Join us for Venture Lab Community Night: Social Entrepreneurship, in collaboration with Baker Retailing Center and Wharton Women in Business, featuring a fireside chat with Bobbi Brown, renowned makeup artist and entrepreneur, best selling author, sought after speaker, beauty industry icon, and a hotelier. She founded two successful cosmetic brands: Bobbi Brown Cosmetics and more recently created the clean beauty brand Jones Road. She also envisioned and now operates The George Hotel in Montclair, NJ.
Bobbi made the TIME100 “Most Influential People in the World” list and was also named one of Fortune's Most Powerful Women and Forbes' "50 Over 50" Most Influential Women. She has received the Glamour Woman of the Year Award, The Fashion Group International Night of Stars Beauty Award, and The Jackie Robinson Foundation’s ROBIE Humanitarian Award. She was appointed to serve on the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and has been inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.
She received a BFA from Emerson College and holds honorary doctorates from Montclair State University, Fashion Institute of Technology, Monmouth University, and Emerson College.
During this fireside chat, Professor Tyler Wry will explore with Bobbi Brown
This event is ONLY open to active Penn students and special guests. Other active members of the Penn Community (staff and faculty) are welcome to explore. Each participant must have their own ticket. All other registrants may be denied access regardless of affiliation or registration.
Admittance is on a first-come, first-served while venue space permits. Students and active members of the Penn Community must have an active Penn ID to enter the venue. Special guests may enter with a valid government-issued ID.
Bobbi made the TIME100 “Most Influential People in the World” list and was also named one of Fortune's Most Powerful Women and Forbes' "50 Over 50" Most Influential Women. She has received the Glamour Woman of the Year Award, The Fashion Group International Night of Stars Beauty Award, and The Jackie Robinson Foundation’s ROBIE Humanitarian Award. She was appointed to serve on the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and has been inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.
She received a BFA from Emerson College and holds honorary doctorates from Montclair State University, Fashion Institute of Technology, Monmouth University, and Emerson College.
During this fireside chat, Professor Tyler Wry will explore with Bobbi Brown
- Her entrepreneurial journey, from building her first iconic brand to launching Jones Road, and how her experiences continue to shape her approach to innovation and growth.
- What “clean beauty” means, including ingredient choices, brand philosophy, and the balance between efficacy, simplicity, and impact.
- How entrepreneurship and brand building intersect with purpose, including ethics, inclusivity, and environmental responsibility in business decisions.
- Reflections from her memoir and career, offering insights into leadership, reinvention, and scaling a values-driven venture in today’s competitive market.
This event is ONLY open to active Penn students and special guests. Other active members of the Penn Community (staff and faculty) are welcome to explore. Each participant must have their own ticket. All other registrants may be denied access regardless of affiliation or registration.
Admittance is on a first-come, first-served while venue space permits. Students and active members of the Penn Community must have an active Penn ID to enter the venue. Special guests may enter with a valid government-issued ID.
- For external interest, including media inquiries, please contact venturelab@upenn.edu
- For alumni, you may explore https://venturelab.upenn.edu/for-alumni for resources that are available to alumni.