In the Press

Destinations for Discovery: Bright Beauty Collective's Next-Gen Leadership & AI Innovation Are Shaping the Future of Beauty Retail
Business Insider Melissa Barker Business Insider Melissa Barker

Destinations for Discovery: Bright Beauty Collective's Next-Gen Leadership & AI Innovation Are Shaping the Future of Beauty Retail

Bright Beauty Collective (BBC), a leading retail field sales agency founded by industry pioneer Susannah Dellinger, is proving that innovation doesn't mean replacing people with technology, it means empowering them. In an era where some brands are cutting field teams in favor of digital solutions, BBC is taking the opposite approach: integrating AI-driven analytics with human expertise to create a smarter, more efficient field execution model.

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How  New  CEO Kecia Steelman Can Improve Ulta Beauty’s Business
Beauty Independent - Jan 2025 Melissa Barker Beauty Independent - Jan 2025 Melissa Barker

How New CEO Kecia Steelman Can Improve Ulta Beauty’s Business

Ulta Beauty is charging into 2025 under new leadership as long-time executive Kecia Steelman takes the helm, presenting both challenges and opportunities for the largest specialty beauty retailer in the U.S. Experts weigh in on what she should prioritize to strengthen the brand’s competitive position and growth prospects.

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Breastfeeding, Pig Fairs & Sephora: How Susannah Dellinger Is Rewriting the Beauty Playbook
Allergic to the Ordinary - Feb 2026 Melissa Barker Allergic to the Ordinary - Feb 2026 Melissa Barker

Breastfeeding, Pig Fairs & Sephora: How Susannah Dellinger Is Rewriting the Beauty Playbook

Susannah Dellinger didn’t wait for the perfect timing. She launched Bright Beauty Connect from her kitchen table during the pandemic, no funding, no childcare, no formal business plan, and built it into a multimillion-dollar retail agency helping beauty brands win inside Sephora, Ulta, Nordstrom and beyond.

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26 Bold Indie Beauty Predictions For 2026
Beauty Independent - Dec 2025 Melissa Barker Beauty Independent - Dec 2025 Melissa Barker

26 Bold Indie Beauty Predictions For 2026

No one has a crystal ball, but industry leaders are weighing in on the themes that will define and shape indie beauty next year. Beauty Independent’s roundup explores 26 forward-looking predictions around retail disruption, AI, category growth, consumer sentiment and channel shifts that will influence how brands innovate and scale in 2026.

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How Beauty Retailers Can Maintain Their Edge As Amazon Encroaches
Beauty Independent - July 2024 Melissa Barker Beauty Independent - July 2024 Melissa Barker

How Beauty Retailers Can Maintain Their Edge As Amazon Encroaches

With Amazon rapidly growing its presence in beauty — attracting prestige brands and poised to become the largest U.S. beauty retailer — established specialty retailers are facing intensified competition from the e-commerce giant. According to industry data, Amazon is already a dominant destination for beauty product searches and sales, pressuring traditional players to defend market share and rethink customer experience.

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Beauty And Retail Insiders Offer The Body Shop’s New Owner Suggestions For How  To Revive The Storied Chain
Beauty Independent - Nov 2023 Melissa Barker Beauty Independent - Nov 2023 Melissa Barker

Beauty And Retail Insiders Offer The Body Shop’s New Owner Suggestions For How To Revive The Storied Chain

Natura & Co’s sale of The Body Shop to new owners has sparked a broad industry conversation about how the iconic ethical beauty brand can regain relevance amid evolving consumer expectations and intensified competition in natural and sustainable beauty. Retail and beauty insiders offered strategic ideas focused on everything from brand repositioning to product innovation and experiential retail.

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