So Your Parents Are Old Selena Gomez’s Mommy Issues
Mar 31, 2026
Angelina Chapin, a Features writer for The Cut who reported the Wondermind story, walks through Selena Gomez and Mandy Teefey’s tangled partnership. They cover Wondermind’s celebrity-driven launch and shaky product. Conversations include Mandy’s rise as a stage mom, leadership red flags at the startup, staff fallout after layoffs, and the complicated family dynamics behind the public-facing mental-health brand.
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Wondermind Lacked A Clear Product Beyond Celebrity Branding
- Wondermind's public pitch aimed to "democratize" mental health but lacked a distinct product.
- In practice it read like BuzzFeed-style listicles; without Selena's active promotion it had little unique value.
Employees Saw Wondermind As Rare Beauty's Afterthought
- Employees reported Selena rarely promoted Wondermind, treating it as an "ugly stepchild" to Rare Beauty.
- Staff suspected Selena mainly created the role to give her mom a project and keep her occupied.
CEO Skills Didn't Match The Job's Demands
- Mandy sought legitimacy and respect but lacked the managerial skills to run a VC-backed startup.
- Her production experience didn't translate to scaling a team of dozens or handling investor relations.