>> ALL MONTH LONG, WE HAVE BEEN FEATURING "WOMEN BUSINESS
LEADERS IN THE BERKSHIRES" EVERY WEEK AND TONIGHT OUR FINAL
INSTALLMENT TAKES US TO GREAT BARRINGTON AND THE HEADQUARTERS
OF JANE IREDALE COSMETICS.
"CONNECTING POINT'S" CAROLEE MCGRATH SAT DOWN WITH THE
MINERAL MAKEUP PIONEER TO TALK ABOUT HOW SHE STARTED HER
BUSINESS 25 YEARS AGO, AND HER VIEWS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF
MAKEUP TODAY.
>> BETTER WE FEEL ABOUT THE WAIT WE LOOK THE STRONGER OUR IMMUNE
SYSTEMS.
THAT IS STUDIES THAT CAME OUT OF JAPAN.
THEY COULD ACTUALLY MEASURE A LIFT, STRENGTH OF OUR IMMUNE
SYSTEM WHEN WE FEEL THAT WE'RE AT OUR BEST.
>> NOT JUST ABOUT BEING VEIN IT'S ABOUT KIND OF OPERATING --
>> EXPRESSING YOURSELVES.
THE WAY YOU WANT FOB TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD.
>> INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND I KNOW WE'VE DONE OUR FOCUS
GROUPS, WOMEN TELL ME, EVEN IF I'M WORKING FROM HOME, I FEEL
BETTER IF I HAVE TAKEN A SHOWER, PUT SOME MAKEUP ON I SIT AT MY
DESK, I WRITE BETTER MY ENERGY IS BETTER.
IT'S JUST WHAT WE DO.
>> WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO LAUNCH THIS?
>> I'VE BEEN IN THE ENTERTAINMENT WORLD FOR QUITE A
LONG TIME.
I WORKED WITH A LOT OF MODELS AND ACTRESSES, EVERYBODY WAS
STRUGGLING TO KEEP THEIR SKINS HEALTHY THIS IS DAYS BEFORE
PHOTOSHOP SO WAS HARDER TO RETOUCH THINGS.
SO IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT I WAS -- I NOTICED, I DIDN'T THINK
I'D DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
BUT THEN WHEN I WAS DECIDING THAT I NEEDED TO MOVE OUT OF THE
INFER DANEMENT WORLD, I GOT REAL SHOW BIZ BURN OUT, I THOUGHT WHY
COULDN'T WE HAVE A MAKE UP THAT IS GOOD FOR THE SKIN.
SO WE STARTED WITH ONE PRODUCT 25 YEARS AGO THIS YEAR.
AND THAT LED TO ANOTHER PRODUCT AND ANOTHER PRODUCT.
I NEVER THOUGHT I'D END UP WITH A MAKEUP LINE JUST WANTED TO DO
A FOUNDATION THAT PEOPLE COULD WEAR NOT BREAK OUT FROM AND GET
SENSITIZED TO.
>> YOU MENTIONEDDED CAME FROM A FILM BACKGROUND AND THEATER
BACKGROUND OBVIOUSLY YOU WERE WORKING WITH BIG NAMES, TELL US
ABOUT SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU WORKED WITH?
>> A LOT OF BIG NAMES THAT CAME THROUGH MY DOOR WHEN THEY WERE
JUST STARTING.
PEOPLE LIKE GLENN CLOSE AND SUSAN SARANADAN AND MERYL STREEP
BECAME HUGE STARS.
IT WAS GREAT TO WATCH THEIR CAREERS DEVELOP OVER THE YEARS
AND FEEL I'D HAD A LITTLE -- JUST A LITTLE BIT TO DO WITH IT
IN THE BEGINNING.
>> THAT'S PRETTY EXCITING.
TELL ME ABOUT THE HALL THANKS YOU FACE AS A WOMAN COMING OUT
OF THE FILM INDUSTRY AND LAUNCHING YOUR OWN BUSINESS?
>> WELL, WHAT WAS REALLY GOOD ABOUT THE BUSINESS THAT I CHOSE
TO GO INTO, SOPHIE MAIL DOMINATED, I WENT FROM REALLY
VERY CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT IN THE ENTERTAINMENT WORLD TO
SOMETHING THAT FELT VERY NURTURING AND SATISFYING, I WAS
ENHANCING LIVES OF WOMEN.
THAT'S REALLY WHAT I WANTED TO DO.
I WAS GETTING FEEDBACK -- WONDERFUL FEEDBACK ALL THE TIME.
SO THE CHALLENGE WAS REALLY IN THE NEWNESS OF THE PRODUCT.
HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE THAT.
HOW DO WE ADDRESS THAT.
EDUCATE AROUND THAT.
THAT TAKES A LOT OF MONEY I STARTED WITH $10,000.
SO DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF PLAY MONEY.
SO THAT WAS REALLY THE CHALLENGE WAS GETTING US ON A FIRM
FINANCIAL FOOTING.
HAVING PEOPLE LIKE BANKS GIVE US CREDIBILITY AS A WOMAN-OWNED
BUSINESS, THAT WAS 5 YEARS AGO IT WAS A DIFFERENT A DIFFERENT
WORLD.
>> NOW THIS IS SOLD ALL OVER THE WORLD AND SOLD ONLINE THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT HAS TAKEN OFF FROM TEN GRAND TO WHERE YOU ARE
TODAY.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO HAVE YOUR HOME BASE BE GREAT BARRINGTON?
>> WELL, I AM SORT OF A COUNTRY GIRL AT HEART AND I FOUND MYSELF
SPENDING MORE AND MORE TIME UP HERE.
I STARTED THE COMPANY UP HERE.
MOVED OUTED OF THE CITY, BUT WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE.
IT WAS 15 MINUTES TO THE POST OFFICE.
SO THE DAY I DECIDED THAT WEED OUT GROWN MY HOUSE, BECAUSE IT
WAS NOW TAKEN OVER THE KITCHEN, BEDROOM, BATHROOM, EVERYTHING.
GREAT BARRINGTON WAS THE NEAREST TOWN, HAD A BANK AND POST OFFICE
AND EMPLOYEES.
I'VE NEVER REGRETTED IT.
IT WAS A WONDERFUL CHOICE FOR US.
>> WE'RE SILTING HERE IN AN OLD SCHOOL WHICH IS NOW YOUR
BEAUTIFUL COMPANY, TELL US ABOUT THAT?
>> THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL -- FIRST SCHOOL ACTUALLY IN THE
AREA TO BRING ALL OF THE LITTLE SCHOOLS TOGETHER, ALL THE LITTLE
SCHOOL HOUSES AND HAVE ALL THE KIDS IN ONE PLACE.
IT WAS BUILT IN 1989 IN THE ARTS AND CRAFT ACTOR TOUR, VERY
SOLID, BEAUTIFUL BUILDING BUT IT NEIGHBORHOODED -- HADN'T BEEN
USED FOR TEN YEARS, NEEDED A LOT OF TLC, BRING UP TO CODE AND
WHERE WE'RE SITTING NOW WAS THE OLD DIRTY OLD DARK ATTIC WE
RAISED THE ROOF, PUT IN SKYLIGHTS.
WE ACTUALLY RENOVATED IT TO GOLD LEAF STANDARDS AND IT WAS A
LABOR OF LOVE.
>> HOW WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE A YOUNG WOMAN WHO IS THINKING
ABOUT STARTING HER OWN BUSINESS, THERE'S SO MANY FACTORS, RIGHT?
YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT INSURANCE, EMPLOYEES, RENOVATING
BUILDINGS PERHAPS, MAYBE STARTING IN YOUR HOUSE, IN YOUR
BATHROOM AND BEDROOM AND ALL THAT.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> HOW DO YOU ENCOURAGE SOMEBODY TO TAKE THE PLUNGE?
>> WELL, I FIND -- I THINK NOW, YOUNG WOMEN ESPECIALLY
ENCOURAGED BECAUSE THEY'RE SEEING THEIR FRIENDS DOING
SIMILAR THINGS AND IT'S NOW SO MUCH EASIER BECAUSE.
INTERNET TO COMMUNICATE AND GET YOUR MESSAGE OUT.
BUT I WOULD SAY THAT FIRST OF ALL BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING,
INVESTIGATE, SEE WHERE THE WHITE SPACE IS.
THAT'S WHAT I ASKED MYSELF WHEN HE STARTED A COMPANY.
WHAT IS WANTED AND NEEDED?
WHEN I STARTED WE REALLY WERE THE FIRST TO DO CLEAN BEAUTY.
AND NOW OF COURSE IT'S A CROWDED LANDSCAPE.
BUT WE DON'T DO A LOT OF LOOKING BACK.
WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FORWARD, WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO, WHAT ELSE
CAN WE DO?
WE HAVE A LOT OF EXPERTISE NOW.
>> DON'T LOOK BACK AND LOOK FORWARD?
>> I THINK SO.
IF YOU KEEP LOOKING OVER YOUR SHOULDER THEN YOU'RE NOT MOVING
FORWARD AND MOVING FORWARD IS WHERE YOU NEED TO BE.