About the episode
Elana Drell Szyfer the newly appointed president of CEW (Cosmetic Executive Women) — joins Mike for a candid conversation about her unconventional path into beauty, the corporate culture lessons that shaped her leadership, and her bold vision for CEW’s future.
From writing cold letters to land her first beauty role at Cosmère (L’Oréal) to navigating the vastly different cultures of Avon and Estée Lauder, Elana shares the humbling moments, panic attacks, and hard-won wisdom that come with building a career across the biggest names in the industry. She opens up about what it really feels like to go from a corner office at 767 Fifth Avenue to running small companies for private equity — and why mentoring first-time CEOs is now one of her passions.
The conversation also dives into the seismic shifts in beauty marketing — from press events and controlled brand messaging to the creator economy, AI-generated video, and the question of whether authentic brand loyalty can survive it all.
On the CEW front, Elana breaks down the organization’s 2026 strategy: a national ambassador program spanning six cities, free student memberships, intimate thought leadership dinners, a new career advice column, group mentoring programs, and upcoming university partnerships for professional development.
🔗 Learn more about CEW: https://www.cew.org
🔗 Learn more about Elana Drell Szyfer https://www.linkedin.com/in/elanadrellszyfer/
🔗 Learn more about PIMS
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
02:19 Career Journey and Early Experiences
08:59 Cultural Adaptation in Corporate Environments
17:27 Lessons Learned and Mentorship
17:58 Navigating Corporate Culture
21:51 Lessons from Leadership Transitions
24:30 The Evolution of Marketing in Beauty
32:12 Building Community in the Beauty Industry
40:41 Future Directions for Professional Development
About the Guest
