In this episode, we trace the history of The Estée Lauder Companies, founded in 1946 by Estée and Joseph Lauder with just four skincare products and a dream in New York City. We explore how the Lauder family built a global portfolio that now ranks as the second-largest cosmetics company in the world, trailing only L'Oréal.

Join us as we discuss:

• The Massive Portfolio: How the company grew beyond its namesake brand to acquire powerhouse labels like MAC, La Mer, Bobbi Brown, Aveda, and Dr. Jart+.

• Strategic Acquisitions: A deep dive into their billion-dollar deals, including the $1.45 billion purchase of Too Faced and the massive $2.8 billion acquisition of Tom Ford.

• Modern Leadership: The transition of power within the family-controlled organization, from Leonard Laude ...