common aging demographic. They want to do business the old way, regardless of how not only the times, but businesses themselves are changing. Millenials are stepping into power, Gen Z is Graduating college. Most people expect more fairness in society, and they expect more accountability. Those who don’t? Their time has passed. If they don’t adapt, they’re going to be passed over.

As a business leader, can you please share a few steps we must take to truly create an inclusive, representative, and equitable society? Kindly share a story or example for each.

I think that many people think this is so hard to do, it’s not. It’s not hard to be inclusive. It’s a choice to be inclusive, or not. There’s no excuse. If your circle doesn’t already include people from many different backgrounds and ethnicities, then expand your circle. We definitely need to hold companies accountable, because the status-quo maintains the status quo, and I love the initiatives that are happening that allow companies to be certified as inclusive suppliers and brands. We are woman-owned, disabled-owned, and LGBTQ+ owned. We’ve always tried to work with models of as many ethnicities as possible, with as many different body-types as humanly possible.

I think one of the most important things though, is to never say, “Oh, I’m doing it right.” There is always room to do more, (and no one likes virtue signaling!) This is an ongoing fight that can’t be won alone, and it won’t be finished anytime soon. It takes a lot of self-reflection on the types of things that can happen to people who are different to us. We may not be aware of some of these things because of things like privilege. The only sure thing about this is that it won’t be fixed by ignoring it. It needs to be faced and talked about: now, and always.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Most of our readers — in fact, most people — think they have a pretty good idea of what a CEO or executive does. But in just a few words can you explain what an executive does that is different from the responsibilities of the other leaders?

As a CEO, you are the face of your company. You also have a platform and with that platform comes responsibility. Not just to your shareholders, but also to the public, and to your customers. Everything you do has to take into consideration those three groups of people. Everything you do SHOULD take into consideration all of the above, anyway. Most people report to one boss, and potentially to their bosses above them. As a CEO or business owner, you have many bosses. Everyone I mentioned above is your boss, and you have to make decisions to make them happy so they continue supporting your brands.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a CEO or executive. Can you explain what you mean?

That we are all rich. It reminds me of when I first moved to Los Angeles in 2015. I was homeless, but doing makeup for movie sets. Friends back home would comment how I “made it” on pictures I posted of myself at the beach. The Beach is free and set work is some of the easiest work to get in Los Angeles. I was also just starting out here, so it didn’t pay much. It also can be very stressful and demanding to do this kind of work. There’s a reason CEOs are often paid more. I don’t always agree with how much more, given that, without your employees, you wouldn’t be making money at all. However, it definitely requires a lot of risk and a lot of work to handle these operations day in and day out.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by women executives that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

Almost every industry in this country is still male-dominated. There was a study done a few years ago that stated that men often think women are dominating the conversation when they speak only 30% of the time. Another phrase I commonly refer to is, “When you’re used to privilege, Equality feels like oppression.” Women don’t receive equal pay, and women entrepreneurs oftentimes face additional barriers to financing their startups. Furthermore, many women just state that they don’t feel like they’re taken seriously. I was accepted into a business incubator many years ago and there were very few women-led companies there. We were told we had to remove our piercings, put on wigs, and wear suits to be “acceptable” for presentation there. However, many of the men were there in shorts and T-shirts.

To say the least, there’s definitely a double standard and much room for improvement.

What is the most striking difference between your actual job and how you thought the job would be?

The biggest difference between when I was running the company by myself, and now, having employees and partners, is that my role has switched. I’m no longer doing everything, wearing all the hats and working all the time. Instead, I get to focus on spending most of my time on communication. Relationship-building is a big part of my day-to-day, and I really enjoy that. I find that I really excel far more at business-to-business relationships, rather than talking to the consumer side. (I also have really great sales staff who can do that for me!) It’s less stressful than I imagined it would be. I’m able to delegate to my weaknesses, and spend time on my strengths, as well as the aspects of managing the business that I enjoy most.

Is everyone cut out to be an executive? In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful executive and what type of person should avoid aspiring to be an executive? Can you explain what you mean?

I am neurodivergent. I’m both autistic and ADHD. I was diagnosed as a child. I’ve never been able to handle working for someone else for 40 hours a week, but I can work 100 hours a week on my own business and not get burned out. I think a lot of people in business are neurodivergent and don’t realize it, many executives I know are neurodivergent and diagnosed. I’ve always made the joke that Los Angeles is a neurodivergent city itself. Most people come here to pursue their dreams (or a special interest), they go out and have a script they use to talk to people, (what do you do?) And then spend all their time talking about their goals or projects. Plus it takes a certain kind of person to take that leap of faith and buck society’s expectations to pursue their goals.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

First off: until you fail in a really huge way, you’ll never be able to succeed. My first makeup line failed very publicly. This created a large backlash from customers. I took full responsibility, and took a couple years to pay back debts and fix things before starting my next line, but it was a brutal lesson. I was able to build this brand up so quickly because of the mistakes I made the first time around. I knew exactly what to do, and not to do, ten years later.

Secondly: Nothing can prepare you for what you don’t know. This is kind of an extension of a few things I’ve mentioned above. You can read all the business books in the world, but nothing teaches you better than experience. Mentors can help, but they have their own biases, and ultimately you are always going to be the one that has to accept the risk and learn from your mistakes as you go.

Thirdly: Get everything in writing. Always! This might seem like an obvious one, but as things start moving quickly, (and especially if you do business with friends,) you can start to overlook this one easily. Don’t. Your future self will regret not having everything in writing.

Fourth: Have many backup plans! Things will always go wrong, so diversify your risk. Don’t ever plan around one launch, or one event, or one big client. Plan to plan to plan. Budget your time so that you can effectively balance all the things you’re doing at once. That way, even if one or two don’t pan out, suddenly you’re okay. Especially, if you only need one of those things to go well. (Of course, do this with integrity!) That doesn’t mean drop something that you’re working on, or be dishonest, but sometimes things fall apart. Nothing is done until it’s done.

Fifth, and this one most of all: Who you have around you is more important than anything else on this list! The wrong team can destroy you. This is something I unfortunately have far too much experience with, first hand. Learning how to discern who is helping, and who was acting like they were helping was a difficult problem for me because of my autism. However, once you get the right people behind you, I honestly believe you can accomplish anything. Gratitude is so important. I’m so grateful for the team I have now!

I work in the beauty tech industry, so I am very interested to hear your philosophy or perspective about beauty. In your role as a powerful woman and leader, how much of an emphasis do you place on your appearance? Do you see beauty as something that is superficial, or is it something that has inherent value for a leader in a public context? Can you explain what you mean?

I’ve never worried too much about what the general public considers beautiful. Fads come and go, and all bodies and people are beautiful in their own way. Cosmetics, to me, has always been more about art and self-expression. It allows people to express themselves in a way that makes them feel good. I don’t think there’s anything superficial about that.

.You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

With my first makeup line, I came up with the idea of Self-Expression and acceptance being revolutionary. It was 2014, and we did a living-art piece at an art gallery. We had different models dress up, and we used makeup to “carve” insults they’d been told about their bodies into their flesh. It was a very public commentary on body-shaming, tattoo-discrimination in the workplace, and agism. The models said it was cathartic, but we also got to watch the public react in real-time, several of them catching themselves in the middle of perpetuating the exact stereotypes we were educating against. I also did a talk at “One Million Cups” in Kansas City around that time. This gentleman spoke up and told me that, at first, he wanted to walk out because I looked alternative, but after hearing me speak, he was impressed by what I had to say, and he wanted to tell me I changed his mind. Another woman, an older teacher, told us that she has always told her students to not get piercings, tattoos, or colored hair, but I changed her mind. She said she was going to start encouraging them to express themselves more because of what was said in that speech. I think that’s the biggest way I can continue to make an impact in the world of beauty.

When I started in the makeup world, vegan and cruelty-free makeup, (especially in bright colours was rare), and now most companies do it by default. We are moving in the right direction and I want to be there to keep pushing things!

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them

Honestly, I’ve always related to Sophia Amoruso’s story. She’s the founder of Nasty Gal and grew that company on Ebay against some pretty big odds. Since then, she’s gone on to start several other successful businesses. She’s also faced a lot of hate and failed in front of the public. I’ve always said that failure is an integral part of success as a business-owner, but it’s the part that no one wants to talk about or acknowledge. I would love to sit down with her and have coffee. That would be an amazing experience!

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.