Jamie Kern Lima, guest shark on 'Shark Tank,' reveals her journey from waitress to mogul: "I was crying..."
Jamie Kern Lima, a businesswoman, philanthropist, and author, is one of the guest sharks who appeared in Season 16 of 'Shark Tank'. Over the years, she has come a long way from being a waitress at Denny's, a contestant on the reality show 'Big Brother' to a local news reporter in Washington and Oregon. In addition to this, Jamie is also a former beauty pageant winner. At the age of 31, she launched her own business named IT Cosmetics in 2008. After eight years, she made the bold move of selling her cosmetic company to L'Oreal for $1.2 billion.
Then, the Jamie Kern Lima Show host made roughly around $410 million from the business deal, as per Forbes. Her current net worth stands somewhere between $450 million and $650 million. Back in the day, Jamie created history by becoming the first female CEO at L'Oreal, remaining with IT Cosmetics for three years after the sale. She decided to create her makeup brand to find solutions for her rosacea, a skin condition that causes redness.
'Shark Tank' Season 16 guest shark Jamie Kern Lima faced several rejections over the years
Jamie Kern Lima might be a successful businesswoman now but she has experienced numerous rejections while pitching her makeup products to renowned companies. However, she didn't give up despite her struggles with self-doubt and the rest is history. To make her dreams a reality, Jamie worked hard day and night. Back in the day, she spent around 100-hour weeks working tirelessly and pouring her heart and soul into building her company. At one point, she had only $1000 in her pocket but she pushed through despite all obstacles.
"There were nights when I was crying myself to sleep because of another big rejection pitching the products. I would pull up the notes app on my phone and I would read inspiring quotes or stories. It would remind me of things like, 'Oh, where I come from doesn’t have to determine where I’m going', or 'champions aren’t made when the game is easy'," she told CNBC. Jamie continued, "Everything in the world that is incredible was created by someone like you and me, and all those things remind me of who I am, what I am made of, and where I’m going. I think we all need a toolbox [for] those things. Otherwise, in so many ways, we’re alone and trying to navigate everything."
Since the sale of her cosmetics brand, IT Cosmetics in 2016, Jamie Kern Lima has expanded her investment portfolio by putting her money in a couple of different businesses. In the last couple of years, she has invested her money in over a dozen businesses. Some of Jamie's popular investments include Dutch Bros Coffee, a coffee chain that operates over 800 locations all over the United States, as well as Duckhorn Portfolio, a renowned wine producer best noted for his high-quality wines.