In this eye-opening episode from The Diary Of A CEO, Nicola Kilner, the dynamic co-founder and former CEO of Deciem, dives deep into her remarkable yet tumultuous journey in the beauty industry—a story that sparkles with the brilliance of success but also carries the weight of heart-wrenching tragedy. Can you believe that Deciem, the brain behind the cult-favorite brand The Ordinary, skyrocketed to a staggering valuation of $2.2 billion in just a few short years? It’s almost mind-blowing, right?

Kilner starts off by reminiscing about her early days at Boots, where her career ignited and set the stage for what was to come. It’s fascinating, really—how those seemingly mundane experiences shaped her entrepreneurial spirit. Together with Brandon Truax, she co-founded Deciem, driven by a vision of a company that wasn’t just about profit ...