Leaving Romania for Opportunity

Eyebrows built a billion-dollar brand—and Anastasia Soare explains exactly why. In this episode, you’ll learn the “golden ratio” method she used to shape brows for any face, plus the business and personal decisions that turned a Hollywood brow room into Anastasia Beverly Hills. 

Anastasia Soare is the founder of Anastasia Beverly Hills and the pioneer behind modern brow shaping and the eyebrows of Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, and more. From leaving communist Romania with her daughter to becoming Hollywood’s “best kept secret,” she built a global beauty empire by mastering her craft, obsessing over education, and staying ahead of culture. 

Chapters 

00:00 - Why eyebrows define the face 

01:20 - The 80s tweezing mistake that started everything 

02:30 - Golden ratio brows (the pencil method) 

04:10 - Working at 12 in Romania + learning work ethic 

06:10 - Leaving communist Romania + arriving in America 

08:35 - Discovering the brow opportunity in 90s Hollywood 

10:45 - Quitting with $5,000 to start her own business 

12:10 - The early salon years + creating products clients demanded 

13:30 - Oprah: the moment that changed everything 

19:30 - Nordstrom + the live demo that sold the Brow Studio idea 

21:10 - Beginner beauty advice + how to practice products 

23:20 - Expanding beyond brows: contour + the kit that sold out fast 

28:20 - Biggest makeup mistakes and trends (over-contour, blending, laminated brows) 

29:55 - If you only have 5 minutes: the simplest routine 

31:10 - Why she refused “pencil-thin” brows (and what doesn’t grow back) 

34:50 - Building social early: Instagram, tutorials, and influencer community 

38:10 - Working with her daughter (including firing her) + running ABH together 

43:45 - Learning finances the hard way + funding growth 

45:00 - What’s next: innovation, expansion, and global markets 

48:20 - Advice for entrepreneurs: resilience, focus, and starting before you feel ready 

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Phoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts—they’re the founders of Phia, a fashion-tech app helping shoppers find the best prices across retail and resale. Download the app and help us grow → https://www.phia.com 

About The Burnouts 

The Burnouts brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with today’s top founders, creators, athletes, and culture-shaping entrepreneurs. Hosted by Stanford roommates turned startup co-founders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, the show goes beyond the headlines to reveal the real stories behind ambitious careers. 

Past guests include Paris Hilton, Chelsea Handler, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss, and more. Subscribe for the insider playbook to build your dream career.