As part of CEW’s ongoing editorial collaboration with Cosmetics Business, we’re proud to spotlight voices from across the beauty industry who are helping shape its future. This week, the spotlight is on Briana Cavallini, VP Brand at Chāmpo – a UK-based Ayurvedic hair care brand known for its high-performance, natural formulations.
The company, launched in 2019 by founder and CEO Kuldeep Knox, aims to reimagine ancient Ayurvedic rituals for today’s beauty consumer. Since launch, the brand has experienced rapid growth, with over 1.5 million products sold.
Briana joined Chāmpo in 2020. Over the past five years, she has played a key role in building the brand. Below, in her own words, she shares her career journey, lessons learned, and advice for aspiring beauty professionals.
Tell us about your first job in beauty.
My first job in the beauty industry was, and still is, at Chāmpo. I have been VP Brand at the company since 2020 and no two days have been the same, which is great for my ADHD brain. Because Chāmpo has such a strong visual identity, my role serving as the guardian to protect it across all touchpoints is really fundamental. It spreads me across all areas of the business, from the more obvious corners like social media strategy, brand partnerships and tone of voice, through to product packaging, NPD roadmaps, and even which retailers we stock with and why.
What was a lesson you learned early in your career?
The lesson I learned is that growth and pride cannot co-exist. You will go much further, faster, when you put your ego aside and open your mind to other perspectives and opinions.
Is there someone who has helped you climb the ladder or provided key advice?
Working in the beauty industry had never crossed my mind as a possibility until I saw an ex-boyfriend do it for many years. It opened up a whole new world of possibilities and inspired me to marry my working life with my passion for products. I ditched him but got an incredible career path from it, so no hard feelings.
What is the best thing about your current job?
As a beauty junkie, working with top natural chemists to develop innovative products is a dream come true.
What core skills do you need to have as a leader today, particularly in beauty?
If you really know your customer, then market trends are less important than strong intuition, so having the confidence to back yourself is key. Beyond that, core people skills are everything. From managing internal teams and fostering external partnerships, to building strong community engagement.
What do you look for when hiring a team?
One of my favourite business books is Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman by Yvon Chouinard, the founder of outdoor recreation clothing company Patagonia. An excerpt that stuck with me is around the term ‘yarak’, which is used in falconry to describe the optimal hunting point for your bird: hungry and alert enough to be motivated to succeed quickly, but not starving and therefore weakened.
What is your proudest moment to date at the brand?
In five short years we have gone from two people in a WeWork (the company’s founder and CEO, Kuldeep Knox, and I) to becoming one of the fastest growing beauty companies in Europe with more than 1.5 million products sold.
What tips do you have for anyone starting out?
Never underestimate the power of being the hardest worker in the room, and be fast – fast to follow up, seize opportunities and get things done.
Tell me something about your job that might be unexpected.
‘Brand’ touches every part of the business, so my work extends far beyond traditional marketing. It often involves sales and project control.
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