What does it actually take to build a beauty brand that feels timeless? Today, Sammi sits down with Dianna Cohen, founder and CEO of Crown Affair, the cult haircare brand that made slowing down a competitive edge.
Before Crown Affair, Diana was behind the scenes of some of the most talked-about consumer brands of the last decade (Away, Outdoor Voices), Then, she walked away to build something quieter, more intentional, and way harder to pull off. In this conversation, she breaks down how she chose her hero product, what she learned during the DTC boom (and bust), and why “take your time” isn’t soft advice, it’s a strategy.
They get into the real stuff: fundraising without losing the soul of your brand, the moment celebrity endorsements actually matter (and when they don’t), the slick bun tutorial we’ve been waiting for, and the one social move that directly translated to product sales. Dianna also opens up about evolving as a CEO, letting go of control, and building a company culture that doesn’t burn people out.
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00:00 Dianna Cohen’s Social Currency
02:53 From Away and Outdoor Voices to Crown Affair
07:02 Launching Crown Affair and Picking a Hero Product
14:57 Product Development and Early Tradeoffs
28:53 Go-to-Market Strategy and Raising Capital
31:38 Celebrity Endorsements and Timeless Branding
34:31 The Slick Bun Tutorial We’ve Been Waiting For
37:11 Dianna’s Fundraising Philosophy
46:52 Personal Brand vs. Business Brand on Social
50:27 The Seedling Mentorship Program
55:46 Dianna’s Hot Takes on the Beauty Industry
56:22 Social Currency Corner and Listener Question
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