HSR ICYMI 🍁๋࣭ ⭑☕️⋆

Time for my favorite part of the week, ICYMI!!!

ICYMI ₊♡₊˚ 🍒・₊✧

♡ This Week’s Quote: “Learn like you’ll live forever, live like you’ll die tomorrow” - Ghandi

♡ INDIA HAS MY HEART: You’ll only get a tease about my trip to India in this edition because it’s still unfolding (DW, I plan to write the full guide and review on the 25 hour travel day back to LA this week) but so far, wow. I can’t believe this place hasn’t been on my top #1 most desired places to visit because it is truly magical. We’ve already done New Delhi, Jaipur, Udaipur, and Safaris in Rajasthan (we still have Agra left to see the Taj Mahal) but did I mention that we’ve only been here for 6 nights so far…?! It’s been a fast and furious trip to get out of the US for the election and it was such an honor to get to start our stay as guests of the US Ambassador to India while the election results came through. Not the outcome the US Ambassador (who is a Dem) would have wanted, but I learnt so much about leadership as he accepted the reality that he will be leaving his post as of January 20th and the fall out that is to come. More soon…

♡ India is the new IT Girl: A few weeks ago at the Up Summit, the words “Short China, Long India” came out of billionaire Ross Perot Jr’s mouth as he was on stage talking all things geopolitical predictions. I hadn’t yet visited the country when he spoke at lengths about India (including calling it “the largest democracy in the world, and a sloppy democracy at that") but now that I’ve been here for a week, I can’t communicate how beautiful and important India will be in the future and how accurate those statements are. Given our incoming US President and the state of our relations with China, brands like FabIndia are poised to come thrive in the US and excel even more with globalization. But US Companies also need to pay attention because the new generation of Indian IT Girls are hard to ignore. No longer just actresses from Bollywood, the new Indian IT Girls are socialites, aristocrats and influencers and US brands like Dior, Ralph Lauren, and Jimmy Choo are already cozying up to them to capture India’s rapidly growing luxury market. I’m off to go visit Palace Atelier in Jaipur’s City Palace which the Princess of Jaipur, Gauravi Kumari, (an IT Girl herself) has revitalized into a concept store with French Designer, Claire Deroo.

♡ This Week’s Podcast Highlight: IMO, it’s more important than ever to critically think and challenge group think and I loved the latest podcast on The Diary of a CEO during one of our many 3+ hour plus car rides.

♡ The Final Hours: Tomorrow is the final day of the Sephora semi-annual sale!! I’ve been keeping my beauty routine simple in India but have still been living in these eye patches (that Hailey Bieber swears by) to look and feel alive! I’m resharing my favorites HERE and you can use code SAVINGS for up to 30% off. This is what most of you bought last week!

This Week’s Mood Board

• If your car’s cupholder didn’t fit your Stanley, would you think about trading it in? How small conveniences build brand loyalty—and why brands like Apple and Tesla nail these details every time.

• Think your role is secure? Think again. Here’s how women in high-ranking roles can protect their careers through restructurings, new leadership, and going on mat leave.

Consumer News

♡ the brands, people, places, things that have captured my attention ♡

♡ Women’s Health & Beauty ♡

• Sephora ends its 9-year long partnership with Hydrafacial - from Beauty Independent

• The global wellness industry has grown 25% since 2019 and is now worth $6.3 trillion - from Bloomberg

• E.L.F. expands into Dollar General in an attempt to democratize access to beauty - from Glossy

♡ Media, Entertainment & Creator ♡

• India’s leading socialites and actresses are the new muses for luxury fashion houses, including Gucci and Dior - from Business of Fashion

• A report reveals that 53% of consumers are at least somewhat likely to purchase a product recommended by a social media influencer they follow  - from Traackr

• This hospitality group is ushering in a new era fine dining by bringing million dollar art pieces to its newest NYC flagship restaurant, Manuela - from Vogue

♡ E-Commerce, Retail & Social ♡

• Aritzia’s unconventional approach to retail has led to exponential sales growth over the last five years - from Business of Fashion

• The $18.2 billion vending machine industry is demanding less chips and cookies and more better-for-you food options - from Sherwood News

♡ Tech, Business, & Investing ♡

• Dubbed “TurboTax for prenups,” this startup raised $4m to simplify the prenuptial agreement process - from Fortune

• Oura is doubling down on health tech following its recent purchase of Sparta Science, marking its third acquisition in two years - from TechCrunch

HSR Updates

♡ everything fun and exciting in the land of HSR ♡

We are not just inspiring the next generation of hot, smart, and rich women, we are training them up too. Meet HSR’s newest interns, Alyssa Daniel (left) and Varna Vasudevan (right). We sat down with them both to learn more about their career journeys and why they are excited to bring their talents to HSR. See below:

Alyssa Daniel ~

Tell us about yourself

I was born and raised in Richmond, VA as the youngest of six siblings. I went to Spelman College for undergrad and I am currently pursuing my MBA at Columbia Business School. A few things most people probably don’t know about me are:

1. I am a huge foodie and I love trying new restaurants!

2. I have been a content creator for nearly a decade.

3. I absolutely love everything that HSR stands for and I am beyond excited to be a part of this incredible team! 

Go to coffee / food order in NYC? 

My go to coffee order these days is probably an iced coffee with one pump of oat milk and two hazelnut creams. For food, I have been obsessed with Thai cuisine lately. I have probably ordered red curry at least 4x in the last month from [NY-based], Koo Thai.

What excites you most about working in the consumer/startup space? 

In my previous role, I primarily invested in industrial companies. While these businesses often made for solid investments, I struggled to connect with the product or pain point, which has become increasingly important to me. That disconnect ultimately led me to consumer investing. I love learning about startups that are addressing problems that feel tangible and real to me.

What are your top 10 for being your hottest, smartest, richest self?

1. I live and die by my Google Calendar - truly would be a mess without it!

2. Slow mornings are good for the soul

3. Water, water, water!!! Your body needs water!!

4. MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in the shade gold deposit will always get compliments

5. Solidcore is my roman empire

6. Smart girls regularly ask for feedback (friends, family, coworkers, etc.) and are open to improving

7. Post the content!

8. The Alchemist is my all time favorite read ever - 10/10 recommend

9. “Fortune favors the fearless”

10. My relationship with God is my hottest, smartest, richest tip!

Where do you see yourself after graduation? 

I imagine I will probably find myself somewhere between investing in companies and building one myself. Entrepreneurship has been my north star for as long as I can remember, so I believe that is where I will ultimately land. Until then, I like the idea of helping other people build their brands.

One last thing… we heard that you recently attended the Female Founder World Summit in NYC, how was it?

It was amazing! This was my first time attending, and as a listener of the FFW podcast, it was so cool to see so many of the podcast guests in person. The panels were so informative and I loved the activation stations. Check out my recap video here!

—

Varna Vasudevan ~

Tell us about yourself  

I began my career in consumer product design and brand strategy — launching Lyft’s first transit payments, designing CitiBike’s latest electric fleet, creating Epic Games’ loyalty program, and leading Oura’s Gen4 ring launch and app redesign. Now, I’m pursuing an MBA at Columbia Business School, focusing on social impact and entrepreneurship. I’m thrilled to intern with HSR, whose commitment to gender equity in venture and generational change for women closely aligns with my values. In my free time, you’ll find me planning my next trip (country #36!), biking around the West Village, or building custom furniture at a local makerspace.

What’s your go-to coffee or food order in NYC?

My go-to is the Everything Croissant (croissant x bagel crosss-over) at Daily Provisions, paired with an iced dirty chai latte. I love starting my day at the original Gramercy spot or the Upper West Side location after a walk in Central Park. Definitely go before 10 a.m.— they sell out fast!

What excites you most about working in the consumer/startup space?

I’ve found it incredibly rewarding to work with consumer-facing brands that make a tangible difference in people’s daily lives — from improving the rider experience at Lyft to helping women better understand their health with Oura. Through these experiences, I’ve developed a strong interest in the potential of mobility-as-a-service, especially as attitudes toward car ownership evolve, and in startups focused on women’s health, where there is tremendous opportunity to support women through unique life stages, from pregnancy to menopause.

During this internship, I’m eager to sharpen my ability to distinguish good ideas from great ones, learning from Maggie’s deep consumer insights and Katie’s analytical expertise. As an operator, I’m excited to gain a better understanding of the investment side of venture — what it takes to allocate capital, build relationships, and scale ideas from 1 to 1,000. My background in design research has given me strong instincts for what makes users fall in love with a product, and I hope to bring this user-focused perspective to evaluating investments, particularly in assessing market viability and product experience. I am deeply inspired by the mission and promise of HSR, and I’m thrilled to be part of this journey!

Top 10 for being your hottest, smartest, richest self

• Live Tinted Huestick – Game-changing color corrector for melanated skin, created by one of my favorite South Asian influencers. 

• Rare Beauty Tinted Moisturizer – Lightweight and long-lasting, perfect for surviving those 12-hour days between classes and MBA events.

• FigJam – My digital sticky note hub, from organizing to-dos to brainstorming ideas in real-time with my teams.

• Are.na – My "internet memory palace" for saving notes, inspiration, links, and ideas in curated playlists.

• ClassPass – Helps me explore the best of what NYC has to offer, experimenting with the latest workouts, facials, and even food and drink experiences.

• Oura – Obsessed with tracking my sleep score, cycle, and daily habits. It’s like gamifying wellness!

• Partiful – One of my most-used apps during this busy school semester! Simplifies tracking, planning, and hosting any event, from little dinner parties to MBA socials.

• @girlbosstown – One of my fav TikTok creators with sharp storytelling and spot-on predictions for consumer brand engagement.

• Therabody SleepMask – The latest investment in my sleep, that forces me off evening screen-time!

• Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans – My favorite undergrad class turned into a book. Truly helped me reflect on finding joy in both my career and personal life.  

Where do you see yourself after graduation?

Throughout my career, I’ve focused on identifying new venture opportunities for consumer companies and, as an operator, strategizing, building, and executing MVPs to test key hypotheses. I’ve discovered a genuine passion for the messiness, complexity, and ambiguity of building early-stage companies, which has fueled my interest in both operator and investor roles during my MBA. After graduation, I envision myself as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at a venture studio or a Business Designer at an innovation agency, continuing to transform blue-sky ideas into impactful, sustainable businesses.

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~ Holiday Newsletter Calendar ~

• December 29 (paid subscriber content only) - no newsletter due to the holidays  

• January 5 (paid subscriber content only)  - no newsletter due to the holidays  

TYSM, I♡U!!!!

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