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Leslie Blodgett is an angel investor at Broadway Angels and an active corporate advisor based in Tiburon, California. She previously served a 22-year tenure as the CEO of Bare Escentuals, where she scaled the cosmetics brand and directed the enterprise through its 2006 initial public offering. Under her executive leadership, the retailer expanded its global footprint and was ultimately acquired by Shiseido for $1.8 billion in 2010. Blodgett currently holds an advisory role on the SPANX Board of Advisors and serves as a board member for Every Mother Counts and various maternal health organizations. A 2018 Stanford Distinguished Careers Institute Fellow, she is also the published author of a Wall Street Journal bestselling business advice book. Her current professional focus centers on advising established consumer product enterprises and providing capital to innovative early-stage technology startups.
Leslie Blodgett stands out as a highly respected figure in both the beauty industry and the venture capital landscape. As an angel investor with Broadway Angels, she brings a wealth of operational experience and strategic insight to the companies she supports. Broadway Angels is a distinguished group of female investors committed to funding and fostering the growth of women-led companies and diverse founding teams, aligning perfectly with Blodgett's passion for empowering entrepreneurs.
Blodgett's investment focus areas are deeply rooted in her successful career background. She primarily targets innovative companies within the consumer goods, beauty, wellness, and e-commerce sectors. Her expertise is particularly valuable to direct-to-consumer brands and those leveraging technology to disrupt traditional markets. She seeks out founders with strong vision, compelling products, and a clear path to market, often prioritizing businesses that resonate with her own journey of building a beloved brand from the ground up.
Her illustrious career began with the founding of Bare Escentuals in 1994. Under her leadership, the company pioneered the mineral makeup movement, transforming it from a niche product into a global beauty powerhouse. Blodgett's innovative marketing strategies, including extensive use of infomercials and QVC, created a loyal customer base and propelled the brand to immense success. Bare Escentuals was eventually acquired by Shiseido for a significant sum, solidifying Blodgett's reputation as a visionary entrepreneur and a master of brand building. This experience provides her with a unique perspective on product development, marketing, distribution, and scaling a consumer business.
Today, Leslie Blodgett channels her entrepreneurial spirit into identifying and nurturing the next generation of disruptive companies. Her role as an angel investor extends beyond capital; she often serves as a mentor, advisor, and strategic partner, helping founders navigate the challenges of growth and market penetration. Her involvement with Broadway Angels further underscores her commitment to fostering a more inclusive and dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem, ensuring that promising ventures, especially those led by women, receive the support they need to thrive.
Leslie Blodgett is a renowned entrepreneur and angel investor, best known as the founder of the highly successful beauty brand Bare Escentuals. After building and selling her company, she now invests in and mentors early-stage businesses, primarily through Broadway Angels.
Leslie Blodgett primarily invests in companies within the consumer goods, beauty, wellness, and e-commerce sectors. She often focuses on innovative direct-to-consumer brands and businesses led by women or diverse teams, leveraging her extensive experience in brand building and market disruption.
Leslie Blodgett works as an angel investor, and she is a prominent member of Broadway Angels. Broadway Angels is an investment group composed of accomplished female investors dedicated to funding and supporting women-led companies and diverse founding teams.
