Female Founder World

How to Find the Influencers Who Actually Sell Your Product - With Susan Yara

March 9, 2026

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • Building a successful brand like Naturium often requires leveraging a decade of prior content creation and education experience, not just the short time spent on the brand itself. 
  • The partnership between Susan Yara and Ben Bennett to form Naturium was catalyzed by the unique, uncertain circumstances of the early COVID-19 lockdown, leading to a rapid co-founder decision. 
  • Authenticity and the ability to genuinely sell products, rather than just review them, are critical traits to look for when partnering with influencers, regardless of follower count. 

Segments

Naturium Brand Definition
Copied to clipboard!
(00:00:09)
  • Key Takeaway: Naturium is defined by being clinically effective, biocompatible, and accessibly priced to encourage consistent use.
  • Summary: Naturium’s formulas are biocompatible, meaning the skin recognizes and uses them comfortably. The brand emphasizes clinically effective ingredients backed by data, confirmed through internal testing. Products are accessibly priced so consumers can afford consistent use for real skin change.
Founding Story and COVID Catalyst
Copied to clipboard!
(00:00:55)
  • Key Takeaway: The partnership between Susan Yara and Ben Bennett was forged rapidly during the uncertainty of the initial COVID-19 lockdown via a chance LinkedIn message.
  • Summary: Susan was bootstrapping her own brand when her Korean contract manufacturer shut down production due to COVID-19 in February 2020. She reached out to Ben Bennett, founder of Naturium (which was soft-launched as an incubator brand), seeking manufacturing help. The lockdown environment led to extended conversations and a quick decision for Susan to join as co-founder, merging efforts.
Navigating 2020 Controversy
Copied to clipboard!
(00:09:25)
  • Key Takeaway: A public challenge regarding diversity led to an FTC investigation, highlighting the risks of public transparency before formalizing business structures.
  • Summary: When responding to the ‘pull up or shut up’ challenge, Ben posted an ambiguous statement about the founders’ ethnicities before Susan’s co-founder contract was finalized, leading to immediate conspiracy theories online. The resulting public outcry prompted an FTC investigation due to hundreds of complaints, which ultimately cleared Susan after a year and a half, but cost her the chance to control the narrative publicly.
Building for Acquisition Strategy
Copied to clipboard!
(00:23:21)
  • Key Takeaway: Naturium’s strategy was explicitly built to be sold quickly, focusing on a specific retailer (Target) based on existing consumer data from Susan’s content platform.
  • Summary: Ben clearly stated the intention was to build the brand quickly for sale, not over a decade. Data from Susan’s YouTube channel informed product pricing (average $25) and ingredient focus, leading them to target Target exclusively for the first few years to build strong retail recognition. Building profitability was prioritized, especially as market trends shifted away from valuing growth without profit.
Content Creator as Seller
Copied to clipboard!
(00:26:41)
  • Key Takeaway: Susan distinguished herself as a content creator by being a proven ‘seller’ whose audience trusted her product recommendations, a trait she sought in Naturium’s influencer partners.
  • Summary: Susan was known for being able to sell product for brands hitting revenue gaps, built on a foundation of authenticity and never promoting products she didn’t believe in. This trust meant her audience would buy products she endorsed, leading to long-term partnerships. She applied this by identifying and partnering with other ‘sellers’ online, even micro-influencers, for Naturium.
Financial Literacy Post-Acquisition
Copied to clipboard!
(00:34:47)
  • Key Takeaway: Achieving significant wealth requires proactive financial management, including hiring expert advisors before the deal closes to legally optimize tax burdens.
  • Summary: Susan found it took about a year post-acquisition to feel comfortable spending the money, remaining in a ‘hustle mode’ mindset. She credits finding a knowledgeable portfolio manager (David) six months before the sale for helping structure contracts to minimize massive tax hits legally. This access to financial expertise is crucial, as the tax code is designed to benefit business owners who utilize it correctly.
Team Building Resource Recommendation
Copied to clipboard!
(00:39:52)
  • Key Takeaway: The Culture Index personality test is recommended for team building to ensure new hires’ personalities complement existing management to foster thriving work environments.
  • Summary: The Culture Index test provides detailed personality insights, unlike some other tests. It is used to assess how a potential hire’s personality will interact with their direct manager’s profile. Hiring decisions should prioritize complementary personalities to prevent workplace friction, even if the candidate has an otherwise strong resume.