What was once a tiny and mighty beauty blog called Into The Gloss has become a bona fide NYC startup: Glossier, with a ragtag team of 35+ jogging up and down the stairwell of our Soho office building, spread out across three floors. Why are we here? We're creating a new kind of beauty company from the ground up—one that acknowledges the hopes, dreams, and desires of women today, and gives them the tools (both digitally and physically) to take ownership over their beauty routines. Who are we? Well, a lot of us began like you: as readers. And we'd like for you to get to know us a little better—what we each do, where we come from, and what we're excited about. Meet Emily Mullaney:
'I found out about Glossier through Instagram, and that’s how I started reading Into The Gloss. I basically started from the beginning and just kept reading. What caught me was the Liv Tyler Top Shelf, even though I've never been a 'beauty junkie.' At that point, I had worked at a few startups but they didn't fit, and I wanted to work for Glossier. When I saw on the site there was a g.TEAM opening, I applied, and I got an email back immediately that was like, ‘Come interview!’
In college I studied history, and when I first started, I had no idea how ecommerce worked. But now, if anything goes wrong up top, it all trickles down to me, so I'm constantly reporting to our Tech and Marketing teams. You have to be really adaptable. Doing customer service here is different from doing customer service in any other company—at a lot of other companies, you’re just firing off emails and your goal is to get it done, get it done, get it done. Whereas our customers want to engage in conversation, and they want to talk about the products...how they use them and how we use them. When I’m having a conversation with a customer, I don't just fire off pre-written responses. I'll say, ‘Oh, I use this product this way and that way…’ and then they’ll talk about how they use it and ask me questions... They’re always willing to engage, which I like.”
Where are you from?
Washington, D.C. Born and raised.
What do you do at Glossier?
I work on the Operations team as the Customer Experience Coordinator. I make sure customer questions and problems are taken care of and that orders are delivered on time. I get to work with Tech a lot, to understand our back end and what can go wrong when someone’s placing an order. I get to work with Operations on shipping timelines and understanding when orders should be shipping and when they should be arriving. And I also get to work with the fulfillment center, making sure all the orders are transferred to them properly.
What's on your desk?
A large coffee with cream from Dunkin' Donuts, and the only PC in the office.
Which five products can you not live without?
CeraVe Moisturizing Cream, Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm, Glossier Soothing Face Mist, Perfecting Skin Tint, and Nivea Kiss of Olive Oil and Lemon Lip Care.
Recent splurge?
I'm actually saving up for these Steven Alan glasses and have been for a while. But like most 20-somethings, my actual splurge is my rent.
Current favorite song?
Right now, any song that comes on Al Green Spotify radio sprinkled with a little “ Sorry' by Justin Bieber. A high/low mix, if you will.
If you didn't work at Glossier, where would you work?
I'd go back to school and study US history.
Best piece of professional advice:
Everyone you meet knows something you don't. Also, you should be able to do everything on Excel without a mouse, using only your keyboard. Thanks to Minsuk and Umaimah for teaching me that the hard way.
—as told to ITG
Emily Mullaney photographed by Tom Newton.
Editor’s note: Emily is no longer with Glossier.
Say hello to Glossier's creative duo Nadine and Sandra—and get acquainted with the rest of the team over here.
