Welcome to episode 28 of the Kindred Spirits Podcast, with your hosts Melissa Jaalaid and Madeleine Matson Smith.

In this episode we interview Kaylee Astle Lieffers. Kaylee is a start-up fanatic, ex-management consultant, and tech innovator. She is the Founder & CEO of Blanka, a disruptive platform that helps entrepreneurs launch and scale beauty businesses. In less than two years, Blanka became one of the top performing apps in the Shopify App Store and today has helped over 25,000 entrepreneurs start their businesses. Kaylee’s unwavering commitment to innovation and empowering other entrepreneurs has earned her a number of awards including Top 30 Under 30 and Top Female Founders to Watch in Canada. 

Kaylee discusses her journey, including the struggles she experienced when she launched her own direct-to-consumer brand which eventually became a catalyst for Blanka's creation.

We talk about how Blanka is disrupting the beauty industry and supporting the ongoing evolution as independent brands increasingly capture the market.

Kaylee addresses the challenges faced by companies in offering clean products, issues in importing products due to governmental regulations, and the significant role played by community and audience in propelling a brand forward.

Hope you enjoy the episode, and please share any feedback you have with us at the links below.

***Use the promo code KINDREDSPIRITS10 for 10% off your first order with Blanka!***

Connect with Kaylee Lieffers:

LinkedIn

Blanka Website

Blanka Instagram

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Connect with Madeleine Matson Smith on ⁠LinkedIn ⁠

Connect with Melissa Jaalaid on LinkedIn