JOURNAL ARTICLE

The CEO of e.l.f. Beauty on Maintaining a Startup Culture While Scaling.

  • Published In: Harvard Business Review, 2025, v. 103, n. 1. P. 31 1 of 3

  • Database: Business Source Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Amin, Tarang 3 of 3

Abstract

The article focuses on e.l.f. Beauty's growth and unique corporate culture as it became the top-selling mass cosmetics brand in the U.S. in 2024. Founded in 2004 by Alan and Joey Shamah with a mission to offer affordable, quality cosmetics, e.l.f. has maintained a startup mentality characterized by speed, innovation, inclusivity, and a nonhierarchical team structure despite its scale. The company emphasizes community-driven product development, employee ownership through stock awards, and enterprise-wide collaboration, which have contributed to sustained sales growth and high employee engagement. e.l.f. continues to prioritize its vision of disrupting beauty norms while expanding globally and fostering a passionate, high-performance workforce.

Additional Information

  • Source:Harvard Business Review. 2025/01, Vol. 103, Issue 1, p31
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Health and Medicine
  • Publication Date:2025
  • ISSN:0017-8012
  • Accession Number:181526543
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