Coffee N° 5 with Lara Schmoisman

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Coffee N°5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Leah Garcia, founder of Nectar7. Leah shares her inspiring transition from professional athlete and TV sports journalist to beauty entrepreneur. From unlocking the power of overlooked ingredients like elastin to prioritizing clinical data and transparent marketing, this conversation uncovers what it takes to build an authen...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Coffee N°5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Ian Ginsburg, CEO of C.O. Bigelow. Recorded live at Cosmoprof (with a huge thank you to the Cosmoprof team for hosting us!), Ian dives into the rich history of America's oldest apothecary and how it successfully transitioned into a modern retail and e-commerce powerhouse. From creating deeply emotional customer connect...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Coffee N°5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Fernando Acosta. Recorded live at Cosmoprof (with a huge thank you to the Cosmoprof team for hosting us!), Fernando shares his journey from Buenos Aires to leading global brands, unpacking what it really takes to build brand equity on an international scale. From the story of Rexona's global brand harmonization to bala...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Coffee N°5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Lisa Green. Recorded live at Cosmoprof (with a huge thank you to the Cosmoprof team for hosting us!), Lisa shares her deep expertise in retail strategy, customer experience, and the irreplaceable power of the human touch. From building community-driven retail environments to ensuring diversity and representation in product...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Coffee N°5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Noah Rosenblatt. Recorded live at Cosmoprof (with a huge thank you to the Cosmoprof team for hosting us!), Noah shares deep insights into the rapid evolution of the beauty industry, digital transformation, and modern brand curation. From building sustainable brand longevity in an oversaturated market to navigating fragrance...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Coffee N°5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Linda Dang, founder of Sakoshi. Linda shares her expert insights on the evolution of Asian beauty in North America, moving far beyond traditional K-beauty trends. From navigating cultural localization and brand readiness to building seamless omnichannel retail experiences, this conversation uncovers what it takes for emergi...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Coffee N°5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Oliver Garfield, former COO and Co-President of Cos Bar. Oliver dives into the remarkable history of Cos Bar, founded in Aspen by his mother, Lily Garfield and how it evolved into a premier luxury beauty retailer. From building scalable infrastructure and navigating early-stage growth to mastering retail education, brand po...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Coffee N°5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Mara, a powerhouse sales leader and healthcare entrepreneur. Mara shares her inspiring journey from a challenging start in law to building a multi-million dollar career in healthcare sales and leadership. From mastering the art of the pitch to understanding why resilience and rejection are essential stepping stones to succe...

Send us Fan Mail  In this episode of Coffee N°5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Jadon Wyant, CEO of Sorcea. Jadon dives into how data-driven insights are transforming the beauty and wellness industries, sharing how his platform cuts through the noise of an oversaturated market. From collecting authentic consumer experiences to helping brands refine their marketing strategies, this conversation uncover...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Coffee N°5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Quinten Farmer, founder of Portola and creator of Tolan. Quinten dives into his journey of developing an innovative personal AI that acts as a supportive companion to help users navigate overwhelm and life's everyday challenges. From exploring ethical considerations and data privacy to designing a non-human, lovable al...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Coffee N°5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Jeannie Jarnot, founder of Beauty Heroes. Jeannie dives into her transition from spa management to pioneering a clean, sustainable, and highly effective beauty marketplace. From establishing strict ingredient standards to navigating a decade of evolving consumer behavior, this conversation uncovers what it truly takes for b...

Send us Fan Mail How do you climb from an entry-level secretarial role to the executive suites of the beauty world? In this episode of Coffee N°5 , we sit down with beauty industry powerhouse Elana S Drell Szyfer . Elana shares her remarkable journey, offering a masterclass in career development, leadership, and the shifting dynamics of the beauty and wellness landscape. Whether you are climbing t...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Coffee N°5 , Lara Schmoisman chats with Maria Warrington, CEO of Beacon Brands . Maria dives into the evolving world of sexual wellness, sharing what it really takes to build, market, and scale a brand in one of the most restricted yet fastest-growing industries. From breaking taboos to redefining pleasure as part of overall wellness, this conversation uncovers...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode of Coffee N5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Ilya Seglin , Managing Director at Raymond James. Ilya dives deep into the world of finance, explaining what it takes for a brand to raise growth capital or achieve a successful strategic exit. They discuss the reality of "alphabet soup" fundraising (Series A, B, and beyond) and why having a "forever brand" is...

Send us Fan Mail The Future of Wellness: AI and Luxury Experiences with Tom | Coffee N5 In Episode 248 of Coffee N5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Tom, a leading consultant in the luxury skincare and wellness space. They explore a often overlooked but highly lucrative channel: Hospitality. Tom shares insights on how brands can move beyond traditional retail and tap into luxury hotels and resorts, the...

Send us Fan Mail Beyond the Business Card: Strategic Networking with Mike Ryan | Coffee N5 In Episode 247 of Coffee N5, Lara Schmoisman chats with Mike Ryan , a true master of professional relationships and a veteran of the PR and marketing industry. In this episode, they dive deep into the world of professional relationship building, the critical importance of "showing up," and how Mike...

Send us Fan Mail In this Coffee Nº5 episode, Lara Schmoisman sits down with Sara Jensen—serial entrepreneur, author, and Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Hugh & Grace—to explore hormone health, preventative wellness, chemical exposure, and the rise of community-driven commerce. We'll talk about: How 14 years of infertility reshaped Sara’s understanding of hormone health The hidden impact of hor...

Send us Fan Mail In this Coffee Nº5 episode, Lara Schmoisman sits down with Dr. Brent Ridge—physician, longevity researcher, co-founder of Beekman 1802, and co-author of Goat Wisdom —to explore the science of longevity, microbiome innovation, and why kindness is a powerful long-term business strategy. We'll talk about: Why extreme longevity is influenced more by optimism and social connection...

Send us Fan Mail In this Coffee Nº5 episode, Lara Schmoisman sits down with Bora Mutluoglu, co-founder of Reacher and Y Combinator alum, to break down the reality of social commerce. Using TikTok Shop as a case study, they explore automation, affiliate strategy, creator relationships, and how AI-generated content is reshaping sustainable growth. We'll talk about: Why the “easy sales” narrativ...

Send us Fan Mail In this Coffee Nº5 episode, Lara Schmoisman sits down with Amina AlTai—holistic business and career coach, proud immigrant, chronic illness advocate, host of the Amina Change Your Life podcast, and author of The Ambition Trap: How to Stop Chasing and Start Living —to explore the psychology of ambition. From burnout and hustle culture to core wounds, systemic pressure, and sustaina...

Send us Fan Mail In this Coffee Nº5 episode, Lara Schmoisman sits down with Jennifer Bickerton and Lauren Kahn, Co-Founders of Intersection PR, to demystify what PR really looks like in 2026. From AI and media fragmentation to influencer economics, launches, and integrated ecosystems, this conversation breaks down how brands actually build relevance, authority, and momentum today. We'll talk...

Send us Fan Mail In this Coffee Nº5 episode, Lara sits down with Laura Meyer—Founder & CEO of Envision Horizons and former Amazon insider—to break down why Amazon isn’t “just another sales channel.” They unpack what actually drives revenue on Amazon, the biggest distractions brands fall for, and how to build a profitable, defensible Amazon strategy without burning cash or losing brand identity...

Send us Fan Mail In this Coffee Nº5 episode, Lara sits down with Kat Garcia, Founder of Ground AI, to dismantle the myth of the linear career. They go from Hollywood sets to building revenue engines, getting real about why the traditional funnel is broken and how to use data to build actual momentum—not just noise. We'll talk about: Why the "straight line" career is a myth—and a tra...

Send us Fan Mail In this Coffee Nº5 episode, Lara sits down with Allison McNamara, Founder and CEO of MARA Beauty, to explore the non-linear path from media to building a science-backed skincare brand. A grounded conversation about discipline, focus, and earning clarity over time. We'll talk about: Why non-linear careers often lead to stronger founders Building a science-backed brand without...

Send us Fan Mail In this Coffee Nº5 episode, Lara Schmoisman sits down with Aaron Alpeter, founder of Izba, Sourcify, and Slotted, to break down the operational reality of scaling product-based businesses. From cash flow and supplier negotiations to packaging costs and operational flexibility, this episode explains why supply chain is a core growth driver—not a backend detail. We'll talk abou...