Beauty Isn’t Just Skin Deep: Building a B2B Powerhouse with Kelly Kovack

In this insightful episode of the Future Proof Podcast, host Brent Muller sits down with Kelly Kovack, the powerhouse behind BeautyMatter, a global B2B media and intelligence platform serving the beauty and wellness ecosystem. Kelly shares her journey from beauty brand builder to creating a purpose-driven platform that champions both emerging tech and community-first thinking. From launching with a simple newsletter to building a highly engaged, sticky audience, she breaks down why content, brand, and human connection matter more than ever in today’s B2B world. She also reveals how AI is transforming beauty—from R&D to supply chain—while explaining her productivity hacks, founder tips, and the future of thoughtful growth.

⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro with Brent Muller
01:00 – Kelly’s entrepreneurial journey in beauty
04:00 – Why B2B media was missing in the beauty industry
06:34 – How BeautyMatter was born with “Plan A and Plan B”
08:47 – Scaling BeautyMatter and going from side project to platform
09:24 – The outdated mindset in B2B industries
11:42 – Brands vs products: the true essence of building a business
13:08 – Why fewer, better leads beat more contacts
15:28 – B2B isn’t different—why it needs branding and community
17:26 – Sales without selling: give value, then earn trust
19:10 – The human side of B2B and hand-written thank you notes
21:09 – Evolution of the beauty industry and the role of VC
23:38 – How AI is revolutionizing product dev and supply chain
27:25 – Using AI to optimize manufacturing and creative workflows
29:05 – Creating internal AI data pools for long-term insights
30:27 – Kelly’s top productivity tips as a founder
33:15 – Tech overwhelm & how to evaluate emerging trends
37:26 – Start small: how AI helps eliminate the mundane
39:22 – Building a future-proof business with community at the center
40:17 – How to connect with Kelly & explore BeautyMatter

🔗 Connect with Kelly Kovack:
🌐 Website: 
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-kovack-beautymatter

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#beautyindustry  #B2BMarketing #FounderStory #KellyKovack #BeautyMatter #B2BStrategy #FutureProofPodcast #AIInBeauty #BrandBuilding #FemaleFounders #DigitalMedia #ContentMarketing #CommunityDriven #BeautyTech #Entrepreneurship

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