Ep 03: Barb Stegemann, Founder of The 7 Virtues perfumes

It’s not often that an act of war is the impetus for creating a beauty brand, but in our third episode, you’ll find out exactly why single mom Barb Stegemann was compelled to create an all-natural, fair trade fragrance empire from her garage with nothing more than a Visa card, steely determination and a set of seven philosophical virtues to guide her: beauty, wisdom, wonder, moderation, justice, courage and truth. Voila, The 7 Virtues were born.

Seven years and a million dollars in sales later, Stegemann is not only a successful businesswoman, but a motivational speaker. And now, her story is the subject of a poignant documentary called Perfume War , earning accolades at the Sonoma and Sedona International Film Festivals (and will be in wider distribution soon).

We get the scoop on what the future holds including being hand-picked by Sephora for its 2017 Sephora Stands Accelerate program. Plus, get a sneak peek of a new range of kick-ass, vegan lipsticks that will launch just in time for International Women’s Day 2018—and rival some of the most fashion forward brands lining store shelves in colour payoff, pigment and finish.

Stegemann offers up her candor about the ups and downs of life as an social entrepreneur – she’s just as focused on building better lives for the most vulnerable people around the globe as she is about turning a profit. Unlike most other brands, The 7 Virtues is about perfumes with purpose, offering a second life to those in war-torn nations. Tune in to meet the powerhouse mind behind the mega movement.