How a Taylor Swift Moment Built a Global Beauty Brand

Aliett Buttelman went from fashion model to co-founder of Fazit, a beauty brand that exploded after a viral Taylor Swift moment. This episode breaks down what actually drives real growth.


In this episode I talk with Aliett Buttelman about what it takes to build a brand from scratch and survive hyper growth. Aliett explains how a decade in fashion modelling shaped his approach to creative work and why he walked away from consulting to build Fazit with co founder Nina LaBruna.

She shares how their glitter freckles went viral when Taylor Swift wore them and what actually happens behind the scenes when sales jump by thousands of per cent overnight. We dig into supply chain pressure, copycats, international expansion and what it means to keep a brand focused when attention moves fast.

Guest: Aliett Buttelman, co founder of Fazit

Key Takeaways:
Virality only matters when a brand has the operational foundation to handle demand.
Copycats are inevitable but innovation and strong brand identity create defensibility.
International expansion requires clarity of vision, not speed for the sake of it.
Founders need consistent decision making to avoid drifting away from their original mission.

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00:00 Introduction
00:32 Aliett’s early modelling career
02:15 Moving into consulting
03:40 Meeting co founder Nina LaBruna
05:12 Starting Fazit
06:25 Early traction and investor interest
08:10 The Taylor Swift moment
09:45 Managing viral demand
11:20 Supply chain pressure
13:05 Amazon limitations
14:30 Preparing inventory
16:02 Celebrity product fit
17:40 Brand identity and product focus
19:20 Handling copycats
21:05 Expanding internationally
22:48 Launching with Sephora UK
24:22 Team growth and leadership
26:05 Working with a business coach
27:50 Hiring decisions
29:10 New product lines and innovation
30:55 Building customer connection
32:20 Advice for founders
34:10 Future plans for Fazit
35:42 Closing thoughts

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