“Relevance today requires both conviction and curiosity. Leaders like J. Crew’s CEO, building a direct relationship with over 100,000 followers through personal styling, and Martha Stewart, who intentionally surrounds herself with younger voices to stay culturally current, demonstrate that brand vitality is deeply human. Their success underscores that people buy from people. The brands that continue to evolve are the ones willing to be bold, embrace unlikely moments, and leverage content and now AI to keep their storytelling dynamic and usable.”
— Amy Rudgard, SVP, Client Delivery
On September 8, 2025, we joined leaders across beauty, fashion, and footwear in New York City for the fifth annual Women in Power Forum. Centered on the theme Reality Check: The Push for Progress, the conversations tackled the real opportunities and tensions shaping the future of the industry. Speakers included legacy entrepreneur Martha Stewart, Melis del Rey, GM of Amazon Health & Beauty, fitness expert Tracy Anderson, and Carolina Cucinelli of Brunello Cucinelli. These formidable leaders set a candid and forward-looking tone that carried throughout the forum.
A highlight of the event for Market Defense was our mainstage session, Facing Change: The New Customer Journey. Cyndi Isgrig, CEO of DIME Beauty, and our own Vanessa Kuykendall, Chief Engagement Officer at Market Defense, joined Kathryn Hopkins, Senior Editor of Beauty at WWD, for a thoughtful discussion on the evolving beauty consumer and the expanding role of marketplaces in shaping purchase behavior.
What became clear is how the path to purchase has become increasingly fragmented and platform driven, requiring brands to respond with sharper positioning, operational discipline, and a clear channel strategy. Above all, it was reinforced that succeeding in today’s marketplace environment demands both agility and a defined brand point of view.
When Vanessa founded Market Defense after more than 20 years in beauty, she initially focused on helping brands clean up unauthorized sellers on Amazon. What began as brand protection has evolved into something much bigger. Today, marketplaces are not just about control. They are powerful, data-rich growth engines that influence advertising, product development, and overall brand strategy.
For DIME Beauty, that expertise has been transformative. After moving from a generalist agency to Market Defense, the brand has doubled its Amazon revenue year after year. The difference, according to Cyndi, came down to deep beauty knowledge and a true understanding of how Amazon works.
The major theme throughout the discussion was the changing consumer journey. Shoppers are no longer loyal to a single channel. They are loyal to brands. When something trends on TikTok, they expect to find it immediately on the marketplace. Speed, convenience, and transparency matter more than ever.
Marketplace data also captures cultural shifts in real time. From the rise of pheromone fragrances to the Clean Girl aesthetic pushing unexpected products up the bestseller ranks, trends often begin on social and accelerate through search. Even brands outside a trend can respond by refining messaging and emphasizing relevant benefits.
Dime has seen this firsthand. After one product went viral on TikTok, the brand experienced a 500 percent spike in Amazon search volume and a dramatic jump in search ranking. Social momentum translated directly into marketplace growth.
When asked for their top advice, both Cyndi and Vanessa emphasized one thing: use the data wisely. Marketplaces provide an overwhelming amount of insight. The brands that succeed are the ones that focus on meaningful signals and act on them.
The discussion closed on a deeply personal note as Vanessa shared how, during her recent breast cancer diagnosis, beauty products helped her maintain a sense of dignity and control. In an industry often driven by appearance, her message was a reminder that beauty can also be empowering, healing, and human. Marketplaces may be transforming how beauty is sold, but at its core, the industry is still about connection, confidence, and meeting consumers where they are.
Throughout the day, attendees visited Market Defense’s Empowerment Mirror to share a word that inspired change. Amy Rudgard, SVP, Client Delivery, said that “seeing words like strength, voice, and fearless reflected back was a powerful reminder of the leadership and energy brought into the room.” As leaders added their reflections, it became a visible reminder to us that progress in this industry requires both strategic clarity and the confidence to lead with conviction.